musings of a spirited vegan

"Cheesy" Tofu Scrambles

2011-07-09T08:18:00.004-05:00

Inspired by my dad's cheesy scrambles, I made my own vegan version. Looks and tastes like the real thing!!

I made a smaller amount, so if you want more, just double the recipe.

1 /2 15.5oz package of extra firm, sprouted, organic tofu

lil fat - ex 1 tsp olive oil or coconut oil or grapeseed oil, etc OR 1 tsp earth balance OR nonstick spray

1 tbls nutritional yeast (optional)

2 tbls of "cheese sauce" recipe

hemp heart milk or plant milk of your choice

salt & freshly ground pepper

Add oil to pan, heat over medium high heat. Drain tofu and add to pan. Chop up tofu the size of scrambles. Cook until tofu gets a little color. Add nutritional yeast, if using, mix well. Add a few spoonfuls of cheese sauce. Mix into tofu well. If it seems too dry (my cheese sauce was made prior so it was thick), add a little plant milk. Stir. Let cook on medium high heat for a few minutes until it is golden brown on bottom. Flip tofu and cook till the other side is golden brown. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!!

Vegan Ramen Noodle Salad with Gardien Beefless Tips

2011-03-26T14:04:00.007-05:00

I was craving Gardien's Beefless Tips and wanted to make a ramen noodle salad. I came up with this recipe; all the omini's in the house loved it and told the other ominis "you have to try this salad". So, I guess it's good ;o)

1 package Gardein Beefless Tips
1/4 cup or more to taste raw, sliced almonds
1 package IndoMie Instant (ramen) Noodles - Mi Goreng Rendang (Spicy Beef Flavour)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 head broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, quartered (optional)
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded & chopped
1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded & chopped
2 tiny yellow onions or shallots or equivalent, chopped
White wine
Earth Balance
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Rice wine vinegar
powdered ginger

Cook Gardein Beefless Tips in some EVOO. The stainless steel pan I used, some of the beef stuck to the bottom. When finished cooking (a few minutes according to package directions), place in bowl. Add some Earth Balance to pan, add onions and saute until translucent. Add white wine and scrap up beefless bits (deglaze). Pour into a bowl, set aside. Slice beefless tips in half. Using same pan, add a tablespoon of Earth Balance. Crush up ramen noodles and place in pan with almonds. Saute until golden. Put everything except onion and wine mixture into large bowl. In the bowl with onion and wine mixture (I did not measure here, so add a little then taste and add more to your liking) add all packets from ramen noodles except red pepper packet (unless you like some spice. I am nursing so I avoid things that are too spicy), some EVOO, rice wine vinegar and powdered ginger. Taste and adjust seasoning to liking, add to salad. Mix well, taste, adjust seasoning if necessary and enjoy. Serve immediately.

Vegan Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

2010-12-18T19:49:00.015-06:00

Used this recipe and veganized it.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon earth balance margarine
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup earth balance margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups plain soy milk
2 cups vegan chicken stock or bouillon
1/4 to 3/4 cup nutritional yeast (to taste)
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Saute onion in margarine. Set aside. Cook margarine and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the soy milk (this is called making a roux). Add the vegan chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat , stir in the nutmeg and serve.

Vegan Spinach & Mushroom Quiche

2010-04-07T16:28:00.006-05:00

I had a leftover pie crust (they come in two's) from the strawberry pie I made yesterday and was in the mood for a quiche. I was thinking of adding some vegan chorizo or notrizo as my friend affectionately named it, but decided against it thinking it maybe too spicy for the baby. I am becoming a pro at vegan quiches and this one was quite delicious!! The key to a great vegan quiche is Black India Salt. It's really not black at all, really a pinkish red. It has the smell of sulfur and tastes like egg. It is excellent in vegan egg salad like in Tofu Mom's Happy Chicken Egg-Free Sandwiches.

Filling
Olive oil
1 tsp organic vegan margarine
8 oz can of mushrooms, drained
2 tsps chopped organic garlic
5 0z organic baby spinach, washed, stems removed
lemon juice
2 splashes of Brags
1 container (19 oz) firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes
1 tsp lemon thyme
1 tsp onion powder
Black India Salt to taste
2-3 tbls nutritional yeast
3 splashes of shoyu, tamari or soy sauce - or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp tumeric (up to 1 tsp depending on the color you want)
2-3 tbls non-gmo soy milk
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Ready made frozen pie crust (Mrs. Paul's is vegan) or can make your own vegan crust

Heat oven to 350. Drain tofu and place in paper towels or clean cotton kitchen towel (not the kind with the fuzzies all over them, the real kitchen towels if you know what i mean). Place water proof books on top of tofu or heavy plates, etc and press.

Saute garlic and mushrooms in evoo and vegan margarine on medium heat for a few minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Add a couple splashes of lemon juice and a dash of salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Put pressed tofu in food processor with rest of the ingredients (Braggs, lemon thyme, onion powder, Black India Salt, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, parsley & turmeric) and 2 tbls soy milk. Blend and taste, adjust seasonings and add evoo and more soy milk if needed. You want it creamy, but still thick. Put into bowl, add the spinach and mushroom mixture,stir until well blended. Pour into crust and smooth top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until done (chopstick comes out clean).

Let cool 10 minutes, cut and serve.

The quiche tends to be very moist inside. If you don't like this, chill it until it is cold (preferred method for a firmer quiche). Or you could try baking it at 400-425 for 30-40 minutes.

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Quiche

2009-12-21T14:06:00.013-06:00

This is my best quiche yet!! Pressing the tofu allows for a thicker and smoother quiche. Press it while your crust is baking and it will be ready by the time you need it.

Filling
Olive oil and vegan margarine
1/2 a large onion, chopped
2? oz dried shitake mushrooms, hydrated in hot water for 20 minutes, strained and chopped,
being careful to discard any pieces of stem
2 tsps chopped garlic
splash of Brags
2 heads of broccoli florets, chopped
5 oz of vegan cheese, shredded, I used Monterrey Jack
1 container firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes
2 tbls vegenaise
1 tsp lemon thyme
black india salt to taste
4 splashes of shoyu, tamari or soy sauce - or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbls chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 plus 2 tbls of soy milk

Crust
2 cups hash browns (if using frozen, thaw)
2 tbls vegan margarine
1 tsp corn starch
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 350. Mix hash browns, margarine, starch, salt and pepper. Press into bottom of greased pie plate and bake for 20 minutes.

Saute onions, garlic, mushrooms in evoo and vegan margarine until translucent. Add a splash of Brags. Put in bowl. Add parsley, broccoli and cheese. Put pressed tofu in food processor with rest of the ingredients, except only use 1/4 cup of milk. Blend and taste, adjust seasonings and add more soy milk if needed. You want it creamy, but still thick. Put into crust and smooth top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until done (chopstick comes out clean).

Let cool 10 minutes, cut and serve.

The quiche tends to be very moist inside. If you don't like this, chill it until it is cold and eat it that way. Or you could try baking it at 400-425 for 30-40 minutes.

Who is God?

2009-12-17T11:07:00.000-06:00

When I hear people say things like – how could God let that happen? If he was a loving God, how can bad things happen? Well, XYZ happened to me and if he really cared about me, he wouldn’t have let it happen. (enter your question/statement here) Etc.

What this tells me is that the person asking the question has no idea who God really is. Instead of taking the time (doing research) by reading and studying His Word to understand who he is and find answers to these questions, they throw a tantrum or say bad things and insult Him or ignore him much like a child would do. (And how almost fitting considering we are “children” of God.)

Robby (my pastor) has said that discovery is the best way of learning. And how true it is!! When you discover the answer yourself, instead of having someone feed it to you, it means much more, you understand it better and will remember it.

Just as there are laws in the natural, there are laws in the supernatural. And just like anything else, if you want to understand them, you have to research, study and learn them. Think about it. Your physics teacher in high school was not going to give you the answers to the test. And even if he did, you still would not know why or how he came up with that answer. It is the same thing in having a RELATIONSHIP with God. He is always perusing you, yet to understand who he is, his promises and character, you must peruse him as well. You must be willing to be still and quite and to be open to what he has to say.

It leaves me to ask – Do you really want answers to these questions? Or is it just easier to blame someone else than take responsibility for yourself and your actions? (Or inaction as the case maybe.)
I challenge those of you who feel this way, to seek the answers by studying God’s Word. Don’t take someone else’s word for it, take the time to really be open and read and see what God says.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways. [This is] the LORD’s declaration. For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

For just as rain and snow fall from heaven, and do not return there without saturating the earth, and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,

so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and will prosper in what I send it [to do].” Isaiah 55:8-11

Vegan Spring Rolls

2009-09-23T14:38:00.005-05:00

I LOVE spring rolls!! I love the ones in the rice wrappers the best. Healthy, lots of fresh and raw veggies, great flavors and sauces to dip them in.

The recipe I am putting here became a spring roll recipe by accident. I had made a slaw and forgot to serve it with dinner. I tasted it later and it needed some flavor. Instead of adding more things to the slaw, I thought rolling it up and dipping in a great sauce would give the flavor it needed in an easy to eat format. I made a big batch of seitan yesterday, the perfect protein addition.

Delicious Vegan Spring Rolls

1 head of green cabbage, cored and chopped
1/2 English cucumber, cut into match sticks then into 1/2 inch sticks (can use whole cucumber)
1/2 orange pepper
1 cup of cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup sesame oil (can use flax - though watch the taste, some have a strong flavor)
4 tbls lime juice
1 tbls (raw) agave nectar
2 tsp to 1 tbls peanut (or nut) butter
3 tbls Bragg's
Fresh or powdered ginger, optional

Seitan cut into strips*

Rice spring roll wrappers

Dipping Sauce Recipe (see below)

Put first four ingredients into a large bowl. Mix up the last 5 (6) ingredients, until smooth. (A whisk works great for this.) Add to cabbage mixture, stir well and put in fridge for flavors to marry.

Soak a rice wrapper in some warm water till soft, but not falling apart. Lay out flat, put a scoop of the cabbage mixture on the wrapper and add slices of seitan. Roll wrapper up over mixture, then fold in the sides and continue rolling. Put on a cookie sheet or plate and leave space between each roll so they do not stick together.

*You can use any protein you like - tofu, vegan chicken, vegan beef, vegan scallops or you can leave the protein out.

Make dipping sauce.

You can make and use all sorts of dipping sauces for spring rolls. Plain sweet and sour or duck sauce, pot sticker sauce (soy sauce, vinegar, garlic chili sauce) or whatever your heart fancies. I tried this recipe a bit ago and fell in love!! I had to get most of the ingredients, but it was well worth it!! The ethnic section in my grocery store had everything I needed.

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
2 teaspoons garlic sambal*

In a small bowl, vigorously whip peanut butter with a fork or whisk until easy to stir. Stir in hoisin sauce, pomegranate juice, soy sauce, mirin and sambal until combined well. Cover and let stand at room temperature until ready to serve.

*The garlic sambal is better know and named - garlic chili sauce. It comes in a plastic jar with a green lid and is used in Thai and Asian cooking. Once you realize how versatile it is, it will become a regular ingredient in your cooking and home. Well, if you're like us that is. lol :o)

These make a great healthy, light, satisfying meal or snack anytime of the day. You can make them ahead of time and keep in the fridge. It is best to eat them by the end of the second day, the rice wrapper starts to get a little soggy after that.

Baked Vegan Mushroom Ravioli

2009-06-06T18:29:00.011-05:00

I could have sworn that I did a baked ravioli post before, but I cannot find it. So, here's another one!! *grin*

I hit the Koren mart and got a bunch of wonton wrappers and have been craving ravioli. I've made so many different kinds, however I had not made a mushroom one in a while and it sounded good. I loosely based it off this recipe. I made a tofu ricotta with some vegan chicken bouillon, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and I think that's it. *grin* The grocery only had cremini mushrooms and white, so I used a combination.

Just in case you need a recipe here you go -

2 cups of assorted mushrooms, sliced
vegan non-hydrogenated margarine or olive oil
salt & pepper
garlic powder (or fresh, chopped)
onion powder (or fresh, chopped)
1 container extra-firm, organic tofu (mine was 14 oz)
vegan chicken or vegetable bouillon, to taste
dried basil and oregano, to taste
1 bag of fresh spinach
lemon juice
Non-stick cooking spray

Favorite pasta sauce

Saute 1 1/2 cups shrooms in margarine until they release their juices (for a while lol), season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion, continue sauteing until done. (This is all based on your preference/taste.)

Crumble tofu in bowl with fork (I use a serving fork). Add bouillon, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Chop the remaining 1/2 cup mushrooms, add to tofu. Add cooked mushrooms.

Lay the wonton wrappers out - about 6-8, whatever will fit on your cutting board. Put a teaspoon or 2 of filling in the middle, wet the edges with a brush dipped in water and place another wonton wrapper on top, sealing the edges. Transfer them to a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and spray them with non-stick cooking spray. Put into a (heated) 450 degree oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping once, until they are golden and crispy. (Flipping is not necessary, but helps with even cooking)

Saute some fresh spinach in the pan the mushrooms were cooked in. Add some salt, pepper, garlic and onion and saute down. Add a splash of lemon juice at the end. (You could serve the spinach raw with salad dressing if you prefer. ) The spinach cooks quickly, so make sure that you are using medium to low heat. Take off just before you think it's cooked. It will shrink down a lot. You can add a splash of white wine instead of the lemon juice, if you're feeling saucy. :o)

Top the ravioli with your favorite pasta sauce and that's dinner folks. For those of you more protein minded readers, you can serve some Spicy Seitan Sausage along side.

I made 24 ravioli and saved the rest of the filling. I am planning on making tortellini soup with the left overs. Otherwise, you could assemble all the ravioli and put in to a freezer bag to use another night.

Rest In Peace, David Carradine

2009-06-04T15:39:00.008-05:00

For those who haven't heard, David Carradine was found dead in his hotel room this morning. To some of you he may just be another name, another actor, another person who did not have an impact on your life.

To me and those like me, this comes as a great loss. I did not know him personally and was at first surprised how much his death affected me.

Because of my love and dedication to the Martial Arts, his death means a great deal. All the knowledge that he had, specifically martial arts related, all of that is gone. It has died with him. Yes, he passed on what he could through his films and book and interviews, but all that untapped, undocumented knowledge and experience is gone. He represented a lot to me. His television series, Kung Fu, helped introduce Martial Arts to the United States. Bruce Lee came up with the idea and characters for Kung Fu. He intended to play Caine, however, the television company told him that the US would not accept an Asian as a lead character. So, David Carradine it was. And he did the role proud.

This is not only a loss of life, but a loss to the Martial Arts and Film communities.

Kill Bill really hit home with me. Yes ,it was fun to point out all the "mistakes" that it made in relation to the Martial Arts, especially Japanese Martial Arts. Regardless, it was an iconic film; it introduced David and the Martial Arts to the younger generations who did not grow up on Kung Fu, the Legend, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, or Samurai Sundays. It was fast paced, had a great soundtrack, shot in a different style and had a different feeling than all the other movies before it.

Also, Shaolin, the art that his character, Caine, studied, has a special place in my heart. The art I study is Kosho Ryu Kempo. If you trace it's lineage back, you will come to Shaolin. The art I so dearly love is linked to what he helped introduce to the US.

David Carradine's Personal Quotes (from imdb.com)

If you cannot be a poet, be the poem.

There's an alternative. There's always a third way, and it's not a combination of the other two ways. It's a different way.

[on his late friend and one-time co-star, Brandon Lee] He was always giving 110%, and it produced a light in the eyes, which is what you look for in movies.

Every day, at least six people will come up to me and say, "Your show ["Kung Fu" (1972)] changed my life".

[reflecting on his lengthy acting career] It's always seemed to me like a mission. A holy one, like the Blues Brothers. It's a marathon. You can't quit; even coming in dead last has honor. Quitting doesn't. Look, I had absolute faith in my future when I was starving in New York and no one believed in me besides me and my girlfriend. I'd be stupid to lose that faith after I've become a f*ing icon. Oh, yes. And I love the work.

A person, who says the last quote, does not take his life. Period. I do not believe his death was intentional. I do not believe it was a suicide. It sounds too much like the plot from a Martial Arts film, even Gleaming the Cube.

David Carradine, we will miss you. I already do. Thank you for your contribution to this world. We will never forget you.

Vegan Italian Sausage Sandwiches with Basil Aioli & Tapanade

2009-05-24T22:37:00.011-05:00

3 Italian sausage-style seitan links
1/2 a red and yellow bell pepper cut into strips
Arugula
Bread/Rolls/tortillas/pitas of your choice
Basil Aioli
Sun-Dried Tomato Black Olive Tapanade

Basil Aioli:

3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 basil leaves
1 cup vegenaise
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Puree garlic, oil and basil in a food processor until smooth. Add the vegenaise and lemon juice and process until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sun-dried Tomato-Black Olive Tapanade:

3 ounces oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained
5 ounces pitted Nicoise or black olives
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I toasted the rolls in the oven first. Assemble your sandwich using all ingredients. (Do not use ALL the tapanade or aioli!! This makes plenty of both for use on other things. I will keep you posted on how I used the rest. :o) Chow down!!

Vegan Curry Chicken

2009-05-23T20:26:00.005-05:00

Found this awesome recipe for Chicken Curry. Made it and made it for dinner tonight and it turned out great!! I used coconut milk which I prefer for curries, however it makes it really rich. You can use a no-chicken broth or light coconut milk instead, or probably both. I used vegetarian chicken from the Korean market and one tub of tofu cut in half and then into strips. I sauteed the chicken and tofu until golden. I only used one onion because I'm a bit onioned out. lol And I used gala apples. I added more curry (love the stuff) and 1 cup of chopped cilantro (inspiration from Trang's curry stew). I reduced the amount of flour to compensate for the lack of onions. I also would wait to add the tomatoes till the last 5 minutes of cooking. I served it over rice, white, jasmine, brown, all work. You could even serve it over rice noodles. mmmmmm....

The picture is a little out of focus, but what can you expect from a bb?

Enjoy!!

Who's afraid of the big, bad SWINE FLU?!?

2009-04-29T15:48:00.014-05:00

Not I!!

You can't turn on the news without hearing about the possible swine flu epidemic. I am getting phone calls and e-mails from people asking what they should do to protect their family, so I am sending out this special letter to let you know how to stay healthy and swine flu free!!

I recommend a three-prong approach to protect you against the swine flu, or any other type of contagious illness that is passed by human contact from one person to another.

FIRST take steps to boost your own immune system!!

* Drink half your body weight in ounces of pure water every day to keep your immune system strong.

* Make sure you are eliminating (bowel movement) after every meal so that germs do not have a place to hibernate in your body.

* Get plenty of sleep at night, at least 7 hours, 8 is better.

* Eat healthy foods, including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

* Avoid the foods that deplete your immune system like coffee, soda and anything containing white sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Drinking just one can of soda depletes your immune system by 90% for the next 5 hours...a great reason to give up drinking soda!! There are excellent replacements like herbal tea, mineral water and herbal beverage.

You can also boost your immune system with several simple supplements taken daily. The first is probiotics, such as Bifidophilus Flora Force, which stimulates the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines and boosts your body's first line of immune defense. A 150-pound person should take 1-2 capsules a day (and more if they have recently taken antibiotics - I recommend Probiotic Eleven in this case); adjust accordingly for children.

The great thing about probiotics is that they have a very sweet flavor to them and the capsules can easily be opened and sprinkled in the mouth or on food, for children or other individuals who cannot swallow capsules. L Reuteri is another excellent probiotic. Chewable, tastes great (vegan approved) and works synergistically with Probiotic Eleven.

Another fantastic immune booster that is being recommended by the CDC is Vitamin D3, which our bodies manufacture from, that's right, SUNSHINE!! Try to get out in the sun for at least 15 minutes a day, and be sure your arms and legs, as well as your face, are exposed for maximum Vitamin D3 production. D3 gives your immune system a tremendous boost, and greatly reduces your risks of illness. If you are not getting enough sunshine, we have an affordable and effective 2000 IU natural, D3 tablet. I recommend a minimum of 1-3 a day to strengthen your body's first line of defense.

Other supplement suggestions include: Elderberry Defense, which is $2 off through tomorrow, April 30th!! Click here for $2 off OR click here for buy 4 get 1 free an EXCELLENT value, also available through Thursday, April 30th.Defense Maintenance, Trigger Immune TCM, Immune Stimulator, great tasting Thai-Go and Noni Juice .

Your second line of defense: PUT A SILVER SHIELD AROUND YOUR BODY!!

What do the hospitals use to kill germs and prevent infections? Silver!! I am so thankful we have silver at our disposal to both boost our own immune system, and kill germs on contact.PROTECT YOUR FAMILY WITH SILVER! We use Silver Shield every day in our home and office. Available in liquid and gel.Here are three tips for using silver to kill any and all germs!!

* Take Silver Shield every day by mouth. 1-2 teaspoons daily (1/2 tsp 2x a day for children) will help protect your body from unwanted guests: germs!! It is completely safe to take a silver sol solution every day.

* Apply Silver Gel to your hands throughout the day, particularly if you are out in public. The silver gel applied to hands (or anywhere) kills every type of pathogen known to science for four hours, or until you wash your hands again. It is particularly important to apply this to your hands when you are in any public place, work, stores and church. Keep a 3-ounce tube of gel in your purse and by the sink in your house so that it may be applied every time you wash your hands

* Apply a small amount of gel at the entrance to your nostrils with a q-tip swab. This is the spot where flu germs enter the body, so be proactive and protect yourself!!

* Use a nasal spritzer bottle filled with Silver Shield, which will put liquid silver into your nasal passages and kill any germs that have entered there. Do this 1-2x/day. Contact me for a nasal spritizer bottle.

* Use a neti pot to rinse your nasal passages with a saline solution 1-2x a day. This will also do wonders to help with seasonal allergies and sinus problems. Recommended by Dr. Oz, neti pots are available at most drug stores.

Your third line of defense: FEAR NOT!!

Fear has been proven to lower your body's immune responses. Wash your hands, take your silver and supplements, eat healthy foods, and trust in God, thanking him for His protection. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) A sound mind is key to remaining calm and focused in any time of emergency or crisis.

DON'T MISS THE FREE MAY 4TH CALL WITH MY FAVORITE DOCTOR, DR. GORDON PEDERSON, ON THE TOPIC OF SILVER!!I feel quite certain he will address the swine flu issue.Dial 1-712-432-0453, PIN 8626#, between 4 PM CST/ 3 PM EST on Monday, May 4, and noon the following day to hear this FREE call. (You can also attend the class online and view a PowerPoint presentation during the lecture).

For more info visit http://www.nspwebinars.com.

You can get all of these products and more by clicking on their links (above) or by visiting www.mynsp.com/natural_healing If you have any further questions, please email me at natalie@totalnaturalhealthsolutions.com

Blessings!!

Natalie

A Big Thank You to Sharon Grimes!!

Vegan Easter

2009-04-11T16:25:00.008-05:00

As a great vegan protein and a little joke, I am making BRYANNA’S NEW (KNEADED) SOY AND SEITAN “HAM”. (Click on the link and scroll down for the recipe) The joke part of the "ham" is here. My family (parents, siblings, extended) is serving a ham for dinner, which after you read that blog, you will understand my joke on making a vegan one. Besides the ethics and compassionate reasons for being a vegan, eating meat, especially pork, is just unhealthy and unsanitary. I mean, tapeworms?! Come on!! Who would knowingly eat something with the possibility of contracting tapeworms? *shrugs* Their loss, as for my hubby, father-in-law, sister and I, we will be feasting on this delicious cruelty and poison free seitan ham.

Now, in her recipe it calls for “chicken-style” vegetarian broth powder. Every time I've made this, I just used whatever vegan chicken bouillon I had, but greatly reduced the amount as all of them are way to salty and strong. Reading Vegan Dad's blog, I realized that Bryanna has a recipe for her own “chicken-style” vegetarian broth powder. And that this is what the recipe calls for. I did not realize this until after I made the "hams". So, next time I make the turkey version, I will try it.

I have them rising now. I am going to shape them and bake them tomorrow. (We are going to see Dinosaur Jr. play tonight!! And thus don't have the 3+ hours baking time tonight.) I am going to put them in the freezer, thaw them tomorrow am and bake them tomorrow before the meal.

I have also been requested to make the Sour Cream Potatoes that I always bake. The best and funny thing is that they still request me to make it, years later, vegan cheese and all!! lol Not to mention I have to make my own version of "condensed potato soup". Apparently, my version is still the best!! When you're a good cook, have the understanding of food and flavors and how they blend, it doesn't matter if it's vegan or different from what they are used to, good food is good food!!

Here is the original Sour Cream Potatoes recipe that I got from my old boss:

1 package (2lbs) frozen hashbrowns - the shredded kind, although you could use any kind
2 cans cream of potato soup
1 8oz package grated cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream

I veganised it as follows -

I made the "cream of potato soup" by making a roux (love my mom for teaching me this at a very young age) with earth balance and flour. Then I add 2-3 vegetable bouillon cubes and a little onion powder and white pepper and soymilk. Make it kind of thick, like the condensed soup would be. You can also use like a potato soup packet mix that is vegan and add to that. Remember this has to be concentrated like the soup would be. The flavor has to be enough for all the potatoes and sour cream. Substitute the cheese for vegan cheese and likewise for the sour cream and presto!! It's vegan.

Mix it all together. Put in greased 9" x 13" dish, cover with foil (I like to spray the foil food side down with cooking spray) and bake at 350 for one hour. Take off the foil and bake another 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Enjoy and watch everyone devour until there are no leftovers. That is the only thing wrong with this dish, it goes so fast I never have left overs.

Pictures upon eating to follow!!

Breakfast Blitz Soup

2009-04-11T12:39:00.004-05:00

mmmmmm.... I am LOVING Gillian McKeith's recipes. I love eating fresh, bright, vegetables and her recipes are full of them. Today I tried her Breakfast soup blitz with kale and I loved every minute of eating it. I used to not like kale, only last year I had started eating it when Borrowed Earth Cafe opened and when Matt and I had a kale and blueberry salad in Miami.

It is still a little bitter tasting to me on it's own, however when paired with other things, vegetables, fruit, dressing, soup, etc it is delicious. Not to mention nutritious!! High in Magnesium, Vitamin C, good sources of Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese, it is a great food for everyone. And so cheap!! I got a bundle of kale at the grocery last night and it was 1 cent!! My family and I could eat kale for a month for only a dollar!! And with this new breakfast recipe, we just might!! I could definitely get down with

Breakfast soup blitz with kale

This is one that I make all the time because it's so quick and easy.

Ingredients
Serves 1-2

4 tbsp shiro miso

2 sachets white miso

2 red onions, peeled and diced

half a leek, washed, trimmed and finely sliced

200g tofu, finely diced

half a fennel bulb, trimmed and finely sliced

250g curly kale, roughly chopped

Method

Bring 250ml (approx 1 cup, 8 oz) water to the boil. Add the shiro miso and the white miso, lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add all the other ingredients, stir, then turn off the heat and allow to stand for 8 minutes before serving.

My adjustments - my favorite white miso happens to be shiro. Who knew? ;o) So I only used that miso. Probably 3-4 TBLS, to taste - as always!!

Everything that you cook, you should always follow your instincts and taste, taste, taste!! You can always add more but never take it out, so if your instinct in a recipe is that one spice, etc maybe too much, don't add it all, at once. Just add what you think you need, then taste and adjust if necessary. We all have different tastes and usually they tell us more about our physical health and needs than our preference. So, follow what your body is telling you. It never lies, you just may have trouble deciphering what it is saying. Don't worry, once you start learning to listen to your body, you will know almost immediately what it conveying.

I added half a carrot, diced. The soup was delicious. And you can add or subtract any vegetables you like. I would keep the kale (it's in the name lol and soo good!!) and just throw in whatever veggies you have on hand. I made enough for 2 servings.

Enjoy!!

It's All About The Dressing

2009-04-09T20:46:00.005-05:00

I LOVE the show, You Are What You Eat. Of course, I have visited that site and Gillian McKeith's site. I love her holistic no-nonsense approach. She is very straight forward about what is happening to her clients' bodies and what will happen if they continue their paths. Plus all that healthy food looks so good!!

I got more miso and made her dressing Sesame Miso Dressing Weight Loss Recipe

I only had toasted sesame oil, so I used EVOO and I LOOOOOVE white miso, so I added like 4 TBLS of it. Other than that the recipe stayed the same. It is delicious!! I used 3 TBLS on each of our spinach salad. Yes, I drank the leftover dressing from the bowl. mmmmmm (What?! It was only like 2 tsps or so....) ;o)

The dressing can make or break a salad, and this recipe makes any salad!! IMO of course :o)

Enjoy!!

*****
Added 4/10/09

Okay, I HAVE to write on this again. I had a spinach and cabbage (green & mostly purple) salad this morning with the miso dressing and mmmmmmmm!! I could eat miso soup for breakfast, one of Gillian's favorite breakfasts, it is soo good!!

There is another miso dressing that is fantastic; the recipe is right on the back of the package. I think I posted it before (or is it still a draft? lol), if not, I will. :o)

Miso is soo good for you. It helps with digestion (read: helps eliminate gas) and that's something everyone could use!!

Vegan "Chicken" Half Moons & Sweet & Sour Sauce

2009-04-08T14:16:00.015-05:00

I adapted this recipe. Since I unsuccessfully tried to bake eggrolls the other night (I had a feeling that the absence of the egg in the eggroll wrappers would prove it not possible), I had round wonton wrappers and made half moon shaped "chicken" things. lol

My recipe is as follows:

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups vegan protein - "chicken", tofu, seitan, etc
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
1/3 cup vegan cheese (I made a vegan nutritional yeast cheese sauce, let it cool)
2 bunches scallions, chopped (or to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
dash onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 package wonton wrappers

Cook "chicken" if needed. Mix all together, taste and adjust seasonings if needed. A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice would be complimentary.

Lay out 6 wonton wrappers on a cutting board. Put one tsp of mixture in the middle of each wrapper. Brush outside with water and fold into a half moon shape. Put on greased baking sheet. Put on as many as you are going to eat now.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking and spray with cooking spray.

Make rest of wontons. Put on a separate baking sheet lined with tinfoil or parchment. Place in freezer for 30 minutes, until frozen. Transfer to a freezer bag or freezer proof airtight dish. When needed, take out of oven and bake the same way. Frozen ones may need a little more time to bake.

Makes about 40

This is my favorite sweet and sour sauce recipe. Easy and so delicious!! It is easily adapted with ingredients you have on hand.

Today's version is an orange based one

3/4 cup juice from fruit (pineapple, fresh orange juice, etc) - I used fresh squeezed orange and
mandarin orange juices
3-4 tablespoons vinegar (white and rice work best)
1-2 tsp of orange balsamic (optional)
3 tbls sweetener - agave, sugar, etc
1/2 tsp onion powder, to taste
salt and white pepper, to taste
1 tbls cornstarch mixed into 4 tbls waterracornstarch and water and bubble until desired consistency. Turn off heat, dish and serve. Put leftover in airtight container in fridge.

Vegan Stuffed Eggplant Roll-Ups

2009-04-06T22:11:00.007-05:00

Eggplant Roll-Ups

Mmmmm....these are FANTASTIC!! Every so often, you need to indulge a bit. I had been craving eggplant and had been eating it pretty often, but in the form of Baba Ghanouj and other forms of roasted eggplant.

I love wrapping eggplant around things. One of my most favorite dishes from The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen that my bro got me for Christmas, is eggplant wrapped around "Poor Man's Pesto" aka vegan pesto aka pesto without cheese.

I made a tofu ricotta and stuffed it with that. I used soymilk and some freshly squeezed lemon juice to make a "buttermilk". I used ground up whole grain crackers as the coating. Dipped the eggplant into the "buttermilk" and then into the crumb mixture and into an oiled pan. Transferred them to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. When finished, I divided the ricotta mixture and put equal parts on the eggplant and rolled them up. Baked them. Spread a generous amount of pasta sauce on plate and placed rolls on top. Add seitan and serve with a side salad or some fresh, raw veggies and you have great meal!!

Served it with some "beef" Italian style seitan I made last week and mmmmm!!

Seitan on a Stick!!

2009-04-01T19:44:00.002-05:00

Searching for seitan recipes, I found Vegan Dad's Vegan Boneless Chickenless Hot Wings. These things are FANTASTIC!! (Wheat)meat on a stick!! Quick, easy and delicious, does it get any better than this!?

I did not have panko bread crumbs, so I used ground up multigrain crackers. I doubled the recipe and used a different chicken-style boullion. I served them with the hot and bbq dipping sauces and sauteed fresh spinach and grape tomatoes in a little extra virgin olive oil with garlic, salt and pepper. Delicious!!

Vegan French Toast

2009-03-25T15:06:00.007-05:00

So, I tried a new vegan french toast recipe, Chicago Diner's recipe. I made one batter recipe, then made another one after making a few adjustments. It turned out pretty well and you can make it with what you already have in your kitchen.

I find the denser the bread the better. If you use white bread, it will become soggy and you will have to cook it a while. Cooking it proved to be a bit tricky. Using an electric skillet is ideal, yet on the stove in a pan works just fine. Be patient while this cooks. You will know it is done when it is golden brown all over and cooked through.

1/4 cup raw almonds, cashews, or walnuts
1 to 1 2/3 cup water
1 to 2 tablespoons sweetener - raw agave, sugar, etc
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
dash salt
4-6 slices of bread
Coconut or canola oil or non-stick spray

Soak nuts in 1/2 cup warm water. Strain nuts, reserving the liquid. Put nuts into food processor or blender with 1/4-1/2 cup reserved water. Blend until smooth, adding more water (at least another 1/2 cup) as needed. Add rest of ingredients ending with salt. Add the rest of the water. (Use at least a 1 cup, it will be thin.) Pour into shallow dish or bowl.

Heat oil in pan over medium heat or spray w/ non-stick spray. Dip bread in batter and place in pan. Let sit on each side till done, approx 5 min - but can vary so make sure it is golden brown before flipping over. Serve with lite syrup, chopped, fresh fruit or fruit compote. I served it with a tofu scramble for a balanced meal.

Confident that you are buying good, socially conscious brands?

2009-03-20T12:11:00.004-05:00

This is a great article that a colleague sent to me. It is a bit long, but very informative and I bet will even surprise you!! Happy reading!!

Burt's Bees, Tom's of Maine, Naked Juice: Your Favorite Brands? Take Another Look

Confident that you are buying good, socially conscious brands? Find out the real story behind all that marketing money and store visibility.

By Andrea Whitfill
Alternet, March 17, 2009
Straight to the Source

My first introduction to natural, organic and eco-friendly products stems back to the early '90s, when I stumbled upon Burt's Bees lip balm at an independently owned health food store in the heart of Westport, Kansas City, Mo.

Before the eyesore invasion of '98, when Starbucks frothed its way into the neighborhood, leading to its ultimate demise, Westport was the kind of 'hood I still yearn for. It was saturated with historically preserved, hip and funky, mom-and-pop-type establishments, delivering their goods people to people.

I was surprised more recently when I saw Burt's Bees products everywhere -- in grocery stores, drug stores, corner bodegas and big-box stores like Target and Wal-Mart. I thought to myself, fantastic; the marketplace is working, and good for Burt. He has made his mark, and the demand for his products is on the rise.

Needless to say, I was shocked when I recently found out that Burt's Bees is now owned by Clorox, a massive corporate company that has historically cared very little about the environment, but whose main industry is directly associated with harmful chemicals, some of which require warning labels for legal sale.

Clorox; yes, that's right -- the bleach company with an estimated revenue of $ 4.8 billion that employs nearly 7,600 workers (now bees) and sells products like Liquid-Plumr, Pine-Sol and Armor All, a far cry from the origins of Burt.

I now understood. The reason Burt's Bees products were everywhere was precisely because they now had a powerful corporation in the driver's seat, with big marketing budgets and existing distribution systems.

The story of Burt is a charming one gone bad. Burt Shavitz, a beekeeper in Dexter, Maine, lived an extremely humble life selling honey in pickle jars from the back of his pickup truck and resided in the wilderness inside a turkey coop without running water or electricity.

In the summer of 1984, Shavitz was driving down the road and spotted a hitchhiker who needed a lift to the post office. He pulled over and picked up Roxanne Quimby, a 34-year-old woman who eventually became Shavitz's lover and business partner. Quimby started helping him tend to the beehives, and that eventually led to the all natural-inspired health care products made
with Shavitz's honey and the birth of Burt's Bees products.

Burt's story and very powerful narrative gave Burt's Bees products their legitimacy in my book. Creative entrepreneurs and knowledgeable consumers together working their magic; not the results of a corporate behemoth out to dominate the marketplace.

However, Quimby and Shavitz's relationship became 'sticky' in the late '90s for reasons unclear, yet probably having little to do with honey. Their romantic break up carried over to the split of their business partnership as well. In 1999, Quimby bought out Shavitz's shares of the company for a small six-figure sum. Quimby then continued, becoming phenomenally successfully
and growing sales to $43.5 million by 2002.

In 2003, a private equity firm, AEA investors, purchased 80 percent of Burt's Bees from Quimby, with her retaining a 20 percent share and a seat on the board. In 2006, John Replogle, the former general manager of Unilever's skin-care division became CEO and president of Burt's Bees. The company was sold to Clorox in late October 2007 for $925 million.

Quimby was paid more than $300 million for her stake in Burt's Bees. At the time of that deal, Shavitz reportedly demanded more money, and Quimby agreed to pay him $4 million. Quimby now refurbishes fancy, swank homes in Florida, travels the world and buys massive chunks of land in her free time. Our bearded man Shavitz, on the other hand, now 73 and unchanged, continues to reside amidst nature in his now-expanded turkey coop, which still remains
absent of electricity or running water.

The Burt's Bees story is disconcerting. I vaguely remembered long ago that one of my favorite ice cream products, Ben & Jerry's, sold out. Unilever (which also owns Breyers), the giant conglomerate with an estimated market cap of $50 billion and close to 174,000 employees, bought Ben & Jerry's in 2000 for $326 million.

I began to wonder about the other products I liked, trusted and respected for their independence and their social responsibility. How many were really owned by big corporations, who were going out of their way to hide the link between the big corporate company with the small, socially responsible brand? It didn't take long for my list of disappointments to grow and grow.

Upon first meeting someone, I can usually tell a quite a lot about them by the contents of their bathroom. The brand I see most often behind medicine cabinets of people I consider to be environmentally conscious is Tom's of Maine. What Tom's says to me about the person is that they are willing to spend a little bit of extra cash in order to take proactive steps to help green the Earth.

Well, no more. My bathroom assessments will never be the same. Tom's of Maine is owned by Colgate-Palmolive, a massive, tanklike company with an estimated 36,000 employees and revenue of approximately $11.4 billion. Its big products include: Ajax, Anbesol and Speedstick.

I am only left to wonder, is Trader Joe's, popularly known to showcase Tom's of Maine in its hygiene department, just as much in the dark about all of this as I have been? Or is Joe's simply another conduit for big corporate products?

As my curiosity grew, I took a little field trip to the grocery store with one of my friends to be a "brand anthropologist." "Let's get to the bottom of this," I said, aiming to check out all of the brands that I and countless other good consumers were buying in our efforts to support grassroots business and not corporate behemoths. Little did I know how deep the hole was going to be, and in some cases, how hard to find out who owns what.

Thinking Dairy

In the dairy section sit many flavors of Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt. I knew its socially conscious CEO, Gary Hirshberg, had created major organic brand recognition to become the No. 1 seller of organic yogurt in the United States, but since then Danone, the French conglomerate (which also owns Brown Cow), acquired a majority holding in Stoneyfield. This is the same Danone that had to recall large quantities of its yogurt in 2007 after it was found to contain unsafe levels of dioxins. (In an interesting twist, the still-active Hirshberg sits on the board of Dannon U.S.A. Unlike most of the early entrepreneurs, who took the dough and left the scene, Hirshberg is
still involved. )

Meanwhile, I learned that Horizon Organic milk was bought out by the largest diary company in the U.S., Dean Foods Co., in 2005.

Thirsty? Juices and Water

Next I ventured to the juice section. Drinking Odwalla juices was an expensive habit I had justified for years because of its healthy California brand. The ubiquitous refrigerators in thousands of stores should have given it away that Odwalla wasn't the small company it once was. It is now owned by Coca-Cola. Almost as soon as Coca-Cola bought the company, back in 2001 for $181 million, it stopped selling the fresh-squeezed OJ that had made Odwalla famous and popular among the healthy set. With its massive distribution system, fresh squeezed wouldn't last the days and weeks the juices are in transit or on the shelf.

Not to be outdone (although it took it a while), Pepsi bought Naked Juice in 2006 for $450 million, in order to compete with Odwalla. Smuckers, the brand we are told is the "brand we can trust", grabbed several juice mainstays from the health food store shelves: After the fall -- R.W. Knudsen and Santa Cruz Organic.

Turns out that Coca-Cola also owns Glaceau, the company once known for its "fresh new approach to bottled water that is inspired by nature and enhanced by science." Glaceau is the maker of Vitamin Water, Fruit Water, Smart Water and Vitamin Energy -- all bottled waters that are adorably marketed and loaded with sugar. It's no wonder Coca-Cola was slapped with a lawsuit in 2006 for making deceptive and unsubstantiated health claims in its Vitamin Water marketing strategies; they are selling glorified sugar water.

As for bottled water, egads! That's a whole article in and of itself. The scourge of bottled water, of course, is an environmental disaster on many levels, as corporations have moved in to take control of water local supplies, while some of the same companies and their mega advertising
budgets have created a giant market for bottled water, with enormous waste from plastic bottles and giant carbon foot prints as water is shipped over many thousands of miles from Fiji for example, or Italy, when pretty much no bottled water is needed. Frequently, tap water is of higher quality and more closely tested than bottled water.

And as Michael Blanding notes on AlterNet, "In fact, many times bottled water is tap water. Contrary to the image of water flowing from pristine mountain springs, more than a quarter of bottled water actually comes from municipal water supplies. The industry is dominated by three companies, who together control more than half the market: Coca-Cola, which produces Dasani; Pepsi, which produces Aquafina; and Nestle, which produces several "local" brands, including Poland Spring, Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ozarka and Calistoga. Both Coke and Pepsi exclusively use tap water for their sources, while Nestle uses tap water in some brands.

The Breakfast Nook

Over in the breakfast aisle, my friend was a bit apoplectic when we learned that the "super healthy" Kashi cereals, the favorites of millions of healthy breakfast eaters, was bought in July 2000 for an "undisclosed sum" by Kellogg's, the 12th-largest company in North American food sales, according to Food Processing. I picked up a box of Kashi's "Go Lean Crunch" and searched every word; not one mention of the fact that Kellogg's owns them. That change was rally below the radar. In 2004, Kraft Foods, known for processed cheeses and Kool-Aid, bought the natural cereal maker Back to Nature. Kraft is a subsidiary of Altria, which also owns Philip Morris USA, one of the world's largest producers of cigarettes.

According to the New York Times, "Many of the alternative cereal brands are owned by larger companies, including Kellogg and General Mills."

"Cereals, like milk, are one of the primary entrance points for use of organics," said Lara Christenson of Spins, a market research group for the natural products industry, "which is pretty closely tied to children -- health concerns, keeping pesticides, especially antibiotics, out of the diets of children. These large firms wanted to get a foothold in the natural and organic marketplace. Because of the mind-set of consumers, branding of these products has to be very different than traditional cereals."

These corporate connections are often kept quiet. "There is frequently a backlash when a big cereal package-goods company buys a natural or organic company," Christenson said. "I don't want to say it's manipulative, but consumers are led to believe these brands are pure, natural or organic brands. It's very purposely done."

A little more digging shows that General Mills owns Cascadian Farm; Barbara's Bakery is owned by Weetabix, the leading British cereal company, which is owned by a private investment firm in England; Mother's makes it clear that it is owned by Quaker Oats (which is owned by PepsiCo); Health Valley and Arrowhead Mills are owned by Hain Celestial Group, a natural food company traded on the NASDAQ, with H.J. Heinz owning 16 percent of that company.

The Sweet Tooth

After the Kashi news, I wondered what was next? I didn't have to go any further than the organic chocolate aisle of my favorite deli to find Green and Black's organic chocolate was taken over in 2005 by Schweppes, the 10th-largest company in North American packaged-food sales. And even more surprising to chocolate lovers is that Dagoba Chocolate, which had a little cult chocolate following for a while, is surprise, surprise, owned by Hershey Foods.

There seems to be an apt analogy between the huge growth in the "naturalization" of packaged goods in grocery stores and supermarket aisles and the massive transformation of organic fresh foods. Organic farming began as a grassroots movement to produce food that was healthier and better for the land. But it is now a huge, $20 billion industry, increasingly dominated by large agribusiness companies. Furthermore, when the government certifies food as "organic," it has nothing to do with the original values of locally grown produce, workers being treated fairly, etc.

So it may cheer some to know that on the East Coast, McDonald's has served fair-trade-certified Newman's Own organic coffee in stores, while others may cringe at the words of Lee Scott, former CEO of WalMart, when he said, "We are particularly excited about organic food, the fastest-growing category in all of food."

"What's important to keep in mind is that these big corporations are getting into organics not because they have doubts about their prior business practices or doubts about chemical, industrial agriculture," said Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association. "They're getting in because they want to make a lot of money -- they want to make it fast." He said the companies couldn't care less about "family farmers making the transition to organic farms."

What does this all mean? One conclusion it is easy to come to is that big food companies and the stores and supermarkets that deliver their goods have stretched and abused descriptions of food until they are sometimes almost meaningless, and consumers believe that they are getting more benefits than they actually are. Consumers "walk down the aisle in the grocery stores' health and beauty area, and they're confronted with 'natural' at every turn," says Daniel Fabricant, vice president for scientific and regulatory affairs at the Natural Products Association. "We just don't want to see the term misused any longer."

On the other hand, Roger Cowe, a financial commentator states: "If you want to change what people consume on a grand scale, you have to penetrate mass markets. And you can't do that if you're a small, specialist brand stuck in the organic or whole-food niche, even if that means you are on supermarket shelves. It is a familiar dilemma: stay pure and have a big impact on a small scale, or compromise and have a small impact on a grand scale."

Some think that socially responsible business sellers don't lose it all when selling out. Both Craig Sams from Green and Black chocolate and the late Anita Roddick from the Body Shop ( sold to L'Oreal/Nestle -- one of the most vilified of multinational companies) have said that they believe that an acquired ethical company can influence its new parent to improve its corporate behavior.

Others are not so positive about this turn of events. Judy Wickes from the Social Venture Network describes corporate takeovers of socially responsible businesses as "a threat to democracy when wealth and power are concentrated into a few hands." And David Korten, in his book, When Corporations Rule the World, explained how sustainable business "should be human scale -- not necessarily tiny firms, but preferably not more than 500 people -- always with a bias to smaller is better."

It is clear that so-called organic brands are a rapidly growing portion of the consumer dollar, and that every major food corporation has invested deeply in buying these already-established brands.

Marketing strategies have been fooling us to trust that the niche brands continue to be small, environmentally conscious businesses that combine ecologically sound practices with a political agenda to put products out on the market under a business model of "the Greater Good."

In fact, they are frequently cogs in the giant corporate wheel. I like to refer to this "other" business model as "We've Been Had." It is time for we, the consumer, to question how much the ownership and neglectful marketing of these "pseudo" responsible brands warrant crossing them off our shopping list.

And it is time to find products more in tune with our values, which include thinking small. At least until they, too, get bought out by some large conglomerate.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-03-04T12:32:00.020-06:00

As you know, I have been sick and therefore my appetite has been non-existent or odd. Odd as in things I rarely or never crave. lol

I twittered asking, "what do you eat when you're not in the mood for anything?" Annieomnious twittered back "peanut butter cookies". It sounded like something I could eat and I haven't had peanut butter cookies in a long time, in fact not since I've been vegan (a really long time!!). Finding a recipe proved to be more difficult. I finally came across this one and loved, "I tried these cookies for my husband though, and he loved them! He begged me to make more of them after finishing them all off in one sitting. So I’m gonna take a wild guess here, and say that these cookies are pretty darn good"

Hubbies are usually the best judge of a recipe. I mean hey, if you don't like it, at least they will!! hehe Easy to make with ingredients most have in the pantries. A great kid recipe, too. I did end up adding a little raw agave to moisten it a little more.

Health note - These cookies have a lot of sugar in them. If you have trouble with sugar, you could try using Xylitol and raw agave nectar. Xylitol is a natural, healthy low-calorie sugar that has health benefits and agave nectar has a low glycemic index and is great for diabetics, hypoglycemics and everyone.

My take on making desserts healthy changes depending on the recipe and occasion. Sometimes, like my brownies, I will put a scoop of soy-isolate protein powder and other times I won't. This time I did not want to make any adjustments. I haven't made cookies and we haven't had sweets in our house for a while and wanted to keep them "unadulterated" and being under the weather, I wanted a recipe that I didn't have to adjust much.

EGGLESS PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1 c. Earth Balance
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
5 tbsp. soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. peanut butter
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda

Cream butter, sugars, milk and vanilla. Mix in peanut butter and dry ingredients. Roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on cookie sheets. Using a fork, press down one direction, than another making the desired pattern. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 -15 minutes.

Careful if you use a dark cookie sheet, the bottoms will brown fast. If you are not one to like brown bottom cookies, watch them closely and take them out when still golden.

Serve warm with a tall glass of soymilk!!

*If you would like more information on Xylitol, shoot me a message and I'll get back to you. :o)

Vegan Artichoke "Cheese" Dip & Homemade Pita Chips & Vegan Cocktail Meatballs

2009-03-02T22:18:00.030-06:00

Okay, so I owe all of you lovely people blogs, which I assure you are safely saved in my drafts. lol I know, I know, but they are there, the most delicious low-fat tortilla chips, healthy tostadas with vegan chorizo and "chicken" topped with Tofu Mom's Ranch Dressing and other little diddles.

On to the Vegan Artichoke "Cheese" Dip.

I have been organizing my large family and have been with my mom in ICU the past 3 weeks. I had been taking a few herbs, not as many as I should have mind you!! *grin* lol Enough to sustain me, but not enough to replace and rebuild what the stress, late nights, troubled sleep and empathy drained. So, I took enough to keep it at bay, but not to prevent it from taking hold (not enough to strengthen my weakened immune system). Honestly, I believe that prayer is why I did not succumb to it sooner. I was throwing up and dry heaving all Friday and Silver Shield was the only thing that stopped it. Worked in 20 minutes, I am just sorry I did not try it sooner.

I started to feel better, but I did not eat as my appetite has been nil lately. Breakfast (first meal of the day) especially, I cannot eat enough lol. During the middle of the day, however, unless I am religious about my snacks and meals, my appetite becomes something of a fantasy. (This my folks is a sign of adrenal exhaustion. Dark circles under eyes, disturbed sleep, appetite pretty much non-existent,no energy, tired all the time, etc.) It further decreased my immune system and the nasty bug finally caught a hold. Boo!! lol

Being the natural medicine guru that I am, I am taking herbs, etc every 1-2 hours to, honestly, make this thing bearable. Usually, before the "super colds", taking herbs every 3-4 hours knocked out a potentially nasty cold in one day. And I am sure that it would have worked had my immune system not been so run down. This cold seems like it has mutated 8 million (lol) times and from what I can tell, takes the pivot person of the household down for the count.

I am taking Silver Shield, VSC, ALJ, Stress-J, Tei Fu oil (great for clearing sinuses) and using a throat spray every 2 hours. I have even been setting my alarm. It can get exhausting, but so worth it for not feeling miserable.

Having this cold, not being able to breathe, I am sure you realize that I have no taste, or cannot taste anything (70% of your taste is your smell) and I am craving foods I normally do not. Shells and Chreeze macaroni was fantastic for lunch. Soy yogurt and flaxseed pumpkin granola was great for breakfast (I know, it has way more CHOs than I normally allow but it was eat that or nothing. So I opted for my immune system). And for dinner, although I made cocktail vegan meatballs*, I just could not eat more than one, tummy revolted.

As a general rule, I do not care for artichoke spinach dips. I never have and I don't think I ever will. I was perusing online for an artichoke dip recipe (I was hungry and wanted to use artichokes), I found one not published yet (wait for the book... *wrinkles nose*) that did not have spinach and it intrigued me. Scanned through recipes online and finally made this one. I greatly toned down the goopyness of the recipe a lot (it called for 1 cup mayo, 1 cup cheese, 1 cup cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream). If I were to do it again, at the very least I would put more artichokes in because I prefer more vegetables in my dip than goopyness. lol You could change it more by adding sun dried tomatoes or kalamata or black olives.

Vegan Artichoke "Cheese" Dip

1 cup vegenaise
6 oz monterey jack vegan cheese shredded
4 oz tofutti (vegan) cream cheese
1/4 cup tofutti better than (vegan) sour cream
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
garlic, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
bread crumbs or crackers ground in blender

Heat oven to 350 F. Mix all together in bowl. Make sure the cream cheese is evenly distributed. Place in greased (non-stick spray) baking dish. (I used 2) Top with bread/cracker crumbs. Place on cookie sheet, in case it bubbles over and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Homemade Vegan Pita Chips

I have been on a homemade chip trip lately. lol This is a variation of a recipe I discovered years ago. It is one of my favorites, goes with everything and makes a quick, delicious snack anytime (don't forget to add some protein - a good tofu dip, etc.)

4 mini pitas or 4 regular pitas (just makes larger chips)
extra virgin olive oil
garlic, dried or fresh minced or finely chopped
parsley, fresh chopped or dried
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 450 F. Cut pitas in half with a knife. Open pitas along seam to make two crescents. Do this with all of the pitas. (Can cut pita pieces smaller, if preferred.) Put pitas face up (inside up) on cookie sheet. Put oil in a small bowl and brush all pitas with it. Sprinkle each with garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Bake in oven 8-10 minutes, depending on your desired crispness.

*Note - you can use a non-stick cooking spray instead of the oil. If you do, I would get an olive oil or canola oil flavor. Also, if you have one of those oil, air pump spray things (those of you who have one know what I'm talking about lol), you can use that instead.

* Vegan Cocktail Meatballs

1 bottle Heinz cocktail sauce
8-14oz grape jelly
30 vegan meatballs (fresh or frozen)

Add all to slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours (up to 8 hours) or on high for 1 to 1.5 hours, until hot and bubbly.

Serve with toothpicks, with mini-pita pockets cut in half, crusty bread or crackers. My favorite is to take chopped up vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green pepper, bell peppers, radishes, etc) , scoop meatballs and sauce on top and enjoy!!

Vegan African Peanut Soup & Golden Tofu

2009-02-07T18:07:00.012-06:00

Matt said that he could eat this soup everyday. Since I am back to eating healthy again (not all those tasty treats from the holidays anymore hehe), I am getting meal suggestions from one of my favorite healthy sites, www.realage.com. Of course I love the site because it says my real age is 10 years younger than it really is hahaha, and for their easy, healthy, tasty recipes.

African Peanut Soup

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon(s) canola oil
1 teaspoon(s) curry powder
1 can(s) (10-ounce) condensed tomato soup
1 can(s) (14-ounce) reduced-sodium chicken broth or 1 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoon(s) natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and sauté onion until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add condensed tomato soup and broth or water. Bring to a simmer. Whisk in peanut butter and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Top with golden tofu and add a side salad and you have a healthy meal.

Golden Tofu - marinate it in whatever you like (I use vege or "chicken" bouillon, tamari, spices, etc) and saute it (in EVOO, coconut oil or canola oil) or bake it at 350 - 400 F for 30 minutes (temp and time depends on how crispy you want it).

Eggless Egg Salad Sandwiches, Courtesy of Tofu Mom

2009-01-26T10:15:00.014-06:00

I learned a new lesson today, there is no such thing as a short cut when styling hair. hahaha Got a new haircut. *grin* Now, that we got that out of the way, on to the food!! lol

I am always looking and trying new recipes, especially fast, unique ones. My husband took me to this middle eastern grocery and I finally found some Black India Salt!! I have been searching for this for years!! The salt is actually red in color and has an egg (sulfur) taste. It is the key to making vegan "egg" everything!! (Can't wait to make Hollandaise) I pulled up a recipe that I have been dying to try, Tofu Mom's Happy Chicken Egg-Free Sandwiches. And oooh was it good!! Yet another one of Tofu Mom's recipes that you have to double when you make it. I love the way she uses chickpeas as the yolk of the egg, perfect texture, ingenious!!

Loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and soo delicious, it is something you'll want to have on hand. Makes quick snacks and meals, you can put on bread, tortillas, pitas, eat with chips, cut up veggies, pretzels, on top of salad, however you can think to eat it, it works.
Now, I've heard tell (hehe) that Black India Salt can give you gas. This has not happened with me and I have tested this theory throughly. (When I first made this recipe, I kept dumping in more and more Black India Salt because it was sooo good, I figured more was better and was fully aware of the possible side effects.) That said, I use a lot more Black India Salt than it calls for in her recipe. Ooh and the pickle/pickle relish, I use what I have on hand which is dill pickle relish and/or whole dill pickles.

Black Friday

2008-12-04T13:45:00.009-06:00

I read a great article on Black Friday by Dave Chameides. Go here to read it. It was such a great article that I am going to post a bit here, but do read the article.

"Secondly, let’s all relax, take a deep breath, and take another look at the 10 Commandments, but with a capitalist twist. I mean no disrespect to anyone here, but this is a list that a large number of us know and it does have a few good pointers. To keep it simple, I’m going with the Wikipedia translation.

1. I am the Lord your God. Recognize that stuff isn’t going to make you happy, but faith in whatever it is you believe in, love, and understanding are what’s important. The iPhone can wait.

2. You Shall Have No Other Gods Before You. That Wii may be cool, but making it the focal point of your life isn’t doing anyone any good. Get yourself out into nature for a few minutes. Play with your kids. Read a book.

3. You Shall Not Make Wrongful Use of the Name of Your God. As in “So help me God, I’ll kill you if you don’t let go of that Suzie Barfs-A-Lot Doll.” That’s just not neighborly.

4. Remember the Sabbath and Keep It Holy. A stretch on this one, but maybe we could all take a day or two off each week from consuming and do some good instead? Just a thought.

5. Honor Your Mother and Father. Ask yourself “Would my parents be proud of how I’m acting?”

6. You Shall Not Murder. Ya see, it doesn’t say, “unless something is 20 percent below cost,” it just says don’t do it. Simple.

7. You shall not commit adultery. Not touching that one (pun intended).

8. You Shall Not Steal. Let that little girl have the doll she’s holding. Sure you’re bigger and can take it before her mommy sees, but come on.

9. You Shall Not Bear False Witness Against Your Neighbor. All right, this one doesn’t work so much, but it’s still a good idea to keep an eye on, no?

10. You Shall Not Covet Anything That Belongs To Your Neighbor. Simply put, let the Joneses be the Joneses and let the Smiths be the Smiths. The things that you have that are important can’t be bought and can’t be sold. They are learned and passed along from one generation to the next. Take a look at who you are, and stop worrying about everyone else.

Bottom line is this: We all need to wake up and recognized that we are being played. Somehow we’ve bought into this notion that owning bigger and better stuff makes us bigger and better people. When in fact it makes us shallower and hollower. Last Friday proved that quite well. So here’s to next Back Friday when the stores are empty, the aisles deserted, and everyone is home with their families having made a decision about what is truly important, and acted upon it."

I think the article sums it up. I am going to leave you with this (a favorite quote of mine) - All it takes for the forces of evil to rule this world is for enough good people to do nothing.

Some of you may not realize how true this is. Don't just step over that person who's fallen, help him up. Give him a hand, a smile and show that you have some decency for human life. Everyday. As I heard from a friend earlier today "Pay It Forward".

Vegan Taco Casserole

2008-11-19T18:49:00.012-06:00

I feel like I am in school again!! I am participating in NSP's education week, that is one webinar a day for five days. I am also on 3 master mind groups, am doing NSP's Unstoppable Challenge and 2 webinars a month for the next 5 to complete another section of my herbalist degree. The information is fantastic, organizing my schedule takes discipline and daily attention.

I was in the mood for something different, good, fast and this recipe came to mind. This is a recipe I veganized. It is quick, easy and there are rarely leftovers. It is not something I recommend eating on a daily basis, just occasionally like enchiladas, but always a welcome treat. This is NOT a diet recipe :o)

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. This is one of them.

Vegan Taco Casserole

1 package vegan ground beef (morningstar, smart ground, boca, tvp, etc)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1/2 cup taco sauce
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
dash of Tabasco sauce
6 ounce bag corn chips, slightly crushed
1/2 chopped onion
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
1 vegan "cheese" sauce recipe (see below)
chopped lettuce, 5 ounces or so

Heat oven to 350F Heat oil in pan on medium add vegan ground beef and brown. Mix in the taco sauce, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic salt, oregano and Tabasco sauce. Simmer 10 minutes. Put half on bottom of a 3-quart casserole. Top with about half of the crushed chips. Add remaining vegan ground beef mixture, some chopped tomato, onion, chopped lettuce, and cheese. Put remaining corn chips on top. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes, or until hot.

Makes a quick, satisfying meal that even your kids'll love.

To save time, you can substitute one taco seasoning packet for the taco sauce, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic salt, oregano, and Tabasco sauce. Just heat the "beef", add the season packet and following the directions on the back

This is from a great vegan cookbook called Hot Damn and Hell Yeah, Recipes for Hungry Banditos by Ryan Splint. Great book, loooove his enchiladas recipe.

Vegan "Cheese" Sauce

1/3 C. or more, nutritional yeast
1/2 C. flour
1 T dried onion
1/8 t turmeric
1/8 t pepper
6 T olive oil
2 t prepared mustard
2 t salt
1/2 C. ketchup - this is what the recipe calls for. I think it is WAY too much so I use anywhere form 2 T to 1/4 C.
1 3/4 C water

Blend all ingredients in sauce pan over medium heat, whisking continuously until it come to a boil and thickens to yer liking. It'll continue ta thicken as it cools, so it's best hot. To reheat, add a bit of water and stir well over low heat.

There are plenty of ways to make this more healthy, but if I wanted to do that, I would make something different like chili on salad w/ baked tortilla chips, etc. It's nice to indulge :o)

Ooh and I have a pumpkin pie in the oven..... ;o)

Seitan, Pumpkin Polenta, Portobello Gravy

2008-11-13T21:58:00.022-06:00

Winter weather calls for winter recipes. My favorite of which is Tofu Mom's Crispy Pumpkin Polenta Triangles. I paired them with seitan sandwiches and portobello mushroom gravy. mmmmmmm

It's been a while since I've made seitan that wasn't steamed. I was craving something different, so I whipped up a batch of Chicago Diner's seitan. Also, I've been dying to make pumpkin everything from pie to Tofu Mom's polenta to ravioli. I had some portobello gravy that I made the night before from a recipe my sister sent me that goes fabulously.

For some reason, I can never find sage when I make this recipe, so I did a basil pesto with tofutti cream cheese. I used macadamia nuts instead and it turned out fabulous!! The leftover pesto made a wonderful lunch, rolled between tofurkey slices and paired with a salad.

When I make gravy, I usually whip up a fast gravy. This one, however, requires some simmering time which really gives it a gourmet taste.

Vegan Portobello Gravy

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic,minced
1 1/2 cups chopped portobellos (2 med caps)
2 1/4 cups vegetable broth
3 T tamari or
1/4 t thyme
1/8 t sage
1 T corn starch
2 T water
freshly ground pepper

Makes 8 servings

Heat oil (I added a couple teaspoons of Earth Balance), saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook till they release their juices, 10 minutes. Add broth, soy sauce, sage, thyme and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix cornstarch and water and add to pan. Stir and simmer 10 minutes. Season with pepper. For a smooth gravy, pass through a sieve or cheesecloth.

Crispy Pumpkin Polenta Triangles I actually forgot to fry them until after I had plated everyone. Fortunately, I made a double batch, so a day later we had some crispy. This is definitely a recipe that you should double every time you make it. You'll be thanking me when you do.

I like Chicago Diner's setian recipe because it uses the mixer, which takes a lot of the work out of it and makes a lot. The way I see it, if I am going to take 2 hours making something, I want it to be worth it. After cooked, it needs needs to be marinated before eating for full flavor.

Seitan

4 cups vital wheat gluten flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 T nutritional yeast
2 T onion powder
1 1/2 T garlic powder
1 1/2 t salt
2 T Italian spice or Mexican spice or Asian spice
2 1/4 cups warm water for seitan mix
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 Qt water for boiling

Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl mixer. Using the dough hook, start blending. Add liquids, your mixture should look like dough, mix about 10 minutes or until sides come away from the bowl. Let rest 15 minutes. Cut into four pieces.

Add your 5 quarts of water to a large pot. Add spice, soy sauce and salt. You can also add by leaves and pieces of carrots, celery and garlic. a dd 4 pieces to large pot and bring to a boil about 1 1/2 hours. It will triple in size. When done the dough should be firm. If not cooked enough it will be sticky. Drain liquid and place seitan into large clean container covered with cold water and add a slash of tamari to the water.

After the seitan cools it is read to be sliced, diced, marinated and cooked for any recipe. To store keep up to two weeks in fridge covered with water and a splash of tamari.

The first night I thinly sliced the seitan, marinated it (in vegetable broth/bouillon, tamari, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, parsley, liquid smoke), sauteed it in Earth Balance, added a splash of tamari and marinade. Served it with portobello gravy, mashed sweet potatoes with sour cream, polenta triangles (note not crispy) with creamy basil macadamia pesto.

2 nights later I served it thinly sliced, marinated and sauteed again, this time on dinner rolls with portobello gravy, crispy polenta triangles with pesto. Delicious!!

I did make a pumpkin pie, too. I believe it is my first vegan pumpkin pie without tofu. I have nothing against tofu, it's just that when I want pumpkin pie, I want it like Mom used to make, sans tofu. Byranna's pumpkin pie hit the spot!! Sooooo good, I wish i made two.

(Vegan) Raw Stuffed Peppers

2008-10-29T20:33:00.012-05:00

Queen of Raw Food I've been lately, I made The Raw Chef, Russel James', heavenly lasagna (above) the other night. I have never made anything raw so close to the cooked version, it is fantastic!! The one pictured above is 3 servings. I find it's easier to make it on the plate and I cut the recipe down when I make it as there are only 3 of us.

I ended up with 2/3rd cup or so of his wonderful nut cheese (lol) left over. I did not want it to go waste, so I scoped out the fridge to see what I could find. The best recipes come out of leftovers; this is what I came up with...

(Vegan) Raw Stuffed Peppers

2/3 cup James' nut cheese (click for recipe)
1 carrot, shredded
3-4 small radishes, shredded
6 oz of broccoli and cauliflower, chopped small
1-2 tbls fresh parsley, chopped
salt, to taste
onion powder, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
dash dried oregano
dash dried basil
2-3 red and/or yellow peppers seeded and cut in half lengthwise

Mix all except peppers. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Scoop mixture and fill peppers. At this point you can eat them or dehydrate them to your liking. I dehydrated half of them (the yellow pepper in the pic) and left half of them raw (the red pepper in the pic). I prefer them raw, however they were good dehydrated, too.

To add protein, I served it with setian chunks over a spinach and tomato salad with a vegan dill sour cream dressing I whipped up. (The sloppiness from the pic is the dressing from the salad...mmmm)

Raw food is so delicious and good for you!! It nourishes and heals our bodies, provides essential nutrients, life-giving enzymes, and consuming things like cayenne pepper help speed up your metabolism, heal ulcers, improve your circulation and much more. Do something good for your body and eat something raw at every meal.

Vegan Chorizo Gravy w/ Biscuits & Cheesy Tofu Scramble

2008-09-30T15:32:00.007-05:00

Last Sunday I went to my niece's bible presentation and then we all went to Cracker Barrel. I know, what does a vegan eat at Cracker Barrel? Not much besides salad and french fries lol but the time spent with my family is the goal. Seeing my brother and his wife eat biscuits and gravy reminded me that I haven't made it in a while.

This morning, Matt and I's day off, I woke up thinking of food. Heck, I was dreaming of food!! lol Guess I went to bed hungry. Realizing that we had chorizo in the fridge, I thought I'd make a chorizo sausage and gravy. I looked on the net for a recipe to guide me, but alas, there were none. Little did I know how easy it is. So, here's my recipes for the Vegan Chorizo Sausage Gravy and Biscuits and Cheesy Scramble Tofu. (You can't have biscuits and gravy w/o tofu/"eggs", can you?)

Vegan Chorizo Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

Vegan Soy Chorizo (I used Trader Joe's and liked it way better than the other brands)
Earth Balance
2 Tbls flour
1 tsp vegetable bouillon (to taste)
1 cup Soy milk
Pepper

Melt a couple tbls Earth Balance in pan. Add chorizo and heat. Sprinkle flour on top of chorizo and mix. Let cook a few minutes to get the flour taste out. Add soy milk and simmer till desired thickness. Add bouillon and pepper and taste. If you like a thinner gravy, add more soy milk, if you like a thicker gravy, simmer till desired consistency.

Biscuits - ah I use Heart Healthy or Lite bisquick. Quick, easy and there's nothing like a bisquick biscuit. 1 1/2 cups bisquick to 1/2 cup soy milk, mix, knead, cut and bake.

Cheesy Scramble Tofu

1 block extra firm tofu, crumbled
Earth Balance
Nutritional yeast
1 tsp soy sauce (to taste)
Soy milk
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
Fresh spinach
1 chopped tomato

Melt a couple teaspoons of Earth Balance in pan. Crumble tofu in pan. Cook a bit, add a lil nutritional yeast and the soy sauce. Taste then accidentally dump a boat load of nutritional yeast on top of the tofu. Try not to panic and stir the yeast into the tofu. Add a little milk so it doesn't become dry. Add a little more. Taste, think "this isn't too bad", add salt and pepper and presto!! You have cheesy tofu scrambles. Put a handful of spinach on the plate, top with scrambles then with chopped tomatoes. Now no one knows that the "cheesy" scrambles were an accident. lol Plus, it's a lil variety and if your family is like mine, they love variety!! *grin*

Cut a biscuit in half opposite the cheesy scrambles. Top with gravy, place whole biscuit next to it and serve. So good, your family will be saving the leftovers instead of giving them to the dog. :o)

Pictures are coming...

Raw Red Cabbage and Apple Salad

2008-09-16T22:05:00.005-05:00

My fav raw salad these days is a red cabbage and pink lady apple salad I threw together one day. I love raw food whenever I can get it and red cabbage is a food that takes years off of your life.

Raw Red Cabbage and Apple Salad

1 Head red cabbage, shredded and chopped
2 Pink lady apples, sliced thin then cut in half
1/4-1/2 cup Raw walnuts, chopped fine
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Splash of extra virgin olive oil
Raw agave nectar, to taste

Put all in large bowl. Blend, taste, adjust last 3 ingredients if necessary, and serve for a delicious, crunchy salad. Or let sit in fridge for a softer salad. The salad gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. The walnuts soak up liquid and become large and soft. 2 days is probably the optimal taste. Enjoy!!

Fast, easy 6 ingredients, how can you go wrong?

DC: Nationals and Sticky Fingers!!

2008-08-27T20:44:00.024-05:00

Sticky Fingers Bakery!! This is where we went on our afternoon off from NSP's National Conference.

Chicken Nugget Wrap, Caramel Latte,
Chicken Salad, Sandwich Potato Salad,
BEST Vegan Drum Stick, With a bite missing ;o)

Everything is vegan!! They even have a sign saying that no fur is allowed in the store; they will kick you out immediately. Fortunately, they have never had to do so. They are all really cool, laid back and friendly. They have a large section of foods to choose from, already conveniently packaged for you to eat there or take home. I'm just sorry they were out of bbq seitan on our visit.

The vegan drum sticks were the BEST I've ever tasted!! Their ranch dressing ROCKED too. They were served with carrot and celery sticks.

All of the above pictured were just excellent. Good thing Deb is pretty much veg and eats vegan when we're together, cause we ended up splitting the chicken salad sandwich and the chicken nugget wrap. They were both excellent!! The chicken nugget wrap had avocados in it...mmmmm... *drools* And the chicken salad was classic with sprouts, tomato and lettuce, both with glorious vegenaise.

Oh and the drumsticks were FILLING!! They came in a box of four, and they were so full of protein and vegan goodness, that I could not eat more than too. (That left just enough room for part of a cookie ;o) )

Funny how I didn't take any pictures of the bakery items. lol I guess it's because we got them to go and I didn't think to take any. Or because they were soo good that they disappeared too fast. lol

We tried their sticky bun, all of their cookies, I liked the lemon coconut the best, and their lil devil's bars. If you are ever in the DC area, I recommend you try their fantastic baked goods and food. You will be completely satisfied and licking your fingers!!

They do ship their baked goods. Check out their website (link above) for more information. I wonder if I can get them to ship the drum sticks...... :o)

Killer Vegan Brownies!!

2008-08-06T23:22:00.005-05:00

I make some killer vegan brownies!! As my bros sing, you can't win friends with salad, but you can with Nat's vegan brownies!!

I should be in bed, well, technically I am, but I should be sleeping. Instead, I'm typing the recipe to these killer brownies. Enjoy.

My twin bro and his girl prefer the dark chocolate kind, plus dark chocolate has more antioxidants and lowers your blood pressure, so that is what I am posting.

1 1/3 cup sugar (I prefer beet sugar, but whatever vegan sugar you have is great)
1 cup applesauce
2 tbls + 1/2 cup water
1 scoop Synerprotein
1 1/3 cup non-bleached flour
3/4 cup dark coco powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (or more) chopped up vegan dark chocolate bars
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

(If you don't have Synerprotein, cut down the applesauce to 3/4 cup and you can add a couple tsp of ground flaxseed.)

Put all except last 2 ingredients in bowl and mix until smooth. Stir in chocolate pieces and walnuts. Pour into greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until chopstick comes out clean. (You can use a toothpick, but I prefer a chopstick).

If you prefer semi-sweet, you can use the regular coco powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips, Ghirardelli semi-sweet are vegan, and/or Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate bars. I believe Ghiradelli dark chocolate is vegan as well, but always check labels to be sure.

Let cool for a bit and enjoy!! These are really, really rich and go great with a glass of Silk omega 3 fortified soy milk!! mmmmm...yummy!!!

That is all for now. Enjoy and goodnight!!

Church Home ahh....... ;o)

2008-07-16T21:23:00.004-05:00

So, it's been a while since I've posted anything. I had 2 in edit phase and just posted those. Life has been busy and a lil crazy to say the least!! But it is great!! Couldn't be better!!

So, I did not win the challenge, but my mentor Deborah Casey, did!! And she's bringing me with her!! So, we are going to NSP Nationals on their dime!! They paid for airfare and everything. Sweet!! Washington DC here we come!! And there is lots of great vegan food in DC. Can't wait to try it all!! ;o)

So, to update you all, my hubby and I found a church home, which we're both very excited about. Our pastor wears chucks, albeit brand spanking new clean ones, but chucks none the less. My kind of pastor. The praise and worship team plays songs from the Newsboys, Steve Fee and other popular Christian music. It's pretty rocking. :o)

I really love their laid back style and the fact that they assume that everyone is intelligent. Not one of those preachy, gloom and doom, you're going to burn in hell if you don't do x, y and z. A very modern, open, nonjudgmental, nondenominational, accepting, fun church. Yes, I said fun and church in the same sentence. lol It is true!!

If you are ever in the Chicagoland area, hit me up on twitter or my email, I'd love you to come check it out with me. :o)

ta ta for now!!

Blessings!!

Weaning off of low CHO monsters....Day 1

2008-06-23T11:17:00.009-05:00

lol I have decided to give up my fav not-so-good-for-you addiction, low CHO (carb) monsters. I've always known they aren't good for me, but tea, coffee, everything else I've tried, I either didn't like or didn't work - lack of caffeiney goodness.

I asked my Matt shopping yesterday if I should get a monster for today and he said, you should really stop drinking those. Yes, yes, i know, but.... The inevitable excuse. And we all know that excuses are just a cover up for rebellion.

We head for the cereal isle and I realize that tea shares the isle. I was interested in tea since my hubby and I stopped drinking, and were in need of some low-calorie, flavored drinks. Anything but water, I drink enough of that already. lol

I grab some teas and then this Fast Lane tea catches my eye. They add caffeine to it and eutheuro (legal Panax ginseng) to it and it seems like it could be the thing to replace my love of low CHO monsters. Eutheuro is perfect for someone like me, a pineal type according to Steven Horne. It is a nervine herb and actually compliments caffeine.

WOOT

2008-06-11T10:57:00.006-05:00

Well, the challenge is over and I have to say that I am quite proud of my results!! I was a bit concerned at first because I didn't think I had achieved much. But when I looked at my before pics again this morning, I cannot believe the difference!! I feel so good and strong that it's hard to believe I looked like that. I settled and I'm not doing that again!!

One of the best compliments was my brother when he was taking my after pics, said "Wow!! You've got guns!!" Referring to my muscular arms. Why, yes, yes I do. How nice of you to notice!! lol I lost 1/2 inch on each arm, but gained 1 inch when flexing. lmao I am digging this feeling.

I survived the "plague"

2008-06-03T17:32:00.003-05:00

Everyone has the plaque, again. I knew last night when I started to fall asleep sitting up at 9:30pm, that I was coming down with something. With a big weekend of camping planned ahead of us, I cannot get sick. So, I've been doing ALJ, VSC and red raspberry, every 2-3 hours and 1 tsp of Silver Shield every hour. And I've been rubbing a blend of essential oils on periodically. It's quite nice.

I did this for 2 days and went camping healthy as a horse!! lol

Vegan Fried Ravioli

2008-06-02T20:55:00.013-05:00

I am sitting here eating a brownie, strawberry, Hershey's syrup and slivered almond parfait. It's quite delicious. And I have to admit we did not have any applesauce, so the brownies were made with oil. mmmmmm.... Actually, I do prefer them my original way (they win over staunch non-vegans every time. semi or dark chocolate...*drools*)

The 90 day fitness challenge is over!! (If you hadn't realized that already) And so far I have made fried ravioli - it was delicious!!

I based it off of this recipe. I had never had nor made fried ravioli before and this seemed the easiest. I made a tofu ricotta, added some sun-dried red peppers and used that as filling instead. I served it with marinara sauce and sprinkled it with vegan Parmesan. mmmhmmm!! I mixed the filling up earlier and had leftover pasta sauce in the fridge, so it was quick and easy.

Ah, I also got burned memorial week. First burn in 15 years. Yes, that's right, 15 years!! I never burn and you'll never guess where I got the burn. Still thinking? On my knees!! That's right, on my knees!! Matt and I were outside doing projects and I got burned on my knees. Anywhere else? Noooo. Just my knees. And just a 2-3" diameter around. Odd...

I think it was also the worst burn I've had. I dosed it in apple cider vinegar, then lavender oil and followed with aloe. That worked for a bit. Then, the heat really turned up. And I mean heat!! I kept cooking long after I had come inside. (And I had only been out there a couple hours) It was starting to hurt bad!! So, I remembered that I had some AC Healing Cream and Silver Shield. I sprayed my knees with the silver and then smothered them in the cream. That brought me relief for a while. When it'd start to hurt, I'd just spray and smother em. Next day, they didn't hurt. They were still red mind you, but they didn't hurt.

Revisit Good Advice

2008-05-22T16:32:00.000-05:00

It's funny. I'm usually an optimistic person, if not the most optimistic person and I sometimes I find my self struggling. Which makes me a human. lol (The older I get, the more endearing humanity and it's traits are) I happened upon one of my previous posts and something I wrote really spoke to me.

**Key when planning, do not set yourself up to fail. For example, if you know that you are always tired after work and will loathe or even skip your workout, be realistic and workout in the morning. Yes, getting up the first couple of days will suck, but after 10-15 min into the workout, you will be happy you're getting your workout for the day done, before the day is even over. (From my July 24th, 2007 post)

The timing is too funny. I was just thinking how easy it is for me to procrastinate my workouts at home and how I am planning to leave super early next week to use Dude's Workout World. (I finally have my laptop up and working and DVD software installed on it!!) And the whole "be realistic" really stuck out in my mind. Be realistic. I know myself and I know that Dude's Workout World would benefit me. If in the very least plenty of space to workout and I'll have it all to myself, which makes a great place for mediation, clearing my head and getting a great start to the day.

Phew!! Done with my workout today. Again, by minute 19 my body takes over and my brain follows. Nice!! My shoulders feel like they're going to fall off. lol Like right off my body. Which just means to alleviate it, I need some good stretching followed up with either Tei Fu (lotion or oil), a blend of essential oils or just plain old peppermint.

There is a magic that peppermint possesses. One peppermint oil treatment and you're good as gold!! Or platinum or whatever your preference is. :o) Oh man, and does that sound good!! I cannot wait to get home and slather myself in healing goodness. lol

Seriously, if you have never experienced the euphoria of essential oils and natural medicine (e.g. herbs, holistic healing, etc), you need to!! It's all natural, actually heals and repairs your body and emotions, and is so relaxing, you'll wonder why you waited this long to try them!!

And a word of caution, make sure you get high quality supplements. Natures Sunshine, is the world leader in premium supplements. They have the highest standards and effectiveness, which are proven by every study done. Because of this, they guarantee all their supplements. That's why I'm a Natures Sunshine girl!! :o)

24 down, 10 to go!! And it's Memorial weekend!! As long as I get my workouts in first thing and eat right (every 3-4 hours, zone (40/30/30)), I shall succeed!!

Vegan Quiche

2008-05-21T12:52:00.007-05:00

I made a vegan quiche today. I came across this recipe the other day. It looked good, easy and most of all nutritious!!

It came out okay. I think if I cooked it a bit longer, it would have dried out at set up more. I didn't use bell pepper and used fresh dill (leftover from last nights dinner) instead of rosemary and onion powder instead of green onions. I added 1/2 a vegetable bouillon cube to the tofu mixture and used a large 6 muffin pan. (Which could have added to why they were so soft) Since there is only 3 of us, I prefer the large pan and large muffins. They're also great for making muffins/cupcakes with fillings.

Well, I'm off to do some chores then Tear It Up!! And omgoodnes, I almost finished one of those HUGE low CHO (carb) monsters. That should keep me going for a while. lol

New Look!!

2008-05-19T12:35:00.015-05:00

I decided that my blog needed a fresh, clean look. What do you think? It was hard for me to read on the other format, so I can just imagine how fun it was for everyone else.

It's a bit plain, but I definitely like it better. I decided that I need more pics on my blog, so I will try to oblige the best I can.

Tear It Up!! My new favorite workout routine!! The most challenging of all her DVDs, hence why she starts it out saying "I'm really going to work you today". lol My favorite of hers are always her most intense, I get the most satisfaction completing them.

Tuesday, May 20th

I ate zone all day and I have to say that I felt great!! Not to mention I did not get hungry and had energy the whole day, even when I got home from work. Which is a feat in and of itself. It was Matt and I's 2 year wedding anniversary. He made a fantastic, healthy dinner!! Everything was based around a vegetable and it was delicious!! (All Matt's cooking is) I almost had no leftovers, which is unheard of. (Usually leftovers are breakfast or lunch the next day) I'm sure you're all dying to know what he made. It was gianormous, roasted balsamic portabellos, warm, red potato salad with dill, and large, baked tomatoes stuffed with vegan chili and almonds. Yummy!!

We're going on vacation later in the year and decided that we'll do our celebrating then. :o)

p.s. yes those are chuck taylors we're wearing. tennis ball yellow and pink. ;o)

Woo-Hoo!! Give me more!!

2008-05-16T17:00:00.000-05:00

Whew!! I feel great!! Just finished Tone It Up! and I feel like working out for hours!! It sucks I had to pull myself away after just an hour. If I had my way, I'd workout for at least another hour. I feel soo good!! I have to admit, it started out slow, but 19 minutes into it, I was feeling the surge of energy!! My butt feels great!! Felt like it was going to fall off during the workout, but the great thing is that it recovers quickly.

So...I am going to add an extra hour of working out to my program. And I am looking forward to it!! I have so many of Debbie's videos that it is fun to mix and match em.

Ne-hoo, gotta run.

18 down, 16 to go!!

Nothing can keep me down for long!!

2008-05-14T14:46:00.009-05:00

I had a "fat" day yesterday. I know, I know, a lot of people say, how can you have a fat day? But we all (at least women) experience them. I started out strong in the morning, I tried on a cute, sports bra like top and I could already see some benefits of my labor. My workout seemed more difficult, my energy was low. I guess I got that perfection mindset and I just got down about how much more work I have to go to get to the vision I had in my head. I also realized that I mistakenly only had one shake until 6:30pm last night. With all that, my mind kept swirling with negative thoughts, stressful and anxious thoughts. But they were sneaky, they were not out right obvious.

It was really throwing me off, so I thought about it. I realized that since I ate the equivalent of one meal, my blood sugar was way too low and my hormones were out of balance. I ate a small, balanced, zone meal and remembered what the NSP Unstoppable Challenge taught me, replace all negative thoughts with positive ones. Also, there are studies that show that a person who has self confidence while on a fitness program does better than one who does the same things, except lacks self confidence. Plus, visualization techniques really work!! So, I mustered up positive thoughts, reminded myself that the goal is PROGRESS not perfection. And I prayed. I prayed for strength, I prayed for courage and I prayed for God's strength. I pictured myself working out, getting stronger, loosing fat and building muscle. I remembered how I felt that morning. I took an active stance in staying positive and focused. I made a plan for what to do today.

It's really a lot of work staying positive and focused sometimes. I just have to remember that being negative does nothing but hamper my results. To believe all those wrong - untruthful - thoughts was stealing what I was working so hard for. So I sent them packing w/a one way ticket never to return. :o)

Today, I woke up strong, ready to workout. I felt great!! I was determined to get the most from my workout, work until my muscles were fatigued and enjoy the burn!! Which is what I did. I went up to the next level with weights and resistance. There were a few times I thought that I wasn't going to be able to complete the set at the new weight. So I prayed, "I can do all things in Jesus who strengthens me," and boom I had the strength to continue going. I invite God and Jesus into all my workouts. I ask them to help give me strength and get the best out of my workouts. It also helps me focus on the workout, each movement, each rep.

Needless to say, today's workout was a blast!! It was hard, but I accomplished it and what a great feeling!! I can feel my legs, hamstrings, quads getting tighter and stronger. I can go deeper into my squats and feel the muscle all the way up to my glutes. I don't think my muscles have ever been this strong before. Thank you Jesus!!

17 down, 17 to go!!

No pain, no gain!! grin

2008-05-12T12:00:00.011-05:00

Wow, was I sore this weekend!! These workouts have been kicking my butt, literally!! My glutes were the sorest place on my body this weekend. Matt was nice enough to give me rubs to relax and ease the pain. :o)

Seeing as I've been the Queen of Seitan lately making all sorts and varieties, I discovered a fantastic seitan recipe that I must share. I won't lie, it takes around 4-5 hours (depending on baking method) from start to finish, but you have never had anything like this in your life!! A friend said it was better than the best seitan restaurant in Chicago!! It has tofu in it and is very moist. It tastes like turkey and smells wonderful while baking.

I made 2 loaves, one of which fell on the floor while I was packaging it for the fridge. It was heart breaking seeing 1/2 of 5 hours worth of work and delicious seitan, go tumbling into the garbage. :o( But, since it was so good, I doubled the recipe and made another 4 loaves yesterday. lol

To go to the recipe, click here. It is Bryanna's New Version of Soy and Seitan "Turkey."

I did not care for the gravy recipe, but you can try it for yourself and see. A great, tasty gravy is Chicago Diner's (below). The spice mix makes a lot, so you'll have it on hand for while. A great way to make gravy light and non-fat (my mother's secret), is to add your liquid (water or vegetable stock) and your spice mix and heat. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch in a little water and add to gravy. Cook till desired consistency.

Diner Gravy

INGREDIENTS:

There are three parts to this recipe: the dry spice mix, the roux, and the base.
Any of the parts can be stored and used separately in other dishes.
For example, it's nice to keep a jar of this dry mix on hand to add to soups & sauces.

Spice Mix:
2 1/2 cups nutritional yeast 1/3 cup dried parsley 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 1 1/2 tablespoons dried dill weed	2 1/2 tablespoons celery seed 2 1/2 tablespoons onion powder 2 teaspoons each basil, oregano & thyme 1 teaspoon rosemary
DIRECTIONS: In a small, dry bowl, mix all the ingredients well. Store in a dry container.
Roux:
1/3 cup soybean oil	1/3 cup unbleached flour
DIRECTIONS: Heat the oil in a saucepan. When hot, gently whisk in the flour, stirring constantly, until the flour develops a nutty aroma. (Be carfeful, it burns easily.) Set aside.
Base:
4 cups water or light vegetable stock 1/3 cup tamari	1/4 cup spice mix
DIRECTIONS: In a medium pot, bring all the base ingredients to a high simmer. Gradually whisk in the roux and cook to desired thickness. Add a little freshly ground pepper to taste. Click here For more Chicago Diner recipes. Here's to another week!! 15 down, 19 to go!!

TGIF

2008-05-09T18:00:00.004-05:00

My work schedule changed this week. I've been waking up early and trying to go to be early. It's been harder than I expected adjusting.

Another note to self, 2 Valerian kick in a lot faster than just one. I feel asleep with my book in my hand last night. And I slept twice as long without waking than usual. :o)

Picture courtesy of Matt :o)

Today went well, today's workout went great!! I actually felt progress, especially in the squats. I can tell that my legs are getting leaner and stronger!! *big grin*

My eating could have been improved today in the fact that I did not eat often enough, but I have made adjustments and picked up some luna builders bars (balanced, vegan protein bars) so that doesn't happen again.

Here's to the weekend!!

12 days down, 22 left to go!!

Healthy Lasagna? You bet!!

2008-05-08T11:31:00.011-05:00

Note to self, do not drink meal replacement shake fast. lol I did that Tuesday morning on the way to work. I was thirsty, driving, distracted and gulped it down in like 10 minutes. Whoops!! Although it is liquid, it still has 20 gms protein, 25 gms CHO (carbs) and 6 gms fat - a full meal!! Needless to say, my stomach was so full it was hard to move!! lol

I have to eat healthy, so why not take the rest of the family with me? lol So that's exactly what I did and they LOVED it!! :o) I whipped up a healthy, balanced, lasagna (with what we had in the house) and it worked marvelously!!

Zucchini Polenta Lasagna

I roll (5 servings) organic polenta
2 zucchinis, washed, peeled and sliced into thin ribbons
1 block firm or extra firm tofu
2 cubes vegetable bouillon - to taste (all bouillons are different)
2 tbsp better than cream cheese (vegan cream cheese)
8 cubes of frozen basil, thawed
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
fresh ground pepper
1 large tomato
1 block of tempeh
your favorite pasta sauce (5 servings of it worked for me)
10 oz (or less) vegan gourmet mozzarella style cheese, shredded

Okay, so I put a LOT of cheese on it, but lasagna is supposed to be cheesy!! lol

Heat oven to 350 F.

Squeeze moisture out of tofu (I do this using a clean towel or paper towels) and crumble into a medium bowl. Break it up into small pieces (resembling ricotta) with a fork. Add bouillon, cream cheese, basil, garlic, onion and pepper and mix well. Make sure to get it evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Heat 2 teaspoons earth balance (or olive oil/peanut oil) in pan. Crumble tempeh into pan. It will look a bit like veggie crumbles. Cook till golden brown. Turn off heat.

Wash and peel zucchini. Slice zucchini into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Lay zucchini flat, hold on to stem and peel downwards, into long, thin ribbons. The ribbons get larger as you go. Put in colander or bowl. Can sprinkle with 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt* and let drain in a colander to soften, if desired. When ready to use, rinse zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Slice polenta into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds.

I used a 7" x 11" (2 quart oblong baking dish) but you can use something larger as I did have to mash down my layers to make them fit and put them on a baking sheet before putting it into the oven to catch any spills.

So, grab your dish and spread a thin layer of sauce on bottom. Then layer with polenta. I sliced some in 1/2 to make a complete layer. Layer with 1/2 the tofu ricotta, spread evenly. Next top with zucchini, then cheese, then sauce, then tempeh, then more tofu ricotta, sauce and finally cheese. Smooth out each layer before starting the next. Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 45min.

*Celtic Sea Salt can be found in health food stores (like fruitful yield). It has the most vitamins and minerals than any salt and should be your primary salt, IMO. :o) You can get fine ground varieties and larger chunks that come in a grinder. It has a milder taste better than any salt I've tried.

11 days down, 23 left to go!!

Good Morning, Sunshine!!

2008-05-05T10:21:00.004-05:00

Good morning, all!! It's a bright, sunny day!!

My ideal way to spend it would be lounging in the hammock, soaking up the sun and a nap. ahhh... But, alas, it is Monday so that day dream will have to be just that...at least for today. :o)

Started my new schedule today with the required dose of waking up early. Wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be, thank God. However, I have realized just how much time you save preparing things the night before. Being tired definitely adds time.

Did the 120 minute workout today. It went by quick!! She works you so hard and she changes it up so much, the time flies!! And it was fun!!

Oh, I've been eating near perfect zone today and I can already feel the difference!! I noticed a slump in my energy after lunch (I think I ate it a bit late) . I am very aware of my body and it really surprised me. I had the right ratios of things, but I had carrots as my carb and they are a high glycemic food. Who'd a thought my body would be so sensitive to notice that? It makes sense, but it was crazy experiencing that.

Ne-hoo, time to rest.

8 days down, 26 to go!!

Mix It Up!

2008-05-01T18:00:00.001-05:00

Ah, today got off to a great start!! Woke up on time, had a clear vision for my day, and my wonderful, sexy, intelligent hubby was up too, all smiles and fun!! Okay, so I wasn't exactly up to par, all cheerful and smiles at 7:00am when the alarm first went off, but the sunshine and Matt quickly rectified that.

I keep a journal to get out my thoughts, plan my day, meals, etc. Just write down things that are pertinent and also kind of work my way through things on paper. I'm a very visual person so writing down proposed plans, schedules, etc, really helps me to visualize my days and my successes. Since my schedule changed from working out first thing in the am to the afternoon and potentially extending my workday to compensate, I needed to see it all laid out. Also, since I am eating every 2-3 hours and do not want to workout on a full stomach, my workouts and meals have to be meticulously planned.

Write this down, memorize it, this will help you achieve any success that you desire - If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Do I need to repeat? lol It is true. Planning anything in life will help you succeed. Especially if you actively and continuously visualize your goals.

So, I wrote out a couple proposed schedules and fine-tuned them for ease and practicality. And I am so thrilled with my new schedule. I even scheduled time alone w/ God and meditation. Doesn't get any better than that!! :oD

My eating has been GREAT today, I must say. I've stayed w/in the 3 hour guidelines (so far), which is a feat in and of itself. I have to say the most challenging thing so far is making sure to eat every 2-3 hours, eating breakfast within an hour of waking and making sure I'm getting the correct ratio of fat, carbs and protein - for myself. (Optimal ratios vary a bit from person to person)

I see food in macronutrients, e.g. fat, carb, protein. Getting the right protein to carb ratio is challenging b/c most common foods have waaayyy more carbs than protein. So, I build my meals around in protein. People think that being vegan it is hard to get "enough protein" (even though these same people do not know how much protein their bodies need). It really isn't, it just takes planning, especially if you do not live in an area with readily accessible restaurants that offer adequate vegan protein.

A great, inexpensive protein is seitan. I LOVE seitan and still remember the first day Matt made it for me. MMMmmmmm!! The problem w/ seitan though is that it traditionally takes 2 hours to make (prep time included) and the texture and flavor change each time I make it. However, I came across this EXCELLENT recipe for setian that takes only 30 minutes to cook and it's steamed!! You can eat it right then and there, no need to do any other prep or cooking.

I calculated the protein and fat per link, the first time I made them. 34 gms of protein and 0.75 gms of fat (good fat - monounsat). (I will figure out the carb content and post it later.)

Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages
Makes 8 links

2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp Bills Best Chik’Nish Seasoning (if using another brand which is salty, or saltier than Bill’s Best, you’ll want to greatly reduce the amount you use)
2 tbsp granulated onion
1 to 2 tbsp fennel seed, optional
2 tsp coarsely ground pepper, preferably freshly ground
2 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp dried chili flakes, optional
1 tsp ground smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 1/4 cups cool water*
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Whisk together the water, garlic, olive oil and soy sauce and using a fork, gently stir into the dry ingredients. Stir just until ingredients are mixed. If dough mixture is too dry, you can add another tablespoon of water or as needed.
2. Scoop 1/2 cup dough mixture at a time and shape into logs. Place logs on piece of aluminum foil and roll up, twisting ends. Place sausages in steamer and steam for 30 minutes. Once sausages have cooled, remove from foil and refrigerate until ready to eat. After cooling, the sausages may feel a bit dry on the outside. Don’t worry, as they will soften and firm up considerably after chilling

Variation: You can shape the dough into little patties instead of links. If you don’t want to use aluminum foil, you can wrap the links in damp muslin or tea towel and tie ends with cotton twine.

Copyright © 2008 Julie Hasson

I've made the above specific recipe once. Every other time I've made them, I've made them either chicken-style - using chicken-style bouillon and spices or beef-style bouillon, steak seasoning and spices. (McCormick has a chicken seasoning that I want to try). You can adjust and make any style you want, just make sure that you keep the liquids and dry items in the same measure. So for example, the ones I made went something like this:

2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp- to taste - beef-style bouillon
2 tbsp granulated onion
2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
2 1/4 cups cool water*
1 tbsp Garlic powder - to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce (All I had was Shoyu which is VERY potent, so I did 1 tbsp and 1 tbsp water)

Taste, taste, taste!! I cannot stress this enough. After I mix it all together, I take a small piece and chew it for the flavor and adjust the seasonings if necessary. I also make these into patties (lil squares/rectangles) b/c it makes great chunks for "chicken"salads, wraps, etc.

Oh, and one thing - do not stir it too much b/c that will make it difficult to get a good, even 1/2 cup w/o any struggle.

If you have any questions on making these, please let me know. They are really simple and fast once you get the hang of them. Honestly, this recipe is so easy that your children can make it, just make sure an adult is the one who steams them.

4 down, 30 to go!!

Cool It Off!!

2008-05-01T08:00:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my day off from work and my day to do Cool It Off!, the 65 min strength and stretch video. Strength as in exercises to strengthen opposing muscle groups like your back and abs.

Strengthening your opposing muscle groups are so important!! A lot of people think that they have a bad or weak back, when actually, their backs hurt b/c their opposing muscle group, the abs, are weak. So, their poor backs have to do their job as well as try to compensate for the abs not being able to pull their weight, lol, so to speak.

Another key to getting the most from your workouts and being able to do high intensity workouts 5-6 days a week, is stretching. While you are working out and doing strength training (weights) your muscles are breaking down. When you rest and sleep is when your muscles build back up, more dense and strong. If you do not properly stretch after a workout, or the same day, your muscles will reform stronger, but tighter - short. Stretching lengthens the muscles and provides flexibility. Here's an example most everyone can understand - you know the big, muscle bound weight lifters who look like they lost their necks? Their necks are so short and thick, it looks like their head is just resting on top of their shoulders? That can happen when you do not stretch your neck properly after.

Tuesday night after my workout, I was toying with the idea of not doing the Cool It Off!, and instead doing an intense workout. I knew the stretching would benefit me, but I also wanted to make sure I got the best results in the shortest amount of time. I woke up sore (the good sore) and my intuition told me to do Cool It Off! So I did, and am I glad I did!! See, the whole week I've been walking a lil funny b/c of all the leg and thigh work - squats, etc. and have been feeling really tight. I did Cool It Off! and an hour later I felt soo good!! I wasn't sore, I was relaxed and stretched. I felt like my muscles had been rejuvenated. Exactly what I needed for today's workout and for Saturday's 120 minute intense workout. I enjoyed it so much, that I am going to add Cool It Off! to the end of my workouts as much as possible. For at least the last 3-4 weeks, I am going to do it after every workout. Just to tweak my results that much more. (Not to mention it feels soo good and really is a treat)

Since I was off and we had minimal protein in the house - that being silken/soft tofu, I decided to make a quiche. I have tried making a vegan quiche in the past, but I really did not like the way it turned out. This time I decided to do what works best for me, use a couple recipes as a guide and make a quiche infusing my touch. I have to say I was quite pleased with the results. My father-in-law said he LOVED IT!!, so I did something right. :o)

I took a picture, but only after half of it was gone (I didn't want to share the recipe if it didn't turn out well), so you can get an idea of what it looks like.

Used this recipe as a guide.

For the crust:
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
1/3 cup unflavored soy milk or water
1/3 cup light sesame oil or pure olive oil plus more for brushing the pan

I used this crust recipe because it is healthier than most. The crust left something to be desired, IMO. I used olive oil, maybe if you used earth balance or sesame oil, it may taste better. Or just use your normal pie crust recipe or a frozen vegan one. (I believe Mrs. Paul's is the one I use)

1. HEAT the oven to 350o F.

2. Spread oats and sesame seeds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 minutes.

3. Place toasted oats and seeds into blender or food processor. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, and process until the oats are finely ground.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy milk and oil. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the dry ingredients to form a dough.

5. Lightly brush a 9-inch or 10-inch tart pan with oil. Put the dough in the tart pan. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the dough and press down evenly, making sure to fill in the fluted sides of the pan. Trim the tart of any excess dough and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For the filling:
1 onion, 1/2 sliced into thin rounds, 1/2 diced
2 teaspoons EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 tablespoons white wine or water
1/2 tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cube soft/sliken tofu, pressed out extra water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vinegar (white, apple, rice)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
2 cubes vegetable or chicken-style bouillon - to taste
1 teaspoon dill - to taste
1 can spinach (or fresh or frozen), drained and extra water pressed out
5oz of veganrella mozzarella style, shredded
2 ears of sweet corn, cooked in micro for 2 minutes, until done.
salt and pepper to taste

6. Sauté diced onion in EVOO over medium-high heat. Sauté until onions are caramelized. Deglaze pan with wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Season with a pinch of salt and continue to cook until dry. Put onions into a large bowl.

7. Put tofu, cream cheese, garlic, onion powder, lemon juice, vinegar, nutritional yeast, cream cheese, bouillon and dill into blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into caramelized onions. Cut corn off ears. Add to tofu mixture, add spinach and cheese. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.

8. Fill the tart shell with tofu mixture, smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Separate onion rounds and place decoratively on quiche. Press onions into top. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until quiche is set.

9. Let the tart cool for 8 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Makes a great lunch or brunch dish. Can do prep work ahead of time and use pre-made pie shell to save time.

3 down, 31 to go!!

The BEST DVDs!!

2008-04-29T21:47:00.004-05:00

It's day two (of the last five weeks) and I finally admitted what I thought yesterday, I need to do my workouts in the afternoon. lol Being a light sleeper and one who frequently wakes during the night, I cannot guarantee enough sleep for the morning workout to work. lol Not to mention, experts recommend doing your workout in the afternoon, after glycogen stores are replenished*. Plus, I really liked Dude's Workout World. Had the whole place to myself and it was therapeutic.

So, I moved my workout to the afternoon, displacing BodyFlex to the morning, which is the ideal time for it anyway.

Today's workout, today's workout!! It was great!! Okay, so I was stressing when I came home to cats that made a mess when I had just cleaned last night. I put in my DVD and all I could think about was all the other million things I had to do. I realized this and paused the DVD. I sat down for a moment and said, this is my workout. This is my time to relax and I want to get all I can out of it. So, I verbally, mentally and emotionally let it go. Got back up and started the DVD. And was it a great workout!! I thought the last one kicked butt, this one does, too!!

I thought my legs were going to fall off, the DVD had only been on for ten minutes!! And there's a five minute warm-up!! By twenty minutes, I was laughing and enjoying the burn.

One of the things I really love about these DVDs is that Debbie shows her personality. Her older sister was in the one I did yesterday and she was teasing the poop out of her. (Who obviously hadn't been doing Slim in 6 or any of the Slim DVDs.) And the one tonight, she said funny things, laughed and during the floor cool down, said "I'm wearing floods" and pulled her yoga pant over her shoe!! LMAO!! Honestly, I didn't know she had much of a personality till now. Knew she was a kick-butt trainer but it ended there.

Eating today, I did well!! I stayed within my guidelines (zone) and didn't let more than 4 hours lapse until the next meal. Before dinner, my 4 hour mark was approaching but i wasn't sure what to make yet, so I had 4oz of soymilk. Soymilk is zone (40-30-30), the perfect thing to tide me over. The frantic co-worker bought lunch for us who helped yesterday and I stayed zone, even on food from Connie's (Pizza). Had a salad, lil vinaigrette, lil pasta w/ red sauce and some tofurkey (that I brought) for protein. YUM!!

2 down, 32 more to go!!

* It is recommended for the afternoon, unless the time your the strongest differs. If you have most energy in the morning, then that's when you should do your workout. If you have the most energy at night, then that is when you should do your workout (no later than 4-3 hours before bedtime). Morning is nice because you have no excuses and it gets it out of the way. Bottom line, schedule your workout for when you know you'll get it done. :o)

Ah, yes, that's the FEELING!! groans grins

2008-04-28T18:00:00.002-05:00

Today is the first day of the last full 5 weeks of the challenge!!

I had planned my workout for 7:45am but my schedule was so off over the weekend, that I could not fall asleep till 4am. (Thank God for Valerian or I never would have slept.) So, when my alarm rang at 7:30am, I decided to go into work an hour early so that I could do my workout at my brother's at 1:30pm. Well, as i said in my previous post, life happens!! And that is exactly what transpired.

A late, frantic, unorganized co-worker was in need of immediate assistance, so 3 of us rushed over to help. An hour and a half later after papers flying, necessary machines braking, chaos and the like ensuing, the co-worker was out the door!! Phew!! *wipes brow*

This is all well and fine except it is now 2:15pm and my workout was specifically scheduled for 1:30pm. My workout time was scheduled around my meal plan of eating every 2-4 hours and my coworkers' schedules, who leave at 3:00pm and 3:30pm, which was quickly approaching. So, I begrudgingly hop in my car and drive to my brother's. I get there just in time to see his girlfriend going into the apartment. Well, that marked the end of working out at my bro's for the day. So, I drive the 3 minutes back to work while coming up with a solution. Ah HA!!

One of my co-workers w/ a laptop and DVD player just happened to be in the office and not in need of his laptop for an hour. THANK GOD!! So, I hop downstairs into "Dude's Workout World" (the gym at our work) and get moving!!

WOW, was the workout challenging!! I did Tone It Up! from my new DVD's. (Click on DVD's for the link to the program I am currently doing). When I saw Debbie (the instructor), I thought, Wow, I want her body!! and was very encouraged that the workout even challenged her!!

So, I got my workout in (YEA!!), but because of the time, 5 hours had lapsed from my first meal to my second. :o( Which is not good. But, progress, not perfection is the goal and the most important thing was accomplished. So, I feel great!!

The workout was intense but satisfying on many levels. The workout had a short cool down and stretch, but as a reward to myself, I am going to do a 15 minute stretching routine tonight before bed, which I am soo looking forward to!!

1 day down, 33 more to go!!

Goings on

2008-04-24T13:59:00.008-05:00

I am in the last 5 weeks of NSP's 90 day fitness challenge. This is the time that everything gets hyped up and tweaked!! I ordered more supplements (yea!! yeah i'm a nut i know) and new workout DVDs. I can't wait!! The advanced set of DVDs (that I ordered) are really supposed to tone, define and cut, exactly what I need!!

My hubby took the before pictures and I am happy to say, they came out horrible!! lol Horrible that if there wasn't a paid trip to DC or a Hawaiian vacation and $1,000 spending money, I don't think I'd let anyone see them!! hahaha just kidding I am focusing on progress not perfection. The key to accomplishing anything great. :o)

I am fortunate that a raw food restaurant (read:vegan goodness) opened 5 minutes from my work, The Borrowed Earth Cafe. Healthy food fast!! It's a little pricey, but like my hubbers said, I'd rather spend the money on good food that's good for you than beer!! lol And since I'm in the last 5 weeks, alcohol is not on my approved food list!! lmao

What am I talking about?! There is no such thing as an approved food list!! Shoot, peoples, when diets and other supposed nutrition and diet know-it-alls give you a list of foods to avoid, RUN!! RUN like the plague!! (does the plague run?) Seriously. That is why all these "fad" diets don't work. They do not take into consideration real life. In real life, stuff happens. And when real life hits, the strict count your calories crap flies out the window. Believe me, I know. I used to enjoy counting calories. But the second week, I got sick of it. Then what are you supposed to do?

Find an eating plan that works...for you specifically. That's what I do - help people with specific eating plans, life changes and natural medicine.

Back to the raw food, I had the spring onion cheeze wrap for lunch with the two unbelievable salads and the cheeze pirogies. FANTASTIC!! And I even have leftovers for my hubby. The nice thing about raw food is that it fills you up!! Way faster than you'd ever believe. And I've tried!! lol

Ne-hoo, the clock is ticking and it's almost time for my workout. I am excited!!...can't you tell? ;o) oh, give it a couple days and I'll be dancing everywhere I go. And if the weather keeps up like this, I'll be dancing in the rain.

TTFN

Thursday

2008-03-20T13:51:00.004-05:00

Hola!!

So, I am participating in a 90-day Fitness/Weight Loss Challenge that my company is sponsoring. I have to keep a daily food journal and thought it'd be fun to update my blog as well on my progress, etc.

My goal for the challenge is to loose body fat and inches, gain muscle and tone. As well as all the other added benefits of more energy, self confidence, healthier body, mind, spirit, more productive and overall improved mood.

The products that I am using to help me succeed in this goal are:

Synerprotein, RG Max, and Greenzone.

I have found that the BEST way to take them is to mix one scoop of each together in a large glass, add water and mix. Sooooo good!!

Plus, the synerprotein has 20gms of protein per scoop, all the protein I need for one meal. Because the drink is not balanced, I add some fresh fruit and veggies and good fat (e.g. almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts (and nut butters), flax oil, etc.) and presto!! you have a complete, balanced meal!!

Synerprotein is the BEST protein powder on the market!! Believe me, I have tried them all.

Ne-hoo, that's all for now. I will update you later!!

21 days to habit

2008-03-18T15:05:00.002-05:00

Howdy, folks!!

There is a lot going on in my life right now. In fact, I've been advised not to take on any new commitments. However, this 21 days to habit "challenge" that Dawn, author of the blog "Because I Said So" (see my links to "hilarious mother of six") sounds fun and fits right in with yet another get healthy and fit challenge I am participating in. So, I do not see the harm in adding it to my (jam-packed) schedule.

Okay, gotta run (another commitment lmao). I will be back to update you all later and give you more info on my challenges.

tc

Blessings!!

Nat

Vegan "Chicken" Ravioli

2008-03-08T17:32:00.009-06:00

Ravioli

Growing up, I never was a big fan of ravioli. 9 times out of 10 it had ricotta cheese in it and I loathed ricotta cheese. Although, I always was a big fan of things stuffed in dough like pirogies. I normally like to make my dough from scratch, but I ran into some dumpling wrappers while at the Asian Mart that looked like they could stand the test of ravioli.

**Forgive my amateur food photography. It'll get better with time ;o)

This is a recipe I adapted from Food Network.

Vegan "Chicken" Ravioli

1 1/4 cup morningstar "chicken" strips
3/4 cup extra firm tofu
1 tsp vegan "chicken" bouillon or vegetable bouillon
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 lemon, zested
Celtic Sea Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg equivalent egg replacer or vegan cream cheese
1 package dumpling wrappers (round)
your favorite pasta sauce
1 zucchini, sliced
8oz mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
1 tsp vegan margarine
Celtic Sea Salt and pepper to taste
Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute (similar to Mrs. Dash)

Cook morningstar "chicken" strips on medium heat in canola (or your choice) oil. (I like canola oil because it gives it a more authentic chicken flavor.) Shred with spatula in pan. Transfer "chicken" to bowl and let cool. Crumble tofu and combine with bouillon , thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Shred cooled chicken with hands till small. Add chicken to tofu mixture. Add egg replacer (or cream cheese). Stir well, the mixture should stick together. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

On a large cutting board, layout 9 dumpling wrappers. Fill each with a heaping teaspoon of filling. Fill a small bowl with water. Brush the outside of the first dumpling wrapper, fold it over into a crescent shape, making sure to seal the edges. Transfer ravioli to a sheet pan lined with wax paper. When finished with all 9, put pan into freezer. Layout 9 more dumpling wrappers and repeat, making sure that you put the freshly made ravioli into the freezer after each batch. Repeat until all the filling is used.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Just before boiling, add salt.

Wash and slice the zucchini. Clean the mushrooms and quarter. Heat evoo in pan on medium. Add zucchini. Sautee till half way cooked. (If the zucchini is not cooking fast enough, add 1 TBLS water to pan and put on lid for a few minutes.) Add mushrooms. When zucchini and mushrooms are almost done, add margarine, 21 seasoning salute, salt and pepper.

Heat pasta sauce. When water is boiling, add 10 ravioli (for a large pot). Cook 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Strain and transfer to a plate. Do not over cook, the ravioli will open while boiling.

Top ravioli with sauce and vegan parmesan. Serve with zucchini and mushrooms. Dig in!!

Ravioli freezes beautifully, so if this makes more than you need, just put in a freezer bag and store in freezer for a quick meal or snack.

2007-12-06T14:41:00.000-06:00

Ever feel like dinner is the same thing over and over again, just different versions? That's how my hubby and I feel lately. Being a vegan for almost a decade (myself going on 3 years after being a lacto-ovo-veg for 7), he tells me he's had it all. Needless to say, making new and interesting recipes are in the front of my mind lately. And I actually achieved it last night.

I had only made it to Trader Joes for grocery shopping on my Tuesday night grocery trip, so we had LOTS of tofu in the house. And we were out of vege bouillon, due to all the meaties buying it all up for the Thanksgiving holiday. I normally make polenta, but making vegan meals from scratch 1-2 times a day, 7 days a week, it's nice to occasionally cut down the prep time with store bought polenta. Knowing only a couple of ways of making polenta (traditional served w/ a tomato sauce or Tofu Mom's delicious pumpkin tofu - see the link on my side to Kitchen Ramblings of a Fairly Odd Tofu Mom) and not having the fixings for either, I was on the search for recipes to at least give me a new idea.

Looking at my stack of the most recently used cookbooks and magazines (I am in constant rotation), the Vegetarian Times caught my eye. Flipped to the back index and there was a recipe for Polenta Lasagna. It looked weird, but sounded decent and was definitely different!!

It called for 2 rolls of polenta, where as I had only one and the recipe had sans protein, perfect to add some tofu. Next time, I'll add a little more cornstarch to thicken up the sauce, but other than that, it was a hit!! My hubby told me it was nice having something different, not to mention that there were no leftovers. *big grin*

This is the recipe I made -

Knorr Vegetable Soup Packet (Although I recommend using vegetable bouillon instead if you have it)
1 cup boling water
2 TBLS Braggs
Couple Splashes of Tamari
1 red onion
Olive oil
2 tsps garlic powder
8 oz button mushrooms
8 oz cremini (baby bello) mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine (or vege broth)
2-4 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup soy milk
3 TBLS cornstarch mixed w/ 2 TBLS soy milk (add an extra TBLS of cornstarch to thicken)
1 package polenta, sliced into 1/2" or 11 slices
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 block extra firm tofu

Heat oven to 375

Drain tofu. Slice the tofu into 8 slices. Add the vege bouillon or just the powder part of the soup packet to the hot water. Pour over tofu. Add the tamari and Braggs to taste. Let marinate.

Chop the onion and saute in olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender. Add 3/4 cup milk and bring to a simmer. Add cornstarch and soy milk mixture, cream cheese and wine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until smooth. Add salt and pepper and nutmeg.

Grease or spray with cooking spray, an 8x8 baking dish. Cover bottom of dish with mushroom sauce. Layer tofu over the sauce. Add the rest of the sauce and then top with polenta slices.

Bake for 40 minutes, until polenta is golden and bubbly.

I do apologize, I have no pics because, quite frankly, I did not think of taking them.

I thought it may also be good with some fresh herbs like rosemary, lemon thyme, etc, but not too much.

This recipe gives me a great idea to try something similar w/ the famous pumpkin polenta. Hmmm, wonder if Tofu Mom has any thoughts?... ;o)

Yippee!! It's finally here!

2007-10-12T13:28:00.000-05:00

All the hard work putting this book together has paid off!!

Recipes from Heaven the Mostly Vegetarian Edition has finally arrived!!

A comprehensive guide to healthier living. This book includes great info on health and hot topics, great recipes that are wheat free, dairy free and mostly vegetarian, and an article authored by none other than yours truly!!

Check it out!! Click Here then click on details for more info on my article.

Natalie McCain, Nutritionist (B.S. in Nutrition) and vegan wrote an article with simple, easy steps that will help you transition into becoming a vegetarian, debunking myths about vegetarians, and a helpful list of Vegan alternatives to use in cooking and baking.

(go to www.recipesfromheaven.com if the link is not working)

Be the first to get one!! To order, click on buy now and don't forget to put NATALIE as the promotion code.

Enjoy!!

Blessings!!

Test

2007-08-23T13:15:00.000-05:00

I have a new project that I am currently testing out on myspace. I am hoping I will have all the kinks worked out in 6 weeks or so. So, stay tuned!!

In the meantime, good luck and many blessings in this journey called life!!

(lol I said journey...)

Love you all!!

Nat

2007-07-30T11:54:00.001-05:00

It's a beautiful new week!! The sun is shining (I hear Margaret Cho's mother's voice), great weather, great mood, who could ask for anything more?

3 weeks to go!! And this week is going to be the kicker, my intense 5 day program. I can't wait!! lol It consists of working out 2x a day - one full cardio, strength and stretch routine and one 1/2 hour or longer cardio and stretch routine. Plus, eating zone and every 3 to 4 hours. The hardest part is going to be eating that often. So far, so good!!

2007-07-27T17:08:00.000-05:00

Yikes!! This week just flew by!! I haven't had anytime to post since the last one. And I don't have time now, but I wanted to post something.

This week, exercise has been to a minimum :o( wah. But eating (my diet) has been great!! I am back to my comfortable weight, yea!! However, since exercise was a complete minimum this week, I still don't have my butt back, nor my thighs, arms, etc. Eating healthy to get fit is imperative, but exercise is crucial to shaping and toning. And that is my goal.

I will try to post tomorrow and give more updates!! Many blessings!!

Love you all!!

Nat's 4 Week Express Fitness Regime

2007-07-24T11:43:00.013-05:00

Darn it, Gail, you inspire me!!

Here I am, all ready to start my 4 week express fitness regime. I had already decided that I would write blogs each day tracking my progress, however I would save them as drafts until after the regime was finished. Then I check Gail's blog and see my link titled "I wish I had her willpower" Natalie. *blushes, flattered grin* So, I have decided to post each day no matter how painstaking and naked it is.

Things needed for a fitness regime -

First thing, above all else is commitment. You have to completely and honestly commit to the regime. There are many sayings out there that all mean the same thing. If you do something, put your whole heart into it. You are only going to get out of this what you put into it, so a commitment to yourself and the regime has to be first.

With that out of the way, the second is to plan. One of my all time favorite quotes, from the book Body For Life, "if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail". This statement could not be more true. Planning involves:

Your menu - what you are going to eat, the portions, how to prepare the meal, when you are going to eat, grocery shopping and packing meals. I like to pack all my meals (that i will not eat at home) for the week at one time. Make sure you have enough ziplock bags and containers for all of them.

Your workout - what kind of exercises are you going to do, how many reps and sets, length of each session, what you are going to wear, equipment needed, when and where you are going to workout.

Your day planner - schedule your workouts (and meals if you can) in your day planner in ink. Workouts are a cannot miss appointment. I prefer morning workouts because there is no excuse why you cannot do them. Not to mention, you feel GREAT for the whole day!! But, everyone is different, schedule the workout when you know you will accomplish it.

Supplements - what does your body need? What will it need and what will give you the optimal results you are looking for? Contact me or if you prefer to do it yourself, go here or here. Some things to keep mind - beware of where you get your supplements. If you do not get them through a reputable company, you are dumping money into the toilet. Did you know that over the counter supplements do not have to list ingredients that make up 10% or less of the supplement? I even found caffeine as an ingredient in one over the counter multi-vitamin!! Scary, to say the least!! Plus, most companies use the whole plant instead of only the medicinal part. So, you are paying for a diluted, ineffective product. Supplements I recommend for fitness - Hoodia, Greenzone - capsules for the non vegetarians, B12 and B Complex, METABOMAX EF, Metabostart EF - a complete 14 day plan with convenient, prepackaged packets, Noni, Skeletal Strength, just to name a few. The best bet is to contact me to complete a full health analysis that will take care of all your needs.

**Key when planning, do not set yourself up to fail. For example, if you know that you are always tired after work and will loathe or even skip your workout, be realistic and workout in the morning. Yes, getting up the first couple of days will suck, but after 10-15-20 min into the workout, you will be happy you're getting your workout for the day done, before the day is even over.

**Recent addition:

I figured since there have been quite a few recent hits to this blog, I'd make it more specific. To help those out there who are looking for a detailed 4 week fitness regime.

Here we go!!

Commitment - You have to want to succeed. I recommend picturing yourself at the end of the 4 weeks. Picture yourself completing each workout and eating healthy. Picture yourself happy, fit and energetic. Do this everyday, if not multiple times a day, especially before you go to bed and when you first wake up. Also, put a reminder of your goal out so you see it everyday. Whether that be the dress you plan on wearing, a bikini, your skinny jeans or a picture of yourself at your ideal weight. Whatever it is, make sure you put it in a spot that you see everyday. (Your bathroom, your bedroom, your office, etc).

Visualizing succeeding at the task, is really the key to accomplishing anything in your life. Another great thing that works, is writing it down on a piece of paper. "I will successfully complete the 4 week express regime by (list specific date)". This is also biblical, "And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes maybe able to read it easily and quickly as he hastens by. For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait earnestly for it, because it will not be behindhand on it's appointed day." (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

Planning - Your menu - I recommend following the Zone diet - 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat. This 40/30/30 works for everyone. With my clients, I use an oxidizing test that pinpoints more specifically where you should be based on your specific profile. If you want this, you can email me at natalie@mynsp.com.

40/30/30 means that 40% of your calories comes from carbohydrates, 30% from protein and 30% fat. You want this ratio at every meal and every snack. This is where the planning comes in. The average American diet has way too many carbohydrates and fat in relation to protein.

The Zone diet is known for not only burning fat and increasing muscle mass quickly, but also for the flattest stomaches. Jennifer Aniston credits the Zone for her always fit bod.

Some key points in the Zone -

1. Eat within an hour of waking. It's true what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is important because if your brain doesn't get glucose (the only thing it will run on), your body will start to break down your muscle to get it. Read: eek!! bad!! Also, your insulin levels will raise, which is not good = weight gain. (When you eat carbs, your body releases insulin, telling your body to store the food as fat. When you eat protein, your body releases glucagon which tells your body to use the food as energy. That is why the ratio of protein to carbohydrates is sooo important!!)

2. Eat every 3-4 hours, going no longer than 5 hours. At 5 hours, your body releases insulin = what kids? That's right, bad. I find that when doing the express regime that eating every 2-3 hours works best, going no longer than 4 hours between meals. And since you are eating regularly and have your meals already planned and packed, you will not be starving and eat a whole chocolate cake or horrible fast food.

3. Eat a balanced (40/30/30) snack within an hour of going to sleep. That's right, folks, eat within an hour of sleeping. This ensures that your insulin levels do not rise or rise too much while sleeping. I know, a lot of "other" diets tell you to not eat 3 hours before bed, but trust me on this one, you want a flat stomach when you wake up? Follow this plan for 4 weeks and you'll get it!! I actually notice a difference faster than 4 weeks, but everyone is different.

4. Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. A 40/30/30 meal should keep you full for at least 3 hours and a snack for 1 to 1.5 hours.

Here are some links to the Zone that will help you out. Here is their fast food guide, their block guide (which I love) and their eyeball method. I recommend printing out the block guide and keeping it with you, especially when you shop. What you want is 3 blocks at each meal (for women, for men it is 4) and 1 block at each snack. That is 1 block of fat, 1 block of carbohydrate and 1 block of fat. (For 1 meal it would be 3 blocks of fat, 3 blocks of carbohydrate and 3 blocks of protein.) I know this may sound complicated, but it gets easier. For some, they pick up on it quickly, for others it takes a while. The great thing is once you have it down, you will always be able to eat balanced.

**Note - I will add the fast food guide and eyeball method later as I do not have them at my current disposal.

Stop eating when you are full. If this means that you have leftovers, that is fine, save them and you can eat them later. You do not have to eat all 3 blocks at one meal. Sometimes I find that it is too much at one sitting. Other times, I have no problem finishing it all.

For the fitness challenge I was in, I created a shake that was Zone and it worked so well, that the other women in my office have been using it and lost 10 lbs in the first 2 weeks!! They are still using it, as am I. It provides vital nutrition as well as feeds your body and keeps you full. It is 1 scoop of Greenzone, 1 scoop of RGMax, 1 scoop of Synerprotein and 1 tsp of Flax Seed Oil. Mix it up in the NSP Shaker and you have a full, balanced, healthy meal!! It's as easy as that.

I know it may look overwhelming, but they say that 80% of your fitness plan is your diet. It maybe more like 70/30, but your diet is important.

Snack and Meal ideas...will be coming soon...

Snacks - protein bars are great, but they have to be 40/30/30. The only vegan bar that I have found that closely fits this criteria is Cliff's Builder Bars. They come in so many great flavors and freeze beautifully on those hot days, that we always have some on hand. My personal favorites are the cookies and cream and chocolate mint. Although they are all great. You can buy them from their online store here or at most supermarkets, Woodman's or Trader Joe's.

Workout - I prefer workout dvds, and this is why - you know what you are getting. The ones I recommend are guaranteed and they WORK!! I have worked with many trainers and gyms in my day, and I have never seen nor got the results that I have from Debbie Seibers and Slim in 6. Beachbodies.com have other workouts that are guaranteed and have great results as well. I recommend Slim in 6, Slim Series and Slim Express, because I (and my hubby) love the body (and butt and thighs) that I get from them. Get the Slim in 6 first and when you've done that 2x or so (12 weeks), you can move to the Slim Series which is challenging but gives even greater results and/or Slim Express which gets your workout done in 30 minutes.

Stretching is imperative!! All the Slim dvd sets come with stretching routines that I recommend doing at least once a week. 3 times would be great. You will get more lean and limber as you do the workouts, but stretching is key to being long and lean.

Day Planner/Calendar - Write down your workouts in your day planner or calendar as can't miss appointments. Remember, you are doing this for yourself and you will only get out of it what you put into it. Slim in 6 is great because it comes with a 6 week calendar that I put on the wall across from my bed. Yes, there will be days that you won't feel like working out and/or you feel tired or sick. Expect that to happen. It happens to me all the time. However, do not shirk from your routine. I say, do your workout for 20 minutes and after 20 minutes, if you still feel sick, etc, then stop. And start again the next day. Or do your stretching routine. It is no impact and will help you feel better and more relaxed.

For some reason 20 minutes is the magic number. I will be groaning and complaining to myself through the first 15-19 minutes or so, but when I hit the 20 minute mark, I get a surge of energy that says, yea!! I can do this!! I visualize my legs getting stronger and leaner, I visualize my tummy whittling away to nicely defined abs and my butt lifting higher. At this point, I feel like I can workout for 3 hours. After all, it is only an hour out of your day and it is specifically for you. This is your hour. It is your time. Think of all the hours in the day that are wasted by sleeping, watching tv, eating, etc. One hour isn't hardly anything. It is your reward, your gift to yourself. Stay with this for 4 weeks and I am telling you, you'll be so happy and energetic, you'll wonder why you did not do this sooner. You are worth it!!

Supplements - I have researched the world for the best, most advanced, nutritional, skin care, and personal care products to keep us feeling great and enjoy optimal health and happiness. I am in the process of completing my all vegan website, woo-hoo!!, but in the meantime you can email me at natures_healing(at)yahoo(dot)com, and I will send you a compelte list of vegan approved products. You can also check out:

Zrii - the one whole food supplemet that EVERYONE should be on!! Helps faciliate cellular communication, digestion, (both key to burning fat and increasing lean muscle) among many, many other things. www.natalie.myzrii.com Zrii also has a great prospertity plan.

Red Rock Naturals - All vegetarian, liquid products that taste and work great!! www.myredrocknaturals.com/100135

Nature's Sunshine Products - Top quality, all natural, does not test on animals (of course!!), has over 140 vegan products. www.mynsp.com/natural_healing

Another key thing is making sure you get enough sleep. 6-8 hours is all you need. I find that when I am working out and eating right, 6 hours is plenty. Other times, 8 hours is great. Working out and eating right will help you fall asleep faster, you'll need less sleep and you will get better quality sleep. Your muscles are torn down during exercise, and they build back up and strengthen while you are resting and sleeping. This is why sleep is so important. If you do not get enough sleep, you will not get the best results.

If you have trouble sleeping, what I've found works is Neroli oil on the bottom of your feet with a little carrier oil. Neroli will relax you and a foot rub is always great!! If you cannot reach or feet and do not have someone that will put this on for you, contact me and I will give you some great tips on doing it yourself. Also, liquid Kava Kava and valerian work great, too.

For you non-vegans, if you want something different, Herbal Sleep is great. This is the best, highest quality stuff you can get. You will not wake up groggy.

Exercise and food diary

2007-01-04T13:50:00.000-06:00

i thought i'd start an exercise and food diary. not only to help me stay on track (there's nothing like having to report to your peers), but to also possibly help others out there who are going through (or have gone through) the daunting yet rewarding task of improving their fitness, weight and health.

so, i go grocery shopping tonight to get, make and plan my meals. because like he said in body for life, if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. and there isn't going to be anything other than success, so i've got to get planning!!

couple things to start -

my workout regimen - i love working out in the comfort of my own (or my twin bro's) home. i love dvd's and comcast's ondemand fit tv w/ gilad. my favorite dvds are slim in 6 and the slim series with debbie siebers. i love her dvd's because they are challenging and give me the body i've always wanted. lean, hard, firm and strong but not manly. and the butt exercises, watch out!! after a few weeks of regular workouts, everyone will be noticing your firm behind!!

5 days a week (approx 1 hour) and 3 days a week additional stretching (14 minutes)

ideally, i want to workout 6 days a week, but i know myself and i am setting an achievable goal.

my eating/diet - since you all know (or will now) that i do nutritional counseling, i am fortunate that i know how to eat, what and when. if you want/need help with this, please contact me at natures_healing@yahoo.com or visit www.myspace.com/natural_healing

i am a fast oxidizer; my body leans towards the zone diet. so i will be eating balanced meals (approx. 40% CHO, 30% fat and 30% protein) every 3-4 hours. timing is key and breakfast really is the most important meal of the day!!

supplements - supplements are essential for achieving and maintaining health, energy and vitality. with any health and workout regimen, your body will need more nutrients, vitamins and minerals. it is important that you take quality supplements. for the best supplements go to www.mynsp.com/natural_healing or contact me at the above. every body is different and has different needs at different times. the way to find out what your body needs is through muscle testing. (contact me w/ questions or for more info)

what i'm taking -
greenzone - essential. this gives me SOO much energy i don't know what to do w/ myself!!
calcium and magnesium - essential for muscle and bone repair, growth and maintenance
noni juice - great for everything. supports digestive, immune, nervous, respiratory, structural and intestinal systems. plus, it tastes great!!

water - ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL!! your connective tissue (ligaments & tendons) is 60-80% water. this means that if you are dehydrated your workouts are going to be that much harder and hurt that much more. so, if you are noticing that you are extra sore during and after your workouts, drink more water!! you should be getting at least 64oz (8 8oz glasses) of water a day