Sunday, January 30, 2011
Oprah's Vegan Challenge Starts Feb.1
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Who is the most stylish vegetarian? GAME Time! - Zimbio
Face-OffWho is the most stylish vegetarian?
Which of these animal-loving celebs is the most stylish sans fur?
1 of 20 Your score: 0
via stylebistro.com
I just had to share with you this fun little game I found at Zimbio in their Style Bistro. You decide who is most stylish on 20 sets of beautiful vegetarians and see how you rank.
Weekday Vegetarian: Roasted Cumin and Chickpea Salad : TreeHugger
My mother is always telling me that she could be a vegetarian, because she doesn't much like meat and she hates handling in before she cooks it. But I know she could never do it, because it isn't the meat that really bothers her, it's food itself. She's a picky eater and won't touch stuff like lentils and chickpeas. Tofu? Not on your life. If you are going to embrace a vegetarian lifestyle, or a weekday vegetarian lifestyle, or even just going for Meatless Mondays, you have to eat more than a plate full of vegetables. It made me laugh when she cut out this recipe out of a magazine for me. She handed it over with a little moue of distaste and said "better you than me".
In this case, it's too bad that she doesn't realize what she is missing. I loved this mouth puckering tart salad. It took me about five minutes to make it and I let it sit for the fifteen minutes that the recipe suggested. If you don't want such a tart salad, then cut the amount of lime juice you use, or else let it sit for a day. The next time I make this, I think I would add some chopped cilantro or parsley as well. This would be great as a side with grilled vegetables or something like a frittata. It would also be a good pot-luck party dish or buffet dish. Just double the recipe.
This recipe is from the website Womansday.com.
Roasted Cumin and Chickpea Salad
3/4 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 celery rib, sliced
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 can (16 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1. Heat a dry 8-in. skillet over medium heat. Add cumin and toast 1 minute or until spice is fragrant. Remove from heat.
2. In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, salt, pepper and toasted cumin until combined. Slowly add oil, whisking until blended.
3. Place onion in a large bowl and pour in dressing. Place celery, tomato and chickpeas on top of onion without mixing. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.
4. Add feta to bowl with chickpea mixture. Toss to combine.
More Chickpea Recipes
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Fusilli with Tomato and Chickpea Sauce
Moroccan Spinach with Chickpeas
via treehugger.com
I don`t put the feta cheese being a vegan and all and it`s still delicious. Have it your way:)
Friday, January 28, 2011
Johnny Depp's Green Tea Diet Makes Him Kinda Vegan | ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip
Johnny Depp’s Green Tea Diet Makes Him Kinda Vegan
Filed under: food & drink, movies — Andy Neuenschwander @ 7:21 pm
January 28th 2011
You can always tell the best (or at least the craziest) actors by their commitment to their roles, and Johnny Depp commits as much as anyone in Hollywood. For his role as a vampire in the upcoming movie Dark Shadows (the newest collaboration between Depp and Tim Burton), Depp is aiming to drop his weight down to a gaunt 140 lbs, and is doing so through a green tea diet.
Depp’s version of the diet includes drinking “gallons of green tea” and supplementing with low-fructose fruit… and that’s about it. Shooting for the film begins in April, so it looks like the 47-year-old is aiming to stay on this diet for quite a while.
The idea behind the green tea diet is to use the natural components of green tea to speed up weight loss: the polyphenols in the leaves are said to boost metabolism, suppress appetite, and possibly even burn fat. Green tea also contains a high level of caffeine, which might lend to suppressing appetite and burning fat as well. So, Johnny might be a bit jittery for the next few months.
The unintended benefit of all this is that, in consuming only green tea and fruit, Depp will be an honorary dietary vegan for the duration of the weight loss experiment! Depp is a known fan of fried chicken, so maybe he can kick that habit with a bit of fruit and tea.
via ecorazzi.com
Wow! And I thought my diet was severe! I don`t envy Johnny right now. Although he is on to something with the green tea. My diet from the 4hr Body by Timothy Ferriss.
Vegetarian Chili with Peanut Butter | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Vegetarian Chili with Peanut Butter
Blogged on The Chocolate Peanut Butter Gallery.
via flickr.com
I have a weakness for peanut butter...I might as well admit that right now. And since chili is so nutritious, filling and good for me, I thought this chili was a total winner. Hope you like it too! Follow the link to the chocolate peanut butter gallery but try not to get too distracted by the yummy treats there!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Raw Cauliflower Popcorn #47 | Low Fat Vegan Recipes
OOH! I`m going to have to try this! Since, I`m on this slow carb diet I can`t eat much except veggies and vegetarian protein. This actually fits into my diet and looks pretty tasty!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Vegetarian Recipe: Indian-Style Cauliflower Soup with English Peas | Good Food
Indian-style Cauliflower Soup with English Peas
by Ameila Saltsman
Makes 6-8 servings1 Tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 head cauliflower, cleaned and trimmed into florets
4-6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock for a non-veg meal)
1 cup shelled English peas
Fresh lime
2 Tablespoons each chopped mint, chives, and cilantro
In a wide pot, heat oil or ghee over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, stir and cook until brown, 1-2 minutes. Add turmeric, coriander, cumin, red pepper and salt and cook until fragrant 30-60 seconds. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more.
Stir in cauliflower and about 1/4 cup water and cover pot to par-cook the cauliflower.
After 5 minutes add the broth. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer soup until cauliflower is very tender, 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Puree the soup, adding a little water if it seems too thick, and season to taste with salt.
Return soup to medium-low heat, add the peas, and simmer just until they are tender but still bright green.
Give the soup a squeeze of lime and serve the soup topped with a sprinkling of chives, mint, and cilantro.
via blogs.kcrw.com
I Just love this recipe. So flavor full and totally worth the time it takes to make it. You can`t buy this taste in a can or a cup of soup!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tempeh Curry | WholeFoodsMarket.com
Tempeh Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
Tempeh Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
Serves 4 to 6
Tempeh absorbs the rich spices and coconut milk in this simply curry. Cook the rice and steam the tempeh while prepping your other ingredients and it will come together quickly.
Ingredients
1 cup long-grain brown rice
2 cups water
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon ground curry powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, divided
1/4 teaspoon sea saltMethod
Bring rice and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer until liquid is completely absorbed and rice is just tender, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange steamer basket in a pot. Add enough water just to reach bottom of basket. Bring to a boil. Cut tempeh in half and place in the steamer basket. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and steam about 15 minutes or until tender. Remove tempeh and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut tempeh into 1/2-inch cubes.
Bring 1/2 cup broth to a simmer in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook 5 minutes or until onion is translucent and tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in curry and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add coconut milk, potatoes, tempeh and remaining 1 cup broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in green beans and return to a simmer, uncovered. Cook about 5 minutes longer or until potatoes and green beans are tender. Stir in 3 tablespoons cilantro and salt. To serve, spoon curry over rice and garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro.
Nutrition
Per serving: 510 calories (110 from fat), 12g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 90mg sodium, 80g total carbohydrate (13g dietary fiber, 8g sugar), 24g protein
Going to try this right now. It looks so good!! And I have a block of tempeh I didn`t know what to do with.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Raspberry Fudge Cake on Vegan.Chicks.Rock.
This is the first time I've made the Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake and it certainly will not be the last. The photo just makes it look so yummy that I've been wanting to make it ever since I got this book. I thought this was a fitting dessert for a big holiday dinner, especially since most of us have been eating lots of cookies and cupcakes and chocolates and stuff for the last few weeks.Don't be fooled by this being a raw cake. This bad boy is rich and sinful tasting and sooooo good. I've always been a bit skeptical about using avocado in desserts. I've heard so many people say they do it with good results, but to me that just sounds weird. I'm a convert, now. Don't be scared by the avocado in the frosting. Trust me on this, you won't taste it and it'll come out amazing. One note when making this: you really need to use raw walnuts. Roasted ones will not give the correct texture. They're not that hard to find, though, so don't worry. Okay, I've rambled on enough. Here's the recipe. Go make it. You can thank me later.
Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake from Ani's Raw Food Desserts by Ani Phyo
3 cups raw walnuts, dry (It's best to soak the nuts if you have time. Overnight is best, but a few hours is okay, too. Just dry them off before you start making this.)
2/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder or carob powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup pitted Medjool dates
1/3 cup semi-soft pitted Medjool dates (just soak them in cold water for a little bit to soften if yours are hard)
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 cup ripe avocado flesh (from about 1 medium avocado)
1/3 cup cacao powder or carob powder
1/2 cup raspberriesTo make the cake, combine the walnuts, cacao powder and salt in the food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed. Avoid over-processing. Add the dates and pulse until mixed well. Shape into 2 stackable cakes of desired shape and set aside. (I found it easiest to use my smallest springform pan to shape these. You might also want to use a cut circle of parchment paper in the bottom of whatever pan you're using so they're easier to get out.)
To make the frosting, combine the dates and agave syrup in the food processor and process until smooth. Add the avocado and process until smooth again. Add the cacao powder and process until smooth yet again.
To serve, frost the top of one of the cakes with half the frosting and top with the raspberries. Stack the second cake on top and frost the top and side. Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to firm up.
The cake on its own will keep in the fridge for many weeks. The frosting will keep separately in the fridge for 1 week. The assembled cake with raspberries will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Love this blog I just found! Yummy vegan recipes such as this one from Ani Phyo. Ani Phyo is the raw food goddess of our generation. She creates delicious raw recipes that will make you want to go raw at least a few days a week or a few meals a week. Try this raspberry fudge cake for healthful deliciousness.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
10 Celebrities I Didn't Know Were Vegetarian | healthkicker
via healthkicker.com
Obviously Pamela Anderson, Shania Twain, Alyssa Milano and Pamela Anderson are vegetarian but many others that I didn`t even know are vegetarian. Check out this list!
A Guide to Vegetarian (And Even Vegan) Options From Miami's Food Truck Scene - Miami Restaurants and Dining - Short Order
via Miso Hungry's Facebook Newcomer Miso Hungry offers a rotating vegan entree.
Isn`t this so cool!! The new trend are gourmet trucks offering lunch foods. Miami`s mobile scene is booming especially in the vegetarian option department. Every Saturday at Wynwood they have a gathering of trucks offering all kinds of vegetarian and meatatarian foods. If you can head out there and encourage the vegetarian trucks, that would be great. I know I`m headed there the first Saturday in March!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Vegetarian Travel - Healthy Travel Center - EverydayHealth.com
Whether you follow a vegetarian diet for health reasons or from personal choice, it may sometimes be a challenge to eat well when you travel. But with some advance planning and local know-how, your trip doesn’t have to leave you wanting for food.
Eating Vegetarian Abroad: Staying Safe
In many countries, especially developing countries, sanitation facilities may not be what Americans are used to, making it possible for foods and water to be contaminated with bacteria or viruses that could make you quite ill. Foods that are seemingly safe, such as fresh fruit, may have been washed in local, contaminated water, making the outer skin of the fruit dangerous. This may make some tempting local produce off limits for vegetarians and for other travelers as well.
Although it will take some advance planning and organization, it is very possible to stick to a healthy vegetarian diet when you travel.
Mriganayani: Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
I've said this before, but sometime I just repeat. Being a Vegetarian in the US is tough business. I mean, when we go out to eat and look at the menu, there are 76 options if you eat meat and there are 4 options if you don't. And out of the 4, 2 are added on the menu by you - like when you ask the restaurant to serve you the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo without the chicken. Or the Panang curry - with no meat and substitute tofu. Or the great American BLT sandwich without the bacon of course - what's great or American about it after that anyways?And one such experience is with the very famous lettuce wraps for appetizers. PF Changs has one of the best lettuce wraps and until recently, they had only the chicken version available. I'm yet to go and try their vegetarian version. But every time we've been there before, and order the food and wait around, I see one of my neighboring tables being served the famous chang's lettuce wraps. And the hungry humans sitting on that table pick up their fresh green lettuce, dump some chicken filling and go crunch munch when I'm sitting there starving for my chowfun and ma po tofu. Not anymore - next time I'm getting my plate of the vegetarian lettuce wraps - hope its worth my wait.I've been planning to make this for a while now. I wanted to do something new with the soya granules that's been sitting in my pantry for some time. So, if you are a soya chunk or soya granules lover, you will love this recipe. If you're not, its ok - you can still eat a little bit to get your protein in and give your muscles some food too. And its a perfect appetizer to serve when you're cooking Chinese or Asian food. I had invited a friend's family for dinner and had Indian Chinese on the menu and this was of course a part of the meal.
via mriganayani.com
If you are wondering what to do with TVP (texturized vegetarian protein), here is a tasty recipe. I leave out the noodles and simply scoop the flavored TVP into the lettuce for low carb lettuce wraps. If you are not sure where to buy TVP, head on over to your nearest Bulk Barn or other bulk store.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Batali: Less meat, celeb farmers are top trends
After I chatted with superstar chef Mario Batali last week about his upcoming appearance in Traverse City at a dinner for up to 2,000 guests, I asked him what changes he sees coming over the horizon in the food world. I can't get his answers out of my head. And the longer I think about them, the more I believe he's right. So I'll be watching two trends: farmers and vegetarianism. For several years now, local food has been at the heart of virtually everything good happening in restaurants. Batali thinks the spotlight will shift to include not just chefs, but the people who grow the food. "I see chefs and farmers collaborating even more deeply," he says. "For years, chefs have been the rock stars. But the farmers are the next rock stars ... not just in restaurants, but in home cooking." They'll become known for what they grow, he says. (Some in southeast Michigan already are; think of the lettuces from Ellen Gass in Ray Township, corn from Dave Ruhlig in Carlton and organic everything from Michelle Lutz at Maple Creek Farm in Yale.) Farmers will also begin partnering more intensely with chefs and consumers and growing specialty crops to order, he says. A chef might want an ongoing supply of squash blossoms or a home cook might look for someone to grow black-leaf kale. "I think the farmers will be able to respond. ... I think they'll become even more a part of our expectation of great food," Batali says. We've seen that change taking root over the past couple of years, as more restaurants list farmers, foragers, cheese-makers, beekeepers and orchardists on their menus. It's easy to imagine, as Batali does, that in a few years, some could be as well known as the chefs they supply. The implications of his other prediction are even more intriguing, especially considering the source. "I think people are going more vegetarian -- not necessarily vegan, but vegetarian," he says. Even he is shifting that way. "I'm a vegetarian all day until dinner, and I try to eat no meat whatsoever on Monday and Tuesday," he says. He made the change within the past six months, and he likes the way it makes him feel. His shift toward a more plant-based diet is driven by ecological concerns, he says. "I think overall we're spending too much of our natural resources on producing beef, and better natural resource management is essential to our future. ... So I'm trying to be more responsible," he says. Italians remain basically agrarian, he notes. They'll eat a few slices of prosciutto or other salumi and then make a meal of pasta and vegetables, he says. "They're beautiful people! And we can be beautiful people." "Do we see a vegetarian cookbook in your future?" I asked. "Yes, you do -- and that's a scoop." If you don't like veggies now, wait for the book: Mario Batali just may change your mind. And if you're interested in attending the outdoor dinner and hour-long interview with Batali next weekend in Traverse City, go to www.nationalwritersseries.com. Tickets are $25-$100. Contact SYLVIA RECTOR: 313-222-5026 or srector@freepress.com
Batali: Less meat, celeb farmers are top trends
After I chatted with superstar chef Mario Batali last week about his upcoming appearance in Traverse City at a dinner for up to 2,000 guests, I asked him what changes he sees coming over the horizon in the food world. I can't get his answers out of my head. And the longer I think about them, the more I believe he's right. So I'll be watching two trends: farmers and vegetarianism. For several years now, local food has been at the heart of virtually everything good happening in restaurants. Batali thinks the spotlight will shift to include not just chefs, but the people who grow the food. "I see chefs and farmers collaborating even more deeply," he says. "For years, chefs have been the rock stars. But the farmers are the next rock stars ... not just in restaurants, but in home cooking." They'll become known for what they grow, he says. (Some in southeast Michigan already are; think of the lettuces from Ellen Gass in Ray Township, corn from Dave Ruhlig in Carlton and organic everything from Michelle Lutz at Maple Creek Farm in Yale.) Farmers will also begin partnering more intensely with chefs and consumers and growing specialty crops to order, he says. A chef might want an ongoing supply of squash blossoms or a home cook might look for someone to grow black-leaf kale. "I think the farmers will be able to respond. ... I think they'll become even more a part of our expectation of great food," Batali says. We've seen that change taking root over the past couple of years, as more restaurants list farmers, foragers, cheese-makers, beekeepers and orchardists on their menus. It's easy to imagine, as Batali does, that in a few years, some could be as well known as the chefs they supply. The implications of his other prediction are even more intriguing, especially considering the source. "I think people are going more vegetarian -- not necessarily vegan, but vegetarian," he says. Even he is shifting that way. "I'm a vegetarian all day until dinner, and I try to eat no meat whatsoever on Monday and Tuesday," he says. He made the change within the past six months, and he likes the way it makes him feel. His shift toward a more plant-based diet is driven by ecological concerns, he says. "I think overall we're spending too much of our natural resources on producing beef, and better natural resource management is essential to our future. ... So I'm trying to be more responsible," he says. Italians remain basically agrarian, he notes. They'll eat a few slices of prosciutto or other salumi and then make a meal of pasta and vegetables, he says. "They're beautiful people! And we can be beautiful people." "Do we see a vegetarian cookbook in your future?" I asked. "Yes, you do -- and that's a scoop." If you don't like veggies now, wait for the book: Mario Batali just may change your mind. And if you're interested in attending the outdoor dinner and hour-long interview with Batali next weekend in Traverse City, go to www.nationalwritersseries.com. Tickets are $25-$100. Contact SYLVIA RECTOR: 313-222-5026 or srector@freepress.com
Trying To Stay Motivated With My Slow Carb Vegetarian Diet
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Top 5 vegetarian foods for 2011
All foods are not created equal—they are different in calories, flavours, colours, texture and importantly, nutrients. This year I would recommend that you look to add tomatoes, broccoli, oats, mushrooms and beet to your meal plans regularly. These items stand out because their regular intake helps prevent some or the other serious disease such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. All these foods are rich in antioxidants and neutralize the free radicals that create disease states in the body (free radicals are unstable, volatile molecules that lack oxygen); they are nutrient-dense and not calorie-dense. In other words, all these foods provide more nutrition per bite at fewer calories, are important for well-being and are anti-ageing.
Tomatoes rule
One large raw tomato has just about 25 calories. Tomatoes are good for skin and eyes, help build the body’s immunity and increase overall energy because they are rich in vitamins C and A and provide 7% of the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) of iron for women. The red pigment is the antioxidant lycopene, which inhibits the growth of lung, breast and endometrial cancers. About 10 servings (one medium-sized tomato per serving) of tomatoes a week can lower the risk of developing prostate cancer; seven servings per week of raw tomatoes lowers the risk of rectal and stomach cancers. Pick tomatoes that have the most brilliant shades of red to get more lycopene. Cooking with olive oil releases more of the lycopene that is located in the cell walls.
Also Read Madhuri Ruia’s earlier articles
Bring on the broccoli
Broccoli is a good source of vitamin C, beta carotene (also found in carrots) and potassium which benefits hair, skin and immune function. The high folate content in broccoli can help foetal health by preventing spinal bifida, a congenital defect that causes malformation of the vertebrae. The potassium it contains prevents high blood pressure and the calcium helps prevent osteoporosis. Broccoli also improves digestion and lowers cholesterol because it is high in fibre.
The antioxidants sulphorane and indole-3-carbinol collectively help increase the levels of enzymes that block breast and prostate cancer.
Regular intake of 100g of broccoli, cooked with a little oil, five times a week gives just 25 calories, and can help prevent Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and ageing.
Add oats
Half a cup of cooked oats have only about 80 calories. Just half a cup of oats provides tremendous health benefits for the heart because it contains both soluble and insoluble fibres. Soluble fibres, those that dissolve in water, give oats their sticky consistency, and they in turn trap and destroy excessive cholesterol in the body by getting it out of the circulation via the liver. Being soluble, they also slow down digestion time, balance blood sugar and therefore prevent diabetes. Oats are also rich in zinc and the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium.
Mushroom magic
Mushrooms, extremely low in calories, are a weight-watcher’s delight. Half a cup of raw mushrooms have just about 9 calories and cooked will have about 21 calories. This is because 80–90% of a mushroom is water. A daily intake of 200g of mushrooms five times a week can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke because mushrooms are packed with potassium. Mushrooms neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals because of riboflavin, niacin (B Complex vitamins) and are a rich source of selenium. Selenium works with vitamin E to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Down beet street
Beets contain substantial amounts of vitamin B complex to improve the health of hair, skin, nails and lip pallor. Betaine, a vital nutrient in beetroot, neutralizes the effect of homocystiene, a potent neurotoxin that hardens arteries. A small glass of beetroot juice daily can effectively lower blood pressure, improve the health of nerves, memory, liver function, and promote healthy tissue growth for pregnant women.
Madhuri Ruia is a nutritionist and Pilates expert. She runs InteGym in Mumbai, which advocates workouts with healthy diets.
via livemint.com
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Best Foods for the Skin to Make it Healthy and Beautiful
If you really want beautiful skin, do the same things you would do to strengthen your heart, control your weight, lift your mood and live longer and better: Get regular exercise, sleep enough and eat well.
Discovery Health suggests a number of foods to look at if you want a beautiful-skin diet. Here are a few of their suggestions:
Nuts
The benefits of nuts -- especially almonds -- have to do with antioxidant activity. Vitamin E fights skin-aging free radicals, and also helps your skin hold in moisture.
Red and Green Vegetables
Orange-red vegetables are full of beta-carotene. Your body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which prevents cell damage and premature aging. Spinach and other green, leafy foods provide lots of vitamin A, too.
Citrus Fruits
Vitamin C aids in your body's production of collagen, which is the protein that forms the basic structure of your skin. Collagen breakdown can leave your skin saggy, and vitamin C will help tighten it back up.
For the rest, please see the Discovery Health article linked below.
Sources:
Loved this article!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Two-Week Sample Vegan Menus | PETA.org
Do you consider yourself "culinarily challenged"? Well, no worries! PETA's chefs have created sample vegan menus featuring simple, easy recipes that anyone can follow—no cookbooks or creativity required! So, whether you're a new vegan looking for a simple starter plan or you want to drop a few pounds before swimsuit season, our menus are perfect!
Our Two-Week Sample Vegan Menus below are designed for new vegans who are not sure what to eat and for longtime vegans who are looking to shake up their current diet and try something new. The recommendations focus on two types of dishes: easy-to-prepare meals with a balance of fresh ingredients and tasty heat-and-serve options.
via peta.org
I have personally tried this two week sample vegan menu and I love it. O.k. I have my favorites of course but overall, this 2 week menu is the best one I have tried. It`s especially good for people still used to ""normal"" food. Nothing weird or hard to get used to in here....just tasty food that you could serve to pretty much anyone. Enjoy!
Butcher takes the death out of dining
Butcher takes the death out of dining
As more people turn to meat-free diets, business opportunities abound
As far as food news goes, it's hard to digest: a butcher loved by animal activists? Believe it -- sort of.
De Vegetarische Slager, translated from Dutch to The Vegetarian Butcher, is a dedicated meat shop without the meat. That is, the recently opened Netherlands store deals in plant-based animal substitutes -- think poseur pork and veggie fillets -- designed to take the death out of dining.
From a business perspective, however, the idea is anything but bloodless.
Eating Well magazine cites meatless meals as a key trend for 2011, as health-conscious consumers cut saturated fat, while innovation firm Springwise names the vegetarian butcher concept among this year's most promising commerce opportunities.
Whether humane or heretical, this is "mystery meat" writ large.
"Within the last three to five years, there's been a real explosion in terms of variety, availability and also quality," says David Alexander, executive director of the Toronto Vegetarian Association. "We're at the point now where you can go to just about any grocery store and find vegetarian chicken-fingers or meatless sausages and burgers."
Mintel reports that the desire to eat healthier, combined with greater national focus on heart health (meat substitutes typically contain no cholesterol), can be largely credited for the increasing popularity of soy-based foods and beverages -- which, as of 2008, boasted a consumer penetration of 28 per cent. A report by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada further suggests as much as 40 per cent of the population actively seeks out meatless alternatives, at least occasionally.
"As more and more people around the world opt for meat-free diets, there will be a wealth of opportunities to cater to their needs," says Chris Turner, managing director at www.springwise.com."Innovative concepts such as De Vegetarische Slager are always likely to find success, particularly if they can offer real quality in produce and presentation."
© Copyright (c) The Province
via theprovince.com
How Cool is this!! Worth a trip to the Netherlands just to go shop there. Hopefully vegetarian butchers will creep up into North America soon:)
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Vegan A-Go-Go!: A Cookbook & Survival Manual for Vegans on the Road by Sarah Kramer
Vegan A-Go-Go!: A Cookbook & Survival Manual for Vegans on the Road
By Sarah KramerSarah Kramer is a vegan superstar; she was named “The World’s Coolest Vegan” by Herbivore Magazine, and her first three cookbooks have sold a combined total of over two hundred thousand copies. Vegan Go-Go! represents a change of pace for Sarah: it is a cookbook and more for vegan travelers, many of whom are daunted by the idea of going on the road and being able to locate and/or prepare the kind of nutritious animal-free meals they enjoy at home. The new book includes 150 recipes, many of them new, and others that have been adapted from her earlier books. All of the recipes are easy to prepare with a minimum of ingredients and are guaranteed to deliver energy, nutrition, and great flavor. The rest of the book contains information and advice pertinent to vegan travelers, from how to deconstruct a restaurant menu to what food items are best suited to carry around in your luggage or handbag. There’s even a section on “How to Say I Am Vegan’” in numerous languages. The book is also designed with the traveler in mind: it is small enough to slip into one’s pocket or purse, yet has a reinforced cover to ensure durability under the harshest conditions. Full of Sarah’s high-energy wit and verve, Vegan Go-Go! makes life for vegan travelers a lot less stressful and a lot more fun.
This is my all time favorite cookbook so far. Her mini book fits into my purse and contains a diverse and all delicious selection that make life on the go so much easier. Love love love it. Especially the soup recipes and let`s not forget orgasm pie. Wow, delicious!
Friday, January 14, 2011
My Healthy Vegetarian Pizza Recipe – Under 250 Cals!
My Healthy Vegetarian Pizza Recipe – Under 250 Cals!
I’ll tell you a little story about this recipe. I hadn’t been food shopping one evening and was quite hungry. It was too late to go out for a meal because everything was closed and I knew if I went to the 7/11 I’d probably end up buying something unhealthy. I decided to cook something with what I had and used a light rye bread wrap as a pizza base, pasta sauce and some random vegetables I had leftover in the fridge. It turned out to be quite successful so now I’ve added a few more things and come up with a really tasty and very healthy pizza recipe!
Ingredients
- Light Rye Wrap (I use a brand called mountain bread)
- 3 tablespoons of pasta sauce – I use an onion and roast garlic one, I cant remember the name but it doesnt really matter
- 1/4 block of reduced fat fetta cheese
- 1 slice of eggplant, chopped into cubes
- Baby spinach leaves
- 2 Slices of Red Onion
- 1/4 cup of chopped red capsicum (peppers)
- 6 semi dried tomatoes chopped
- Oregano
Method
- Preset oven to 200 degrees celcius
- Put a layer of baking paper on an oven tray
- Fold your wrap in half and place on tray
- Spread 3 tablespoons of pasta sauce evenly over the folded wrap
- Add ingredients, put spinach leaves on first. Fetta & Oregano on last
- Cook for 15 minutes
- Eat & Enjoy!!
TGIF Everyone. Since Friday has always been pizza day at our house and since i`m on a diet at the moment, I researched the best option and found this awesome recipe. Of course since I am a vegan I will leave out the feta cheese and substitute it with soy cheese. Enjoy and have a great weekend everyone!
A Vegetarian Diet Improves Skin Tone
A Vegetarian Diet Improves Skin Tone
Wed, 12 Jan 2011
Recent research from England has discovered that a "tan" gained from eating a vegetarian diet is deemed more attractive than a tan derived from the sun.Consumption of plenty of vegetables high in carotenoids, antioxidant chemicals present in vegetables like carrots and beet greens, makes for an attactive tan.
A survey of British university students showed that those those who adhere to a healthy diet are deemed more attractive than those who do not. Researchers from the University of Nottingham, the University of St Andrews and the Bristol University showed several dozen students a series of photographed faces.
The students were able to adjust the skin tone of the photos, rendering them more yellow, more suntanned or more pale. The results show that students found yellower faces more healthy and attractive.
Another research study has highlighted that researchers found students on diets high in fruit and veg had yellower skin than those who were not on such diets.
Carotenoids are antioxidants which enable to body handle stress effective, maintain overall well being, including healthy immune and reproductive functions.
via diet.co.uk
And I thought it was just my imagination! I have been vegetarian since the age of 10 but for the last few years I`ve been eating cartloads of vegetable. Since then, my face does always seem like I have a light tan. I`m not complaining, it looks like I glow with health...not to show off or anything! Eat your veggies people!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
HappyCow- Vegetarian Restaurants and Health Food Stores
via happycow.net
Do you know about Happy Cow? It is this awesome directory of vegetarian and vegetarian friendly restaurants and health food stores around the world. Anywhere you travel to, you can find a delicious vegetarian restaurants. I know I always get so excited to try new foods and discover new restaurants in different cities! And now that they have this mobile app, it will be easier than ever to access Happy Cow.
Vegan Moves Mainstream
BALTIMORE – Vegans are no longer on the fringe, the Washington Post reports. The diet that consists of no animal products — no meat, cheese, eggs or honey — has moved from the outside to mainstream.
“It’s definitely more diverse. It’s not what you would picture 20 years ago, which is kind of hippie, crunchy,” said Isa Chandra Moskowitz, vegan cookbook author. She said the local produce movement has made cooking vegan easier. “It’s not just steamed vegetables anymore and brown rice and lentils,” said Moskowitz.
While the number of practicing vegans is hard to pin down, a 2009 survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group put the number at around 1 percent of Americans. Veganism has gotten a boost with celebrity endorsements. Celebrities touting a vegan diet include actresses Alicia Silverstone, who wrote The Kind Diet, Emily Deschanel and Lea Michele.
More Americans are concerned about where their meat comes from — think Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Even restaurants are jumping on the vegan train, with more than half of the 1,500 chefs polled by the National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot in 2011” listing vegan entrees as a hot trend.
One blogger, Roseann Marulli Rodriguez on her SuperVegan, said she can find more foods to eat these days. “It’s definitely widening in scope,” she said. “I think that’s why more people are doing it, because it’s getting easier.”
via nacsonline.com
So happy being vegan is finally becoming popular. Wouldn`t it be nice to finally be accepted and not considered a weirdo for being vegan! It`s happening now in 2011! I think this will be a good year:)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Vegan Dinners! 15 Vegan Dinner Recipes from The Kitchn Recipe Roundup | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn
Vegan Dinners! 15 Vegan Dinner Recipes from The Kitchn
Recipe Roundup
It's almost time for dinner, and we're kicking off Vegan Week with a roundup of our favorite vegan dinners. From a hearty pot pie to a rich pan-fried pasta with butternut squash, these are all vegan and yet complete winter comfort food.
15 Vegan Dinner Recipes
TOP ROW
• 1 Vegan Tofu and Vegetable Pot Pie - With deep flavor and an umami-packed vegetarian gravy.
• 2 Easy, Tasty Chickpea Curry - Rich and comforting with coconut milk and toothsome chickpeas.
• 3 Khara Bath - South Indian soul food, with semolina, ginger, and vegetables.
• 4 Quick, Vegetarian, One-Bowl Meal - A quick go-to meal template for busy nights.
• 5 Tempeh Deli Salad - Great in a pita or on a green salad.MIDDLE ROW
• 6 Kimchi Tofu Summer Rolls - Spicy, satisfying, quick.
• 7 Nutty Farro Pasta with Edamame Pesto - Nutty, chewy pasta with a vibrant sauce.
• 8 Vegetarian Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crêpes) - Egg-free crêpes stuffed with yummy things.
• 9 Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa) - A simple, hearty dinner that everyone loves.
• 10 Very Simple Dal Palak - A perfect comforting bowl for a winter's night.BOTTOM ROW
• 11 Pumpkin Tortilla Soup - With the warmth of chiles, cumin and toasty corn tortillas
• 12 Savory Kabocha Tofu Pie - A savory main dish pie featuring winter squash and rosemary.
• 13 Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Pine Nuts - Pan-fried and scrumptious!
• 14 Kale and Potato Gratin - A simple baked gratin.
• 15 Leeks Braised with Wine and Garlic - Leave out the butter for olive oil, and this silky, indulgent dish of leeks is the perfect vegan topping for pasta.OK, your turn! What did we miss? What are your very favorite vegan dinner recipes — especially ones for hearty, winter comfort food?
More Vegan Recipes from The Kitchn
Pictured above (left to right)
• 10 Vegan Breakfast Ideas
• 10 Vegan Lunch Ideas
• Vegan Recipe: Sticky Orange Cake with Marmalade Glaze(Images: See linked recipes for full image credits)
Comments (16)
via thekitchn.com
A wonderful collection of all vegan comfort foods recipes. I bet everyone can find a favorite in here!
Go Dairy Free | The Dairy Free Challenge
The Dairy Free Challenge 
Article Index The Dairy Free Challenge Get Started: Free Journal Your Results Page 1 of 3What Is It?
We challenge you to eliminate dairy from your diet for 10 days. That’s it…just 10 days!
Why Would I Do That?
Why not??? Milk protein allergies and lactose intolerance have been linked to a wide array of physical symptoms. For some, it is as simple as lethargy or weight gain, for others crippling migraines and "autoimmune" type symptoms are a lifestyle complication. There is a great deal of research linking dairy to prostate cancer, breast cancer, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease…have we got your attention yet? We are not here to bash dairy, for some, dairy products may be completely benign, but for others, it can be a silent (or not so silent) killer. Check it out; see if a dairy-free or dairy-limited diet improves your quality of life. It has helped many of us, which is why we want to share this challenge with you. What is the worst that could happen? Absolutely nothing…you have no reaction, no change, you go back to your cheesy habits. What is the best that could happen? Your migraines subside, your cholesterol plummets, your energy increases, your body seems lighter, your stomach calms down, you just FEEL BETTER. Tempting? Give it a try, it’s easy.
via godairyfree.org
So many people are allergic to dairy without even knowing it and this makes them feel bloated, gassy and chunky. Who knows, maybe you are too! This challenge is the perfect way to find out! Try it and see if you should be a permanent dairy free-er.
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um, that Potato & Kale Gratin at #14 has parmesan cheese in it...
view hessiebell's profile
The kale gratin looks yummy, but isn't vegan.
view DCarl1's profile
I'm guessing they put them in there because it's not hard to leave the non-vegan ingredients out.
I live off of the potato tacos and dal palak. They're awesome.
view LitNerd's profile
I've made vegan potpie before. It is so delicious. I leave out nutritional yeast at all times.
view lola_beans's profile
lola, if you don't mind my asking, why do you leave it out?
view sunandtea's profile
Yes, the Parmesan cheese in the gratin can be left out with minimal effect. You can also substitute a vegan cheese.
view Faith Durand's profile
Leaving out Parmesan cheese doesn't have a "minimal effect"--it drains flavor and moisture from the recipe. And vegan cheeses generally aren't great. Shouldn't you be featuring actual vegan recipes for Vegan Week?
view veggiemar's profile
That seems like a lame response to me. Leave parm cheese out of a gratin, and you get...um...NOT a gratin? Sauteed kale?
There are tons of great vegan recipes out there - south indian food has thousands of choices alone - and the only choice for a list of 15 is a non-vegan recipe? I'm an omnivore, but I think that is lame editing.
view DCarl1's profile
Yes, that recipe is totally vegan-adaptable. No, leaving the Parm out of the gratin does not make it sautéed kale. (Did you read it? There are potatoes.) Sorry it annoyed you, but I think it's such a wonderful recipe and most gratins are loaded with dairy -- this (mostly! pretty much!) dairy-free one is a real treat. I included it quite deliberately for that reason; many gratins have far too much dairy, and this one is a good template for other dairy-free baked dishes.
We will add a specific note to the recipe, but a mere 1/3 cup of Parm adds almost no moisture to the recipe -- just a bit of flavor and saltiness. It can be left out just fine. You can rub a bit of herbs and extra salt into the breadcrumbs if you like.
Happy Vegan Week. :)
view Faith Durand's profile
On that note- the chickpea curry has fish sauce in it. Not vegan, obv. What would you substitute? Braggs Liquid Aminos?
view renasf's profile
whenever i need a fish sauce/shrimp paste substitute i use bottled yellow fermented soy beans. they make a world of difference if you're making laksa or curry pastes. You can throw them in anything for that salty zing.
view paper's profile
you can soak seaweeds and use the juice as a fish sauce alternative.
view caiti's profile
@renasf try this!
- Recipe: Vegan Fish Sauce
And thanks for the note on the fish sauce; I'll make sure to add a link to this in that recipe.
view Faith Durand's profile
The biggest vegan challenges are avoiding dairy and not consuming too many carbs.
I love the tempeh ideas...keep'em coming :-)
view tomato88's profile
THANK YOU!! Last night my 6-year old decided he wants us to try vegetarianism (ovo-lacto) for 1 week. He said he loves chickens and pigs and wants them to live. He is bean- and casserole-phobic, so I have my work cut out for me, even though we were vegetarian for a long time before he came along. I do really want to foster his compassion for living creatures, and support his moral choice. We will see how it works out, it might not, but it is nice to have some visuals to show him to choose from.
view Nancypantsy23's profile
wow. so very defensive, vegans. hows about instead of complain and scrupulously pick through this (anyone who cares will know that parmesan would not fall under the vegan repetoire), you provide us with some of your favorite recipes to share with others.
view alixsophia's profile