applesauce for eggs: July 2012

olive oil garlic bread

who says you need butter & cheese for a delicious garlic bread? not me. this pull apart garlic bread is a great vegan alternative. soo good!

What you need:
French Bread (Most french bread is vegan check labels!)
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
5 cloves of Garlic
3 dashes of Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Parsley Flakes
Dash Coarse Black Pepper

What you do:
Cut French Bread in half. Then cut halves into 2.5 inch squares. Then cut 2 lines into the square, creating 3 pull apart pieces per square.
Mix Olive Oil / Garlic / Onion Powder / Parsley / Pepper in a bowl.
Spread olive oil mixture onto bread squares.
Put in oven for 9 minutes at 365°.
Take out & Enjoy!

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giving back august. {charity: water}

this month's charity is charity: water.

they're a non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing countries. 100% of all public donations directly fund water projects. {100% is sooo fantastic, as most charities can't say that 100% of their profits go to charity.} you can donate to their cause, and just by giving $20 you help give clean drinking water to 1 person for 20 years!

they also have a store that has cute shirts and merch that you can buy to help with their operating costs.

food for thought: unsafe water & sanitation causes 80% of all sickness and disease, and kills more people than war.

1 minute brownie in a mug

who doesn't love brownies? well now you can have one in just 1 minute, all while feeling like you're 8 again using your easy bake oven! : )
What you need:
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp vegan sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
dash of salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp water
1/3 tsp vanilla

handful of vegan chocolate chips

What you do:
Mix all ingredients in a coffee or tea mug, and microwave for 1 minute to 1.5 minutes. Let cool, then eat right away because it gets hard quickly after cooling... like you'd wait? Delicious dessert for people in a rush. yum. Enjoy!

vegan vodka pasta {get your drink on}

so, i love vodka pasta. no, really. i L.O.V.E vodka pasta. i mean we're already picking a venue and decided on a dj kinda lourve. mmm. during my 3 years as a vegetarian, it was the only thing i would ever order going out for italian. i mean, i would always say i'd order something else.. but no, me and vodka pasta could not be parted. when going vegan, other than spreading the vegan love, one of my missions is to find a vegan vodka pasta that will put all the restaurant vodka pastas to shame. here's mission #1. This serves 4 people.

What you need:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp earth balance
2 minced garlic cloves
2 minced shallots
1 cup vodka
1 cup vegetable stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (26 oz)
Red Pepper Flakes / Salt / To Taste
1 Box Penne Pasta
3/4 Cup Vegan Heavy Cream (1/4 cup Silken Tofu & 2/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk)
15 Basil Leaves (Torn)
French Bread for Dipping in Sauce (Most French Breads are vegan, but double check the label!)

What you do:
1. Heat olive oil, butter, garlic cloves, and shallots in a sauce pan for 5 minutes.
2. Add vodka. Heat for 4 minutes.
3. Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt.
4. Bring to boil. Then keep at a simmer.
5. Add tofu and almond milk.
6. Cook pasta in separate pan in salted water until al dente.
7. Add Basil Leaves to Sauce.

8. In separate pan add 3 ladles of sauce and a few scoops of pasta and mix together with a tablespoon of olive oil.

9. Serve with french bread.
10. Enjoy!

RATING: 6 OUT OF 10. This was a good pasta sauce... but it didn't taste like any vodka sauce that I've enjoyed at any restaurant. Therefore, I'm still on a mission to find a great vegan alternative!

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potato bbq / cinnamon apple straws!

if you love eating chips, but want a healthier option... these sensible portions snacks are so yumm-o.

the cinnamon apple straws taste like if churros and apple jacks had a baby! really good.
the bbq potato straws taste like bbq potato chips, just healthier and in straw form! sooo yummy.

usda retracks meatless monday support

really usda? you say you support Meatless Mondays, yet now after an uproar from the meat industry & lobbyists, they've decided to take back their statement about Meatless Mondays being a good option. are you for real? ha. i never listen to the usda or the fda, since money is the only thing that supports their actions. i love the carnivore senator's saying they're going to eat double meat on meatless mondays now. okay... you can absolutely get sicker sooner and clog those arteries of yours double as fast.

you might be wondering what the USDA sent to their internal employees in a newsletter that got all these carnivore's panties in a bunch... i mean what they are promoting is horrible... pure evil, i can see why all these lobbyists were so angry about their internal statement i mean just read this paragraph, the horror of it all:

"One simple way to reduce your environmental impact while dining at our cafeterias is to participate in the 'Meatless Monday' initiative," the newsletter reads. "This international effort, as the name implies, encourages people not to eat meat on Mondays... How will going meatless one day of the week help the environment? The production of meat, especially beef (and dairy as well), has a large environmental impact."

i mean wow! they're encouraging cutting out meat for 3 meals a week out of the 21 meals that you eat. that's almost 15% of your weekly intake! oh my god! this is crazy! call the police, sound the alarm. timmy fell in a well... oh wait, no it's just cutting back meat on 3 cafeteria meals. i don't know about you, but cafeteria meat always looks questionable to me anyways, so not quite sure if the lobbyists didn't read that this was an internal letter about their cafeteria, or what, but they just now look like a bunch of idiots, and the usda's move to retrack this internal meatless monday suggestion makes them look like a meat puppet. wow wow wow is all i can say. wow. and you can read the entire article here as well.

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banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

so, i found out i love to bake 4.5 years ago, just around the time of i turned 22. i also found out that i love decorating cupcakes with fondant as well as cakes. a buddy from work asked if I could make my chocolate cupcakes for her granddaughter's birthday party, and also asked if i could make banana cupcakes as well. both decorated with michael jackson themed items made of fondant! what??! i know! i'm soo excited. now, i've never made banana cupcakes, but that isn't going to stop me. so, here's my trial of testing out a banana cupcake recipe before the party in a few weeks.

What you need:
CAKE
1.5 cups ripe mashed bananas
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup earth balance, softened
2 1/8 cups vegan sugar
egg replacer for 3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups "buttermilk"
FROSTING
1/2 cup earth balance, softened
8 oz package of toffutti cream cheese, sofened
1 tsp vanilla
3.5 cups powdered sugar

What you do:
CAKE
1. Make the vegan buttermilk. Put 1.5 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar in a Measuring Cup. Then add Almond Milk until it reaches the 1.5 cup mark. Let sit for a few minutes. It will create a thicker vegan "buttermilk". {Rule of Thumb 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice or Vinegar for 1 cup of "buttermilk"}.
2. Mash up 1.5 cups of ripe bananas. Mix in 2 tsp fresh lemon juice. Set aside.

3. Sift the flour, baking soda into a bowl. Add the salt. Set aside.
4. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar. Gradually beat in the flour mixture and buttermilk. Alternating both until both are completely mixed in smoothly.

5. Mix in the vanilla, then mix in the egg replacer.
6. Fill 2 cupcake trays with wrappers. Fill cupcake wrappers 2/3 full.

7. Bake for 45 mins - 1 hour at 275° or until a toothpick comes out clean after dipping in the center of the cupcake.
8. Let cool on cookie racks.

FROSTING
1. Beat the butter and the cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla.
3. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, scoop the frosting into a ziploc bag. Cut the tip of the bag. Frost the cupcakes in swirled motions & Enjoy!

This recipe turned out great! Very moist, and the cream cheese frosting added a great compliment to the banana cupcake, but it honestly doesn't even need frosting! Soo good just by itself.

pepperoni pizza calzones

After work, I need something filling, that's fast, but also delicious. Pepperoni pizza rolls. What What? You can make a home-made pizza dough, but after a long day at work do you honestly think I'm going to make home-made pizza dough? thought so. This makes 4 large pizza calzones.

What you need:
1 Can of Pillsbury Pizza Dough
Pizza or Pasta Sauce
Daiya Mozzarella Cheese Shreds
Basil
Garlic Powder
Olive Oil
Green Pepper
Yves Pepperoni Slices
Any other ingredients you normally like on your pizza

What you do:
1. Open the can of Pizza Dough. Cut it into 4 sections.
2. Take one piece of dough and spread it with pasta sauce.
3. Place pepperoni, basil, green peppers, and other ingredients of your choice on top of sauce.

4. Sprinkle Daiya Mozzarella Cheese & Garlic Powder on top of ingredients.
5. Fold pieces into the middle and wrap completely.
6. Spray Olive Oil on Pan. Place Calzones on Pizza Pan. Bake for around 15-20 minutes at 400°.
7. Lightly spread pizza sauce / olive oil / water mixture onto calzone.
8. Let cool. Cut in half. Serve with Pizza Sauce as dip.
9. Enjoy!

20

i've now lost 20 lbs since becoming vegan 2 months ago! woo hoo!

i've lost the equivalent of 2 (10 lb) bags of potatoes! 

day four {grapes}

Made this juice today. Actually, really good. The celery added a sharp fresh taste to the juice.

2 grapefruits / 1 bunch of red grapes / 1/2 head of celery

How today went: Yesterday, I fell asleep at 7pm (I usually go to sleep at around midnight or later), and woke up at 7:45. I felt refreshed, but also felt I had been drugged. I couldn't even remember yesterday, and I was telling my sister thank you for buying me grapes last night, but it was actually Sunday night that she had bought them. :( Just felt like yesterday was a blurr. Slight headache, body aches, and still slight flu-like symptoms. Craved Qdoba's Rice & Bean Gumbo at Noon. Today was a 7 out of 10. Not a great day, but not nearly as bad as yesterday!

Breakfast at 9:20. Lunch at 12. Snack at 4. Quit the juice fast and ate food for dinner. I feel bad for breaking it, but it's just too hard for me. I don't have enough will power I guess to go for longer than 4 days. I did the Master Cleanse for 11 days 2 years ago, but this one 4 days is the most I could personally go. I'm excited to add fresh juice into my daily routine now!

Total fast weight loss 4 lbs.
Total vegan weight loss 20 lbs.

the dreaded day 3 {juice fast}

How today went: Today I woke up at 6am (again). Went back to sleep until around 8am. Slight headache, body aches, and just slight flu-like symptoms. Craved fresh baked French Bread when I woke up. Also, when I woke up I thought, I can just do this fast for 3 days. Doing 3 days is great, don't feel bad that you quit. No one will really care. Eat regular food tomorrow! - It's crazy what your brain tries to convice you to do!! I immediately thought of all the health benefits, and drank my juice! :) Felt very foggy, and out of it today, as if my brain wasn't functioning properly. Tired all day. Today was hard. It was a boring day, so cravings were in and out. All I wanted was to eat something, for the headache to go away, and for the pain in my back and neck to dissappear. Today was a 5 out of 10. Not a fun day. But I told myself I would do this, and I'm not giving up on myself. Craved Cheeseburger w/ cheese fries at 3:30.

Breakfast at 9:20. Lunch at 12. Snack at 4. Dinner at 6.

Total fast weight loss 4 lbs.
Total vegan weight loss 20 lbs. Pin It Now!

contradictory actions

If I can give you any advice while you're on a juice fast (other than manage your time, due to clean up & jucing being very time consuming & tedious), it would be to keep it to yourself!!

If you're on a juice fast, it means that you were inspired by someone who did one and you're ready to change your life for the better. Now, the reason I say keep it to yourself, is that there are always, always, always going to be negative people making you feel like what you're doing is weird. Now, I don't know why people think that eating fruits & vegetables raw through juicing is weird. It's the most natural food you could give your body, but people get defensive about things that aren't familiar to them. Most people haven't gone on a juice fast, so keep your mouth shut! People will see you drinking at work, shhhhh! Don't comment on it, unless they do, but keep it simple as just stating what's in it. Don't go into detail about why you're doing it, because they honestly don't care! And they just want to add negative feelings towards your fast. And in reality, YOU ARE what's important right now, and just know that you've been researching juice fasting, and seeing all the amazing benefits, so don't let anyone make you feel 'weird' for eating fruits & veggies.

Case in point: On friday while I was drinking a peach & nectarine juice, a coworker walked past me and said "That looks gross!" I said, "It's peaches & nectarines.. delicious!" He then said "Really? It doesn't look good, I wouldn't drink that." Not even 10 seconds later, he was eating mini twix bars, and cutting into a day old coffee cake. I had to laugh to myself at how ridiculous a statement he was making that peaches = bad, but twix & coffee cake = good. This is why you should keep it to yourself, and DON'T listen to people who know nothing about juice fastings. Their opinions don't matter. They are not informed, so you shouldn't be listening to them!

sunday juicing

2 oranges / 1 pear / 1/2 cantaloupe
Verdict: Although delicious. I'm not a fan of cantaloupe, but figured I would try this one. It was tasty, but I'm still not a fan of any type of melon.

Today I made a few batches of juice to get me through tomorrow & tuesday's workday.

4 carrots / 2 oranges / 1 bunch of mint leaves / 1 grapefruit

Verdict: Refreshing. I'm learning that I'm NOT a fan of carrots juiced, but the mint kind of hides it. Only made 16 oz of juice.

3 large tomatoes / 1/2 jar pepperoncini / 1 bunch of spinach

Verdict: Delicious! The peppers add a kick, tastes like a fresh virgin bloody mary.

1 bunch of spinach / 1 bunch of parsley / 1 apple / 1 pear / 1 cucumber / 1/2 pineapple

Verdict: Tasted okay. Won't be making this one again.

How today went: Woke up at 6am. Went back to sleep until 8am. Definite energy level and alertness improvement compared to before the fast. My back hurt, and I could feel the aches and pains coming on. Breakfast at 8:45. Lunch at 12. Snack at 4:30. Dinner at 6. Craved BBQ sauce / French Fries at 2. Then Ho Hos at around 4. (Haven't eaten or thought about them in years!)

Total fast weight loss 2 lbs.
Total vegan weight loss 18 lbs.

water.

the average human being isn't hydrating correctly. you should drink around 64 oz of water a day. more if you can, that's just a minimum. Now, when you're on a juice fast, it's essential that you drink the same amount of water as you are juice! You can't forget to drink water just because you're drinking juice. Doesn't work like that! You want all the toxins in your body to be flushed out with water! So drink more water!! It's good for you, and you'll notice a major difference the more you drink!

supplements to add to juice

Here's a list of supplements to add to your juice! And some of their benefits.

Chia Seeds - Good for Weight Loss / Feel Fuller / Reduce your Blood Pressure / Omega Fatty Acids / Hydration

Hemp Seeds - Contains all of the essential amino acids. Protein / Antioxidants

Flax Oil - Omega 3 Fatty Acids / Heart Health / Energy / Skin Hair & Nail Health

Spirulina - Protein / Beta-Carotene / Enzymes

Barley Grass - Improves Blood Flow / Lowers Cholesterol / Essential Amino Acids

Wheat Grass - 2 TBS of Wheatgrass Juice is equivalent to 2-3 Pounds of Leafy Green Vegetables.

Chlorella - Stimulates Immune System / Increases "Good" Bacteria / Energy / Detox the Body /Fiber

Alfalfa - Vitamin D / Protein / Minerals / Digestion

You can take these as supplements or put the seeds or plants straight into the juice or use a powder form.

There are many more supplements, but these are the basic ones to add to your juice.

12 day juice fast

Today, I'm starting a 12 day juice fast. The reason I'm only doing 12 days, is that I will be in New York August 4th & 5th, and want to eat real food while I'm there. This isn't a juice cleanse (I did the Master Cleanse after I became a vegetarian to cleanse my body, and won't do that again, it was too harsh on my system), even though it will be detoxing and cleansing my body, this fast will be more of a kick start into eating more raw foods, and cutting back on processed foods. When i'm finished with the fast, i want to incorporate fresh juiced veggies & fruits into my daily routine. I don't think i'll ever be able to give up processed foods, but I don't want to eat them as much as I have been lately.

Before you start a fast you should cut out dairy / meat / processed foods a week before your first transition day. Being a vegan I just limited my processed food intake. Also, cutting out caffeine & coffee is wise, as your body won't be as shocked when you start the fast. It's good to cut back gradually until the fast to have the most effective outcome and stay on the fast for your goal amount of time.

The reason I'm doing a juice fast is due to the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." You can watch it here FREE : FS&ND Definitely worth watching, shows the impact & power of only eating raw vegetables and fruits juiced.

And if that isn't enough motivation watch this 42 minute interview with Dr. Robert Young on the importance of juicing here:

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: 2 red delicious apples / 2 pears / 6 strawberries / 2 plums / 1 cup of raspberries / 1 bunch of spinach

Verdict: This was really good! I was actually slurping up as much as I could once it was gone. It made around 40 oz of juice aka 2.5 16 oz glasses of juice.

Lunch: 2 sweet potatoes / 3 peaches / 1 apple / 1 orange / thumb size of ginger / 1/2 TBS Chia Seeds / 1/2 TBS Hemp Seeds

Verdict: This juice was delicious!!! So yummy! I can't wait to have this for lunch tomorrow too! Made 32 oz of juice. Favorite Juice of the day!

Dinner: 1/2 pineapple / 1 bunch of kale / 1 cucumber

Verdict: When I think of Kale.. I personally don't like it unless it's made into chips or mixed in with lettuce. I'm just not a fan of it. Well, it looks like I LOVE it juiced! This is a delicious refreshing juice. Made 32 oz of juice.

How today went: Started out Energized. Ate Breakfast at 8:30. Lunch at 11. Snack at 2. Dinner at 6:30. Took a nap at around 3. Very tired! Slight Headache. Irritable around 5. All in all not a bad day. My body felt a little hot and my breath was kickin no matter how much I brushed! Today was a 7.5 out of 10. Not full of energy, but not completely horrible.

Total fast weight loss 0 lbs.

Total vegan weight loss 16 lbs.

juicing equipment

Juicer. Breville is a brand that is recommended by almost every juice fast website, but it was a bit too expensive for me, so I bought this Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor.
32 oz & 16 oz Bottles. Since you need to consume at least 64 - 96 oz of juice per day, and then 64 - 96 oz of water per day while on a juice fast, I recommend purchasing 32 oz (2 - 3 per day of juice) or 16 oz (4-6 per day of juice) to make it convenient to bring to work, or if you're just going somewhere that making juice isn't convenience. I have this brand in 16 oz & 32 oz, which are great quality water bottles, and durable. You can also buy Mason Jars, which are a great way to make batches of the juice, they should last around 72 hours after bottling them.
Cutting Board
Good Cutting Vegetable Knives, & Peelers.

15

i've lost 15 lbs in the 2 months i've been vegan. no exercise other than walking during the day. so, just from changing my diet. feels good.

food for thought: that's the size of a freaking bowling ball!!

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dr. robert young {the importance of juicing}

yes, it's 42 minutes... but honestly worth watching!! such great information about juicing & why it's essential in your diet!

sweet potato pineapple juice

1/2 pineapple
1 knob of ginger* (peeled)
1 sweet potato (peeled)
5 carrots
*Next time, I'll cut the ginger in half... was a bit much for me, but was a good juice... not great, but good.

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chocolate cupcakes w/ chocolate ganache frosting

I made these for an awesome girl i work with's birthday. She's not vegan, but i loved the cake, and had all the ingredients at home, and let's be honest... you don't have to be vegan to love vegan cupcakes!The response was "tremendous" "delicious" "best cupcake i've ever had... ever." Even telling people to not eat the cupcakes because they were bad, so that they could have more! : ) So, if that doesn't tell you that these cupcakes are thebomb.com then I don't know what will. Make them, and you'll have people asking for more.Get the recipe here! Makes 12 cupcakes. I also added around 1/2 cup of Reduced Fat Veganaise to the mix. Made them extra moist and scrumptious! If you make them with the Veganaise, make sure you leave them in for a couple minutes longer, due to them being soooo moist. Enjoy! You can see the cake from this same recipe that I made here! Score: 1 for Vegans!

avocado / jicama lime salad {raw vegan}

i eat salads almost every day for lunch, and they get boring if you don't switch it up!

today my salad is made of: lettuce / red onion / sliced tomatoes / 1.5 sliced avocado / handful of sliced jicama / juice of half a lime / 1/2 tbs olive oil / coarse black pepper / dash of sea salt

sides: baby carrots / strawberries

1/2 green tea / 1/2 passion tea {starbucks}

this drink is refreshing, and has a bit of a bite. it's an aquired taste, but i love it during the summer! i get it lightly sweetened, as i don't need a lot of sugar. Pin It Now!

amy's roasted vegetable pizza {no cheese}

this amy's vegan pizza is so delicious... and for some reason it was on sale at my local grocery store for $3.50! steal!! if you're ever in the mood for vegan pizza this is it, if you don't have a local pizzeria that accommodates vegans, or you just want dinner fast and don't feel like making anything (me tonight!). soooo good. well worth the money.

i love lush. lushy lush lush.

i discovered lush about 2 years ago, and have been loving their products. so many to choose from, and i haven't found one that i don't like. so here's a list of my favorites that all happen to be vegan! check out LUSH here. it's such a fun store with great "homemade" products that you'll love.

solid shampoo: Ultimate Shine $10.95 - This lasts around 80 washes. Makes my hair squeaky clean without any chemicals that my hair doesn't need.

dry shampoo: No Drought $12.95 - For in between hair washes, makes hair smell clean, and gets rid of oil.

bath bomb: Mrs Whippy $5.95 - I love using this in the bath. Smells great, and is soft.

bath bomb: Twilight $5.95 - This is my favorite bath melt from Lush. Smells amazing, and changes colors full of glitter.

bath melt: MMM Melting Marshmallow Moment $7.95 - soothes while in the bath, and smells great.

soap: Sexy Peel $5.95 - smells like lemons & wakes you up. refreshing.

soap: Porridge $6.95 - smells like orange oatmeal, great exfoliating soap.

shower smoothie: creamed almond & coconut smoothie $19.95 - this doesn't smell like coconut, this is predominately almond scented. i use this in place of a shave gel, very moisturizing.

shower smoothie: Lush Lime Smoothie $18.95 - smells like a margarita! sooo good. I use this is place of a shave gel, very moisturizing.

shower scrub: Glorious Mud $6.95 - smells like warm vanilla. you put this on as a body mask while in the shower or bath. leaves skin smelling great, and soft.

face toner: Tea Tree Water $8.95 - $19.95 - this helps skin get rid of acne, and refreshes your skin from oil or just the day's dirt and grime.

lip scrub: Bubble Gum $8.95 - rub on lips and it exfoliates the dead skin off. it's 100% edible too!

body butter: King Of Skin $13.95 - i rub this on my damp body after the shower / bath and then lightly towel dry. it's essentially a lotion just in a solid form. my sister used this on her belly while she was pregnant and loved it. she actually recommended it to me!

foot scrub: Stepping Stone $3.95 - great exfoliator for feet.

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