Soul Food

Yet again, I had to indulge. I miss home so much!! My favorite foods of all time are typical southern treats. Well, besides the fried stuff ;)

So tonight I made steamed green beans, black eyed peas and rosemary sweet potato nuggets (like the fries, but in home fry form).



Oh, and don't forget the fresh tomato slices!

Next time you are craving soul food, fear not veggie lover. You can have your heritage and eat it, too!

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Southern Delights

The other night I was craving some soul food from back home. So, I decided to make a goulash of sorts.

Because we don't have fresh Southern veggies (WAH!) I had to resort to the frozen variety. I dumped two cans of diced tomatoes in a pot, then added a bag of frozen butter beans as well as a bag of frozen okra. After seasoning (I use the Spicy Mrs. Dash and Texas Pete) and cooking on medium heat for about 45 minutes, it was ready to go!



In honor of NOLA tradition, I put it all on top of a serving of quinoa, in place of rice.

YUM TOWN!



Add some fresh steamed green beans, and you have a feast!!

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The Pup's Officially a Vegan!

For the past few months, Matt and I have been trying to track down some reasonably priced organic vegan dog food. The task proved a lot harder than we anticipated. But we found it! And it just came in yesterday :)



It only cost a couple of dollars more than what we were feeding him, and there is free shipping! It only took a week for the food to get here. How awesome is that!?

It's called V-Dog, and I actually found it via PETA's website.

In addition to the food change, I've switched Patton from his daily Fish Oil to Flax Seed Oil.



He loves it! He always thinks vitamins are candy, anyways.

As always, Pup adores his veggies. He'd do anything for a sweet potato, red bell pepper or banana. We are so lucky to have such an accommodating and healthy pup!
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Fasting and Miso

I've been fasting this week, and no, it's not because of Ramadan.  I just finished a FANTASTIC book called Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr, and learned so much about the benefits of fasting!

Fasting is basically consuming liquids and cleaning out your system, usually when you're feeling a bit sluggish and "gunky" - at least, that's what I call it :)

After a couple of weeks of indulging on processed treats, fasting seemed like the natural solution.  That being said, one should consider their health when fasting.  Those who are ill or elderly should be more careful.  Pregnant women should not fast at all.

So what does a fast include?  First of all, LOTS of water!!  Drink more than you usually do.  Flush that system out!  You can cater a fast to your own preferences, but check out Crazy Sexy Diet or Crazy Sexy Life for more information.

For me, it includes drinking a cup of water before I get out of bed.  It's best if this water is warm, even better if it has a squeeze of lemon or apple cider vinegar.  Then, when I get hungry, I drink a juice smoothie.  I just throw an apple, pear, banana, fresh berries, spinach, carrots, and a teaspoon or so of spirulina into the trusty Vitamix.  Ummmm!  

This juice smoothie keeps me wired and full until lunch.  Then, I indulge in one of my favorite meals ever - miso soup!  You can make your own with miso paste, or buy it in packets.  I prefer paste, but whatever you like is best.  I add a few pieces of nori (seaweed) and slurp away.  DELISH.  And yes, nori is not liquid, but it is SO important to eat your sea veggies!!

Through the rest of the day, make sure you are drinking tons of water, and if you get hungry, drink fresh fruit juice or a smoothie or another bowl of miso soup.

For dinner, I usually eat some tasty veggie soup.  Yes, solids again.  But, the majority is liquid, and I feel you benefit more from the beans and veggies.  Legumes have so much protein, and help move things right out of your colon.  Terrific!  But they also use a lot of water, so make sure you are hydrating.

If I'm craving dessert (ummm, ALWAYS!) I drink a glass of rice milk with some Nesquick mixed in.  Yes, it has sugar :(  But it has vitamins, and most important - chocolate!  Plus, if you aren't indulging every once and a while, you are sure to go overboard one day.  

Check out Crazy Sexy Life for more information.  And next time you're feeling gross, consider a fast, and if you're really brave,  a colonic!