Happy New Year

We rang in 2012 with a plate of goodies!



Instead of pork for health (ironic yes?) we opted for sweet potatoes. Ummmm!

May 2012 bring you luck, wealth and health :)

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Xmas Eve Dinner

Does it get better than spinach and beans and broccoli quinoa with avocado? I think not.


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Cookies!

Mine and Matt's mom are in town, do we decided to bake some cookies for the neighbors. Thanks Chocolate Covered Katie and Oh She Glows!





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Adopt a Turkey!

Ever wanted to pardon a turkey, but didn't have the funds to run for president?  Great news!  You can adopt one!

Last year, though I was, yes, a vegetarian, I bought a free-range Heritage turkey from a local farmer.  We were having family over and I felt it wouldn't be right not have turkey (then again - pilgrims didn't really have turkey at their feast!).  Any who, I couldn't even cook the thing, leaving it to my mother-in-law while I secretly cried in the bathroom.  The guilt!

I refused to ever have a turkey at my Thanksgiving ever again.  

This year, we are an ocean away from the United States, but that doesn't mean we won't be celebrating Thanksgiving.  I have SO many plans - vegan dishes, organic decorations.  But there is one thing that will never be on that list - turkey.

So, if you feel the same way I do about this, please consider adopting a turkey.  Just click HERE to go to Adopt A Turkey Project.  Save a life, build some karma, and have a feast for which you (and a certain cute creature) are especially thankful for.  

Sorry!

Sorry I've been slacking!  Work and school have gotten the best of me, and I haven't been posting that often.  I promise I shall get better!

Veganism Debunked :)

I'm putting this on Veganista, so I thought I'd share with you, too!

Sometimes Matt and I catch flack for our diet choices.  When most people find out that we eat a plant-based whole foods diet, they think we're stinky hippies.  That, and they don't understand why we do what we do.  But always, there is the inevitable question that makes me want to scream: "But, if you don't eat meat, how do you get enough protein?".  It's not their fault, they have bought into what years over Western overeating has preached.  This is extremely annoying to Matthew and me.

I was told by someone who had never researched or done so much as to read one article about plant-based diets that I was unhealthy.  Really?  Every time my blood pressure is taken people are astonished, I'm not skin and bones, heck, I eat a TON, and my body glows from the inside out.  I'm perfectly fine.  Maybe you should read a little more...

And there is always the, "What are you going to do when you get pregnant?".  Ummm, DUH.  If I think this diet is best for me, and I want the best for my child, I'm going to continue eating healthy.  Maybe a little more soy ice cream than normal, but what gives?  Vegan moms produce healthier birthweight and laboring babies.  

As for my children, ah, yes.  This is tricky.  You want the best for your kids, right?  But you also want them to make their own choices.  So we've decided on raising our children as vegans.  When they procure their own money they may spend it on whatever they want.  If it's a cholesterol filled burger, so be it.  That's their money, not mine.  They are affecting their own health, not mine.

My Twink, aka Sarah Flory, recently posted this infographic on Pinterest, and it actually led me to the post.  Click HERE!

A big shout out to my parents who laughed when I became a vegetarian in high school, rolled their eyes when I joined PETA, but always supported my decision.  Thanks for putting up with me when I won't eat things you labored over (the roast and veggies looked and smelled great, but they were marinated with the meat...sorry!), and for listening to me when I rag you about a plant-based diet (Dad).  But most of all, thanks for being proud of me for daring to be a little out there.  LOVE YOU!

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!   

Market!

Yesterday, Brett and I went to the local market. Kaiserslautern's Farmer's Market is on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Saturday is the standard day for us, and they have more vendors then. But we were out of town this weekend and needed veggies stat, so we headed downtown.

Let's start with the artichokes. Aren't these simply gorgeous?!


Then I picked up some random beans. They were pretty, and I love beans, so I thought, why not?


And of course, I got a kilo and a half of tomatoes. You can never have enough!

This is what our kitchen looks like after a market day:


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Vegan Derby Pie

So my mother and mother-in-law make this FANTASTIC dessert called a Derby or Kentucky Derby Pie. It is basically a chocolate chip pecan pie, and tis the best thing that ever came out of the South (besides collard greens, of course).

Most desserts I try to veganize fail the first few times. I often give up or just wait a few months to try it again because I'm not a dessert person, and if I have sweets lying around, I or my darling sweet tooth of a Hubby will devour them within a couple of days.

This confection, however, is a family favorite. And because it's been so long since we've had one of mom's famous Derby pies, we decided to make one ourselves.

I cannot give out our family's secret recipe, but if you are interested, I'm sure Google can appease you.

To veganize, simply substitute Ener-G for eggs and Smart Balance vegan substitute for margarine.

We started with dry...


Added in the wet ingredients...


Baked...


And ATE!


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Pasta and Hummus

Matt and I decided to have a little party for the Women's World Cup Final last Sunday, since we were unable to attend.  There were all kinds of goodies, including mashed cauliflower and vegan burgers and such.  

But two of my favorites were my friend's (Lara's) family's hummus and some noodle concoction I threw together.

Fawaz humus is always my favorite, and it gets rave reviews!  I could bathe in the stuff.

And the noodle stuffs.  I wanted to make a filling side, so I just boiled some macaroni (wheat is best, but I couldn't track any down), mixed in some squash, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs I had lying around.  Then, I mixed in some marinara and baked it in a 200* oven until I felt it was ready.  I think it took about 45 minutes.  Just make sure you cover it with foil when you bake it so it doesn't dry out!

YUMMY!  

Now, for a post on my latest vegan dessert!

Simple Pasta Dish

The other night I made a dish after a good friend, Ms. Brett Zima, told me about something her mom used to make.

I simply boiled some pasta (I like to use quinoa pasta), and while it was cooking, halved cherry tomatoes and laid them on a pan with fresh crushed garlic.  After a sprinkle with safflower oil (similar to olive oil) and the "spicy" Mrs. Dash, it all went into a 250 or so oven for about 30 minutes.  Just until it got a bubbly and you could smell it all through the house!

I removed it from the oven, tossed with with the pasta, and let it sit while a few pieces of whole wheat bread toasted up in the remaining olive oil :)  Deeeeeeeeeeeeelish!

So quick and easy, and perfect for when you don't feel like cooking a complex meal.

Another dinner

Every week we eat at least one dinner at the Zima house. Last night we had eggplant medallions and spinach and white beans.



Mine was sans cheese




Patton being a snuggle butt with Brett and Shawn.

4th of July

We had an amazing cookout to celebrate Independence Day!  So many delicious goodies, including a flag cake :)

For the cake, I just made a typical vegan yellow cake, vanilla frosting, and topped with blueberries and strawberries.

We also grilled vegan burgers, veggie kabobs, cous cous salad, corn, and a delicious mac and cheese alternative.  For the mac and shews recipe, click here!   Isa Chandra is the best.

Hope you enjoyed your 4th of July :)

Patton loves Tofu!

Sir Pookerson was whining today as I was making something with tofu.



Naturally, I gave him some. He loved it!!



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Backyard Cherry Cobbler!

We finally got around to our cherry cobbler.   Oh my, is it delicious!  We used this recipe, and just alternated in margarine and soy milk.

Nothing says summer like fresh fruit.  And when it comes from your backyard, from a tree you've been watching for months just praying for a little berry - well, it's extra special.

Try to pick your own fruit, or buy it from the farmer's market, and make a nice summer dessert today!  Next on my list - cherry tart!

Breakfast

Ummmmm, a raw breakfast! Carrots, spinach, blueberries, banana, apple, and pear. If that doesn't wake you up, I don't know what will!

Thanks, twink, for the inspiration. I've been lacking...
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Tacos and Cherries

Last night Matt and I decided to try tacos.  Usually I just use beans, but craving something more "meaty", the hubby wanted to try faux meat.  So we did.  Turned out pretty great.

We just started out by sauteing onions, red pepper, and eventually the meat.  Then added it to a whole wheat soft taco along with salsa, guacamole, and tomatoes.  TADA!  We were in a hurry, and I see where we will get more creative, but it was a fun start!

After dinner we decided to pick cherries from the tree in our backyard.  So much fun!  Matt hoisted me on his shoulders and I dropped the occasional fruit on his head.  Whoopsie!

Then we spent the rest of the evening pitting the cherries for tonight's dessert.  Can't wait!  Isn't summer so much fun!?!?

Happy summer!!