Tasty Snack

My friend Haley told me about this great recipe for banana ice cream.
It’s TOO easy!
Just unpeel a banana, cut it into pieces and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours. Then, take the frozen banana pieces and put them in a blender or a food processor. Blend until smooth.
VOILA! Creamy, delicious banana ice cream! We added some peanut butter in the blender as well. And, Tyson topped his off with some chocolate sauce. It’s unbelievable how good this is! It’s a great way to make the boring banana exciting again :)

Shopping Online

My new addiction is to browse on Etsy.com. It’s like going to your local artisan’s market online with a LOT more vendors to choose from. There are listings for just about anything, and most of the stuff is homemade and crafted by people who have their own unique shops. Shipping and handling isn’t a lot (differs from shop to shop), and there are just so many neat things to look at! I was having trouble finding vegan purses (among other things), when I stumbled on this site that has EVERYthing. It’s also great for special occasions or holidays when you want to find something unique. Check it out!

Spring has Sprung!

Even though it snowed last night, Spring has not left my spirits! I have lovely fresh flowers around the house to try and brighten up the place and I am hoping for sun. Don’t get me wrong, as a Canadian I love the winter, but I think we’ve had enough snow already :P

Yesterday I decided to make some new recipes from a book called The Vegan Cook's Bible by Pat Crocker.I made a hearty Potato and Chickpea Casserole in Cashew cream with a delightful side of Coconut Rice with Cauliflower. For the casserole, I also added an oatmeal nut topping after it baked for a bit. Overall, this casserole wasn’t too great. It was kind of dry, and the cashew cream didn’t bring anything flavorful to the dish. If you enjoy coconut dishes, you will love the coconut rice recipe beloq. I found it even better the second day and ate it as leftovers with some spring rolls.

Coconut Rice with Cauliflower

1 can (14oz/400ml) coconut milk

1 cup short grain brown rice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 piece of candied ginger, finely chopped (I didn’t use this because I obviously didn’t have any laying around!)

2 cups finely chopped cauliflower

½ cup whole wheat bread crumbs

Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a saucepan over high heat, bring coconut milk to a gentle boil. Stir in rice. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 40 minutes. Do not remove lid during cooking. Stir rice, which will be very wet and soupy. Increase heat and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until rice is tender and creamy.

Meanwhile in a deep skillet, heat oil over high heat. Stir in onion. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes or until slightly softened. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Stir in cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, for ten minutes or until tender and fairly dry. Stir in bread crumbs.

Add cauliflower mixture to rice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

I didn’t have the short grain rice, so I just used the 10 minute brown rice and just reduced the timing for everything. It still worked out great!

Earth Hour

Just a reminder to turn off your lights and electronics on March 26th.
Earth Hour is this Saturday at 8:30!
Pledge your participation at http://wwf.ca/earthhour/

Be one of the billions of people who take part in this global event!
Watch the video below, it is so inspiring!
It's amazing what we can do when we work together :)

Sweet Potato Lentil Stew

This is one of the very first recipes I made when I became vegan. Since I didn’t have a blog back then, I forgot to post it. But, this stew is a gem! I LOVE sweet potatoes, and they are so good and alkalinizing for your body. This stew is very fragrant and calls for a lot of spices. It’s easy to make, but you might want check out your cupboard first to make sure you have all of the necessary spices first--before you decide to make this tasty dish. You can make the stew thicker, by adding more sweet potatoes. That’s what I like to do, then it’s thick enough to serve over brown rice. You can still eat it in a bowl—just add some rolls and some steamed greens! Yum Sweet Potato Lentil Stew from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone Ingredients: 1/4 Cup Safflower Oil 1 Medium Onion Diced 2 Small Tomatoes Diced 1 tsp Minced Fresh Ginger 1 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Ground Coriander 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon 1/8 tsp Cayenne Fine Sea Salt 2-3 Medium Sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 3/4″ cubes 7 Cups Vegetable Broth 1 Cup Brown Lentils Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, deep pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the tomatoes & ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, then taste for seasonings. Add the sweet potatoes, broth & lentils. Stir well and bring to a boil over high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and lentils are soft.

Danny's Pizza

You can find Danny’s pizza in your local grocer’s freezer. It’s so easy! You get two crusts, with the sauce already on. You just have to add what you want. It’s probably cheaper to make your own dough, but this is great for a Friday night when you just don’t want to knead and prepare that dough—it’s the toughest part! I used Yves Vegan Pepperoni Slices, veggies, extra oregano and Vegan mozzarella cheese.
Just add all of your favorite fixings and enjoy!

Farm Sanctuary

I just love the Farm Sanctuary videos! Check them out :)

Yummy Tofu Stir Fry

Don’t you just love it when you come home and supper is already made?
Tyson is becoming such a great vegan cook! He made this tasty stir fry for me the other week. He has been experimenting with tofu, and every time he cooks it—it is delicious!

For this recipe he made a homemade sweet and sour sauce and cooked tons of veggies all together. He then cut up some tofu into thin slices, covered them with a mixture of plum and cherry sauce and fried them until brown. They turned out to be candied, crunchy, yummy tofu pieces. Put it all together, and you have yourself one tasty meal!

Thanks Tyson :)

Vegan Breakfast

There’s nothing like waking up to a great big breakfast on the weekend.
I’ll admit, I do miss my eggs and bacon! But, I have a healthier and more compassionate alternative.
Last weekend we made Yves Vegan bacon strips, Southwestern tofu scramble, hash browns, and whole wheat toast with Vegan Becel and Jams.
To simulate scrambled eggs, I used this recipe I found on the Kind Life Website.

Sheri’s Southwestern Tofu Scramble
Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS
• 1 lb. firm Tofu (rinsed, pressed/drained for 15-30 mins.)
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 t. chili powder
• 3/4 t. turmeric
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1/4 t. ancho chile powder
• 1/4 - 1/2 t. smoked paprika to taste
• 1/8 t. cayenne pepper
• 1 T. chopped parsley
• 1 small zucchini, cut in half, then into half moons
• 1 small summer squash, cut in half, then into half moons
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 1 c. frozen sweet corn
• fine sea salt & pepper to taste
STEPS
1. Crumble rinsed/drained tofu into a large bowl with your hands, mashing and breaking up the tofu with your fingers until no large chunks remain - the tofu will retain a bit of moisture.
2. Add in all dry spices, again combining with your hands until well mixed.
3. Pour 1 T. olive oil into a sauté pan, and cook tofu over medium-high heat for 5-8 mins., stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. While tofu is cooking, warm the other 1 T. olive oil in a separate sauté pan.
5. Add onions & cook over medium heat for 3-5 mins. until they start to become translucent.
6. Add in the rest of the veggies, and cook for another 4-5 mins. until they are crisp-tender.
7. When done, stir veggies into tofu mixture, and heat through 1-2 mins.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley, and add sea salt & pepper to taste.

The texture was great, and the tofu takes on the taste of all the spices. It’s definitely something different, but I really liked it! And, boy was it filling! We didn’t have the zucchini or squash that it calls for in the recipe so we added tomatoes and peppers.

Mike Tyson & Ellen

Mike Tyson was on Ellen today talking about how he has been sober for two years, and has changed his life for the better. He has also been vegan for 2 years, and is looking great!

**Post 100!!**

I can’t believe this is post 100! In a couple of more months, I can happily claim that I have been vegan for one year!
This is honestly one of the best choices I have ever made in my life thus far.
It’s just something that has ignited a spark in me, and all I wanted to do was to let people know about a more compassionate and healthier way of life. I know a lot of people don’t read this, but I am thankful to all of you that do. I am so pleased when I get messages or emails from people letting me know they read my blog. Even if it’s to ask a simple question, or to say “hey, I was at a restaurant and there was vegan option-I thought of you!” You all inspire me everyday and help me to stay true to my commitment.

I also want to say thank you to my friends and family for being SO supportive. And, I want to give praise to those of you who have become vegetarian/ vegan or have even made some slight changes towards a more plant-based diet.
I am still learning so much about this lifestyle, but it finally feels like just that…a lifestyle.

Becoming vegan means eating healthier, saving the planet, and saving the lives of innocent animals. It’s win-win!

I hope to bring more awareness about animal rights, veganism, and share some yummy recipes. There is a big world out there, and I hope to meet more people and get inspired each day to spread the word about this great lifestyle.

Happy eating :)

Vitamin B12

Vegetarian and vegan diets are so full of vitamins and nutrients. But, there is one vitamin that is a bit tougher to get.

B12 is the most important of all the B vitamins when you are vegan. It is necessary for building blood and cell division. B12 isn’t made by any plants or animals. It’s actually made by bacteria. We get our B12 from eating foods contaminated with bacteria that had produced B12. Food animals eat bacteria, which accumulates the B12 in their flesh. So, if you’re not eating meat you need to get your B12 from other sources.
It’s true that vegetables do not contain B12, but all plants are grown in the soil which is enriched with B12. Before the mass commercialization of agriculture (when we were all pulling our vegetables from the garden and water wasn’t purified) B12 was available through the soil and water. So B12 deficiencies in a vegan diet are not caused by the diet itself, but by the hypersanitization of our modern world.
So, where else can we get B12 from?
A lot of our food is fortified with B12. Take a look at your milk, fake meats and even your cereal. Many of them are B12 fortified. Another source of B12 is nutritional yeast flakes. You can use these tasty flakes to imitate cheese. I use it on bruschetta, garlic bread or pasta.
Luckily the human body doesn’t need a huge amount of B12, but it does need a little bit on a regular basis. The current RDA is 2.4 micrograms a day. (That would be equivalent to 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast). To make sure I get enough of this vitamin I take a B12 supplement every second or third day just to be safe.

Overall, a natural diet full of different vegetables, whole grains and proteins is going to be great for your body and soul! If I’m having a junk food day, I will pop a multivitamin or a vitamin supplement to make sure my body is getting what it needs. Before I became vegan, I never thought about B12, Vitamin D or any other vitamin. I just ate whatever I wanted. Now, I am more conscious of my decisions, because I need to be sure I am ingesting vitamin enriched foods. Since I am eating healthier, I don’t need to take a multivitamin every day. But, we can’t be perfect all the time with our eating habits-and you always need a break every once and a while…But, just remember:

The bottom line for proper nutrition is that natural food is your best bet for all around health. Seperating nutrients and vitamins into stand-alone sources of nutrition can lead to overdose or an inadvertent depletion of another necessary vitamin or mineral.
-Living Vegan for Dummies

Information from Becoming Vegan, The Kind Diet and Living Vegan for Dummies