Another super star that’s vegan is the beautiful country singer and American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood.
Underwood told Christina Vinson from Taste of Country that she has been a longtime vegetarian. That desire was born from seeing her parents castrate calves when she was a kid. But she made the switch to a vegan lifestyle a few years ago, at first because she’s lactose-intolerant, and again after being inspired by a friend.
Carrie has been a vegetarian — no fish no chicken no meat vegetarian — for about more than a decade now. “The vegan thing is something I try to do my best on because it’s a cheesy world out there. We recently went to Italy and they put cheese in, on and around everything. So I kind of had to be vegetarian when I was on vacation, and now that I’ve been back home I’ve been getting back into my vegan lifestyle.” she said.
“But I’m vegan at home,” Underwood continues. “It’s when I go other places that it can be a challenge especially when you don’t exactly know what you’re ordering. It doesn’t say that there’s cheese on the menu. But like I said I’m practical vegan.”
image courtesy of pinterest.com
Carrie is a perfect example of what a vegan goes through in a world like this. Being vegan is not about rules, is about love, compassion and feeling good about yourself.
Just like Carrie have fallen into cheese, I too have fallen into animal products, especially when I’m overseas and don’t know where to get my regular food products. Unfortunately I have to deal with the consequences afterwards.
The most important thing is that I am conscious about what I put on my mouth and why. Like I have said before, it does not matter how much you fall, what matters is that you keep on trying and getting stronger every day.
Here is the link of a short video of Carrie and Oprah where you can hear for yourself what she has to say about her lifestyle. Wait for a moment to see the video, it won’t start right away.
On this video, among other things she describes herself as having love and respect for those around her. That is the main reason why you too should choose veganism; love for others, which will translate into eating in such a way that will help the planet last longer for the future generations. Together we can change the world. Won’t you be part of this movement?
I also recommend you watch this YouTube video that sums up pretty much everything I have said so far on my posts, with a touch of Carrie Underwood’s lifestyle.
Hello all! Since on my last post I decided to talk about Tyrann Mathieu (NFL player) going vegan, I got inspired to dedicate my next two posts to celebrities who are vegan. It is no lie that many people look up to celebrities and like to imitate their lifestyles. Thinking of that, I thought it would be a good idea to write about the ones that have a vegan lifestyle with the hopes it will inspire you to make the switch and/ or keep you strong.
On this post I am going to talk about Alicia Silverstone. Since she was a little girl she has battled between a carnivore diet to a vegetarian diet. But since she was a child she would not prevail on being a vegetarian, hence her health started to decay. She suffered from severe asthma, acne, constipation and insomnia. When she filmed the famous comedy “Clueless” at age 18, she still had those health conditions, that is why three years later she decided to try a vegan lifestyle.
Ever since, she has not felt healthier. She is able to sleep throughout the whole night, her skin is better, her eyes, nails, and she feels less puffy. She made the decision to become vegan not because of her health problems, like most of us do, but because she discovered the sad and cruel reality of animals being raised and slaughtered. Looking at her pet, she came to realize that if she could not eat her dog, she should not eat any animals at all.
She confesses that she has fallen into the temptation of cheese, and every time, she feels gassy and sick afterwards. Her experience has inspired her to write the vegan cookbook “The Kind Diet”, where she focuses on letting her readers know that the most important thing is for you to try to feel and be the best you can.
I strongly recommend you watch this YouTube video of Alicia in The Oprah Winfrey Show to see the entire interview. I got her info from Oprah.com where you can find the article on this topic.
I also recommend the following YouTube video of the episode on The Oprah Winfrey show where she and her staff went vegan for a week. This episode actually inspired my sister, a carnivore, to do baby steps into a healthier lifestyle. Years after that show, she still tries to make better eating choices. Now that she is married, she is helping her husband do the same. And that is the whole point of this post, to get you inspired so that you can inspire others. Together, we can change the world. Wont you become part of the movement?
Stack.com covered his story when he decided to go vegan because according to him he was tired of eating poison. Tyrann hurt his knee last December, causing his team to loose to the Carolina Panthers. But he is recovering from his ACL surgery so fast that he will be able to come back this year for vengeance.
Teammate Larry Fitzgerald recently told reporters that Mathieu is speeding through his rehab so quickly that the team actually asked him to slow things down. They’re having to hold him back,” Fitzgerald said. “He heals like Wolverine. He’s so passionate and we love him dearly. And we’re so happy to see he’s going to be ready to go for us by training camp, and he can pick up right where he left off.”
As Jess Root wrote for SB Nation, “In unrelated Twitter activity, we also learn that Mathieu, despite being a football player, is moving to a vegan lifestyle.”
Mathieu told the Arizona Republic newspaper that he feels much better than last time around, and that since it is not as significant as last time, he was able to hit the ground running. Also he said he was able to do a lot of different things from the start, things he was not able to do for the first five months last time. This is not a surprise since this time he also decided to go vegan.
Tyrann Mathieu is just one example of many celebrities that have come to the light of the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. To read the complete article, please go to Stack.com
The main reason why people become vegan is for their health benefits. Unfortunately, most doctors when referring to a healthy diet don’t recommend a vegan diet, but a diet low in carbs and saturated fat. What they usually advise is to eat white meat, with your “daily” portion of fruits, vegetables and grains.
Unfortunately that is not enough, and that is what they have finally come to realize. According to broadwayworld.com, celebrity doctors will speak about the benefits of a vegan diet at the sixth annual New York City Vegetarian Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, May 7-8, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan.
The doctors scheduled to speak at the Festival include:
• Aysha Akhtar, double Board-certified neurologist and preventive medicine/public health specialist. She received her training at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Washington Hospital Center, and the University of North Carolina Medical School in Chapel Hill.
• Michelle McMacken, Board-certified internal medicine physician, assistant professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine, and honors graduate of Yale University and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
• Michael Greger, Cornell- and Tufts-trained general practitioner, founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
• Robert Ostfeld, associate professor of Clinical Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, director of the Cardiac Wellness Program at Montefiore Medical Center, and associate director of the Cardiology Fellowship at Montefiore-Einstein. He received his training from the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University School of Medicine, the Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard Medical School.
• Casey Taft, professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine, associate editor of the journal Psychological Trauma.
• Thomas Campbell, medical director of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, co-founder and clinical director of the University of Rochester Program for Nutrition in Medicine. His training is from SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine, the University of Rochester, and Cornell University.
• Garth Davis, fellow of the American College of Surgeons, fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He received his training from the University of Texas in Austin, Baylor College of Medicine, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
• Steve Neabore serves on the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and specializes in the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic diseases. He completed his undergraduate degree at New York University and earned his medical degree from St. George’s University, with a residency in internal medicine at New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn.
There will be other speakers and some entertainers. To read the full article go to broadwayworld.com where you will also find details on the festival.
These types of event are really important for the vegan community, since most people don’t understand the huge impact a vegan lifestyle can make in their health, the animals and the planet.
I recommend you go to events like these, or even this one, if it is within your means, because it will expand your knowledge on veganism and it will confirm your beliefs.
I also recommend you watching these YouTube videos of Dr. Neal Barnard. He is a Seventh Day Adventist doctor. Most SDAs are know to eat a vegetarian diet. The firsts video is an intro and the second one is a lecture on the benefits of a vegan diet. The second video is very detailed so you need to make sure you have time to watch it completely as is 52 minutes.
Hello all! As you already know, switching to a vegan lifestyle have so many benefits that can even be seen in a matter of days. Most people eat the food they eat because it tastes good, not because it has nutritional value. Actually, most tasty food lack nutritional value and have a high dose of unhealthy ingredients. Hence the saying “I eat to live, I don’t live to eat”
It is also known that people do what they have seen done for the most of their lives and it is difficult to break a particular behavior because it is thought to be the right and only way of doing something. That is why we have the vast majority of the people in the world eating a non-vegan diet. But as you know by now, making the switch is not as hard, once you have decided to do it. The hardest part is to make the decision.
On this post I am focusing on the experience of a non-vegan that trying to do something different decided to go vegan for a week.
Megan So, stopped eating all animal products for a whole week. The EastofSeattle.news The Issaquah Press, covered her story. She explained how in only a week, she was able to feel different in a very good way, so much that she recommends it. Please take the time to read her story. If you are still struggling to make the switch, Megan’s story will give you a good push.
I recommend reading her testimony because it goes perfectly well with what I have been saying in my posts, it is possible to become a vegan. The hardest part is to make the decision, once you have made it; sky is the limit on the possibilities and benefits of making the change.
Also, as usual, I want to complement this post with a YouTube video from onlyyumul, that shows the struggle of a non-vegan doing a vegan challenge for a week. I recommend her video because it’s funny, honest and it has very human reactions. You will be able to see that she struggled because she does not have experience. That happens in phase one of the transitions to a vegan lifestyle, so if you are in that phase, watching this video will give you support because YOU ARE NOT ALONE. The video is 33 minutes so definitely make sure you have time to watch it. Enjoy!
Hello friends! Today, I decided to share very good news for all the vegans in America. This post will be about an article from QSR that talks about the growth of vegan restaurants. Is that awesome or what? Enjoy!
Veganism has expanded in the last years. People are getting more and more used to the idea of eating a plant-based diet, since the movement of conscious eating is evolving.
According to Maggie Hennessy in her article for the magazine QSR from today April 1st, a 2015 survey by market analyst Mintel, found that 61 percent of consumers say they enjoy menu items that heavily features vegetables. The use of vegetables as an ingredient also increased 5 percent between 2012 and 2015, led by kale, brussels sprouts, and cabbage. This increase has been helped by a slew of buzzy, veg-heavy restaurant openings that are injecting edginess and sophistication into a cuisine historically compared to rabbit food.
More and more vegan restaurants will continue to open; targeting a wider audience by providing plant-based food, with the taste that everybody loves. The owners of these restaurants have the goal of making the idea ofveganism a mainstream. They are looking to popularized vegan food.
This movement is really important to vegans. As you may know by now (if you have read my previous posts,) there are not as many options for vegans when it comes to dining out. Most of the times we have to settle for salads and side items, especially if we are with non-vegans.
The fact that more vegan restaurants are opening nationwide means that vegans will be able to dine out with non-vegan friends and family, and actually enjoy a whole plant-based meal just as much as their companions, because everybody will be able to enjoy their food, not just the non-vegans.
To complement this post I am adding this great CBS News video from 2011; which demonstrates how veganism has been becoming a mainstream for a while now.
Hello all! Since I have been giving you tips to start a vegan lifestyle and how to remain vegan, I decided it was time to share some personal experience on what to expect when you live with somebody that is not vegan.
When I decided to become a vegan I was living with my mother and sister. It was super easy because my mom was already a vegan and she loves to cook so I did not have to worry about what to eat.
But, life goes on and I got married to a non-vegan. If you are wondering why did I marry a non-vegan; which I do not recommend, is because when we where going out he became a vegan. He actually lost a lot of weight and looked really good, but since he did it to impress me, not because he understood what it meant to be a vegan, he quit and by that time I was already in love so we got married.
Now that we are married, it has been quite difficult to remain vegan, mainly because now I have to cook, which I hate! So this post is to tell you what can you expect when you are married to a non-vegan.
First thing you need to know is that you ought to be very faithful to your reputation. Don’t think that because he/she is your spouse he/she would not judge you. You need to keep strong because if you fall, they will tell you in your face that you are not for real with your veganism lifestyle, whenever the opportunity arises. So if you find yourself in a moment of weakness, which is totally human, do not cheat in front of your spouse!
If you were not raised as a vegan, if most of your life you have been an omnivore or a carnivore, it is normal to feel weak when you smell meat, pastries and everything you used to eat. I mean, they are delicious, and your tastebuds do not change overnight. The same way, it is completely normal to feel weak when you go out to eat with your husband, or when you have to cook animal products for him.
What to expect?
Your spouse won’t care that you are vegan and that you feel strong about it, so please, do not try to change him/ her in to one. Try to lead by example, maybe over the years when he/she sees you are healthier and looking better than before he/she will consider turning into a vegetarian and then a vegan. It is better to transition slowly.
You will see a lot of things that you used to eat on the pantry and the refrigerator. You cannot fall into temptation, you need to remain strong because those things will alway be there if your spouse never changes. You need to find a way to remember why you made the switch. Become part of a vegan group for support, watch videos about veganism, all that will help you stay strong.
Since your spouse is not the one that is vegan, he/she will probably not have it in their mind to think of your situation when they choose a place to eat, so you need to remind them wether that place will work for you or not. As time goes by he/she will get the hang of it, but it will take a while depending on the person.
If your spouse if not a vegan, more than likely his/ her family isn’t either. When you are invited to your in-laws or any other family member make sure they have thought of you when they did the menu. The same way when they come over to you, it is courtesy to think of them when you are thinking on a menu. If you want to win the over, pushing them is not gong to work.
In summary, it is not easy when you live with somebody that has a different lifestyle than you, so I strongly recommend you take that into consideration when you are looking to tight the knot. However, it is definitely not impossible to stay truth to your belief. There will always be opportunities to fall, it is up to you to remain standing. You will prevail, just hang in there!!
For more tips and ideas, I strongly recommend you to watch this video of Samantha Lindsey; which has over 10,000 views. It gave me a different perspective and I believe it will further help you.
We all love to snack, isn’t it great that you can snack guilt-free?
I recommend these two recipes especially for those of you with kids. If it is hard for an adult to convert to veganism, it will be even harder for youngsters. Especially since on school they are not giving vegan options, and if they just have a salad it probably won’t be that tasty.
These snacks will make you SUPER MOM! it will make you a popular mom among your kids’ friends. And you better believe the rest of your family will enjoy them too, there is not age limit for these snacks.
The cookies you can buy on any vegan friendly store, but it is always better to make as much as you can yourself. It definitely adds nutritious value to it.
Vegan Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies (My favorite of the two)
Ingredients:
14 oz. vegan chocolate chip cookie dough (store-bought or homemade)
12 vegan sandwich cookies
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°
Place small scoops of the cookie dough (about 1/2-inch balls) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
Place a sandwich cookie on top of each scoop of cookie dough and lightly press down to flatten the dough.
Top the sandwich cookies with another scoop of dough and press around the edges until the sandwich cookies are fully covered.
· Easy Vegan Naan Pizza (This can also be an option for dinner for your youngsters)
Ingredients:
1 piece vegan naan (Indian flatbread) 2 Tbsp. tomato sauce 1/4 cup shredded vegan mozzarella 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms 3 thin tomato slices 2 vegan meatballs, thawed (if frozen) and cut into small pieces 1 tsp.vegan Parmesan 1/2 tsp. dried basil 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Place the naan on a baking sheet. Spread the sauce evenly over the top, then sprinkle with half the vegan mozzarella shreds.
Add the mushrooms, tomato slices, and vegan meatball pieces, then top with the rest of the vegan mozzarella shreds. Lightly dust with the vegan Parmesan, basil, and oregano. (You can also swap out these toppings for your favorites!)
Lets talk about savory and healthy vegan options for dinner, shall we?
I’m going to start with a fresh and crispy salad. This option is for those who eat the heavy meal at lunch (which is the correct way of doing it). I recommend this recipe because it is so easy to prepare, nutritious and delicious. Also, it gives you room to be creative and add anything you may want like nuts, sprouts, and so on. Here is the recipe.
· ‘Bacon’ Wedge Salad with Vegan Bleu Cheese Dressing
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1 pinch black pepper 1/4 cup plain almond milk 1 pkg. vegan bleu cheese crumbles (optional)* 1 head iceberg lettuce, quartered 1 medium red onion, diced 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 1/3 cup vegan bacon bits or tempeh bacon (or any vegan bacon of your liking)
Directions:
Combine the vegan mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and black pepper in a small bowl. Add a teaspoonful of the almond milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Add the vegan bleu cheese.
Pour the dressing over each lettuce wedge, then sprinkle with the onions, tomatoes, and bacon bits, dividing evenly between each salad.
The following two recipes are for those that eat their heavy meal for dinner. I recommend them because I LOVE PASTA. I could be Italian! Both this recipes are to die for, and are also great for when you have non-vegan people over. Unfortunately non-vegans believe us vegans eat mainly salads and if not, our food is not tasty. This recipes are perfect to prove them WRONG!
In the event you prepare them for visitors, make sure the presentation looks pretty, these recipes give you that opportunity, get creative!
Penne with “Italian sausage”
Ingredients:
1 1-lb. pkg. whole-wheat penne 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup vegan Italian sausage, defrosted and diced (we recommend using Upton’s Naturals Italian Seitan, Tofurkey Italian Sausage, or Field Roast Italian sausages) 5 whole Campari or Roma tomatoes, cut in half 5 white or baby portobello mushrooms, cut in half 1 cup chopped raw spinach leaves 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup red wine 1 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. onion powder 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves 2 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes Vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast, for garnish
Directions:
Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions.
While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in your deepest saucepan, skillet, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, toss in the vegan Italian sausage and cook, flipping occasionally, until slightly browned. Then, add all the remaining ingredients except the vegan Parmesan and cook, mixing gently without squishing your tomatoes. Once the spinach and basil begin to wilt, toss in 1/3 cup of the cooked and drained pasta and mix. Add another 1/3 cup pasta and mix. Continue until all the pasta has been added and mixed.
You’ll know dinner is ready when the tomatoes are tender, the greens are wilted, and the pasta is coated.
Serve hot with some vegan Parmesan on top, and garnish of your liking.
Mushroom stroganoff (My favorite of the two) Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 large shallots, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons minced thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon minced rosemary
1 pound Portobello mushrooms, stemmed and cut into large pieces
1 ounce porcini mushrooms, soaked for 30 minutes in 1 cup of water that has just been boiled, and roughly chopped
½ cup dry white wine
1 pound whole-grain fettuccine, cooked according to package directions, drained, and kept warm
Chopped parsley
1 cup Tofu Sour Cream (recipe follows)
Tofu Sour Cream Ingredients:
1 (12-ounce) package extra firm silken tofu, drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Directions:
Place the shallots in a large skillet and sauté over a medium heat for 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep them from sticking. Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for another minute. Stir in the salt and pepper, rosemary, and the portobello mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the porcini mushrooms, and their soaking liquid, and the wine. Stir, and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. When the stroganoff is finished cooking, stir in the sour cream. Add the cooked noodles and toss well. Serve garnished with the parsley.
Tofu Sour Cream:
Use this healthy dairy alternative in any dish that calls for sour cream. Serve it with baked potatoes and fresh chives, with tacos or enchiladas, or with Mushroom Stroganoff. Makes 1½ cups. Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Chill until ready to serve. Salt to taste.
I also want to share this YouTube video with you from Fablunch. This recipes ideas are not as quick and easy as the ones I provided above, but they are EXTREMELY nutritious and oh, so tasty!
You can also brag with these with your non-vegans family and friends, especially the stuffed bell peppers. Every time I make them people are so impressed because they are delicious and it looks really good. Hope you enjoy!
Since I have provided ideas for a healthy vegan breakfast, I’m going to dedicate the next posts to give you healthy and delicious ideas for lunch, dinner and snacks.
So, for lunch how about preparing a delicious vegan cream of broccoli? I personally like creams of soup better than regular soups, probably because I grew up drinking regular soups and I always try to eat different things. This cream of soup will fill you and provide you with all the nutrition you need. In case you did not know, a cup of broccoli contains the essential amount of protein needed for a healthy diet. Also:
Broccoli is rich in dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants
it is highly beneficial to skin
It promotes hair growth
it helps to prevent cancer
It helps in boosting the immunity system, in regulating blood pressure, thus preventing heart attack and stroke
It is very rich in potassium, so it helps maintaining a healthy nervous system.
For all these reasons and because it is so delicious, I think you will enjoy this recipe.
Cream of broccoli soup:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped onion (from about 1/2 medium onion) Kosher salt 1/2 cup chopped celery (from about 1 medium stalk) 1 clove garlic, smashed Freshly ground black pepper 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3/4 pound) 4 cups broccoli florets 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until light brown, about 7 minutes. Add the celery, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, 4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Return the heat to medium, cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the broccoli, cover and cook until the broccoli is bright green, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the soup to a blender; add the soymilk and puree until smooth, leaving the filler cap slightly open to let steam escape (or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender). Return the soup to the saucepan and bring to a simmer; stir in the nutritional yeast and nutmeg. Add water if needed to adjust consistency and add salt and pepper to taste. (recipe provided by The Food Network)
· Rice, Bean, and Kale Bowl With Lemon-Dill Tahini
If you like heavier meals, this plate is the one for you. It is definitely a complete meal, with all the nutrients needed daily. Don’t focus on how it looks, a lot of times we won’t eat something regardless of how it tastes because of how it looks, which is a very human like behavior. As vegans, many times our dishes don’t look too pretty, but they are very delicious, and most importantly, extremely nutritious.
In case you did not know, mindbodygreen.com says kale is being called“the new beef,”“the queen of greens,” and “a nutritional powerhouse.”
And combined with black beans, it delivers complete protein, fiber and nutrients. Let’s also remember that rice and beans are economical and filling. (Info provided by The World Healthiest Foods and healthy eating )
For all the above reasons an because it is so simple to prepare, I believe you will enjoy this dish.
Ingredients:
1 can black beans 1 cup tahini or hummus 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 Tbsp fresh dill 1 cup cooked brown rice 1 bunch kale, steamed 1 Tsp vegan Parmesan (optional)
Directions:
Heat the black beans in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
Mix the tahini, lemon juice, and dill together in small container until the consistency resembles dressing.
Layer the cooked brown rice, black beans, and steamed kale in a bowl and top with the tahini dressing. Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan and enjoy!
I want to share the following YouTube video of Rachelleea with you because she gives really practical recipes for lunch that are also very nutritious, economical and tasty. These recipes you could easily prepare to take to work.
Veganism: A lifestyle 