Vegan Beauty 101 Column: iEG

As as the social media intern for iEatGrass.com, I was given the opportunity to write the beauty column. Editorial powers too!? Bonus! 

Beauty 101 is a DIY/review hybrid. Basically, I like to concoct stuff out of ingredients that I (and most people) already have lying around the house. Everything is natural. So far I have done both an avocado mask and an oatmeal hand scrub.

This week, I plan to try a banana sugar body scrub. I really would like to get some reader feedback and suggestions!

If there is ANY beauty product (animal product/cruelty free) you would like me to review or any DIY concoction you would like me to try before you do, PLEASE let me know!

I appreciate any comments, suggestions, thoughts, questions, whatever! Let me be your guinea pig. I'll try anything once, just let me know in a comment. Be sure to keep up with iEatGrass for all of your vegan lifestyle news and entertainment!

This Just In: Preggers and Vegan?

Hey I know you, you have adopted a plant-based diet to help save the animals, the planet and yourself. But now you’re knocked up–congrats! And you’re wondering, could a vegan diet be detrimental to your unborn child? New research claims that consuming milk and eggs during pregnancy can lower your baby’s risk of developing a stress-related illness as an adult.

I’m no doctor, and this is just a side note but: No matter who you are, as long as you have bills, deadlines and relationships… you’re going to be stressed. I do understand that stress-related illnesses are serious and prevention is important; especially when it comes to your own child.

Pregnant women who eat foods that are high in choline (meat and eggs) have babies with lower levels of cortisol which is a hormone that affects the response to stress in the body. Apparently, Natalie Portman tweaked her vegan diet and consumed dairy and eggs to provide this nourishment to her son. After she gave birth, she ditched the dairy.

On the other hand, according to the American Dietetic Association, a plant-based diet planned in accord with current dietary recommendations can easily meet the nutritional needs of pregnancy.

This photo is from my sister-in-law’s baby shower [she's in the pink & blue]. All the dishes in the photo are veg-friendly! 

Pregnancy is definitely a period of time in a woman’s life when nutritional needs increase. Obviously, as for pretty much every food known to man there are alternatives. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the richest vegetarian source of choline is toasted wheat germ. Other sources include Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Peanut butter can do the trick as well.

If it makes you feel better, in a Q&A, Alicia Silverstone said that all of the vegan pregnancies she had witnessed have been way smoother than those of her non-vegan friends.  

Vegan or not, the diet you chose to stick to during pregnancy is probably the first of many decisions you will make as a parent. Make it easier on yourself, do the research to ensure that you provide your baby proper nourishment throughout your pregnancy as well as the rest your child’s life.

Comments? Share your thoughts, stories or experiences in a comment!

Check out the original post on iEatGrass! LOVE my internship!

Cheese-hab: A Cure for Casein Addictions

Photo From donhalbert.com

It’s cubed, stringed, fried, melted, spreadable, dip-able; all the best ways to enjoy food but unfortunately, not free of animal secretions.

Cheese: a food that, as vegans, we like the idea of it more than we actually like it. Perhaps this key ingredient that separates vegans from vegetarians is due to its drug-like qualities. Is it true? Is cheese…addicting?

IFRAME Embed for Youtube

Does this clip hit home? Maybe you yourself are a cheese addict. Here’s why:

The primary protein in milk is casein. According to The China Study, casein is the most “relevant” chemical carcinogen ever identified; not to mention cancer-producing. As you digest casein, it breaks apart to release morphine-like chemicals. Since cheese is denser than milk, the casein is more heavily concentrated which means the cheese produces a larger amount of the “drug.” After swallowing cheese, these chemicals enter your bloodstream, pass to your brain and attach to your opiate receptors. Hence, making you feel addicted.

Ever hear anyone say “I could totally be vegan, but I could never give up cheese.” Well, that’s why.

Scientists say that the reason why cheese digestion produces the “morphine-like” chemicals is because there actually are tiny amounts of morphine in cheese! These opiates are found in cheese because they are in the cow’s milk. The hormone is used to bond baby cows to their mamas! Sense a correlation here?

Neal Barnard, president of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine declared ever so eloquently that cheese is “morphine on a cracker” and refers to the drug as “dairy crack.”

Barnard is not the only one who associates cheese with drugs. President of the Body of Animal Rights Campaigners organization, at the University of Central Florida, Alanna Wagy, dubbed cheese “the heroin of foods.”

FreeFromHarm.org suggests breaking the addiction with this program: go on a dairy fast for three weeks at the least. Your taste buds will change, and you will find the craving greatly weakened or even gone. You’ll still have a taste for creamy, rich and fatty foods in your diet, but at this point, you will have learned to satisfy them with healthier foods from plants instead of animals.

In reality, being addicted to cheese should not be used as an excuse and should not deter a person from adopting a vegan diet. There is nicotine gum and the patch for cigarette addicts just as there are delectable non-dairy alternatives and substitutes for cheese addicts.

Voila! Vegan meds. You’re cured.

This article was originally posted on iEatGrass.

So you thought it was Vegan? Vegan sneak-rets!

To learn more about sneaky non-vegan ingredients that lurk in some of your favorite products and food items click here!

My first article published on iEatGrass.com! High hopes for many more :)

Oh, and Ethos Vegan Kitchen update: IT HAS FINALLY OPENED! Excited to check out the new location. Photos and review to be posted soon!

Kathy Freston

Love this woman! She is so positive and has such a wonderful way of enlightening her audience. I can listen to her forever! @kathyfreston.

I hope to be as successful as Kathy one day. She uses her passion for a healthy lifestyle to help others through writing and interviews and so on. She is so in tune with life and really takes everybody's lifestyle situations in consideration. Such an inspiration! http://www.kathyfreston.com/

Oh, and don't forget to follow me on Twitter! @GetVeg

Hamburgers & Hot Dogs

At work on Wednesday, I overheard a mother asking her son what he would like for lunch (I work at a gym, mind you.) She suggested a hamburger. The conversation went a little like this:


Mom: Do you want a hamburger?
Son: A hamburger and a hot dog.
Mom: How about a hamburger now and a hot dog for dinner?
Son: Hamburger AND hot dog!!

Alright little boy... calm down. You'll most likely get your happy meal on the way home. If you decide you're still hungry by the time you get to the house... you might get your hot dog too. If not, hot dog for dinner -- guaranteed.

Okay, here goes the break down (assuming a stop at McDonald's took place on the way home):

According to McDonald's: A Happy Meal is a juicy hamburger with kids sized world famous fries, apple slices and your choice of fat free chocolate milk, low fat white milk or apple juice.

According to real life: Happy meals and the like are HUGE contributors to child obesity. Any combination of a Happy Meal whether it's fries and nuggets, burger and apple dippers -- whatever -- the caloric intake will almost always be over 50% of a child's daily caloric needs.

According to Skinny Bitch: about 99 percent of the meat in our country comes from factory farms. We already know that the animals in these farms are raised in confined, cramped quarters. In order to prevent disease and promote growth, the animals are given hormones, steroids, pesticides, and antibiotics. After this process, we feed the animals to our children in the form of Happy Meals. Our children, in turn, ingest this junk. In addition, the saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and all that other gross stuff just speaks for itself.

I don't even really want to get into what hot dogs are made of. I mean, who does?

Obesity is a huge deal. It is a disease that leads to other diseases and can be fatal.

I guess I was just disgusted to hear this conversation. Think, people! Is this what we want our children to grow up eating? Do we want them to think it's OK to eat this garbage?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! You are what you eat. Remember that.

Attention! Ethos Vegan Kitchen is relocating!

Although the charming downtown location will be terribly missed by many, Ethos' move is definitely a positive one.

The new Winter Park location is super close to where I work: PLUS! Also, it will actually have more than four parking spaces; another plus! From what I hear, service will be A LOT better since the restaurant now offers full on table side service.

If a more casual setting is preferred, it will have a lunch bar and a counter area dedicated solely for pick-up and to-go orders to cut down time waiting in line.

So, overall, I am excited about this. I cannot wait until the grand opening this summer to drag all my friends to Ethos and make them taste the best vegan food Orlando has to offer! (Well, that I've tried at least.)

For more information check out my article in the Central Florida Future:
Veg out at Ethos' new location - News - Central Florida Future - University of Central Florida

Veganism not just for hippies — athletes join club

The semester has finally come to an end as finals week is getting the best of us.

I want to reiterate that vegans are not hippies. Not consuming animal products does not equal hippie. People eat this way to improve their health and life for the future. Of course, a vegan diet ultimately helps the planet and was definitely a huge factor in my decision, but to some that is not the case.

I'm obviously not the only person who thinks this way of life is perfectly normal, so I listed a few well-known professional athletes and celebrities just to prove it.

Baseball writer Jonah Keri wrote, "Who says you have to eat meat to be a successful athlete?" Keri explains how many athletes say that choosing a vegan diet enhances their performance. These smarty-pants athletes also know that they are not going to be ball players and stick handlers forever. They know that staying away from meat and dairy will start improving their health for when they get older.

Others are faced with health conditions, such as Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, that may force them to make the switch.

There have been several world-class athletes who adapted to a vegan or vegetarian diet, including former NFLers Desmond Howard and Ricky Williams, NBA guard Salim Stoudamire, track and field star Carl Lewis and Edwin Moses along with many others.

In May 2007, 247-pound, Gonzalez was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy. His doctors prescribed a diet made up of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds as a way to improve digestion and combat the condition. Now, he loads up on berries, bananas, mangos, fresh vegetables, rice milk and hemp milk and blends them into power smoothies.

Gonzalez was shocked that he felt so good when the season started. In the fourth quarters of games, he was sprinting past tired defenders. He also found himself more alert during team meetings. After game day while his teammates were sore and worn out, he'd check into the gym for a post-game workout.

Like Mixed Martial Arts? Five-foot-9-inch, 155-pound Mac Danzig became a vegan in 2004. Ever since, he says, he seems to have quicker recoveries from the beatings he takes during fights. Although MMA fighters are typically linked to meaty diets with shockingly high protein contents, Danzig is still able to fight under the direction of the Xtreme Couture MMA Gym in Las Vegas and keeps up with some of the biggest names in the sport.

The New York Knicks' Amar'e Stoudemire hasn't completely ditched the meat, but he is definitely down for boycotting fur and posing for PETA's "Ink, Not Mink" campaign. While promoting the campaign, Stoudemire admitted he tends to a four-day vegan diet as a type of body-cleansing. He stated the diet will "purify my body, and get my body in top shape."

Even local athletes recognize the plant-based diet. Allen Altfield, a senior computer science major, as well as a vegan athlete, gets enough protein without the animal fat. Altfield is more than impressive, traveling 3,800 miles — on a bicycle. He departed from Tybee Island, Ga., and ended up in San Francisco to raise green awareness. He traveled through 13 states in around 70 days with minimal training. Tell me, can any ol' meat eater can do that?

Remember the movie Clueless? Do Cher, Dionne and Amber ring a bell? If it not, at least try to remember that popular blonde Alicia Silverstone. Since becoming a vegan, Silverstone said she feels physically and spiritually better than she could ever have imagined. She even wrote a book, The Kind Diet, and appeared at UCF a few months back to talk to students about why to consume a vegan diet and the benefits.

PETA's sexiest vegan and vegetarians list include Olivia Wilde, who claimed that she felt "beyond [her] desire to boycott the torture factories, I am also way happier when I eat a plant based diet, and I feel about a thousand times more energetic." Carrie Underwood, Anne Hathaway and Josh Harnett said their good-byes to meat too.

"One day I was cutting up a chicken for my mom, and I hit a tumor with the knife," Hartnett said. "There was [pus] and blood all over the place. That was enough for me."

Andre 3000 admitted he prefers a good meal with broccoli "because I'm a vegetarian," after being asked during a post-award show interview.

Oh, and don't be so hard on yourself. You are the only person who can control what goes in your mouth.

As Altfield said: "I guess I've mentally blocked out negative feedback. Haters will be haters, but as long as you speak the neutral truth, they won't be able to provide any logically negative criticisms."

Check out this column post in the Central Florida Future!

If you want to save the planet, go with a vegan lifestyle

This week, I would  like to introduce the final deciding factor that drove me to become vegan. Drum roll, please ... our planet, Earth!

Yup, our very own home since Day One. Earth has given us water, shelter, life and so on. And what do we do in return? Pollute it by building slaughterhouses. Bad move. Factory farms release massive amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to what can possibly be the last straw for our green planet — global warming. These farms also contaminate local water supplies.

According to the United Nations, raising animals for food causes more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, planes, ships and trains in the world combined.

Cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys on factory farms generate billions of pounds of drug-infested feces per year. The feces often end up in nearby waterways killing millions of fish and initiating other dangerous effects.

And listen to this: If my Meatless Monday rant interested you, having one meat-free day per week would have the same carbon dioxide savings as taking 8 million cars off U.S. roads, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

"Most UCF students are making an effort to go green, but the unarguable fact is, the biggest way to minimize your impact on climate change is by switching to a plant-based diet," said computer science major Michael Altfield. "And, in my opinion, it's one of the easiest changes you can make."

For those of you that still think this is a load of crap, you can do your part in other ways. Try eating and drinking less animal products or even better, try to eat organic meat produced from small farms where animals are raised without all the antibiotics and chemicals.

Meat isn't the only reason to go organic. Try going organic when you buy the "dirty dozen." More commonly known as: apples, bell peppers, blueberries, cherries, celery, imported grapes, peaches, nectarines, lettuce, potatoes, strawberries and spinach. These fruits and vegetables are higher in pesticide residue than others.

Back to my point. In the end, meat is bad for all involved. The consumption and production of meat causes bodily and environmental damages. If you're not motivated to give up meat for your own health and safety, give it up for the planet. The place we all call home.

The No. 1 response I get from meat-eaters when they find out our diets have nothing in common, is that, "humans need to eat meat in order to get enough protein."

False. Couldn't be any more wrong.

The fact of the matter is that a meat based diet contains an excessive amount of protein than our bodies actually need.

According to Dr. Reed Mangels, we need about 0.36 grams of protein per pound that we weigh. Calculate that and I guarantee that if you add up your daily intake of protein, it's significantly more than that.

So stop using that as an excuse, people. Like I have shared in past entries, you do not need to eat meat to get a sufficient amount of protein. By eating meat you are actually getting more than enough protein!

For more information about protein from Mangels, visit vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

If you want to save the planet, be vegan.

It also couldn't hurt to get involved with the Intellectual Decisions on Environmental Awareness Solutions  organization on campus.

Check out this original post in the Central Florida Future!

McVeggies and salads and Fourthmeals — oh my!

Nowadays, pretty much all restaurants and fast-food chains offer salads, which are always an easy out for vegans and vegetarians. However, the leafy filled dish can get to be unsatisfying and boring. So don't settle — try something new.

Being a vegan doesn't mean you should avoid eating out. Just in case you end up around one of these establishments I listed, you know what to order.

 In order to persuade meat-eaters to eat healthier, vegan/vegetarian options must be available in the places where they dine. We must show that we support these places to get what we want in return. Even Burger King offers its BK Veggie; a vegetarian (not vegan) burger. Help by ordering these menu items at restaurants that you've been eating at for years.

Baskin-Robbins offers dairy and gelatin-free ices and sorbets. Enjoy them as you would ice cream, except without the horror of dairy — need I remind you of the hormones?

One of my favorites, at Cheeburger Cheeburger and Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, is a large, grilled vegan Boca burger. Enjoy a grilled Portobello mushroom sandwich at Cheeburger Cheeburger as well.

At Chili's, order the veggie quesadillas or fajitas and substitute the cheese and sour cream with extra vegetables and guacamole. In fact, you can create vegan quesadillas and fajitas in most restaurants. Also offered is a vegetarian black bean patty that can take place of any burger or sandwich meat on the menu. Chili's vegetarian menu cautions to avoid all fried food because the same fryer oil is used for animal products.

Chipotle also offers a vegetarian fajita burrito. Ask for black beans instead of the pinto beans, which are cooked with bacon.

If pizza is your go-to fast food,  make Little Caesars and Papa John's your choice. The pizza sauce and dough at both restaurants are vegan. Omit the cheese and choose your favorite vegetable toppings instead. You can easily create a tasteful vegan pizza.

A new find for me is  The Boston Coffee House, in the Waterford Lakes shopping plaza. I went for  the first time recently and ordered the Mango Salsa Salad with mandarin ginger dressing and asked them to stuff it into a pita for me. It was vegan-ly delicious! They allow you to fill any pita with a salad or roll it up into a wrap. Also offered is a roasted vegetable pita — leave out the cheese and substitute the cucumber sauce for a non-cream based dressing. Don't forget to ask for soy milk and hold the whip when ordering a coffee drink.

Vegans can also enjoy Denny's any time of the day. Denny's vegan foods include oatmeal, English muffins, bagels, grits, applesauce, fresh fruit, vegetable plates, seasoned French fries, baked potatoes with several vegetable toppings, garden salads with light Italian or oil-and-vinegar dressing, and sandwiches that can be made with several vegetable options.

Craving a good old fashioned fast food burger? Johnny Rockets features the Streamliner, a vegan Boca burger with grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mustard. And if you're visiting New York City or California, McDonald's is offering a McVeggie burger as a trial run.

Macaroni Grill has several vegan options, including all the pastas with garlic and oil and its Capellini Pomodoro. If you order Tomato Bruschetta and Penne Arrabbiata without cheese, you're golden.

My favorite bagel place of all time is Manhattan Bagel. Guess what? The bagels are vegan. Just use your judgment, obviously the jalapeño cheddar cheese and egg varieties are not vegan. The Manhattan Grille and Vegetable Garden sandwiches can be made on a bagel, a roll, or a tortilla and are vegan if you omit the spreads and cheese.

Lime Fresh Mexican Grill also offers a tremendous amount of vegan and vegetarian options. Order any veggie option on Mondays and receive 20 percent off your meal. Still craving Mexican? All of Moe's Southwest Grill's tacos, fajitas, salads and burritos can be made vegan by substituting tofu for meat and skipping the cheese. Double check and make sure it's being made with a vegan tortilla.

P.F. Chang's is one of the most vegan-friendly restaurant chains around. Its vegetarian menu is terrific, and everything can be made vegan; from appetizers such as Tofu Lettuce Wraps (I order it every time) to entrées like Orange Peel Tofu.

A local favorite is Pollo Tropical. Several vegan options are available such as the Vegetarian TropiChop entrée. Other vegan items include Balsamic Tomatoes and Bananas Tropical. The chain's black beans, French fries, white rice, yellow rice, boiled yucca and corn are vegan too.

An alternative to Subway's Veggie Delite is Quiznos's veggie sub. Order it filled with guacamole, black olives, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and mushrooms.

If you're in the theme parks  and your stomach starts growling after venturing through Animal Kingdom, the Rainforest Cafe offers The Natural Burger without the Safari Sauce and the Morningstar Garden Grill.

Feeling the Fourthmeal? Taco Bell's dishes can be veganized if you omit a few ingredients. The tacos, nachos, and Mexican pizzas are vegan when you order it without the meat, cheese and sour cream. Or stick with the bean burrito without the cheese. Same with Del Taco.

If you pass a Wendy's, go for a plain baked potato, the Deluxe Garden Salad with red Italian dressing and no cheese or French fries.

Do some research. You'll be surprised at what your favorite restaurants offer. Read the menu, use your judgment and ask questions if you need to. This is your chance to broaden your horizons and add more variety to your diet.

For more information on how to go out to eat vegan-style, visit peta.org/living/vegetarian-living.

Check out my column as seen in the Central Florida Future!

Have a Meatless Monday with these restaurants and recipes

If you're reading this week then I have succeeded keeping your little hungry mind interested. Just in case you were worrying, you're not the only one internally debating whether or not to give up the meat and dairy. Believe it or not, local restaurants are actually starting to catch on! Bravo to the food industry.

Also, thanks to what is currently being recognized as a movement. Say hello to "Meatless Monday." Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health.

 The movement promotes environmentally friendly meatless alternatives. The sole purpose of Meatless Monday is to reduce meat consumption by 15 percent. In the end, you will improve your personal health and reduce your carbon footprint.

Additionally, experimenting once a week with plant proteins rather than animal proteins, such as lentils, tofu or beans will significantly reduce risks of cancer, heart disease, fight diabetes and even curb obesity.

People on low-meat or vegetarian diets have lower body weights. A recent study from Imperial College London also found that reducing overall meat consumption can prevent long-term weight gain. I don't know about you but I'm down with that.

If you're into experimenting, you also might want to try a new whole grain such as brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Once you begin to find alternatives that you enjoy, try to cut animal products. Slowly but surely, you will appreciate these suggestions.

Of course preparing your own food at home is always the best choice, however, we're college students. Who has time to cook with studying, homework, work and all of the other time-consuming stuff we do.

If you need a study break (because of course we‘re being studious on Monday nights, right?) Lime Fresh Mexican Grill off of Sandlake Road offers 20 percent off of all veggie options when purchased on Meatless Mondays. Good thing you can turn anything on the menu into a vegetarian option.

Not only will you receive a great discount, but you will also be consuming fresh vegetables delivered daily as well as daily home made salsas and guacamole. Their refried and black beans are organic and 100 percent vegan, no lard! Nothing gets kept overnight, so it is guaranteed fresh.            

If you don't feel like taking the trip (although it's worth it, trust me.) Then give your taste buds the opportunity to dine at Hummus House on University Boulevard. Their colorful "Go Vegan" stickers are hard to ignore. Their homemade falafel is packed with protein and fiber—substitute it for your usual pita stuffers. Their tabouleh, tahini dressing and several unique varieties of hummus are all made in house as well.

Moe's Southwest Grill also supports Meatless Monday. Six meatless options were finally added to the menu. These new items include grilled marinated organic tofu and a vegetarian burrito. Their meats and veggies are even cooked on separate grills. Finally, someone who gets our vegan lifestyles!

If you don't feel like going out, consider adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet at home. Enjoy them raw in salads. When enjoying your meatless creation, try to cut as much refined white sugar, white flour and white rice from your diet. Keep an eye on ingredient labels for these devilish white monsters.

When sautéing vegetables or baking your favorite treats, try using sunflower oil as a healthier alternative. Remember to avoid pre-packaged and processed foods to eliminate fat from your meals at home. You'll thank me.

Try it out, maybe you'll realize this whole vegetarian thing is for you after all. Maybe you're even considering the vegan lifestyle. Either way, even if you try it once a week, you are one step closer to bettering yourself and the planet. To make it easy for you, I took it upon myself to include a full day's worth of meatless recipes for you to enjoy.

Breakfast: Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup soy or almond milk

A few ice cubes (crushed if possible.)

1 medium banana (try fresh fruits rather than frozen).

Throw in whatever other fruits you like (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, mangos, you catch my drift, anything.)

Directions: Blend. Told you it was easy.

Lunch:  Tofurky Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices of Ezekiel bread (found in the frozen food section at Publix and Whole Foods. Place it in your fridge when you get home from the grocery to let it thaw.)

Tofurky (variety of brands found in Publix and Whole Food stores.)

1 small mango

1 small avocado

1 medium tomato

Lettuce (spinach or romaine)

Salad dressing of your choice (Also try ketchup, hummus or Vegenaise to substitute for mayo.)

Directions:

Toast bread. Spread condiment of choice on either one or both slices of bread. Place three slices of Tofurky on one of the slices of bread. Slice fruit. Use a few slices of each and layer on top of the Tofurky. Top with lettuce and cover with other slice of bread. Cut into triangles or rectangles, whatever you prefer and enjoy!

Dinner: Asian Tofu Wraps

Ingredients:

1 package extra firm tofu, cubed (found in produce section of Publix or Wal-Mart.)

Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce

Fresh garlic cloves

Sunflower oil

Edamame (pick up a large bag from the frozen food section so you can store it in your freezer)

Unsalted peanuts

5 ounce can water chestnuts, sliced in half

Scallions (optional)

Carrots (optional)

4 large lettuce leaves (or try whole grain tortillas if lettuce isn't your thing.)

Directions:

Pour some oil in a frying pan and turn up the heat. Toss in cubed tofu (you don't have to use the whole package. Just leave the remains in the package and place in zip-lock bag and store it in your fridge.) Let the tofu cook until it just begins to brown, you may need to mix it around a few times. Dice garlic and add it to the tofu. Then add the edamame, scallions, carrots, water chestnuts and any other veggies you want. Sauté until veggies are cooked and pour on some Soy Vay. Keep sautéing for about a minute. Add peanuts. Stir it around and count to 30 very slowly. Fill up some of those large lettuce leaves and chow down!

Check out www.meatlessmonday.com for more information, along with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes so you can start your weeks healthier.

Check out this column in the Central Florida Future!

The healthy benefits of a vegan diet

In previous posts, I have explained the reasons you should kick dairy and meat out of your diet for good. I touched on why consuming these products are horrendous for human health. I also briefly mentioned how these products can harm your health.

I feel that just "briefly mentioning" information like that is not an efficient way to get information out and I apologize for that. I dedicate today to telling you practically everything you need to know about the health benefits of a vegan diet.

People misunderstand vegans. Not all vegans are animal-rights activists. Not all vegans are hippies. Vegans don't starve themselves, either. There are vegans that are normal people, like me, who have an ambition to be healthy.

A vegan diet is healthy, balanced and prevents major diseases that happen to be abundant in America. One of the No.1 worst kinds of fat is saturated fat, which derives mainly from animal products. Reducing this kind of fat from your diet will significantly improve your cardiovascular health. A vegan diet limits these fats tremendously with the exception of some oils such as coconut oil.

Another pro to being a vegan is increasing the amount of fiber that you consume. Not only does a diet rich in fiber lead to healthier bowel movements, it also puts up a mean fight against colon cancer. Laugh if you want, but pooping is an extremely important factor in maintaining health.

If weight loss is your goal, it helps with that too. In fact, Skinny Bitch authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin dedicate an entire chapter to pooping. They admitted in an interview with www.thedietchannel.com that, "You've got to be a good pooper if you want to be skinny."

Do not confuse this for taking laxatives. I repeat: no laxatives. They are bad. Try life's natural laxatives such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. What do they all have in common you ask? If you haven't guessed it by now, they are all high in fiber! Don't forget to wash down these tasty poop-promoters with lots of water.

Another important aid to our diets is magnesium. Magnesium helps absorb calcium. Find these elements in nuts, dark leafy greens and seeds.

Don't forget about taking your vitamins! Forget the kind that you purchase in the bottle from the local pharmacy. Try the real stuff. For example, Vitamin E benefits your brain, skin, eyes and heart. Studies also show that the vitamin may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Find this super-vitamin in dark leafy greens, nuts and grains.

I know I mentioned this before, but it is something I feel is worth attempting to hammer into your heads again. As for protein, most Americans eat too much. No surprise there, I've mentioned why this is and hopefully it made an impression. Meat sources are not healthy ways of getting protein. Lentils, soy products, raw nuts and beans are. Get the right and healthy amount of protein for your body from a vegan diet.

While you begin to substitute meat and dairy products for nuts and whole grains, you are eliminating cardiovascular problems in the future. According to a British study, vegan diets reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes and helps prevent heart attacks and strokes. If you want these diseases, be my guest to go order a Happy Meal. I don't mean that -- please don't buy a Happy Meal.

One of my favorite parts of a vegan diet is that most products are cholesterol free. This means a lot to me because high cholesterol runs in my family. Do not mistake this for obesity. If you looked at my family, you would think we were a really healthy bunch.

Back in the day, I was the runt of my friends -- always the tiniest, always the shortest. However, my cholesterol levels hit the roof at around 227 when I was in sixth grade. That's basically off the charts awful for a 12-year-old girl. I was the girl dabbing my slice of pizza with a paper towel at birthday parties to get the grease off. Not cute.

There are good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterols. My main focus is to help break you away from the bad stuff. According to the American Heart Association, when too much bad cholesterol circulated in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. It also forms a thick, hard deposit called plaque that can narrow your arteries and make them less flexible. Try to envision the inside of your body right now. If you think that there is a chance it might look like this, or may look like this in the future, please consider what I am telling you. These arteries can eventually clot up and as a result promote heart attack and stroke.

Even the boobies reap benefits. In countries where women consume very little animal products, such as Japan, there is a lower rate of breast cancer. This is because a traditional Japanese diet is much lower in animal fats. According to www.cancerproject.org, when Japanese girls are raised on westernized diets, their rate of breast cancer increases dramatically.

Another major study directed by Dean Ornish, MD, clinical professor, Peter Carroll, MD, chair of the department of urology and the late William Fair, MD, chief of urologic surgery and chair of urologic oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, shows that switching to a vegan diet stops the progress of prostate cancer. Men in the early stages of prostate cancer who make intensive changes in diet and lifestyle may stop or perhaps even reverse the progression of their illness.

I could honestly write a 100-foot-long scroll front and back about all of the diseases you can prevent yourself from. To save you the time, I'll quickly go over a few more.

Vegan diets aid in helping to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration through the intake of fruits and vegetables. Ignoring dairy is parallel to alleviating arthritis symptoms. You can also prevent osteoporosis.

Like I said before, a vegan diet can be used as a weight loss tool if it needs to be, but that is not the main goal here. You will begin to feel more energized. When I stopped eating meat and dairy products I almost immediately felt like I had a boost of energy. The first few weeks I felt like my entire body went through its own natural cleanse. It was exhilarating. Everything about it felt healthy and fresh.

Vegans also have the benefit of having good skin health. Don't get me wrong, I still get the occasional massive breakout. So this may not be true for everyone. However, according to NursingDegree, many people who switch to a vegan diet will notice a remarkable reduction in blemishes.

This might be enough to sway you. If you have allergies skip the Benadryl. Try eating a little bit healthier. Stop eating the meat and the dairy. It is actually tied to the alleviation of allergy symptoms.

I used to get colds a lot. Since I became a vegan I have not had one stuffy nose. Think it is a coincidence? I fought off all of the illnesses my friends got during winter and when the weather was changing in between. I thank Vitamin C for that and of course, eating right.

Instead of bashing everything that you shouldn't eat, I wanted to give you the opportunity to know what you should be eating and why. As Barnouin and Freedman say, when given the proper fuel, our bodies function like perfect machines. Do your best to make sure your machine runs as long as it possibly can.

Check out this post in the Central Florida Future!

Healthy vegan and vegetarian recipes for Super bowl Sunday

Game time is approaching and party mode is in full effect. That means it's the first time since winter break that it's acceptable to pig out. Thank you, football gods!

Super bowl Sunday is all about the nachos, pizza, pigs in a blanket, pinwheels, soda, chips and dip, along with tons of other goodies. Being a vegan or a vegetarian doesn't mean you can't enjoy this great American tradition. You actually get to exceed enjoyment by being healthy at the same time. Score!

Traditional game day munchies are often packed with a lot of calories and a high fat content. According to research from the Calorie Control Council and Snack Food Association, the average viewer will consume 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat just from snacking on Super Bowl Sunday. That does not include regular meals.  

Worry no more! Today is your lucky day. Vegetarian chef Cindi Avila has provided meatless recipes to satisfy hunger and junk-food cravings for the big day. These recipes are super easy to make and your guests will never know the difference. Few of these recipes are vegan. As I said, it is all about baby steps. Luckily, most of these recipes can be "vegan-ized." To do so, substitute cheese for Daya substitute cheeses, Tofutti substitute cream cheese and butter such as Earth Balance, as well as other tasty alternatives I suggested in previous posts! You can find all of these products in either Publix or Whole Foods stores which are both conveniently near campus.

Mini Calzones with Lightlife Smart Deli Pepperoni

Serves 6
Ingredients:

1 package of Lightlife Smart Deli Pepperoni (diced)

8-ounce package of pizza dough

8 ounces ricotta cheese

4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Flour (for flouring surface only)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Flour surface. Roll out pizza dough from package and cut out 12 circles with large biscuit cutter. Put two tablespoons of ricotta cheese in center of circles, then sprinkle one tablespoon of chopped Lightlife Smart Deli Pepperoni over ricotta cheese and top with one tablespoon of mozzarella cheese. Fold dough in half and seal by pressing two sides together (can use a fork over the edges to pinch side). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve with marinara or tomato sauce on the side.

Smart Dogs in a Blanket

Serves 8
Ingredients

1 package of Lightlife Smart Dogs

8-ounce package of crescent roll dough

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out triangles of dough. Wrap each Lightlife Smart Dog into one triangle. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into bite-sized quarters and serve with mustard, ketchup and Veganaise Vegan Mayonnaise on the side. 


Lightlife Smart Deli® Turkey Pinwheels

Makes 32 Pinwheels

Ingredients

2 packages of Lightlife Smart Deli Turkey

1 package vegan cream cheese (softened)  

4 tablespoons relish

1 package small, soft tortillas (you can always substitute flower tortillas for whole grain ones.)

Directions
Mix cream cheese with relish. Slather mixture onto tortillas. Top with three pieces of Lightlife Smart Deli Turkey. Roll tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Put in refrigerator for approximately two hours. Remove and cut in one-inch slices, serve and enjoy. 

Chips and salsa is my favorite super bowl snack by far. I think I am addicted. I like to believe that I have perfected my own salsa and guacamole recipes. They are so incredibly simple to make. Give me a chance and try it out yourself. I won't let you down.

    

Killer Guacamole

Ingredients

Either a few Hass avocados or two large Fuerte avocados. Both can be found at Publix or Walmart stores.

1 lime

Fresh garlic

1 Tomato

1 purple onion

Any spices you desire (salt, organic garlic powder, organic onion powder etc.)

Directions

Remove skin and pit from avocados. Either puree in food processor or place avocado chunks in a bowl that has a lid (like Tupperware for example) and shake it up as hard as you can until most of the chunks are gone. Dice tomato and onion. Mix with avocado. Dice garlic as small as you can and add to mixture. Cut up the lime and squeeze in as much as you'd like.

I don't really have to many rules when it comes to cooking. Don't worry about measuring; measuring is for weenies. Just add ingredients little by little and keep tasting along the way to make sure it will satisfy your taste buds along with your guests. Spice to taste.

Salsa

Ingredients

2 "Trifectas" (Look for a package of pre-cut tomatoes/peppers. Green, yellow and red. Found in produce section at Publix and Walmart)

1 lime

Small chopped onion (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

Any spices you desire (salt, pepper, garlic, etc.)

Directions

Throw the Trifectas in a bowl, squeeze in as much lime as desired along with cilantro and spices and voila! Fresh homemade salsa! Of course you can also cut up your own vegetables -- but who has time for that? There's a game to watch!

Don't forget to pair these dips with organic tortilla chips from Publix's GreenWise section. Whole Foods and Super Target also offer some great chip options.

Combine the chips, salsa and guac with melted vegan cheese, Tofutti Sour Cream, Morning Star Meatless Crumbles, vegetarian refried beans, jalapeños, olives, onions, chives and whatever else you choose to top it with. You should always find a way to personalize your cooking. A Super Bowl party is the perfect way to show that off! Have fun with your new vegan or vegetarian ingredients.

Remember, you can have a fully satisfying meal without meat. These are just a few suggestions but Google will help you find more. There will always be a vegetarian substitute for your favorite food, and it will most likely be better. Try to improve your eating habits by adding a few more substitutions each week. Once again, your body will thank you.

The excitement of the Super Bowl is enough to get you to go crazy loco. Just thinking about all of this delicious yet extremely healthy food just makes me bounce of the walls with excitement. I love the game just as much as the next football fan, however, that doesn't mean I want to devour twice my average daily caloric intake in just one sitting.

Be smart; make positive and intelligent choices whatever the situation may be. More importantly, go Packers!

Check out my column in the Central Florida Future!