Honey Crystal Almonds

2 cups whole natural (unsalted!) or raw almonds

¼ cup honey

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 cup turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw)

1.      Spread almonds in a shallow pan. Place in cold oven; turn oven to 350°F and roast 12-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well roasted.

2.      Over medium heat in a medium saucepan, heat honey and oil to boiling. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer two minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.      Add almonds; simmer and stir for two minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer the almonds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Spread the almonds in a single layer and cool slightly.

4.      To coat, toss almonds with sugar in a medium plastic food storage bag.

Notes:

*I only had about 2/3 cup sugar (unbleached organic) when I made these & it was still too much.

**If you wanted a sweet/salty blend, you could shake a little sea salt in the sugar bag before coating the almonds.

BEWARE: Leaving these open on your countertop may be a bad idea!

Gingerbread Rice Krispie Treats

Just in time for Christmas, I found this recipe on a box of Kellogg's Rice Krispies. A quick perusal of the recipe convinced me it was just like my adapted recipe (See Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats) so it was as simple as adding a few extra spices.

The kids (and parents!) loved them and it was an effort to save some back for a second day.

Instructions:

1. Follow the Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat Recipe, with the exception that organic, unbleached sugar can be used in place of Sucanat to make them creamier.
2. Add 1 tsp. cinnamon; 3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg; 3/4 tsp. ground ginger; and 1/4 tsp. ground allspice to peanut butter and blend well before adding peanut butter to the sugar/honey cooked mixture.
3. Continue following recipe

Optional:
As an "icing", you can melt 2 cups white baking pieces and 1 tsp. coconut oil (or butter) in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread this evenly over cereal mixture. Chill until set (about 30 minutes). **Adding this eliminates the dairy free advantages, unless you can find a dairy free white baking "chocolate".**

Squash Casserole

Squash Casserole (GF/DF/VG)

3 pounds butternut squash, slice in half lengthwise; seeds & membranes removed

¾ cup almond or coconut milk

6 Tbsp. coconut oil

3 flax seed “eggs”

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup sugar

3 Tbsp. All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend (Bob’s or make your own)

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

TOPPING:

½ cup almond meal*

¼ cup packed brown sugar**

2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil

1.      Place cut squash lengthwise, inside facing down, on a baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 30-45 minutes or until squash is soft to the touch.

2.      Remove squash from oven, using a potholder (if necessary), scrape flesh from squash and place in bowl. Mash, beat or use food processor to make smooth and creamy.

3.      Add milk, coconut oil, “eggs” and vanilla. Mix well.

4.      Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl; add to squash mixture and mix well.

5.      Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

6.      Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over squash.

7.      Bake uncovered, for 12-15 minutes or until heated through.

Notes:

*GF ginger cookies, vanilla wafers or animal crackers may do well also.

**Sucanat would be preferable, but turbinado, rapadura or organic cane sugar will all do well too.

Chex Muddy Buddies

Chex Muddy Buddies (GF/DF/VG)

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips (We like Sunspire brand)

½ cup (scant) coconut oil or organic palm shortening

8 cups GF Chex cereal

2 cups powdered sugar (try to find Vegan!)

1.      Place chex-type cereal in a very large bowl.

2.      Melt together peanut butter, chocolate chips and oil/shortening on med-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

3.      Pour mixture over cereal and stir well.

4.      Place mixture and powdered sugar in large brown paper bag (I’ve even used a grocery-store plastic bag before)

5.      Shake well to coat.

6.      Pour onto wax paper to cool.

Bannocks with Goat Cheese

Bannocks with Goat Cheese (GF)

1 cup quick cooking oats (or rolled oats pulverized briefly)

1 cup Oat flour

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp mustard powder

¼ cup coconut oil

1 cup Goat cheddar or co-jack cheese

½ cup warm water

1.      Stir together oats, flour, salt and mustard powder.

2.      Cut in coconut with a fork, then stir in cheese.

3.      Add water and mix, kneading when dough becomes too stiff to stir (may need additional water added 1 teaspoon at a time)

4.      Divide dough into 2 parts and roll into circles, ¼-inch thick.

5.      Cut each circle into 4 wedges (or farls) and bake on a lightly greased baking sheet at 400°F for 20 minutes.

Mexican Rice

Mexican Rice (GF/DF/VG)

1 can (14.5 oz) undrained diced tomatoes

2-3 cups water or vegetable broth

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups short grain brown rice

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1-2 tsp. cumin

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can yellow corn, drained

Cilantro (optional)

1.      Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid. Add enough water or broth to make 3 cups; set aside.

2.      Heat oil in 4-quart heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid.

3.      Add bell pepper, onion & garlic; saute’ briefly.

4.      Add rice, cayenne and cumin (to taste); stir.

5.      Add the 3 cups reserved liquid.

6.      Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

7.      Add tomatoes.

8.      Cover and continue cooking 20 minutes.

9.      Remove from heat and add beans and corn. Mix gently a little.

10.  Let stand in covered pot for 10 minutes.

      11.  Fluff with fork, salt & cilantro to taste.

Yuck!

An acquaintance just posted this on Facebook and I had to share. If you know me, please don't ever ask me again why I became a vegan...this is reason enough!

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1631064.php/Jamie-Oliver-Vanilla-ice-cream-contains-beaver-anal-gland

Next time you want ice cream, it might be worth checking out So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream or making your own at home. It might cost a little more but at least it won't contain Beaver Anal Gland!

Yuck!

English Scones

This is one of my family's all-time favorites! This was the first recipe that I switched to vegan for us. My kids ate them 2-3 times before I told them I'd made the switch. So it's a great transition recipe.

2 c. organic spelt flour
½ tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. aluminum-free baking powder
¼ c. plus 1 Tbsp. organic sugar, divided (evaporated cane juice, rapadura, or Sucanat)
¼ c. organic coconut oil*
¼ c. organic raisins **
½ c. plus 1 Tbsp. milk of choice, divided (almond, rice or coconut)***
1 flax meal “egg”, beaten

1. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder and ¼ cup sugar.
2. Cut in oil with pastry cutter.
3. Fold in raisins, then mix in ½ cup milk and “egg”.
4. Roll dough into a ¾-inch thick circle and place on ungreased baking sheet.****
5. Brush with remaining milk and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until it starts turning golden brown.
7. Cut into 8 wedges.

Notes:
*May also use Spectrum Organic Shortening
**We prefer Organic dried cranberries. But I have also used frozen blueberries, frozen cherries or chunks or dark chocolate and a little grated orange peel. As long as your dough does not become too wet while you are folding them in, the scones will turn out fine. If your dough appears to be too sticky, try adding 1-4 more Tablespoons of flour. Stir between each additional Tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency.
***I RARELY use the additional Tablespoon of milk. Instead I sprinkle the additional Tablespoon of sugar (preferably rapadura) onto the scones.
****I press the dough right onto a baking sheet. I feel like the dough remains “lighter and fluffier” if I don’t roll it with a rolling pin.

Additional notes:

Spelt is NOT gluten free but can be tolerated by some people who are gluten sensitive.

This recipe is very easy to double if you need an easy breakfast item for a larger group of people. The scones are also significant in size. They could definitely be cut into 10-12 smaller scones instead.

Gingersnaps

I seem to be on a dessert kick. Sad commentary to my lack of motivation to cook dinners lately!

2 c. organic evaporated cane juice sugar
1 ½ c. organic canola oil
2 flax meal “eggs”
½ c. organic molasses
4 c. organic spelt*
4 tsp. aluminum-free baking soda
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. organic ground cinnamon
1 tsp. sea salt

Additional organic evaporated cane juice

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well.
Add “eggs” and beat well.
Stir in molasses.
Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Shape into ¾-inch balls and roll in evaporated cane juice.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until cookie springs back when touched lightly.
Remove to wire racks to cool.

Notes:
*Spelt is not considered gluten-free, but can sometimes be used by people that are gluten sensitive.

At Christmastime, I have dipped these in white baking chips (2 bags, 12 oz. each) melted with ¼ c. shortening. Of course, this nullifies the vegan and dairy-free aspect of the cookies. Our family loves them plain.

One batch can make 14 ½ dozen at the size recommended. We make them bigger so they come out softer, but it makes a lot less.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a modified version of a recipe my mom has made since I was a kid. I believe she first received it from my Aunt Marilyn.

2 c. organic unbleached flour*
1 tsp. aluminum-free baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. shortening (I prefer Spectrum Organic)
1 c. organic evaporated cane sugar
1/2 c. organic sucanat
2 flax meal "eggs"
2 tsp. FT/organic vanilla
1 pkg. Vegan chocolate chips (I prefer Enjoy Life Brand)
1/2 c. organic nuts, chopped (optional)

Cream shortening, "eggs" and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add flour and dry ingredients to sugar mixture in two parts. Mix well.
Add chocolate chips, optional nuts and vanilla. Mix well.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Allow to cool on baking sheet for 2-5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

For crisper cookies, bake longer.

Notes:
*To make these for gluten-sensitive people, substitute spelt flour for the unbleached all-purpose flour

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

I was SO proud of my kids this week! I came home late from work one evening and desperate for something sweet, they'd made their own converted recipe of my famous Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats. They simple substituted what they knew I've used before. Seems we're well on our way in this year of conversion, BUT...they still don't need FOUR squares do they?? Try telling them that!

1 cup honey (raw or conventional)*
1 cup Organic sucanat**
1 cup Organic Peanut Butter, creamy
6 cups Organic or gluten-free Rice Krispie-type cereal

1. Lightly grease an 11" X 7" cake pan.***
2. Combine honey and sucanat in a Dutch Oven or large pot and place on stove-top.
3. Heat on Medium-Hi until all sucanat is dissolved and liquid mixture begins to bubble. Turn off heat when mixture starts to boil.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Stir in peanut butter until well mixed.
6. Add 5 cups of cereal and stir well. Mix in as much of additional cup of cereal as needed to have a good, firm texture, BUT before it becomes too stiff to stir.
7. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan. Using spatula, smooth it out and press into corners of pan.
8. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes until they cut without falling apart. Cut before completely cool or they may be too difficult to cut.

Notes:
* Honey will be cooked in the recipe so raw is not necessary.
** Organic evaporated cane juice crystals or demerara may be used, but organic sucanat is nutritionally best.
*** A larger cake pan may be used, but treats will be considerably thinner and will need to be cut sooner to avoid cooling completely and increasing the difficulty of cutting.

These are always at hit at pitch-ins. Make sure you take plenty!

Cincinnati Chili

Funny thing about living near Cincinnati...everyone loves their chili! And they all have a preference- Gold Star vs. Skyline. Honestly, I couldn't stand either one even before I began to eat a more vegetable based diet.

But about two years before we moved here, I came across this recipe in an old cookbook my husband's mother gave him, Healthy Heart One-Dish Meals. It doesn't take much to modify any chili to fit a Vegetarian lifestyle. To be purely Vegan, it would probably have to be a strictly bean version.

Basic Recipe:

1 pound meat (I use Quorn grounds, but it does have rehydrated egg white in it)
2 cups chopped organic onion*
1 cup chopped organic green pepper*
2 cloves organic garlic, minced
2 Tbsps. organic chili powder
1 tsp. sucanat
1 tsp organic paprika
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar**
1 (15 oz) can organic kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2 oz) can organic whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped***
1 (8 oz) can organic tomato sauce***
1 organic bay leaf

Coat a dutch oven with cooking spray or small amount of organic canola oil. Add meat, onion, green pepper and garlic; cook over medium heat until meat is browned, stirring until it crumbles. [IMPORTANT- If you are using Quorn, do NOT add until these veggies are cooked and you have added all other ingredients, including liquid from tomatoes to the pot.] If using beef, drain meat mixture and return to pot.

Add chili powder and next 11 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until mixture is very thick, stirring often. remove and discard bay leaf.

Recipe Book Notes- "That's one way to serve traditional cinnamon-spice chili in the Queen City. If you want this two-way version plus extra toppings, just keep counting:"

Two-way = place one serving chili on 3/4 cup cooked spaghetti
Three-way = plus shredded cheese
Four-way = plus chopped onions
Five-way = plus beans (already in this recipe!)
All-the-way = plus oyster crackers

My notes:
*Onion and green pepper can be minced to cook down to the point of unnoticeable for picky eaters.
**Raw apple cider may be stronger than conventional, so taste and adjust sucanat amounts or switch to evaporated cane juice crystals if necessary.
***I often use canned organic diced tomatoes to eliminate the step of chopping these. I've also sometimes been without tomato sauce on hand and have used organic tomato juice to add additional liquid. Filling the empty diced tomato can with that amount of water (14 1/2 oz) can serve also. Saves you some money too!

This is a great, flexible recipe that our whole family eats. Admittedly, my meat eaters prefer the beef, but my theory is over time their taste buds will adjust and they won't even notice. The great thing about Quorn is that my vegetarian daughter came to me and said she couldn't eat the chili because it had meat in it. Love it when I fool them! After I let her in on the secret, she enjoyed the chili too!

Double Chocolate Cookies

Yum! I received the original recipe for these from Living Without through my e-mail. I've modified it to make it vegan. And my family actually likes these! I guess it's tough to go wrong with chocolate.

2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup dairy free spread (like Earth Balance soy free)
1 cup evaporated cane juice crystals
2 1/2 tsps. organic, fair trade vanilla
2 flax seed "eggs" http://talesofanewbornvegan.blogspot.com/2010/12/good-egg-replacer-recipe-flax-meal.html
1 cup gluten-free All Purpose Flour Blend (see below)
1 1/2 tsps xantham gum
2 Tbsps. organic corn starch
1 Tbsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup Vegan semisweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand is gluten, dairy & soy free)

1/2 cup organic powdered sugar

1. In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate and "butter" over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and whisk in sugar and vanilla. Whisk in flax eggs next.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour blend, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate mixture with a spatula. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours .
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.
5. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake in preheated over for 12 minutes. cookies will be soft. Cool them on baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

All-Purpose Flour Blend
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch

Notes: First time I made these, I used coconut oil in place of Earth Balance. After two hours of refrigeration, of course the dough was rock hard. If you want to use coconut oil (which I prefer) just don't refrigerate the dough unless it's mushy and then only refrigerate for a few minutes. Check it often to avoid the need to warm it up to room temperature again.

Granola Bars

1/2 cup organic peanut butter (I prefer smooth)
3/4 cup organic sucanat
1/3 cup honey
1 flax seed "egg" http://talesofanewbornvegan.blogspot.com/2010/12/good-egg-replacer-recipe-flax-meal.html
1/2 tsp. organic, fair trade vanilla
3 1/2 cup organic regular oats**
1/4 cup spelt flour
1 cup mini organic vegan chocolate chips (I prefer Enjoy Life because they're soy-free too!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 pan.

Cream peanut butter, sucanat and honey together until light and fluffy. Blend in "egg" and vanilla. Mix in oats and chocolate chips.

Bake 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 mins. Cut and let cool completely or refridgerate for 1 hour. Remove from pan and store in airtight container.

Notes:
1. Original recipe called for 1 cup butter so if you need nut-free, that is a possibility. Haven't tried coconut oil yet in place of peanut butter, but it could be done with a slight decrease in the amount.
2. Original recipe called for quick oats. If you use quick oats, eliminate the 1/4 cup spelt flour.
3. You can do any add-ins you want. If you change from peanut butter to another oil, these would be great with raisins, dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips, or any other combinations of dried fruit and nuts you like.

**These are included in the gluten-free catagory for people that are gluten-sensitive but can tolerate oats**

Sourdough Waffles

Yes...waffles!!
1 1/4 cup organic flour of choice (mine is white spelt)
2 tsp. aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp. aluminum free baking soda (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. organic or raw sugar of choice (rapadura, sucanat, honey or maple syrup)
1 flax seed "egg" http://talesofanewbornvegan.blogspot.com/2010/12/good-egg-replacer-recipe-flax-meal.html
1 cup sourdough starter
1/4 cup organic oil of choice (melted coconut or canola)
3/4 cup organic milk of choice (coconut, almond or rice)

Preheat waffle iron. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine sourdough starter, oil and milk. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together until moistened. Do not over mix!
Pour 1/4-1/2 cup of batter (whatever works for your waffle iron best) on the hot waffle iron and remove when the machine says it's ready.
Makes about 4 servings. For my family of 6, I could easily triple this recipe for one meal. We have a flip, Belgian waffle maker and they eat them as fast as I can make them. Leftovers can always be refrigerated or frozen and reheated later.

Eat with small amount of soy-free Earth Balance spread and organic, Grade B maple syrup. My family also likes these with strawberry yogurt and sliced bananas on top. Still trying to figure out how to make homemade coconut milk yogurt for myself!

**This is included under the gluten-free catagory for those that are gluten sensitive and can tolerate spelt flour**

Sourdough Wheat Bread for Bread Machine

1 cup starter
2/3 cup organic milk of choice (almond, coconut or rice)
2 Tbsp. organic oil of choice (melted coconut, olive or canola)
2 Tbsp. organic evaporated cane juice crystals or honey
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
2 cups organic spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp. yeast

Combine in bread machine in the order required...either wet to dry, as written, or dry to wet which is the reverse order.

Set your machine for whole wheat or specialty loaf and in about 2 1/2 to 3 hours you have delicious, hearty sourdough bread!

Sourdough Bread Machine Bread

This is for a medium sized loaf.

1 cup sourdough starter
2/3 cup organic milk of choice (coconut, almond, rice)
2 Tbsp. organic oil of choice (coconut-melted, canola, olive)
2 Tbsp. organic evaporated cane juice sugar
1 Tbsp. sea salt
3 cups organic spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp. yeast

These are entered in the order my bread machine specifies- liquid on the bottom to dry on the top. If your machine needs dry on the bottom, just reverse the order of ingredients ending with the starter on top.

Start up the machine and in about 2 1/2 to 3 hours you will have some amazing sourdough bread that slices easily for sandwiches. My kids favorite way to eat it is warm, right out of the machine with Earth Balance butter and homemade preserves on it.

Yum!

**This is under the gluten-free catagory for those that can tolerate spelt flour**

Sourdough Bread Starter

I'm including this under the gluten free section, because it is possible to make it for "gluten sensitive" people that can tolerate spelt.

The starter is simple!

Take a glass bowl with a tight fitting lid and mix together:
2 cups lukewarm milk
2 cups flour of choice (I started with unbleached organic white)
2 1/2 tsp (one pkg.) yeast

Mix this with an electric (even hand held!) mixer on the lowest setteing. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free location for 4-7 days, gently stirring it once a day.

And that's it!

At the end of this time period, when it is good and bubbly and has a good "sour" smell to it, use a minimum of one cup and "feed" the rest of the starter. Then place it in the refrigerator.

How to "feed" your starter??

Mix together the starter (always using a NON-metal utensil!). The liquid has probably separated, so mix it all back in. Remove 1 cup of the starter for your recipe. Then add 1 cup flour and 1 cup water to the starter. Stir this in well and let sit one day at room temperature. Then refrigerate until ready to use.

If at any time you don't want to use 1 cup of the starter at least once a week, just take out 1 cup, dispose of it and feed like usual. Also, if you're ever going on vacation or can't be home to use the starter within one week's time, you can freeze it, then thaw it out when you return home and proceed as usual.

Then only time your starter may have "gone wrong" and need to be disposed is if it changes color...like purple.

**As I said, I started with unbleached organic white flour. But I've always fed it with spelt. In just a few weeks time, you can convert your starter just by switching the flour you use for feeding.**

Another disclaimer- I have never left my starter sitting out for 1 day after feeding. I've always put it straight back into the refrigerator and I've never had difficulty with using it.

I'll enter recipes as I use the starter. Sourdough tastes great and is excellent for your digestive health. Enjoy!

Something Scary, but True!

Had a friend recently post this YouTube video on her Facebook page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe-CxnU-hFE

The speaker doesn't really share anything that I didn't already know. The problem for our family now is implementation...on a tight budget!

Some examples of changes we've already made:
1. No more tap water!
We've been refilling water bottles at any available source (usually Meijer or Wal-Mart) for about 7 years now. And now, we've even purchased a counter top water distiller. While I'm confident that removing the chlorine and fluoride from our drinking water (not to mention bacteria, lead and pharmaceuticals) is one of the best things we've ever done for our health, you can't always control this completely.
Just in the few years since we've made this change, a LOT has come out about toxins released in plastic bottles and metal bottles also contaminating your pure water that you're drinking. I don't know about you, but I find it difficult to take a glass bottle or cup to drink from when I'm out running errands or going for the day to an amusement park, etc. Plus, if you go out to eat anywhere (at least here in Northern Kentucky where we live), you're most likely going to be given tap water to drink when you request it.

My solution- They're pricey, but we're buying Klean Kanteens for each member of the family. Do your research, there may be cheaper brands that are just as good, but what you put your clean water in is just as important as the quality of water. Also, the counter top distiller price of around $300 seems steep. But the amount of money we were spending on refilling water from the machines at grocery stores (which honestly from their cleaning records visible on the machines are sometimes months behind in cleaning and maintenance!) was about $350 a year. The distiller saves us money within the first year!
Here's some links to these products:
http://www.amazon.com/Kanteen-27-Ounce-Classic-Stainless-Bottle/dp/B0010EMTU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302005542&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Waterwise-4000-Water-Steam-Distiller/dp/B002DQCMY6/ref=sr_1_cc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1302005594&sr=1-2-catcorr

2. GIVE UP THE POP!
Honestly, this is one we're still working on. There's something about that fizzy drink when you're eating out somewhere or with certain foods that we just can't quite overcome! YET, we have completely given up diet drinks and when we buy some for a treat at the store, we buy Hansen's with natural cane sugar or Sierra Mist which is now also with sugar only. (no High Fructose Corn Syrup) Additionally, if we eat out somewhere, we can easily pay an extra $10 just for drinks!
Why is this so difficult to give up even though it's costly?? Exactly as the video says...it's addictive. I regret ever letting my kids have pop...now it's too hard to say no!

A solution we're working toward: In my plan for transition this year, I'm going to be purchasing some water kefir cultures within the next month. [The delay is due to my work schedule. When tax season is over, I'll have more time for this kind of stuff.] Water kefir produces a "fizzy" water that is full of great digestive bacterial cultures and you can add fruit juices or whole fruits to it for flavor. You can also adjust the sweetness by the amount of additional sugar you add. So we can start out fairly sweet and over time, reduce that sugar intake. My plan is to juice our own lemons and limes (which we can get fairly cheap) for a Sierra Mist alternative. Or my husband has made his own ginger ale a few times too.
For water kefir culture information, visit Cultures for Health http://www.culturesforhealth.com/

3. No more fluoride!
Again, easier said than done. When you can get a tube of Colgate at the store for $1 or less and Tom's of Maine costs $4 or more and you have four kids (+ 2 adults) brushing their teeth at least twice a day...this one is difficult to do! Also, even if I successfully remove all fluoride from our home, I take them to the dentist and what does the hygienist do? Gives them a fluoride treatment!! [Don't even get me started on amalgam (mercury filled) fillings!]
Yes, I'm looking for a holistic dentist. But I'm fairly certain our insurance won't pay for one. And when you live at two times below the poverty level for a family of 6, money for a holistic dentist just doesn't compete with putting food on the table (or now, gas in the car when it's almost $4 a gallon!)
***Funny side note--just noticed the first three letters of fluoride spell FLU!***

My solution (again...still working toward for the family):
I make my own toothpaste and have been for about 3 months. If you just google "homemade toothpaste", you'll find lots of sites. I've even adjusted mine from my original recipe. It's very easy to make and the savings over natural brands is huge. So I won't go into a lot of detail here about the recipe other than to put your concerns at ease. Every recipe I've found uses three basic ingredients...coconut oil, baking soda, and essential oil.
Coconut oil- has natural anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. This stuff will not mold in the container even with touching my toothbrush to it everyday. Granted I am making just about the equivalent of one tube of toothpaste each time so it lasts only about 4-6 weeks per recipe.
Baking soda- Use aluminum free only. You don't want to eliminate the health benefits by scrubbing your gums with Alzheimer's causing aluminum byproducts! Also gives my teeth that dentist clean feeling every time I brush.
Essential Oil- Actually not essential to the recipe! I've made my toothpaste with just some peppermint flavoring (a few drops) before I had the oil. Use any flavor you want, I prefer peppermint, but you don't even really need it. If you're worried about bad breath, then go for it. Honestly, since I gave up meat, coffee and dairy, I don't have bad breath anymore!

4. Eliminating Aspartame, High Fructose Corn Syrup and Genetically-Modified Foods (GMO)!
Even if you can't afford to buy organics/natural foods, just avoiding convenience foods (like box potatoes and other box mixes) will go a long way toward eliminating these from your diet.
My solution:
Bake and cook at home from scratch as much as possible...difficult to do in our busy culture. But I'm convinced slowing down and taking the time is one of the best things you can do for your health!

5. Other stuff mentioned in this video:
I'm not even addressing the milk and meat hormones because I don't use either. But for my family, I only buy organic or for milk we actually use coconut or almond milk now. Yes, this means meat is more of a treat ...not a necessity. The Simply Delicious coconut milk is even organic! http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/product.php?p=so_delicious_beverage_hg_original If you click Like on FB for So Delicious, you also get links to great recipes that others have posted on the Internet.

6. Other stuff not mentioned in the video:
Deodorants with aluminum- Naturals are too expensive with 5 of us now using it. I'm in the process of converting to homemade. Again...lots of recipes on the web for these. Best thing I've done is give up meat and dairy! I've experimented and can actually go up to three days without deodorant. The key is what I eat. The minute I have something fried (Usually my weakness is fast-food fries...probably fried in oil laced with lard or other meat byproducts. Yuck!) or something with dairy in it, I begin to smell. I know, TMI...but true!

This also leads to the next one. Keeping my insides cleansed- God made our bodies with an amazing capacity for healing. I've done colon cleanses for years but only began to feel healed internally when I discovered the Gerson Therapy. I hope to blog more about this soon. But the thing to remember is...if my insides are backed up with the SAD food (Standard American Diet) that we all consume, how can my body heal with all of that poison inside? Again...this is an entire post by itself so I'll come back to this later.

Bottom line- While watching things like this or other documentaries I've seen (A Beautiful Truth, Food Inc, The Gerson Therapy, Food Matters, Super Size Me) can make me scared or lose hope that the task of healthy living is impossible because we're being sabotaged...the Truth is that the God who created our bodies knows exactly what we need and how to heal us. And the magnificent thing that He provided...again, before we ever knew we needed it...was a plethora of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains that contain everything we need for health and healing.

While you're doing your research and changing your ways...ask Him what changes He wants you to make. After all, He's the One that has told us to "run the race" and He's the Great Physician as well as Counselor. Doesn't it stand to reason that the Creator knows what's best for the creation?

Have peace and know that He is God!

A Great Vegan Slow Cooker Website

It's been awhile since I've posted, but life is slowing down and I hope to get back to it really soon. In the meantime, I wanted to post a link to a site for some new recipes that at least a few of my family love.

I have two that LOVE banana peanut butter sandwiches...fried is best (they say!). My daughter, Rebekah, had one at Graceland when she was 4 and has loved this sandwich ever since. She doesn't get it that often, so I was happy to discover Slow Cooker Vegan Elvis Oatmeal- The "Don't Be Cruel Oatmeal"
http://healthyslowcooking.com/2011/02/18/slow-cooker-vegan-elvis-oatmeal-the-dont-be-cruel-oatmeal/

I left off the vegan bacon bits, because frankly, that sounds disgusting and the sandwiches Dale & Bekah had at Graceland didn't include bacon anyway. But they both love this oatmeal. Peruse the website...there are tons of others to try.

We've also had the PB&J Oatmeal...also a huge hit! Admittedly, I have to add a little more sweetener than is recommended, but hopefully my sweet tooth will diminish someday.

Smoothies

As I sit her sipping my morning smoothie, I thought it was time for me to share what I put in it. I've procastinated sharing the recipe, because I don't really measure & it's a constantly evolving one. So I'll share the basics & you can modify it as you like.

1 banana, medium
1 c. berries (rasp, blue or straw are my favorites)
1 T. flax seed oil
1 T. raw honey
3 T. brown rice protein powder
1/4 tsp. kelp
1 1/2-2 c. coconut or almond milk (unsweetened cuts down on sugar content)
1 T. raw wheat germ

**2 T. Wheat grass (optional); 1 tsp. spirulina (optional- if you can get past the smell, it really doesn't have flavor as long as it is mixed in well & no chunks remain. It will turn your smoothie green!)**

Dump this all in a blender and blend. It's that easy and tastes great! Also, you can make it ahead of time, stick it in the fridge & it's a great breakfast drink on the run.

The only part I leave out for my kids is the protein powder. But little do they know I'll soon be sneeking it back in. The first time I tried adding some to theirs, I didn't have enough liquid in it & it gelled pretty quickly so noses where turned up & now I'm asked every time "Is there protein powder in this?"

Although it's been complicated to determine, when I posted this I wanted to include the nutritional information. I never would have imagined prior to my Vegan dietary changes that I could get so much nutrition in one little drink.

And don't let the calories or sugar content freak you out. This is designed to be a meal. It will fill you up for several hours. So as long as you're not eating this along with a 3-course meal, relax, enjoy and don't feel guilty about having a deliciously sweet shake! If you are concerned about sugar intake and wish to reduce it, simply replace the honey with powdered or liquid stevia according to taste.

Nutritional Information:
Calories- 499; Fat- 22 g (33%-Most of this is from beneficial flax seed oil); Sodium- 100 g (3-4%); Total Carbohydrates- 80 g (26%); Dietary Fiber- 15 g (41%); Sugars- 37 g; Protein- 21 g (27%); Potassium- 24%
__________________________________________________________________
Vitamin A- 13%; Vitamin C- 73%; Vitamin D- 30%; Vitamin B12- 50%; Magnesium- 10%; Zinc- 4%; Selenium- 8%; Folate- 6%; Iron- 36%; Calcium- 14.5%; Iodine- 260%; Omega 3- 500%; Omega 6- 2 g; Omega 9- 3 g

PLUS the following Amino Acids- *L-Isoleucine; *L-Leucine; *L-Lysine; *L-Methionine; *L-Phenylalanine; *L-Threonine; *L-Tryptophan; *L-Valine; L-Alanine;* L-Arginine; L-Aspartic Acid; L-Cystine; L-Glutamic Acid; L-Glycine; *L-Histidine; L-Proline; L-Serine; L-Tyrosine

*Essential Amino Acids


The vitamin & mineral content of Raw Honey is not included here. Do your research & discover all the benefits of consuming raw honey. Also, when I'd originally researched the berries & banana, the nutritional information did not include all the vitamins & minerals in them either.

**If you add wheat grass, you could be adding as much as 25% RDA of protein, plus adding chlorophyll and high amounts of Vitamins A, C & E AND 12 amino acids (8 of which are essential to our bodies). If you really want to get uber-healthy, try adding just 1 teaspoon of Spirulina and you'll get 4% RDA protein; 225% Vitamin A; 6% Thiamin; 7% Riboflavin; 33% Vitamin B12; 17% Iron; and more chlorophyll, Gammalinolenic acid; zeaxanthin; carotenoids; and c. Phycocyanin.

Kelp, wheat grass & spirulina are all Super Foods that you should try to add to your diet any way you can. And the great thing is it only takes very small amounts to reap HUGE health benefits!



Notes & Disclaimer- All of the nutritional information was what I could compile based on product labels & internet research. I cannot guarantee that all the information is complete or 100% accurate. Also all nutritional content would vary depending upon portion size and actual ingredients used.

Lentil Chili

8 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tsps chili powder
16 ounces brown lentils (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Bring 3/4 cup broth to a simmer in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook about 8 minutes or until onion and pepper are tender.
2. Stir in chili powder and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add lentils, tomatoes and remaining 7 1/4 cups broth.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.
5. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer.
6. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Notes:
You can add a piece of kombu to the pot while the beans are cooking to add iodine and speed up the cooking time a little.

Zippy Corn Chowder

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp. coconut oil*
14 1/2 oz vegetable broth or bouillon
2 large red potatoes, cubed
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups frozen corn
4 green onions, chopped**
3 cups milk of choice***
1/4 cup flour of choice****

1. In a large saucepan, saute onion & green pepper in the coconut oil until tender.
2. Add broth & potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer about 15 minutes.
3. Remove lid, stir in jalapeno, mustard, salt, paprika & red pepper flakes.
4. Add corn, green onions & 2 1/2 cups of the milk.
5. In a separate bowl or cup, combine flour & remaining milk until smooth. Gradually add this to the soup.
6. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until thick.

Notes:
*I prefer coconut oil for sauteing because it will not oxidize at normal cooking temperatures.
**The green onion are optional
***I prefer unsweetened almond or coconut milk.
****I prefer spelt flour or you could substitute organic corn starch or potato starch for high sensitivities to gluten.

This is a versatile recipe that you can reduce or increase the heat to accommodate your personal taste. As always, with all of my soup recipes, this is great paired with the Fast Cuban Bread.

Tropical Fruit Salsa

Here's another salsa recipe. It is mango season after all!

3 Tbsp red onion, minced
2 c. pineapple, diced
1 1/2 medium mango or 1 large, diced
2 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 medium jalapeno, seeded & minced
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Combine all ingredients
2. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 4 days (if it lasts that long!)

Corn Salsa

I love a good salsa and this recipe is one of my favorites.

1 cup corn (I've used canned or frozen in the past)
2 med. tomatillos (optional!)*
1 Tbsp. fine diced red onion
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno
2 tsp. lime juice (preferably fresh)
2 tsp. coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. honey

Notes:
* I don't usually have tomatillos on hand. But I almost always have the other ingredients, so I rarely use the tomatillos and just use a little more corn.

The great thing about salsas are once you have the flavor combinations, the quantities don't really matter much. So just throw some corn, diced onion, jalapeno (I usually use a whole one chopped and don't measure!), lime juice, cilantro & a bit of honey together, taste it and adjust if needed. Enjoy!

Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix

Okay, I went for convenience this time. Pamela's may cost quite a bit, but just to be able to open a mix, add a few ingredients like milk (non-dairy of course!), egg (replacer of course!) and butter (coconut oil of course!) and pop some yummy muffins, scones, banana bread or waffles in the oven...it is so worth the price.
Regular price at my local Kroger is $15.99 for the 4 pound bag. But the first time I bought it was because it was on clearance for $7.49! Deal of the week!
Now, I've ordered from Amazon & get 3 bags for a little under $40. That's still cheaper than the cheapest store price and it qualifies for Super-Saver no shipping fees with Amazon.
Is it cheaper to buy all the different gluten-free flours and stir up everything for myself? Of course! But when I'm in a hurry, we have no bread in the house and the kids (or I!) want something yummy for breakfast, you can't beat Pamela's!

**Disclaimer- Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix does include buttermilk powder so it is not Vegan. I'm still having difficulty eliminating all dairy and egg. The only way I can do this affordably, is to make everything from scratch. That's difficult when you're working. So I keep plugging away!

The Bottom Line

The numbers are in!

While reviewing our grocery & dining out expenses for the month of December, I discovered something interesting, that actually debunks the strongly held opinion of most people I know. It actually costs less to eat healthy. This was the first full month of my vegan lifestyle, plus I incorporated many more organic, natural, live, raw, thus healthy, foods into our family's lifestyle.

Granted, we're not total organic and we do still eat some things that aren't good for us, but improvement is my goal each month...not perfection. And if you can quantify such a thing, I think a safe estimate would be a 50-60% improvement in how everyone in our family is eating.

When discussing this financial revelation with my husband, he admitted that he's getting less hungry while he's at work. And I know my kids are asking for food less often. But yes, when they ask, they tend to complain that there's nothing here to eat. While that's not true, they think if they can't grab something out of a box or from the fridge already made then we "don't have anything."

Now for the dollar figures. Even with travelling around Christmas, hosting two families during the month, preparation for our family Christmas & taking food for a small group dinner & New Year's Eve party, plus having to eat out here & there because of the extra busyness, we were down over $200 in groceries (Which includes personal products. I don't split them in the budget) and down about $150 in dining out (I know...ridiculously high amount to be down...but dining out has always been our weakness!)

Plus, I actually lost weight during the month of December. Eight pounds to be exact! I'm pretty sure that has never happened to me before. Usually, I'm just content to not gain weight from late November to January.

So who says you can't eat healthy, save money and survive the holidays without gaining weight?? Who knows?? But the more I learn about food and big business, it was probably someone that wanted me to buy his highly-processed, toxic food!

Some Good Eats

You can read about my fasting failure on my other blog. Don't want to rehash it here. But I've recently had a few good, Vegan things that I wanted to share.

I purchased the Skinny Bitch Cookbook and last night tried the Curried Chickpea Fritters and Curried Roasted Cauliflower. Both where delicious! Can't wait to try a few more. The fritters did call for breadcrumbs and what I had on hand where Panko, but gluten-free crumbs could be substituted with no problem.

Also, I'd purchased Bragg's Liquid Aminos a few weeks ago and have hesitated to use it. You can look up the info on this item at their website (register & get FREE samples too!) but essentially, it's a soy sauce substitute (still made from soy, but guaranteed Non-GMO!) that is chock full of aminos every Vegetarian/Vegan needs. But the last 2 times I've used regular soy sauce, I've thought it tasted nasty...I mean nasty! Probably owing in part to it being in my fridge too long because our whole family prefers teriyaki sauce over soy.

Yet, last night I cooked up some veggie stir fry for the kids because I knew the fritters wouldn't go over well and guess what? It was delicious. I did cook in a little extra garlic with the veggies and added sesame seeds at the end to add some flavor, but the Braggs' Aminos was smooth, blended with the other flavors much better than regular soy sauce and was NOT obscenely salty! All to say, I highly recommend Braggs. (I like their nutritional yeast too.) And maybe next time I won't be such a pansy about trying something new.