September 2, 2010
I've noticed over the last year that vegans are getting a bad rep in the press and all over the internet. Recently, this LA Times article touts how vegans eat junk and are not healthy. Then Angelina Jolie spews this non-sense of how a vegan diet nearly killed her. My goodness! Unfortunately, many vegans don't eat all that healthy. Even more of them don't cook or don't even know how to cook. Many of them are overweight, have skin and healthy conditions, don't exercise, eat processed foods, are sick all the time, and have no energy. This is partly the cause of all the bad press. Just because something or someone is vegan does not make it or them "healthy".
This concerns me. First, as activists and advocates we need to take care of ourselves so we have the good health to continue fighting the good fight. Second, if we aren't healthy then we aren't setting a good example to the world on how awesome a vegan plant-based diet is for them. We have to walk the talk, we have to realize that first and foremost the most important animal in your life is YOU. Nobody is perfect and I eat junk food, but only on occasion. Most of my diet consists of whole plant foods, a balance of whole grains, legumes, veggies with lots of dark leafy greens, fruit, nuts and seeds. Eating this way with the occasional treat has sent my health to a whole new level.
So what does true health look like? After studying macrobiotics, health, and nutrition for many years there are some key things I've experienced over the years that make me feel "healthy".
1. Good sleep – within 5 minutes of hitting the pillow I'm out like a light. I wake up at the same time every morning without an alarm clock (6:30am-ish) and I'm full of energy. I do not need caffeine to get me going.
2. Strong immunity – If you eat junk, sugar, and drink alcohol you create an acid condition in your body. This lowers immunity and causes us to get sick, like cold systems, flu, migraines, etc. If you eat an alkaline plant-based diet your immunity is high and you don't get sick. I haven't been sick in I don't remember how long. Even while I'm surrounded by sick people I don't catch what they have because my immunity is strong.
3. Abundant Energy – As long as I don't have sugar or junk food, I have steady energy throughout the day, with no lulls around 3pm like most people. I'm like the Energizer Bunny.
4. Aging gracefully – It's weird, but I feel like I've stopped aging. I go home to Texas once a year and they tell me I look younger every year. People think I look 25. My body feels better than it did 5 years ago too. I feel comfortable at my current body weight and feel very strong. I don't need to exercise all the time to stay fit. It's crazy!
Vegans need to take better care of themselves and set shining examples to the rest of the world. We can lead by example or continue to scare people away from this lifestyle.
With all this being said, I'm really glad the vegan diet is getting any press at all. If it's good press then all the die hard meat-eaters come out and bash it. If it's bad press then all the vegans come to the rescue to dispel myths and hopefully change peoples' minds. Any press starts the conversation, and as Jonathan Safran Foer says, we need to start the conversation now.
What do you think true health looks like? What can you do today to improve your health?
Posted in The Blissful Life 
1 Comment »
August 30, 2010
I had the pleasure of trying out the new dessert eBook by Ricki Heller from the Diet, Desserts & Dogs blog, Desserts Without Compromise this past weekend. First of all I had a lot of fun making these recipes. I haven't really cooked out of a proper cookbook (or eBook) in ages, so it was nice to experiment and follow along. And these dessert recipes are right up my alley because they do not use refined flours or sugar. Yay! That being said, many of the ingredients might be foreign and possibly hard to find for the average person. They are also expensive, but your health is worth it!
All of these recipes are based on a candida-free diet and have no gluten, wheat, soy, sugar, and all vegan of course. Already I'm in love because I'm kind of a health freak, and have had my own bouts of candida in the past.
All of these recipes call for Stevia. I will admit here that I can't stand stevia. I'm very sensitive to the taste and I feel like it has a similar taste to sweet n' low. That being said I was willing to give it a try, but I didn't want to buy anything that I wouldn't use up since I'm leaving the country in 7 days. So I left it out. Instead I tried a new product, Coconut Nectar from Coconut Secret (review of their other products coming soon). This stuff is to die for!! Low glycemic, texture like brown rice syrup and tastes rich and similar to agave nectar.
I chose 2 recipes to make for my going away party, the Raw Frosted Lemon Coconut Bars and Chocolatey Fudge. I started at 4pm and was done by 4:35 with the first one. Keep in mind that I'm a professional chef, so these desserts may take longer than that. The topping was kind of weird like half gelatinous half liquidy goo. I've never worked with chia seeds before so I'm guessing that is what caused the unfamiliar texture. I was skeptical, but kept an open mind.
For the Chocolatey Fudge I used raw cacao which is more bitter but way healthier than just regular ol' cocoa powder, so I uped the coconut nectar. I also used soy nut butter instead of almond butter because that is what I had on hand. When I was done heating the mixture through and poured it into the casserole dish. It was very liquidy so I wasn't sure how it was going to harden up like fudge. This one took all of 10 minutes to prepare. In the fridge it went for 2 hours. I crossed my fingers and started getting ready for my party.
Come 9pm after everyone had enjoyed the dip party, I went upstairs and pulled the desserts out of the fridge. I was so excited to see that they both had hardened up nicely. Then I remembered that coconut oil hardens when cool so it all made sense. I cut them into little squares and headed downstairs to make the announcement that dessert was ready. Everyone cobbled both up so fast, ooohing and awwwing, that I didn't have time to take a photo of the finished product. Ever single person tried both and loved them. A dessert success!
At $6.95 this eBook will make your heart sing. Please check out Desserts Without Compromise, especially if you want to have desserts without feeling guilty or you have any health condition.
I can't post these 2 recipes I tried, but I can post these delicious Matcha Chocolate Truffles. Yum!
ACD-Friendly Matcha Chocolate Truffles
by Ricki Heller from Desserts Without Compromise eBook
10-1/2 ounces (300 g) chopped unsweetened chocolate (I used Cocoa Camino)
3/4 cup (180 ml) full fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp (15 ml) matcha powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure vanilla extract
10-20 drops stevia liquid, to taste
Matcha powder, for dusting
In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the chocolate, coconut milk, matcha powder, and salt over lowest heat possible until most of the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and stevia, and stir until all the chocolate melts and mixture is perfectly smooth. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, then chill until set.
Using a small scoop or teaspoon, roll the mixture into balls (it will begin to melt on your hands). Once rolled, dust the truffles with additional matcha. Chill until ready to serve. Will keep, covered, in refrigerator up to 5 days. Makes 12-20 truffles.
Posted in Blissful Reviews/Giveaways, Meatless Mondays 4 Comments »
August 25, 2010
My Summer has been busy because I landed a book deal with BenBella in June. My best friend's wedding was in August and I was a bridesmaid, I was finishing up my cookbook, and planning a 3 month trip to Asia all at the same time. Thankfully I work well under stress. Here's what I've been doing to plan my trip.
Planning a 3 month excursion in a foreign country takes a lot of energy, research, patience, and mind-space. I've been planning this trip in my mind for over a year. I had a list of "Things to do before I turn 30" (everyone makes those lists right?) and visiting Japan and Asia was on the top of that list. Thirty came and went and I stayed put in Los Angeles. The time wasn't right and the funds were not there to take such a trip. So I planned to go in May before my 31st birthday. I heard it was beautiful that time of year in Japan with the cherry blossoms blooming and the weather ideal. My best friend sprung on me the news that she was getting married in June or July and wanted me to be a bridesmaid. Of course, I wanted to be part of this special day for her, so I pushed the trip back to the Fall. Being a bridesmaid is a lot of work, but I made it through and had more head space for planning the trip.
The first thing I did to start planning was to decide where I wanted to go, for how long, and how much money I needed. I knew I wanted to spend as little as possible but didn't want to go completely ghetto style. I figured 3 months would be a good amount of time to see many things and not be gone away from home and my business for too long. The money calculation was more tricky. I talked with many friends that traveled around Southeast Asia for very little money, One said she made it 3 months on $1,000! I realized I wanted to be more comfortable than that so I figured it's better to start out with more money and bring some back home, then not have enough and come back with zilch. I opted for $3,000 but I know I'm not going to need that much. I like having padding though, because you never know what kind of adventures are in store for me.
I did some research and decided to sign-up for WWOOF in Japan. That stands for Willing Workers on Organic Farms. It's an amazing organization that can be found in almost every country in the world. You connect with farms and they give you room and board for 6 hours of work on their farm per day. How cool is that?! I completed the Master Gardener program here in LA two years ago and I've been gardening for about 6 years, so the WWOOF program was right up my alley. And it's a great way to travel the country for really cheap.
The second thing I signed up for was Couch Surfing. Turns out there is a huge network of couches to be surfed all over the world. The site is reliable and safe, so I thought what the heck. A great way to save money, meet locals or other Americans staying in foreign countries who will show me around and make me feel at home. This was very appealing to me since I will be traveling alone. I decided I would go to Thailand and around SEA for the last 2 months and those places don't have much in the way of hostels per se, but tons of cheap accommodations. I already connected with some great people who I will be staying with during my trip. I's such a relief to know I have a nice, safe place to stay!
Granted this isn't the way that many people who have more money would travel. But for those of you who want a great, adventurous experience on the cheap WWOOFing and Couch Surfing is the way to go!
Please follow along with me and my adventures by subscribing to my blog. I'll be posting updates, restaurant reviews, and travel tips and stories from all my amazing experiences. Farm stays, Vegetarian Festival in Phuket, volunteering at the Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, and taking vegan cooking classes are all on the agenda!
Have you been to Japan or Southeast Asia? Any tips or recommendations on how to travel cheap that you want to share?
Posted in The Blissful Life No Comments »
August 23, 2010
Today's guest post comes one of my favorite people that I haven't been able to meet in person, Lisa from Vegan Cookbook Critic. I've also had the pleasure of having Lisa as a recipe tester for my upcoming cookbook. Today she talks about the exciting world of urban gleaning!
Yesterday, I found myself up a tree talking to a couple of strangers about pear sauce, pear chips, pear sorbet and pear crisp while filling our bags with sweet, yellow plums. The most surprising part of the exchange is that it took place in Toronto, Canada’s largest metropolis. In a city where office towers dominate the skyline a group of volunteers are reclaiming the forgotten fruit and establishing a sense of food security.
I’ve been involved with Not Far From the Tree for three seasons. Our urban gleaning work follows a model that is being replicated in cities all over the world. Homeowners register their fruit trees, a team of volunteers harvest the fruit and then we divide up the bounty. One third remains with the homeowner, one third is shared among the volunteers and one third is delivered to a direct service organization (homeless shelter, community food program, etc.). With minimal investment in a bike, a trailer and a few extendable fruit pickers we were able to glean 8000 lbs of fruit between May and October last year, this season we’ve almost reached 7000 lbs with months still to go.
The hours I’ve spent twisting an apple to the sky (to release it from the tree), navigating the city with a fruit-filled trailer and scaling branches weighed down with cherries has taught me more about my city and heritage food varieties than
anything else. I’ve picked cherries, apricots, mulberries, elderberries, grapes, pears, apples, plums, and peaches. Each pick inspires great culinary creativity as I yearn to
capture the incredible flavours of the harvest season. I’ve learned to dehydrate fruit leathers, freeze fruit sauces, prepare canned fruit and add fruit to savory entrees and sauces.
Urban gleaning has changed the way I see my city and the people I share it with. I am inspired by the generosity of the homeowners, the passion of the volunteers and the dedication of service organizations who share the fruit with those who need it most. Watching the sunset over my city from high atop an apple tree has changed my perspective – instead of focusing on the towers and condos I now see potential in our soil and branches full of beautiful fruit.
Urban gleaning organizations are cropping up everywhere. These initiatives compliment other food security strategies such as: community supported agriculture, good food boxes, community gardens, shared yard projects and community orchards. If none of these programs exist in your area then maybe you need to invest in a wagon and start scouting for fruit.
Here is one way I’ve enjoyed this season’s local bounty:
Raw Pear-Ginger Crepes
5 small pears
1 1/2 cup ground golden flax seed
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp ground ginger
Puree the pears in a food processor until they turn into a smooth sauce. In a bowl combine the pears with the other ingredients. Then scoop a heaping tbsp onto a teflex sheet and spread it out into a thin circle with the back of a spoon.
Repeat 12 times to use up all of the batter. Dehydrate the crepes for three hours at 110 degrees. Then flip the sheets and remove the teflex layer. Continue to dehydrate the crepes for an additional 2 hours. They should be pliable but firm.
Serve with fresh fruit, nut butters, chocolate sauce etc.
Follow Lisa on Twitter and subscribe to her wonderful blog!
Posted in Blissful Bites, Meatless Mondays, The Blissful Life 2 Comments »
August 20, 2010
Since I'm going to Asia I decided to sell most of my belongings and put some things in storage for the month of August. This way I can save money and get my deposit back for more cash to have on my trip. But this meant being homeless for a month. Everything worked out, the Universe always provides. Turns out my one friend was going to Columbia and needed a cat-sitter, then another friend came to San Diego for a conference so I went down to visit him and stay in his beautiful hotel room on the bay. Then my best friend went on her honeymoon and needed a cat-sitter and now my friend Jessica Porter is going to Japan and needed a cat-sitter. So not only did I have places to stay this whole month I got to be surrounded by many lovely kitties!! I haven't been able to have any animals of my own, so I'm very happy that I get to spend time with my friends' cats and snuggle with them everyday.
Personally, I love when people post photos of their animals in their blogs, so today I dedicate this post to all the cutie kitties I've been cat-sitting over the month. They have made living out of a suitcase with no home all worth it!
2 for 1 – Camille and Theo
Pretty vegetarian Annie
Friendly, snuggling, travel companion George
Posted in The Blissful Life 3 Comments »
August 17, 2010
This guest post is from my new friend on Twitter, Meg, aka @YogaSavesTheDay. She brings up some interesting points! Being a professional chef, I often wonder how my sense of gourmet would hold up to an omnivore's take on gourmet.
The First Lesson is Simplicity
I used to think that vegetarians, and especially vegans, could never be true foodies. How could they really know good food, I’d scoff. After all, the scope of what they consider edible is significantly less than those of ultimate foodies like Brillat-Savarin, MFK Fisher, and now Mark Bittman. Omnivores have a wide-ranging diet from all nutritional sources, from quail to quinoa. But a veggie/vegan? Making vegan “cheese” out of walnuts is not yet a course listing at Le Cordon Bleu…
When I think of “foodie” food, I think of something that stands up to a glass of Chianti or Syrah. Something an Italian or French gastronome would devour. But must the definition of “foodie” encompass cruelly-sourced foie gras or an antibiotic-laden hunk of meat? Vegetarians and vegans alike CAN be foodies if they aspire to impeccable quality using available ingredients. In fact, veg/vegans may even be foodies by the purest definition: their appreciation of fresh produce supersedes omnivores’, because it must stand alone on a plate without the support of meat to round out a meal.
I grew up an omnivore with a gourmand mother. Early on, I learned the simplest lessons about what makes good food special. Only buy what’s fresh, local, and in-season; and above all, use just a few ingredients, only of the highest quality possible.
After going vegetarian three years ago, I had a craving for simplification in my diet. When I see a vegan recipe that starts, “Marinate the tempeh for 30 minutes, then turn and marinate another 30 minutes,” I just turn the page. What could be easy and simple yet mouthwatering and meat-free? I read classic gourmet tomes like The Silver Spoon from Italy and Larousse
Gastronomique from France. It made sense to me. The most irresistible “gourmet” food is inspired by simple food from the country; food perfected by nature and paired by the seasons. What could be more simple (and luscious!) than mashed potatoes with truffle oil, or a fried egg over roasted asparagus? Dishes like fettucine alla funghi, ratatouille, and bruschetta use what is abundant seasonally. Call it a populist aversion to fancy food, but great gourmet veg food balances bright and savory flavors against the backdrop of fresh produce. Simple as that.
When attempting traditional French gourmet technique, it’s easy for veg chefs to go overboard on flavors and spices to compensate for the lack of meat and dairy. Forcing endless new flavor profiles on bland protein sources can quickly become a new form of McFood!
When going gourmet, simple is best. Regular produce on my weekly shopping list includes mushrooms, arugula, lemons, and parsley. In my pantry, you’ll always find very good Italian olive oil and semolina pasta, nuts, olives, kosher salt, and pestle-ground black pepper. Remember: the fewer the ingredients, and the higher quality they are, the more gourmet your
supper.
What is your opinion on what makes something gourmet? Does it need to have a lot of ingredients and many steps, or can simple be gourmet?
Posted in Blissful Bites 9 Comments »
August 11, 2010
Healthy Voyager Tours launches this October with the first of many breathtaking trips to come, with the Inca Adventure in association with Fit Tours. Your healthy, special diet, fit adventure takes place in Peru’s Urubamba Valley, known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas, that lies between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Along the valley are stunning colonial villages where ancient customs live together among impressive Inca ruins. Possessing a special energy, this valley is the perfect place for our first Healthy Voyager Tour where we will explore the varied attractions and rich culture including some of world’s best hiking through the Andean Mountains. Incomparable Inca ruins and other remnants of that indelible legacy lie in all directions, easily accessible from our resort.
The fertile valley – marked by the Urubamba River and majestic Andes mountains, charming villages, and stunning examples of Inca stonemasonry – is a beautiful, laid-back area attracting visitors interested in renewing, exploring the great outdoors, and enjoying the area’s year round splendid weather and lower altitude (2,700 m/8,900 ft, compared to Cusco’s 3,400 m/11,000 ft).
Nothing but the best for our healthy trip, our accommodations are found in the perfect location. Just down the road from the town of Ollantaytambo – with its remarkable original Inca old town, hilltop ruins and lively market is just 15 minutes away; within a half-hour are the town of Maras, from which travelers can visit the ancient and photogenic Salineras salt mines and the mysterious Inca ruins at Moray. The famed artisans’ market and towering Inca fortress in Pisac are just 45 minutes away.
Machu Picchu: 120 km from the city of Cusco, Machu Picchu is without doubt one of the few places on earth where not only the works of man take your breath away with their perfection and harmony of shape, but the surrounding countryside is also astonishingly beautiful. What is even more surprising is how the Incas managed to combine architecture and nature in such a way that one complements the other to make an inseparable whole. The greenery of the great mountains act as custodians of the sacred city, the sound of the wind and the river Urubamba in the distance create such energy in Machu Picchu that at its summit you feel quite simply closer to heaven. Built entirely in stone from the natural quarries nearby, the city has two sections: the urban area and the agricultural area consisting of numerous terraced fields. Within the urban zone are palaces, squares and temples with the Pyramid of Intihuatana and the temples at its foot being the most important religious sites in the city. The Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary was declared a Natural and Cultural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, a double distinction which it shares with few other places. We will climb and explore this incredible site making for a truly unique Healthy Voyager Tour.
For more info visit Healthy Voyager! They are running a special through September 1st – if you sign up with a friend between now and then, you will both receive $100 off of your tour package!
Posted in Blissful Reviews/Giveaways, The Blissful Life, Upcoming Events No Comments »
August 9, 2010
It would be totally cruel of me to show a photo of me enjoying the most delicious gluten-free cookies on the planet without sharing the recipe!!
Call to Action!! I need you to be a recipe tester for me and test these cookies! During the photo shoot I made some changes to my original recipe but sort of forgot to write down all the changes I made. So if you can kindly do me a favor (and yourself because these cookies are da bomb!) and try this recipe as is and let me know your results in the comments, I would greatly appreciate it!! Comment by Friday, shouldn't be too hard right?
Gluten-free Peanut Butter Cookies
1/4 cup vegan margarine, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer, whisked w/1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons flax meal
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon guar gum
1/2 cup vegan grain-sweetened chocolate chips (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets (or 1 depending on the size) with parchment paper. In medium mixing bowl, beat margarine, maple, and applesauce until smooth and creamy. Add the rest of wet ingredients and mix well. In separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and soda, flax, salt, and guar gum. Mix wet into dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips and stir well.
Drop spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Using wet fingertips or the bottom of a glass, press down lightly on each cookie evenly. The cookies will not spread much so you can put them close together on the cookie sheet. Take a fork and press lightly on the top in 2 directions, as to create a grid on top of the cookie. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool cookies on a wire rack.
Great served with a glass of rice milk!
Posted in Blissful Bites, Meatless Mondays 6 Comments »
August 5, 2010
The last 3 days have been intense! Making 25 recipes a day (we only got to 22 each day though 25 were planned) and standing on my feet for 13 hours a day, I'm surprised I'm still standing.
I had the most amazing team working with me! My friend Melissa helped me out even though she doesn't do food photography (check out her site!). Thankfully after a few hours she had the hang of it and was cranking it out. Only with the help of her assistant Melanie would we have made it through with such beautiful photos. Melanie is a teacher at the SMC photo department and helped styled all the shots. They hit if off and were a match made it heaven. I was jumping for joy when I checked out the photos from the camera. I can't WAIT to sit down with them to pick the best ones. And I can't WAIT to share this book with you.
Here's a teaser with me and my Gluten-free Peanut Butter Cookies (with rice milk of course).
Posted in Blissful Bites, The Blissful Life 4 Comments »
August 2, 2010
I've been a very bad blogger, I know! So much is happening in my life right now. I'll explain and then you'll know why I haven't been the best blogger. First, I'm starting the photo shoot for my upcoming cookbook tomorrow. We have to do 75 recipes in 3 days. That's 25 recipes a day!! if you can even wrap your head around that, it's going to be stressful to say the least. I've been prepping, shopping, organizing all day and will start making as much as I can tonight.
Secondly, I'm moving out of my apartment the day after the shoot, Friday. The reason for this is the biggest news I have, I'm going to travel Asia for 3-4 months!! I just bought my ticket today to Tokyo, so it is official! I didn't want to pay rent and bills if I didn't have to right before my trip, so I'm moving out of my apartment, selling all my furniture and putting a few things in storage. But since I don't leave until September 6th, I'm homeless. Thankfully it all worked out because I have 2 friends that needed cat-sitters, so I won't be living in my car!
So this week will be the most stressful of my life I believe. But I'm ready and excited. After this week I MUST finish my book for my September 1st deadline. Shouldn't be hard because it's almost done already, but i will spend time editing, and re-checking, and going through my recipe testers comments, and adjusting things.
Forgot to add my best friends wedding is August 15th (I'm in it) and then I have another wedding the weekend before I leave for Japan in Seattle. So life is nuts and I'm so grateful for my health and all the friends that are pulling through to help me during these crazy times.
So, forgive me for not posting much. I'll have some more guest posts from my favorite bloggers and will be sharing more recipes and footage from the photo shoot soon!
Much love and bliss!
Christy
Posted in The Blissful Life 2 Comments »
content rss