Vegan MoFo #10: Gifts for Vegans (What We Love)

Okay. So you're friends with a vegan, if you aren't one yourself. What do you buy them?

Not to stereotype or anything, but typically vegans love food. And nutrition. And those two things combined! We also like things that are fair trade and eco-friendly and kind to animals. Sound about right?

Below, you'll find a few gifts that I know I would LOVE to receive as gifts from friends. Anyone want to ship me one of these for Christmas?! :)

1. Choffy

I've never actually had this stuff, but it looks and sounds amazing. If you love coffee but you want to stop drinking it because of all the caffeine, look no further! Choffy is here! Choffy is 100% ground cacao beans that you brew in a french press or a coffee pot, just like you would brew your normal cup of coffee. Except you know what? It tastes like hot chocolate! This is great because you can now feed your sweet tooth without actually getting any of the added sugar or caffeine. Plus, it contains antioxidants (an 8oz cup contains more than a serving of blueberries), theobromine (a natural, energy providing stimulant that doesn't make you jittery or affect the nervous system), and the bliss chemicals phenylethylamine and anandamide, which help you to feel focused, alert, and happy. Buy this already and send me some!

2. Toms [Vegan] Shoes

I have ALWAYS wanted a pair of Toms. I mean, come on, they donate a new pair or shoes to a child in need when you buy a pair of shoes for yourself! How awesome is that? And they make vegan shoes! Even better. Personally, I like the blue leopard, calculus 101, or silver morocco prints. 

3. Vegan Pie in the Sky

Another Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero cookbook? WHO DOESN'T WANT THAT?! The new cookbook is released on October 25, so go get to pre-ordering! With recipes like Key Lime Pie, Basil Peach, Sweet Potato Brazil Nut Crunch, and S'mores Pie, I bet your mouth is drooling just thinking about it. Seriously. 

4. Vegan White Chocolate Chips

Vegan white chocolate is EXTREMELY hard to find in stores, if you are able to find it at all. So far, I've only been able to find the chocolate online, at two different places, Pangea and Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe. One is Jewish and Kosher (the one at Cosmo's) and has cute teddy bears on the package. If you're missing the days when you once ate white chocolate, try this!

5. Vegan Dish

This is a store on Etsy that sells ADORABLE vegan bowls and mugs. They are all handmade to order, too! I've wanted these for a long time, but they are expensive, so I haven't actually invested in any yet.... which is why they make such a great gift! :) Right?

6. Sweet & Sara's Marshmallows

SO. DELICIOUS. These are the best vegan marshmallows I've had. They are delicious and sugary. The cinnamon pecan flavor (pictured above) was so sweet and cinnamon-y with a nice crunch from the pecans...and their s'mores are delicious too. Right now they have a seasonal pumpkin spice flavor that you can order, as well as chocolate dipped bat marshmallows. They have other flavors too, like strawberry and  toasted coconut. They also sell graham crackers, s'mores, rocky road bars, and rice krispy treats!

7. People Towels

People Towels are an "on-the-go alternative to paper towels" and are made from 100% organic fair trade cotton. You can wash and reuse them instead of wasting tons of paper towels and killing trees! Plus, they are adorable. 

8. Better Butter

Want peanut butter, but you are sick of 200 calories per serving? Better Butter takes peanut butter and makes it just that - better - by reducing the calories in half, and producing a product that has 50 % less fat and 65% less saturated than peanut butter. Their secret? Using pumpkin! Try the three vegan flavors: maple pumpkin, cinnamon raisin, and nutty chocolate chip. 

9. A Scent of Scandal

These 100% soy wax candles are scandalous in scent and name - with names like Hot Mess, Suck It, Golddigger, '8 Inches, Threesome, D-Cups, Get Lei'd, and Stoner, why wouldn't you want to smell these? I found out about this company while watching a Spork Online cooking class. The names crack me up and most are vegan (a few have honey in them), so they are worth the purchase!

10. A Blissmo Box

Want eco-friendly, organic, and vegan products delivered right to your doorstep once a month? Of course you do. We all do. For $19 a month, you can pick what box you want sent to you and receive a package full of goodies, including food, cleaning supplies, and drinks, among other surprises!

Now that you know what vegans want, I recommend you go grab a vegan and buy them presents! They'll love you forever :) 

What do you like to get as a gift?

Much love,

Vegan MoFo #3: Best Books for Beginners

So you're new to veganism, and you want to learn all about it (or you just want to know what some awesome books are.) Great! I have a few in mind for you.

It's really important to always be learning more and more about your diet and lifestyle choice. People will question you about being vegan, and you want to make sure you have all your facts straight! The following books are filled with information and can definitely help you out and fill you with knowledge :)

1. The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

I love this book because it's full of great recipes for different kinds of vegan diets (or "flirts," "vegans," and "superheros," as she calls them) and it gives you a new look at veganism. It's down to earth and comfortable for non-vegans to read as well because she specifically addresses people who are just toying with the idea of being vegan. Her recipes feature no refined sugars whatsoever and are always filled with beans, vegetables, and sea vegetables. This was the second book I read as a vegan, and I loved it. It was also neat to read Alicia's story and see the different pictures of her experiences inside the pages. 

2. Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

This was the book that made me become a vegan. It's hysterical. Seriously! Freedman and Barnouin are so down to earth, and they present the realities about factory farming, diet, and other topics in a straight forward manner. Sure, every other word just might be a swear word, but you know what? It made me laugh. I totally recommend this book to any new vegan who wants both an informational and entertaining read.

3. The China Study by T. Colin Campbell

I still haven't finished reading this book because there is SO much information in it! The reason why I like it so much is because this man knows his facts. He presents you with tons of information that he gathered through years of study in China, and his results are very convincing. If you are someone who wants data and hard evidence to show you how being vegan makes you healthier and can reserve/prevent/put a stop on disease, this is the book for you. 

4. Veganist by Kathy Freston

This woman is everywhere. Seriously! She's on Oprah, Martha Stewart...and in this book. I'm also still reading this book, but I really like how she has broken it down into 10 "promises" about veganism, like "You Will Live Longer and Better," "You Will Evolve - And Take the World With You," and "You Will Save Money." This book is also full of facts, but it includes interviews and personal stories from real people as well. What exactly is a vegan"ist"? Read to find out!

5. Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr

Seriously, this is one of my favorite vegan books. Even though I had to return this to the library before I finished reading it, I learned a LOT about the body's pH balance, the glycemic index of different foods, and the addicting qualities of sugar. Totally worth the read. This book is my favorite because she presents information that I haven't seen in a lot of other vegan books (like the pH balance info and glycemic index charts, as well as a spiritual side to veganism). Plus, she has a 21 day cleanse plan to help get you and your diet on the right track.

What are some of your favorite books?

Much love, 

Vegan Date Night

Who said date night had to be filled with dairy laden desserts and cheese stuffed pasta shells? Read on, dearies - the following recipes will have to ready to go get yourself a hot vegan date! 


But first. What about those things called "aphrodisiac" foods? What are they?! Well, according to peta.org:

We've known for years that vegetarians make better lovers. Physicians agree that eating meat clogs the arteries that go to all the organs, not just the heart. This means that eating meat causes impotence.  Because pure vegetarians are about one-ninth as likely as meat-eaters to be overweightand report that they need less sleep and have more energy than meat-eaters, a vegetarian diet can make you more appealing in the bedroom.

But there's even more good news: Many healthy vegan foods are loaded with natural aphrodisiacs—nutrients and chemicals that boost your and your partner's sexual arousal and performance. Research has shown that vegetarians consume greater amounts of the nutrients that help boost sexual health and performance—such as vitamins A, C, and E and potassium—than meat-eaters do.

Great, huh? Here are some common aphrodisiac foods: asparagus, bananas, chocolate, chili peppers, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, ginger, pumpkin, figs, almonds/nuts, vanilla, carrots, and pineapple. Those are only a few! Who knew so many foods were aphrodisiacs, huh? Now that you know all that... check out some of my recipes, featuring aphrodisiac foods:

Thin Mint Cookies

Strawberry Mojito Truffles

Raw Blueberry Cream Pie

And some of my other recipes I think would be great for a date night, regardless:

Veggie Lasagna Rolls

TAZO Passion Tea Cupcakes

Cinnamon Coconut Pancakes

Finally, some great finds from great vegan blogs!

Raw Chocolate Raspberry Mini Pies

From Cupcakes and Kale

Chocolate Pumpkin Bread Pudding

One of my most favorite desserts. From Chef Chloe

Chocolate Mousse in Edible Cups with Raspberry Sauce

From Cooking Channel TV

Banana Chai Smoothie

From Choosing Raw

Potato Alfredo Pasta

From Babble's Family Kitchen

Cauliflower Bisque with Buttered Breadcrumbs

From C'est La Vegan

White Bean Burgers

From Healthy. Happy. Life.

Hopefully, with the help of these recipes, you'll be able to find something scrumptious to serve up for your significant other on date night. All of these recipes look like winners to me! Now you just need to think of something else to do besides eat :)

Much love,

vegan survival guide: eating vegan in any situation

Back during my Earth Balance giveaway, I received a request for a post about how to eat vegan with friends. I mean, you can't take food with you everywhere, right?! (Answer: yes, yes you can!!) Here is what I do for different situations (ten of them!) I've encountered.

Source

Situation #1: Family Gatherings
This can be hard, especially if your family is largely omnivore with a passion for all things animal products. My dad's side of the family LOVES food loaded with butter, potatoes, and meat. Talk about non-vegan, right? What I do when we go to family events during the holidays is prepare a dish that is vegan friendly and appeals to non-vegans to take with me. For example, at Christmas last year, I took a large bowl of pasta salad and a large bowl of chipotle potato salad. They were both hits! Everyone loves pasta and potatoes, so that can never go wrong. If you don't want to take something with you, talk to your family and request that they serve salad or some steamed vegetables (no butter, please!) with the meal. Your family loves you, so I'm sure they will accommodate your needs. If not, take some wonderful vegan dessert with you and knock their socks off. But take something on the normal side... like caramel apple pie (I totally recommend THIS recipe from Healthy. Happy. Life) or blueberry cobbler. If all else fails, stuff a Larabar in your purse to tide you over until after you're finished socializing.

Situation #2: Dining Out Vegan
This can be another difficult situation. Most restaurants have at least salad on the menu, but who wants to eat a salad whenever you dine out? One way to decided what you can eat is to check out Vegan Eating Out. This website has a load of mainstream restaurant menus, and it tells you what items are vegan friendly. Super easy, and it doesn't even require asking the waitress what's in the food! If the restaurant isn't on the site, go there and see what they have. Most places can omit things from meals or make easy substitutions (oil for butter, for example).

Source

Situation #3: Your college cafeteria is NOT vegan friendly
Most college campuses probably aren't vegan friendly. Or are they? I'm lucky that Xavier FINALLY became more vegan friendly this year (last year was awful. Hardly any options!), but you may not be so lucky. Look around your cafeteria. Maybe salad is your only option. Most cafeterias will also serve spaghetti with marinara, fries, bagels, fresh fruit and veggies, and hummus. If you don't see anything, contact the head of food services at your college and let them know your situation. They will most likely be more than happy to help you out because they want you to stay at their school so they can profit off of you! I saw a YouTube video once, about a raw vegan college student, who got the school to order her large boxes of fresh fruit each month instead of giving her swipes to get into the school cafeteria. Basically, they used the money for the cafeteria to order her special food. How cool is that?! It's also pretty easy to cook in your dorm room as long as you have a rice steamer (you can make pasta, veggies, soups and stews in that little pot!).

Source

Situation #4: Your full time job is NOT vegan friendly. And buying lunch every day is expensive!
Most jobs have vending machines. Boring and unhealthy and not vegan! But buying lunch every day can be really expensive too. What to do? Personally, I would pack a lunch every day. It's going to be WAY cheaper in the long run, especially if you pack fresh fruits, vegetables, and hummus. Eat a banana with nut butter or a bowl of granola with almond milk for breakfast, pack a Larabar or some applesauce for a snack, and pack some quinoa salad with a side of carrot sticks and hummus for lunch. Done! You can cook things like quinoa and beans and rice in bulk, and pack them throughout the week. A bag of beans is like, what, $1.50? Not expensive at all and it will last a long time. Other good lunches to pack: salad, pasta salad, stir fry, wraps. If you need something instant, Annie Chung's brand has some great vegan meals you can pack. Dessert? A square of dark chocolate. Yum.

Situation #5: Help! I'm at a steakhouse!
You may be forced to go to a steakhouse with your friends sometimes. It's okay! Order a salad (no cheese - steakhouses loves to put cheese on salads) and a side of steamed veggies without butter! Or a baked potato! Honestly, That's about all I've seen that vegans can eat on the menus of steakhouses so far. Unless you want to go unhealthy, then they have french fries. And onion rings. It's hard to eat vegan here.

Situation #6: Road trips + Avoiding fast food
McDonalds is sickening to even think about eating. And travel can be hard to stay vegan because all the quick places to eat are fast food restaurants. So what do you do? In this case, I say pack a cooler of stuff for the trip. Hummus, carrot and celery sticks, grapes, bananas, trail mix, granola bars, nuts, pre-cooked quinoa, Larabars (I sense a theme in this post... Larabar, anyone?!), and pretzels are all easy to pack and require little to light refrigeration. It's also easy to throw together a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. If you need to stop for food, choose the healthiest fast food place you can find. Subway, Qdoba, Currito, Chipotle, and most Indian/Chinese/Thai places are okay. Starbucks even has a new vegan thai noodle bowl thing now. And if you HAVE to eat at McDonalds...it's slim pickings. Apple slices, anyone?

Source

Situation #7: Airplane food is nasty. And I can't eat peanuts all day, for goodness sake.
Airplane food IS nasty. So I highly recommend eating in the food court before you step on the plane, or sticking some Larabars/granola bars/pretzels in your purse to tide you over until your arrival. Some airports are now offering vegan options in their food courts, so that's awesome. And of course there are vegetarian options for food on the plane itself. But remember... vegetarian doesn't mean vegan!

Situation #8: Amusement parks = expensive food.
And the worst part? A lot of amusement parks don't let you bring food/snacks/water bottles in to the park because they want you to buy their junk food! Sucks, right? Well...I do sneak snacks into the park :) It's easy to hide granola bars in your pocket or wrap a bag or pretzels inside something else to hide it. Want real food? Bring food and have a picnic before entering the amusement park. Drinks are a little bit harder to sneak in. Still do-able if you try wrapping it like the pretzel bag idea, but you may have to buy water inside. But water and finding vegan food are two different things. I'd recommend having a picnic! Bring fresh fruit, nut butter and jelly sandwiches, and lemonade for an easy to prepare and transport picnic!

Situation #9: Campfires
This can actually be really easy. Bring some frozen veggie burgers to grill, pasta salad, grill fresh vegetables (eggplant, portabello mushrooms and corn on the cob are good options), grill pineapple rings brushed with teriyaki sauce or maple syrup for a sweet treat, make vegan smores...vegan camping is really easy! Cut up potatoes and roast them! Delicious. Simple seasoning is all you need - salt and pepper and a touch or olive oil should just about do it. To read my vegan camping 101 post with more tips, CLICK HERE.

Source

Situation 10: The perfect picnic food.
I kinda touched on this topic when I talked about amusement parks, so scroll on up and read that :) Other good options include brown rice puff treats (like rice krispie treats but better, and made with vegan marshmallows and earth balance), potato salad, mac & cheese, veggie sticks, hummus, chips and salsa/guacamole, cucumber sandwiches, and trail mix. P.S. - doesn't the food in that picture look AMAZING?! I wish my picnic food looked like that. Check out this link to see TONS of great vegan picnic recipes. They all look phenomenal.

Some of the food I took when I went on a vegan picnic with my ex-boyfriend.
 It was delicious. We had veggie sushi too!

I really hope this post has helped some of you with what to do when you encounter these situations. It's not as tough as you may think it is. Try it out for yourself! Most of all, just enjoy your time wherever you are. That's all that matters. :)

Much love,

Staying Healthy in College

I have decided that I have a serious problem with eating junk food in college. I love going to the cafeteria and eating salads every day, but when in club meetings or on duty in the RA office, snacks are EVERYWHERE. Especially snacks that are full of hydrogenated, trans-fatty oils. It's hard to avoid, especially when they look so good! Here are the tips I've compiled to help you stay healthy in college - or wherever you are, for that matter.

(Source)

Tip #1: Find a workout buddy.
This is CRUCIAL. Especially if you are working out in the early mornings before class, like I do! I have NO motivation WHATSOEVER to get out of bed unless I know someone else will be waiting on me. Ask around; I'm sure there will be other people who work out in the mornings as well (or whatever time you choose to work out). Personally, I like to work out in the morning because that means the rest of my day is free to think about other things besides getting sweaty and smelly. Get it over and done with. Plus, having someone to go with helps keep you on track. I have a buddy for EVERY weekday, so I'm less likely to slack off and skip a day. It really helps! Try to work out at least 3 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each.

(Source)

Tip #2: Eat as many fresh, plant-based foods as possible.
Seriously. A lot of colleges nowadays are becoming more vegan-friendly, especially because being vegan is kinda hip to college kids. Kinda. Not totally. But its catching on! Last year, my campus was NOT vegan friendly at all. This year, we have a WHOLE NEW cafeteria, and it ever has it's own vegan/gluten free station! It's great - it has different types of hummus and salsa, and usually some sort of lentil or bean dish for protein. During RA training, I ate large salads almost every day for lunch. Salads are low in calories and can keep you pretty full. If you make plant based foods the focus of your meals, you'll fill up quickly and be able to eat more for fewer calories. More food, less calories? Come on. This is a no brainer!

(Source)

Tip #3: Drink LOTS of water.
The new cafeteria recently got a new pop machine where you can add different flavored syrups to your pop and has like 160 different possible flavor combinations. It's ridiculous. Its so cool, yet so bad for you! AVOID THE POP!!! Drink water instead. It keeps you hydrated and doesn't have like 10 teaspoons of sugar in each glass (yucky).

Tip #4: If you're gonna be tempted, don't go near it.
I just don't even walk by the french fry station anymore. I know if I do, I'll grab a big pile of them with lots of ketchup. I don't need those fatty fried foods. They are tasty, but not good you. Since I give in to temptation, I've just chosen to avoid that area at all costs. It's worked so far!

Tip #5: Talk about your lifestyle choices to others.
I've been shocked by the number of people who are really open to the vegan diet and lifestyle in college. I've even found people who tried to go vegan for a while. People really respect those who stick with a vegan diet because they don't have the willpower to do it themselves. Hearing this boosts your self-esteem, ladies (and gentlemen)! You feel good knowing that YOU are doing good, so you keep up with your healthy life decisions. Yeah!

(Source)

Tip #6: Surround yourself with other healthy people. 
Is there a vegan/vegetarian group on your campus? Join it! Have friends who like to run? Go running with them in the morning! You are influenced by the people who are around you, so if you are surrounded by people who constantly eat junk food, you'll eat it too.

Vegan Camping 101

Last year I went camping with my boyfriend’s family over Memorial Day weekend. This year, I am doing the same thing.

Last year when I went, I had been a vegan for one month and had no reasons to back it up aside from trying to lose weight. I didn’t know what kinds of food to take, so I took food that was gross cold and that wasn’t good after the initial day; needless to say, when I saw their steak, I wanted it. And their bacon and eggs. And smores. And cherry pie.

So that was when I stopped being vegan. A few months later, in November, I went back to it, and I have now been vegan ever since (about 6 months). This time, I will stay vegan, and since I know what kinds of food to bring this time, it won’t be so hard! Here is a bit of a survival guide- for other new campers like myself, going camping with people where vegan is the minority.

1.      Bring vegan versions of what they’ll be eating so you don’t feel left out.

For me, this means brining smores. But do you know how hard it is to find GOOD vegan graham crackers that aren’t hydrogenated and don’t have honey? Let me tell you; it’s super hard. Like virtually impossible. So this time, I made my own graham crackers (Isa Chandra’s recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar). I plan on buying a bag of Dandies vegan marshmallows as well and a nice big bar of dark chocolate. Yummy.

I’m also bringing a variety of other sweets, like Isa Chandra’s Coffeehouse Hermits and Fruity Oat Bars. And quite possibly buying some healthy oreos. Be prepared for your sweet tooth!
Also, frozen veggie burgers are great. You can keep them in the cooler and throw them on the grill when they make their regular burgers.

2.      Bring healthy foods that will energize you.

Take veggies you can grill over a campfire, like eggplant and baby broccoli and potato wedges and corn on the cob. Take filling fruits like bananas. Strawberries and grapes and clementines are also great for camping. Make your own trail mix with raw mixed nuts and dried fruits for a healthy snack. Pretzels are also great snacks.

3.      BRING WATER!!!! And lots of it.

Water is something you want to make sure to drink a LOT of, especially if you’re gonna be outdoors where it’s hot and sunny all day.

4.      Know your stuff. Be prepared to talk about why you’re a vegan.

If I have time before I leave, I’m going to try to re-read some of the basics about veganism and basic health facts and such. If you really wanna talk about your lifestyle, bring a book to read that relates to veganism so that you have an opportunity to talk about it when asked what you’re reading. But really, don’t go be surrounded by non-vegans knowing nothing about your lifestyle. You’ll make yourself and the rest of us look stupid.

5.      Bring rainboots.

This really pertains to anyone, not just vegans. But be prepared for the weather and the elements. You never know when you’ll need them.

6.      Bring stuff to do so you keep yourself entertained.

Cards, footballs, volleyballs, swimsuit, books, whatever. Just don’t bring absolutely nothing. Like I did last year. You’ll be bored.

7.      Get some exercise

Staying active won’t be that hard when you’re camping. Go for a hike, run, swim, play sports, chase around the little kids in your family. But get some exercise. It’s good for you!

My Food List

Alright, now I’m gonna show you guys my list of what I *hope* to take camping with me this weekend. Fingers crossed!

Corn on the cob
Eggplant
Cauliflower
Salad mix and dressing
Red bell pepper + hummus (lots of hummus!!!)
Baby carrots
Frozen veggie burgers
Smore’s supplies (graham crackers, Dandies, dark chocolate)
Can of vegan pie filling (for making mini pies over the fire using bread, earth balance, pie filling and powdered sugar)
Cookies (Coffeehouse Hermits and Fruity Oat Bars and Oreos)
Strawberries
Grapes
Bananas
Pineapple
Oranges
Pretzels
Kettle chips/plantain chips
Oogave Root Beer

And maybe some other items… not sure yet. Don’t know what to take for breakfast. Any ideas?

What do you take with you when you go camping?
Much love,