Whenever I go to one of my favourite health food stores in Toronto, Organic Abundance, I not only stock up on wholesome goodies, but also knowledge. They’ve got some wise vegans over there, including one Jennifer Laur.

Jennifer Laur is a raw vegan, and she — like a growing number of peeps from all walks across the globe — are loving this eco-friendly and truly tasty way of life.

Maybe it’s the trademark youthful glow of these raw vegans (Jennifer looks amazing), I’m not sure…. But, I want to get ON THAT! I mean, it makes sense. When you cook something, as the theory goes, you’re killing all its key nourishing enzymes. While I don’t believe one has to go completely raw to reap the benefits, I do think the more raw you eat the better. I certainly feel better since I’ve consciously added more raw into my diet.

So, Gorgeouses, meet Jen. Jen? Meet the Gorgeouses. Jen’s going to help us add more raw into our diets by bringing on the scrumptious recipes now and then. Starting with this delightful raw vegan Caesar Salad. I tried it just tonight. And, while it doesn’t taste EXACTLY like Caesar (I may have used too much lemon juice, and I didn’t have any coconut on hand), I loved it, and, more importantly, my picky little eaters each ate A BOWL of salad drizzled with it. So, there you go. TRY IT!

INGREDIENTS

SALAD

1 head romaine lettuce
1 cucumber, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 large carrot shredded
1/2 cup dried coconut, grated

DRESSING

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced (2 tbsp max, I’d say)
1 tbsp honey (vegans who don’t eat honey can substitute with 1tbsp agave nectar)
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, ground

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the lettuce, cucumber, red pepper, onion, carrot and lettuce in a large bowl.
2. Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Pour dressing over salad. Toss well, and serve!

Again, I didn’t have coconut on hand, and I decided to omit the onions. So, I’d say these two items are optional. The shredded carrots, however, are a must. Their juice somehow adds to the richness and texture of the dish. ENJOY! And let us know what you think!

Thank you Jen!

Love!
xo Haley-O

There comes a time in every vegan’s life, I’m learning, that s/he has to get off her arse and cook — and start bringing her own food to Friday night dinner at it’sgrandma’s because it’sgrandma has enough individual palettes to satisfy.

So, I’m cooking for myself. Even if I have Rascal at my feet, tugging at my lululemons, I’m cooking for myself — not just rice and beans — but FANCY stuff. Well, I’ve made one meal. But, it’s served me well for THREE DAYS, and the monkeys enjoyed it, too (sort of — they only REALLY like “treats”). The apple in this dish DOES taste like APPLE PIE, though!

As a vegan dish, this is wonderfully nutritious and convenient: a mixture of grains and legumes makes it a good source of protein; the sweetness of the light coconut milk helps satisfy sugar cravings, and it’s oh-so-nutritious; the dish is loaded with fiber, beta carotene; and, finally, it’s LIGHT, one-pot, easy-peasy.

I adapted the recipe from Dreena Burton’s wonderful cookbook Vive le Vegan!

Check it….

INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4-6)

2-3 cups cooked/canned chick peas (and/or kidney/aduki beans)
1 (400 ml) can of light coconut milk (I’m sure you could try this with vegetable stock instead — let me know, if you try that)
1/2 onion (chopped)
1-2 sweet potatoes (chopped)
2 parsnips (sliced) (optional, but nice because adds more variety with each bite)
1 cup celery (sliced) (optional)
1-2 apples (peeled, cubed)
1-2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tbsp curry paste (optional) (I didn’t have any on hand….)
1.5 tbsp grated fresh ginger (or around 1/2 teaspoon dried)
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric (for orange glow…, and more importantly for its HEALTHY properties)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp allspice

2 cups cooked quinoa (or other grain)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Place all the ingredients in a large pot or casserole dish.

3. Stir it up ’till nice and combined.

4. Bake for 60-70 minutes, stopping midway to give it a stir.

5. Let it sit for a bit, and then serve in individual bowls with quinoa (or other grain)!

6. ENJOY!

(By the way, check author Dreena Burton’s food blog HERE!)

It was this lovely salad that inspired me to do something about my diet — which has deteriorated so much since my cleanse ended that I find myself exhausted, shaky, anxious and depleted…. Arugula salad with chopped fennel, orange, walnuts and a tangy dressing of olive oil, freshly squeezed orange juice and basil. So simple, but creative, aesthetically-pleasing and super healthy. My friend set it in front of me after I insisted that she don’t go out of her way — on our pizza playdate — to feed my vegan self…. And, I was inspired. Inspired to cook again (and, thus, to update this blog, finally) and inspired to get back into the kitchen and create. Fennel! She put fennel in the salad!

The next day, I went to the bookstore and finally bought this book I’ve been eyeing a long time: Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet….

Because something had to be done. I mean, the way my body thanked me upon each bite of delightfully bitter arugala, each nutty crunch of walnut, each juicy squish of orange slice? It was like Minden at cookie time….

…THANKFUL. See, I AM a yoga instructor. So, I might be a little more aware of my body than most people. And I totally felt the thanks with every bite. I KNOW my body needs work. It needs help and proper, educated nourishment. If I’m going to be a vegan — which I am, because I love animals beyond the norm — I have to do it right. If I want to live to a ripe old age with healthy bones and peace of mind, I have to do it right.

So, here are some things I’ve learned from the book (my eyes HURT from scanning its pages all day), that I’ll do, or that I’ll do more consistently, to get healthy and stay on the HEALTHY vegan wagon for life (fingers crossed!)….

1. Have I told you about the sweet potatoes? I can’t remember. I buy about four a week — all for me because my kids won’t touch ‘em now, for some reason…. Right when I get home from the grocery store, I take out my sweet potatoes, poke ‘em with a knife several times and stick ‘em in the oven at 400°F. Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet — loaded with beta carotene, fiber, and so much more. More importantly…, they’re like CANDY. Their juice even oozes out of the holes I poke, and it caramelizes, and I peel it off the baking sheet AND EAT IT — total CANDY. YOU MUST TRY IT….

2. OMEGA 3s. OMG, have I told you about Omega 3s? You need ‘em. Especially if, like me, you’re prone to depression and anxiety (of course, they’re essential for a host of other reasons…). If you don’t eat fish, you must take a supplement. I am now making a concerted effort to get my omegas 3s from walnuts (I make sure my kids eat walnuts), hemp seeds, and a daily dose of Udo’s Choice, which came highly recommended to me by the vitamin person at the health food store…. At first, I thought I had to put a tablespoon into a smoothie every time I wanted to take it. But, yesterday, I realized I could take it no problem mixed in a glass of water. Easy.

3. KALE. You know I love my kale. From now on, I eat one whole bunch of kale a week — at least. I just stick it in a pot with an inch of water and some chopped portobello mushrooms, cover, and leave it on the stove until it’s just steamed. When it’s ready, I pour on a little tamari (soy sauce) and some olive/canola oil, sprinkle with pine nuts (and maybe a press of garlic), and ENJOY. It’s a really nice dish…. Kale, and all dark leafy greens, are such important non-dairy sources calcium. Indeed, since the Monkey decided she doesn’t love milk, I ask her to eat a little kale whenever I make it. She forces it down — it’s great. Heh. I’ll also puree kale and put it in smoothies, and I’ll puree spinach and put it in my kids’ scrambled GREEN EGGS!

4. FORTIFIED ORANGE JUICE. I love that ORANGE JUICE is now part of my diet. I need it because FORTIFIED orange juice is a valuable source of calcium AND vitamin D — which has been all over the news as a major cancer preventer. If you can’t get into direct sunlight for 15-20 minutes a day, you need to take a D supplement. While I have some D in my multivitamin, it’s not enough in these winter months. PLUS, you need vitamin D to properly absorb calcium. So, HOLLAH to the new orange juices that are adding not only calcium but vitamin D to the mix…. One cup a day! Cheers!

5. LENTILS. I hereby vow to have cooked lentils in my fridge at all times. They’re such a perfect food. Full of fiber, protein and other important stuff. If they’re sitting in my fridge, I can dump ‘em in salads, pasta, on rice…. I feel healthier already!

6. FIGS. I’m also SO pleased to announce that dried figs are now an essential part of my diet. LOVE! One serving (five figs) offers a good source of non-dairy calcium for vegans. We’re supposed to get 6-8 servings of non-dairy calcium daily. So, between this and the kale and the orange juice (and the almond butter and hummus I love, and soy/rice milk), I’m golden.

7. Since we’re on the topic of calcium and bones…. 30 minutes of exercise a day is now MANDATORY. I have to do it…. Must stay strong so I can do this forever (yes, I’m posting it again — must take more yoga pics)….

Think you’ll try any of this? Of course, it’s all great advice for vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike! What do you think?

Off to eat a sweet potato…. And I’m, seriously?, really excited about it.

I’m working SO HARD right now to feel better. I’ve been feeling totally depleted lately. A diet consisting of pretty-much only almond butter, spelt bread, orange juice, soy chai lattes and multivitamins will do that to you.

It’s a wee bit challenging to eat well as a vegan. It’s like, when you pledge to become a vegan, you also pledge that you will EAT REALLY REALLY WELL. Indeed, part of being a vegan is being gentle and compassionate to your own body. And, I have not been. I’ve been so preoccupied with my children, and their health and well-being, that I’ve made no time for my own SELF-CARE. Cooking seems to take too much energy, and all I want at the end of the day, is to sit on my arse and eat sweet, and almond-buttery and BREAD-Y goodness…. But, my lips are chapped, and my energy is low, and I slip in and out of dark moods all too easily. Not a good sign.

So, yesterday, I vowed to make a change. I decided not to make any strict rules that I would end up breaking and berating myself for breaking. Instead, I decided just to eat a little better. To eat some meals and maybe even some greens.

Well, the FREEZING weather here in Canada made it difficult for me to fill my fridge with vegan delicacies (lettuce). But, I did have some KALE in the fridge…. And, I steamed it with my dinner….

…and it was good. I liked it. I didn’t put a single seasoning in it, and I LIKED it. Kale is an AMAZING vegetable. It’s one of the healthiest in the world — as are most dark-green leafy vegetables. Maybe it was so tasty because my body really needed it…. I’m not sure. But, go for it, Gorgeouses. Pick yourself up a bunch of kale, steam it gently in half a cup of water, and enjoy….

If your body doesn’t welcome the plain steamed kale as much as mine does, add a teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari sauce), a minced garlic clove or two, and some pepper. Let us know how you like it!

Guess who else liked it…? Josh-O and the RASCAL. The monkey didn’t try it. But, it’s okay, because she LOVED my latest concoction: “NATURE’S CANDY.”

Last night at dinner, Monkey asked me if she could have CANDY for dessert. Instead of saying “noooo,” I said, “sure! I’m making you ‘Nature’s Candy.’” She was SO. EXCITED. Squealed for joy! When I finished making it, I walked into the dining room and confidently handed her “Nature’s Candy.” And, to my delight (and surprise), SHE LOVED IT.

She loved it SO MUCH…that she POSED with it….

Later, when she was in bed, she said she really liked “Churchiss Candy.” So, you better get the recipe, eh, Gorgeouses!? HERE IT IS!!!

NATURE’S CANDY

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

1 apple
1 kiwi
Raisins
(Really, any fruit will do; but, the raisins are a must!)
Tablespoon walnuts (optional; great for added omega 3s)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop up fruit and throw in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle with raisins.
3. Serve with chin up and big smile! AND MAKE SURE YOU CALL IT “NATURE’S CANDY,” or some other name with “candy” in it…. They’re LOVE IT! Hee!

As you know, I’m a vegan now. And, if it were up to me, my whole family would be vegan, too. But, Josh-O is a carnivore and passionate about his kids (and his wife) eating a mainstream diet.

My kids eat mainly a vegetarian diet. Lunch is often hummus wraps with tomato slices. Both of them LOVE that. I NEVER cook red meat for them. And, they share on average about one or two organic chicken breasts a week. The rest of their diet is lacto-ovo-vegetarian. Not perfection (as far as I’m concerned, obviously), but a fair compromise for the hubby.

Since Rascal’s only one year old, his doctor’s advising that he drink plenty of milk. Though I’m opposed to taking anything from animals who are not treated with the utmost respect and compassion, I still have to give Rascal his milk (because this choice is not mine alone to make). So, I’ve found a compromise that I can live with.

In yesterday’s post at Cheaty Monkey, I got lots of comments asking me “WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING HIM?” — apparently, my little guy is looking HUGE (which is a good thing because Doc said he’s only in the 25th percentile for height, which, IN TURN, is really no surprise because I’m a shorty). In answer to that question, THIS is what I’m feeding him:

“This milk comes to you from cows treated with love and respect.”

You see, FACTORY FARMERS FROM TUESDAY’S OPRAH SHOW? It CAN be done. But, I’m also going to remind everyone that the organic farms on the Oprah show are FAR from the average organic farm — which can be just as brutal as some non-organic farms. There’s MUCH more to be done than Proposition 2. And, remember, EVERYTHING you buy is a vote….

By the way, for those of you who would like to stop drinking milk, I’ll keep you posted on the best nondairy replacements. At this very moment, for example, I’m enjoying YU rice milk in my Chai Tea….

The vanilla one is quite YUMMM…. I choose to drink fortified rice milk instead of soy because I LOVE tofu. So, I like to use up my soy quota on tofu…. I do love a good soy milk, though. It’s thicker than rice milk….

Isn’t this conversation FASCINATING?

Stop YAWNING!

I will say, though, that I feel GREAT since giving up dairy. I don’t miss it one bit. My body is saying THANK YOU in so many ways. But, I don’t do it for my body. I do it for the animals.

Love….

xo Haley-O