Category Archives: essentials

Vegan Mac n’ cheez

Posted on by Chicken Marie
1

I used to love cheesy noodles, all warm and melty… Lately I’ve been craving something comforting like Mac n’ cheese, but I can’t hang with that boxed stuff, even if it is technically vegan. So I whipped up some delicious gluten free pasta with a cheesy sauce I created. If you are expecting this to taste exactly like salty cow fat, get over it. It doesn’t. It tastes like warm, nutritious deliciousness and I can totally hang with that.

Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta. When pasta is just cooked add chopped broccoli and zucchini, then drain immediately.

While pasta is cooking
Combine in blender:
2 tbsp hemp seeds or cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 small red bell pepper
Dashes of pink salt, onion and garlic powders, or whatever spices you like
Turmeric for color
Enough water to get to your desired consistency, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup

Mix everything until smooth. Pour over noodles and vegetables. Stay a child forever.

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Smoothie Etiquette

Posted on by Chicken Marie
5

Just when I thought I couldn’t get any crazier about what I eat and how I eat it, I started reading about this:

Fruits can generally be grouped into 4 categories. Sweet, sub-acid, acid, and melons. Sweet fruits should only be mixed with sweet or sub-acid fruits, sub-acid fruits should only be mixed with sub-acid or acid fruits, or acid with acid (this is starting to sound pretty trippy, I know :) ). Melons are in their own category and should be eaten alone. Usually, this is not an issue. I usually don’t mix fruits at all. I usually will eat, for example, an apple in the morning, followed 30 minutes later by some strawberries. Usually. However, I have been wont to enjoy the occasional smoothie, maybe for breakfast or a snack or a late night dessert. Unbeknownst to me, though, I have been committing gastrointestinal sins!! What I learned sure explains a lot of things. This smoothie I really enjoy from a favorite cafe of mine, is a melon-berry-mint concoction. It is oh-so-sweet and yummy but I always felt a little funny after eating it. Now I know why. The specific combinations of fruits are very important to prevent the “melon belly” I was feeling after these delicious beverages. So I made a little guide to stick on the fridge to help make smoothies delicious and digestable…. There are some variances in this list based on which website  you check. This is what I have been able to figure out based on my research. This website was very helpful, along with a few others.

Sweet

Bananas, dried fruits (figs, prunes, raisins, dates, apricots, etc), litchi, persimmon, durian, longan, sugar apple, grapes

↓        ↓        ↓

Sub-Acid (Low Acid)

Mango, apricot, nectarine, peach, pear, guava, cherry, fresh figs, blueberries, raspberry, huckleberry, mulberry (most berries) avocado, pomegranate, plum, grapes, papaya, strawberry, blackberry

↑         ↑         ↑

Acid

Orange, tangerine, lemon, lime, tangelo (all citrus fruits), kiwi, cranberry, grapefruit, pineapple, tomato, passion fruit

Melons

Honeydew, watermelon, cantaloupe, galia etc.

Here are some smoothie combinations that I really enjoy. You can really put whatever you want. Sometimes, I will add some chlorophyll, or e3 live, or a tbsp flax oil or coconut oil.

1. Strawberries + Lemon juice + ice + agave

2. Blackberries + Blueberries + spirulina + agave +ice

3. Bananas + Hemp protein + ice

4. Bananas + Coconut water + coconut meat and flakes + ice + agave

5. This one used to be my favorite but apparently it is a major no-no: Bananas + orange juice + ice. Soooooo gooood……

Rad Banana Bread (Gluten-free!)

Posted on by Chicken Marie
1

I’m rad. You’re rad. Lets eat banana bread.

1 3/4 cups brown rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp nut pulp (or additional flour or almond meal)
3 small mashed bananas (2 large)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup nut milk
2/3 cup raw coconut palm sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease loaf pan or baking dish.
Mix dry ingredients in smaller bowl.
In large bowl, combine sugar and oil, then add bananas and milk. Mix.
Add flour mixture to banana mixture, stir until just mixed.
Pour into pan. Bake until golden brown and knife or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 mins.

It comes out with a slight crumble effect, because it is gluten free. I like to pour some milk over it and eat it with a spoon. :)

Bananas are sexy. You are what you eat.

10 Things I Don’t Call Food

Posted on by Chicken Marie
10

So aside from the obvious, like meat and dairy, here are 10 things I don’t really eat. It’s not that I would NEVER eat these (I am vegan, not crazy), but I try to strongly limit them in my diet for good reasons, which I will explain.

1. Packaged/canned foods. If it comes out of a package from a factory, then it is not really food. Sorry. Even raw, organic, natural foods that come out of a box or bag are highly questionable. How long have they been sitting in this package? What unknown longterm effects are caused by the preservatives? Do I really know what potassium sorbate is? Packaging itself contains a number of glues, chemicals, lining, dyes and other miscellaneous additives that are too close for comfort. Of course, I will make a few exceptions. Eden Organics canned foods uses a BPA-free lining, so I will keep a can or two of beans around for quick hummus or dip. Also, if I happen to be traveling for a length of time I will bring some packaged chips, crackers or cookies, especially if I know I am headed to a not-so-vegan-friendly area. As general rules of thumb, if it has less than 5 ingredients and/or I know what each ingredient actually is, go ahead and enjoy it.

2. Tofu. Another packaged food, and a highly processed one at that. I feel it is best to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, and tofu is about as far as you can get from that. I still eat plenty of soy products, such as edamame, roasted soynuts and tempeh. They are closer to their natural state and much more nutritious than their more processed counterparts.

3. Pasteurized foods. Many bottled “fresh” juices contain some small lettering somewhere on the back that says something to the effect of “pasteurized for your protection.” Huh? This basically means that whatever is in that packaged was blasted with heat/steam at extremely high temperatures in order to kill any harmful bacteria that may have gotten in during the packaging process. In doing so, many of the living enzymes and nutritional value of this once delicious fresh squeezed Florida orange juice (for example) have also been destroyed. What you are left with is essentially an orange drink, and this is before it is even bottled or packaged (see 1 above). What are they really protecting? Probably their asses from a law suit, because its definitely not your health.

4. Vegan “buttery” spread. WTF is that? If you have questions, read number one above. Consider replacing with some real food item, like any kind of oil. Coconut is great for baking, olive for stir frys. Use cold pressed, extra virgin and organic whenever possible. Toxins are stored in fats so this is especially important for high fat foods like oils.

5. Peanuts. This one may come as a surprise. Peanuts are actually not that good for you. They cause inflammation in the body, they are highly susceptible to cancer causing molds, and they are also known to cause arterial damage. Try some organic almond butter or tahini instead. You will feel better.

6. Nightshade foods: eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, tobacco. I am not a smoker, so that last one is not difficult for me, but the others are found in abundance in some of my favorite foods (like, all Thai food!). A few years back, I was experiencing a lot of joint pain and itchy skin. My physical therapist mentioned that I should stay away from foods that cause inflammation and incorporate more foods that are soothing an reduce inflammation. After doing some research, I found out that the same foods that were irritating my joints were the same ones irritating my skin. I have pretty much cut these all out completely (with the exception of the occasional tomato) and have noticed a significant difference both inside my body and out. There are other common foods in the nightshade family, but these contain higher levels of toxic alkaloids than others.

7. Alcohol. Most people do not know that many alcohols contain some derivative of milk, blood, bone, or some other part of an animal. Besides that, it will make you fat, ugly and dumb, and it will also kill you. But, if you like to enjoy a drink, have some organic wine or beer, preferably from a small, local brewery or vintner, not a giant corporate whore, and make sure it contains no animal by-products.

8. Leftovers. What?!?!? I know. Spaghetti tastes the best the next day. But the older food gets, the more bacteria and unwelcome visitors grow in the food. Notice if you get a runny or stuffy nose after eating leftovers. You probably do. In general, food more than three hours old has started to decay, and therefore lose nutritional value. Of course, for the sake of practicality sometimes leftovers are necessary (and friggin’ delicious), but try to limit them as much as possible, and when cooking or preparing meals, try to make only as much food as you are going to eat at that sitting.

9. Refined sugar, salt, flour, rice. Use the whole, brown, natural stuff. In their natural states, these foods contain lots of essential vitamins and minerals. Once upon a time, not that long ago, someone or a few someones discovered that food  was fluffier and looked more appealing when it was whiter in color, and also that by refining it they could reduce spoilage and thereby increase the shelf life of these foods and their profit margins. The funny thing is, is that after the refining process is complete, manufacturers add synthetic versions of the essential nutrients they just stripped away to the refined foods, now making them “enriched” (or in the case of salt, iodized). Manufacturers have gotten tricky though, and if you pay attention you will notice things like “sugar in the raw” (not raw at all!!) and “enriched wheat flour” (still refined!). Use things instead like turbinado sugar, sea salt, whole wheat flour and brown rice.

10. Overcooked or microwaved foods. I’ve said it a million times already, but in case you missed it, too much heat is not good for your food. Cooking or steaming vegetables should not take more than about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch your broccoli next time you cook it. It will start to turn a very bright green, and then if you keep cooking it, the brightness of the green will begin to fade. That moment when it is bright green and delicious looking, that is when it is ready to eat. If the bright green has faded, you went too far. As for microwaves, I know the subject is controversial, but I just don’t trust them. Besides, anything that needs to be microwaved is probably packaged (see number 1) or leftovers (see number 8), and you already know how I feel about that.

Sources:

Mostly my brain and my experiences, but if you need verification of these things, here are some online resources.

1. http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/03/your-bpa-questions-answered.html

2. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-things-to-know-about-tofu/

3. http://www.energydrinktruth.com/pasteurization.html

4. http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/processedfoods.htm

5. http://www.herbalist.com/wiki.details/458/category/12/start/0/

6. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=62

7. http://beeradvocate.com/articles/279

8. http://vegancampus.com/2007/09/17/the-ayurvedic-view-on-energy-foods-grains-vegetables-and-fruits/

9. http://www.alkalizeforhealth.net/Lsalt.htm

10. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2595/does-microwaving-kill-nutrients-in-food-is-microwaving-safe

Salad. Who says vegan food can’t be cheap, fast and easy?

Posted on by Chicken Marie
Reply

There are no excuses for not eating fresh vegetables.

1 baby bok choy, chopped (or other leafy green you have around)
1 carrot, grated
1 lime or lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
sesame seeds
nutritional yeast

Toss together. Squeeze juice of lemon or lime, add oil and vinegar (I like a little extra balsamic on mine). Garnish with nutritional yeast and sesame seeds. Serves 1. Eat. Stay sexy long time.

For more colorful salads, add a shredded beet, avocado, roasted tamari almonds, and/or different kinds of seeds.

8 Simple Rules for Dating a Vegan Blogger (or The Lean, Green, Vegan Machine To-Do List)

Posted on by Chicken Marie
2

1. Bike, walk, skateboard, rollerblade or run to wherever you can, whenever you can. If you drive an SUV, it better be a hybrid, or you better actually need it.

2. Always carry your own mug to get coffee or tea or whatever. Paper cups with heat sleeves are soooo last year anyway. Also, a reusable water bottle is a must, and for vegans, size does matter. The bigger the better. Mine is 40 oz. How big is yours?

3. Eliminate packaging and trash from your life. That means you better know your three R’s and how to apply them (and I ain’t talkin about reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmatic).

4. Conserve water and energy. Nuff said. Droughts and parched environments are not sexy.

5. Learn how to cook amazing vegan meals. Especially if you live in a not-so-vegan-friendly area. I have yet to find a vegan restaurant that is open past 10 pm and sometimes I’m hungry at 10:04. Or 2:30 am.

6. Use recycled and environmentally friendly products in your home. Rags, recycled tp, and Dr. Bronners. I don’t even know what a paper towel is anymore.

7. Plant an organic garden. Compost. Use it in the garden. Such a turn on.

8. Buy organic, fair trade and/or locally grown and produced food and products. Support farmers markets and small businesses, not corporate paychecks.

Wok Fly Vegetables (Vegetable Stir Fry with Tempeh)

Posted on by Chicken Marie
2

Stir-fry (also known as wok fly, inspired by one of my favorite restaurants) is one of those cheap, fast and easy meals for after work or working out or working up an appetite. It is consistently delicious… and with a million ways to sauce it up, it never gets boring.

Boil 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed.

1/2 package tempeh, chopped (I have not tried making this myself… yet!)
1 carrot, grated
1 zucchini, chopped
1 shit ton of garlic, finely minced (about 6 to 8 cloves… I love garlic)
shredded ginger root, a piece 3/4 the size of a thumb
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons wakame flakes, soaked in water 3-5 minutes, then drained
Seasonings and spices: Bragg’s liquid aminos, turmeric, pepper, paprika, chili powder, parsley, basil, extra ginger/garlic/onion (or if you don’t have fresh available) to your preferred taste
1 lime or lemon
1 avocado
sesame seeds to garnish

Heat a large saucepan over a medium flame. Cover bottom of pan with olive oil. When oil is warm, add onions and garlic. When the onions start to become translucent, add the tempeh. Add spices, a generous sprinkle to cover the dish works for me. Stir. Add the zucchini, and give it a good squirt (1 to 2 seconds) of Bragg’s. Stir. When most of the liquid has been absorbed add another 1/2 to 1 tablespoon or so of olive oil. Give it another good stir, and again when most of the liquid has been absorbed, add the juice of one lime or lemon. Stir, again til most of the liquid has been absorbed, then turn off heat. At this point, the quinoa should be done or about done. Let the quinoa stand for a few minutes, then fluff with a fork.

To serve, layer quinoa, grated carrots, wakame, cooked veggies with tempeh, and sliced avocado. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Add another squirt of Bragg’s if you want, or just dig in. Serves 2.

For variations, vary the amount or kinds of vegetables (bok choy, celery, mung bean sprouts, broccoli etc.), sub more veggies instead of tempeh, or serve with rice or soba noodles for a more asian inspired meal. Vary the sauce by adding teriyaki, peanut butter, curry or whatever you like. Yum!

Super Funking Easy Granola

Posted on by Chicken Marie
2

I dont believe that food should come in a package. If it comes in a package, then its not really food.

Here’s a recipe for some delicious and nutritious vegan gluten free deliciously sexy super yummy for your tummy granola…

Start by making some nut juice, nut milk, whatever you want to call it.

The general ratio is for every 1 cup of nuts you want about 2 cups of water. Blend together with a pinch of pink salt, vanilla extract and agave syrup.

I usually use brazil nuts because they contain no enzyme inhibitors. If you are using other kinds of nuts, soak them for about 6 to 8 hours before using. They are easier to digest and more nutritious that way.

Strain nuts through an amazing nut milk bag. Save the leftover pulp rom the bag to make your granola. If you are not making granola immediately, freeze the pulp.

The granola follows the same ratio as the nut milk. For every 2 cups of dry ingredients you need about 1 cup of wet. Depending on your personal taste preferences and nutritional needs, you can use any combinations of the following:

Dry: 1 cup Rolled oats, 1/2 cup quinoa flakes, nuts, seeds, leftover nut pulp, rice flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger
Wet: 1/2 cup oil (I use coconut), 1/2 cup maple syrup or agave syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract
(For lower fat granola use hot water instead of oil)

Combine dry and wet ingredients separately, then mix together. Spread on lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. When finished baking, add in dried fruits or coconut if desired.
Serve warm with fresh fruit and milk, or let dry in oven overnight before storing in an airtight container.

Vegan Peep Show

Posted on by Chicken Marie
Reply

Being vegan and staying this sexy requires a certain amount of preparation and planning. Stocking your cupboards with basic essentials can make a funk of a lot easier to whip up delicious super vegan meals.

Most of these items can be found at your local natural foods store, and whenever possible I buy items from the bulk section to cut down on that trash factor, cuz you know… trash sucks (click here if you are not sure why trash sucks). I am lucky enough to have two natural foods stores within biking distance, one of which also carries bulk herbs and spices. This is what i generally keep in my pantry:

Pictured from left to right, top to bottom: rice flour*, cocoa powder*, dark chocolate buttons**, raw coconut palm sugar*, cornstarch, vanilla extract*, baking powder, baking soda, himalayan crystal salt, braggs liquid aminos, lecithin granules, wild rice*, quinoa*, soba noodles*, dry chick peas*, sea kelp sheets, flax and sesame crackers*, wakame flakes, nori sheets*, flax crackers (hickory and paprika flavor, they taste like barbeque yum yum yum)*, mesquite powder*, basil*, ground ginger*, cumin*, cinnamon*, nutmeg*, 2 more varieties of himalayan crystal salt, ground dulse,  yacon syrup*, brown rice syrup*,  raw coconut oil*, raw agave syrup*, maple syrup*, hemp seeds*, rolled oats*, raw almonds*, raw cashews*, curry cashews*, tamari almonds*, raw brazil nuts*,  goji berries*, quinoa flakes*, dried blueberries*, golden hunza raisins*, various supplements including MSM, kava kava, immune support, niacin, white willow bark, vegan b12, sea vegetables, food based multi vitamin, sun chlorella, magnesium powder, melatonin, various teas including kava kava*, chamomile*, ginseng*, rosehip*, barley.

Not pictured: dry pink lentils*, paprika*, chili powder*, tumeric*, parsley*, ground onion*, ground kelp, extra virgin olive oil*, balsamic vinegar*, e3live*

*organic

**organic and fair trade

Not all of these are what you might consider “basic” essentials, but once you start being a sexy vegan, you build up a pretty sexy arsenal pretty quickly.

Add a few perishable essentials, and get sexy.

Always keep on hand: bananas**, avocados*, oranges*, strawberries*, lemon*, lime*, garlic*, ginger root*, onion*, sweet potato*, yam*, kale*, carrots*, beets*, cucumber*, zucchini*

My fridge is rather bare, and my freezer contains only ice, and occasionally leftover nut pulp that I am saving to make granola with.

In the fridge I keep only fresh fruits and vegetables that require refrigeration, and a few other perishables like liquid chlorophyll, ground flax seeds*, nutritional yeast, tempeh*, raw miso*, occasionally a kombucha*, and freshly made nut milk*.

I don’t really believe in leftovers except for in the case of some raw items like chopped salad, nut milk, fresh hummus, and baked goods. After three days, I personally wouldn’t eat it…. Stay fresh and stay sexy….