Earth Hour 2012

Thank you Beautiful Vegan site for reminding me of this! Can't we do this more often? lol

Check out this video about Earth Hour-
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FovYv8vf5_E&feature=player_embedded#!

Chocolate Cake, low-fat (V)

This recipe is so insanely easy I can't believe it works! If your looking for something that is low in fat and just under 200 calories a serving (cupcakes about 124 cals) you have found your recipe. I didn't use any oil and it turned out moist and delicious! This recipe is so versatile you can add fruit if you wanted or some chocolate chips, or nuts, do anything! I originally got this recipe from Allrecipes but altered it because of some of the comments and my own preferences. Enjoy!

Makes 1-9 inch round pan, or 12 cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup vegan sugar (organic cane sugar)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup natural unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 cup water

-Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and Grease a 9 inch cake pan, or 12 cupcakes.
-Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
-Add applesauce, vanilla, vinegar, and water, to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth
-Transfer to a greased cake pan, or cupcake pan or use liners, and bake for about 40 mins,(cupcakes 20-25 mins) let cool before removing from pan or frosting etc.

Natural Food Dyes

Hey everyone, if you don't want to use the regular food dyes that are dangerous for you, I found a website on how to color eggs naturally, and of course you could use it for other things like frosting etc. Just Click Here. I plan on trying some beet juice, blueberries, and turmeric. I'll let you know how it turns out!

More Info On Food Dyes, Click Here
And More Info Here

Homemade Larabar (V)

I came across this website with a recipe that is basically for a homemade Larabar, I was pretty excited, turned out great and you can change it up to how you like them- This recipe is not mine, it is from Wellness Mama, I just put it here in case for some reason the link ever stopped working otherwise it's exactly the same minus the comments, Click here for the recipe on the Wellness Mama site, I like to have these at work, or travel, they are nice energy bars. Not sure about Dates and the sugar etc? Well Click Here for a video to learn about the nutritional benefits!

• 1/3 cup nuts (cashews, almonds, etc) Reminder: peanuts are not nuts!
• 1/4 cup whole dates (remove pits)-about 3 large dates (also a few dried dates work)
• 1/4 cup raisins (or more dates)
• dash of cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Put nuts into food processor (or Vitamix) and chop until in small pieces. Remove and put in bowl.
2. Put dates and raisins (any combination of the two that equals 1/2 cup total) into the food processor and pulse until play dough consistency. It will start to clump together when it is done.
3. Mix the two ingredients by hand until well incorporated and the consistency of stiff playdough or cookie dough. (You can do this all in the food processor also)
4. Roll between two sheets of wax paper to a 1/2 inch thickness and cut into bars. (Or make it really easy and just roll into energy balls!)
5. Wrap in wax paper, plastic wrap or snack size ziploc bags (or glass containers if you aren’t giving to kids) and store in fridge until ready to use.
6. Enjoy!

Uses for the Wellness Bar: Fast on the go meal, delicious snack for kids, easy dessert, camping or hiking food, energy bar for sustained workouts, and non-messy food for roadtrips.

Beautiful Vegan Website

I came across this website the other day and I really like it, I feel that they have a lot of the same views  I have, and have a great page on why to go vegan, check it out!-

  Click here for the Beautiful Vegan Website

Unlikely Friends

I could look at photos like these all day, it just makes me smile :)

(click on the pictures to enlarge)

Tabbouleh (V)

Homemade

Emily's

I am 1/4 lebanese but you can't tell by looking at me, although half my family does have the dark hair and easy to tan skin lol. This recipe is based on the Tabbouleh I have been eating all of my life from Emily's Lebanese Deli in minneapolis. I love this Tabbouleh it is my absolute favorite recipe and I make it whenever I can, I could eat it everyday. I'm happy to share it with you and I hope you enjoy it too, serve it with holy land lebanese pocket bread :)

Makes about 6 cups, depending on your parsley:

3/4 cup bulgar cracked wheat (or whole cracked wheat which is darker in color)
4 cups chopped parsley (about 2 medium sized bunches)
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3 large red-ripe tomatoes

Mix in jar with lid:
2 tsp dried mint
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil*

-Rinse bulgar and put in bowl with hot or boiled water to cover about 3 inches above bulgar to soften while you get the other ingredients ready.

-Wash and remove parsley leaves from the thicker parts of the stem, chop by hand or a food chopper. -Put in a large bowl, add chopped onion and chopped tomato with seeds removed.

-Mix all the seasonings and liquid together in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake well, add to parsley bowl.

-The bulgar should be a little chewy like al dente pasta, not crunchy, if ready rinse bulgar and add to parsley mix. If it seems a little crunchy and your tired of waiting just put it in the microwave for a few seconds :) Stir and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, I usually make the day before so it has time to soak up all the flavors. (and of course check it, stir it, and taste it lol)

* I haven't tried it yet but if you don't want to use oil you can Click here for an oil substitution recipe.

*I find that it's a little hard to judge the parsley amount so if you notice your Tabbouleh is too dry then just add a little more lemon juice and olive oil, if it seems too wet then just use a slotted spoon when serving.

Homemade! I just used a food chopper for the parsley lol.

My Favorite Irish Blessing

Happy St. Patty's Day Everyone!

Learn About Toxins in Products

Please watch this video to learn about toxins in products:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfq000AF1i8&feature=player_embedded

Next Stage To Be Chemical Free

click picture to enlarge

Well I'm ready to move further in the direction I'm already headed into a chemical free lifestyle. I have removed my nail polish and hair products from their regular home and I will either give them away to people that don't think they will change or dispose of them properly. I don't paint my nails too often so I can make do with the once in a while 8$ purchase of water based polish. It's the mousse that I will miss a bit since my hair is a frizzy thick mess without it, but I have some homemade recipes to try out for gel, also I put a little coconut oil in my hair and that helps, and I can always flat iron or put it up if need be. I won't be switching to organic shampoo until my highlighted portions of my hair have grown out enough to chop it off since I hear organic products can have an effect on chemically treated hair.
           I have already eliminated my past lotions, body wash, and make up. I also still use my homemade deodorant. So far so good. One thing at a time is the way to go I think, when you get used to doing w/o one thing move on to the next, don't do it all at once or you will feel deprived and crash. Right now I feel really good about it, almost like an uplifting and cleansing. It's an ongoing journey, learning not to care about if I'm "cool" or not, there are much more important things to worry about then what other people think, do whats right and feel good about that! It's nice not having so many options to try to choose from, this way I pretty much know what not to use and it's nice.
           If you happen to be on this journey too just keep going at it no matter what stage your in, just know other people are doing it too and it's worth it!

Super Vegetable Soup (V)

I just basically throw everything into this soup, sometimes I call it garbage veggie soup lol. You don't have to make it exact, you can mix it up depending on what you have on hand, although I highly recommend adding the sweet potato, it gives it a very distinct flavor that makes it different from any other veggie soup. This is a good delicious way to eat some veggies you might not eat raw or otherwise, it also makes a lot and I don't mind since I like leftovers and then I don't have to cook for a few days or you can freeze some :)

Vegetable Broth, 6 cups (I like to use Emerils Organic Vegetable Broth)
Onion, 1 medium, chopped
Celery, 2 stocks
Sweet Potato, 1 large (the lighter colored ones)
Carrot, 2 large
Rutabaga, 1/4-1/2 of a medium size, depending on your tastes
Parsnip, 1 medium

Bay Leaf, 1 large
Garlic powder 1/2 tsp
Parsley Dried, 1 tbs
Salt to taste, my mom always said pepper is better to add when you eat it since it can overwhelm the soup

Frozen Veggies:
Green Beans, 1 cup
Corn, 1/2 cup (technically its a grain but whatever lol)
Baby Lima Beans, 3/4 cup
Peas, 1/2 cup


-In a large pot saute onion until transparent, I just use a splash of vegetable broth instead of oil.
-Cut celery, carrot, rutabaga, and parsnip into bite size pieces, then add to the pot with onion and pour in the vegetable broth.
-Add the bay leaf, garlic, and parsley
-Bring to a light simmer, after about 30 mins add the sweet potato in bite size pieces, (add this later so it doesn't fall apart from being cooked too long) continue to simmer another half hour or until veggies are tender.
-Add the frozen veggies and let simmer about 10 more mins.

Remove the bay leaf and enjoy! And I always like to have bread with all my soups if you couldn't tell, Yum!

Recycle the Un-recyclable!

If you are looking for ways to recycle things that your normal recycling company doesn't pick up there is another way. You can get your school or community involved to help recycle things like cereal bags, cheese bags, candy wrappers, juice pouches and many other things. I highly recommend getting involved, it can save a lot of trash from entering the ever growing landfills, it's super easy and you can earn money for charity. Just go to Terracycle.net to learn more!