The key to longevity

Simple small changes CAN have a big impact! Photo by: newdirectionsconsulting.com

When you embark on a new mission or journey it's easiest to stick with it in the "newness" of the change. The first couple of days or even weeks tend to be the easiest as you are revved up on momentum and excitement. Sticking with the change can often be the most trying.

A life of abundance is available to us all!
Photo by: vafoodbanks.org

I, myself, have been transitioning to raw veganism for some time and consider it a very personal journey.

Where are you on this continuum? Having patience with yourself is the best thing you can do.
Photo by: www.mycvandme.co.uk 

But not to F.E.A.R.! There are a myriad of ways to go about "transitioning." We are all in a period of change and movement in our lives in other areas, and it's totally okay to be a bit transitory in nature when it comes to our food choices and lifestyle habits.

Homemade Cashew milk..YUMM!
Photo by: creativebioscience.com

I first started by eliminating all dairy products from my diet. I didn't really eat much dairy any way and so removing, cow's milk, eggs, cheese and yoghurt was the first step. For a while I still ate yoghurt sparingly and some eggs as I didn't feel the need to remove them from my diet just yet. Most of the time I only ate yoghurt in smoothies anyway and so I just replaced those with fresh juice/fruit only smoothies occasionally incorporating a coconut or nut milk of sorts. Also, I was very surprised to find out how many OTHER ways I could get calcium into my diet!

Biggest thing I have learned: *When it comes to life changes and challenges, you really have to go at your own pace.*

Lunch: toast, balck beans, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, mashed avocado, delish!
Photo by: goodveg.squidoo.com

Next I moved to removing chicken from my diet (I had eliminated beef a few years prior after researching how tough digestion is of most cooked beef products for the body and had stopped eating pork at a very young age as I always seemed to get sick after eating it (pork chops, hot dogs...). So I simply ate fish instead for a while and began experimenting with alternative "protein" sources.

Black beans, salsa, bean spread, avocado, collard greens!
Photo by: melomeals.blogspot.com

I started making vegan chili (3-bean chili ect...), veggie burgers with sweet potatoes and chickpeas, eating black bean hummus, edamame and so on. I realized after researching that many of the main stream forms of protein that we have been led to believe are absolute and MUST be included in our diets (ie cooked animal meats) are often also some of the most difficult for our bodies to break down.

Beans and lentils! Kidney beans, garbanzo beans, white, black, pinto beans, lentils, edamame and the list goes on!
Photo by: abcnews.go.com

Isn't the whole point of eating to fuel our body machines? Well, of course! If you don't eat (common argument), then you will eventually die! The truth is that without nutrients and water, our cells cannot repair, rebuild and rejuvenate. If our cells cannot rebuild as they are destroyed by the natural processes of living our bodies could simply not sustain life for very long.

The inside of your body and the path to digestion. Cool! 

Long story short, I started researching more about the digestion process in the body and how to best maximize the absorption of nutrients in the body. I am still researching and learning more about myself and my body each and every day!

Love yourself wherever you are on your path! Photo by: womenshealthency.com 

This journey for me has been so exciting! Difficult at times (family opinions, availability, discipline, support, time management and straight laziness have been barriers)...but life is such a beautiful journey and I am learning to love myself and give love to others everyday!

Have patience with yourself and you will always be in good company!

Live. Love. Life.
~h

Freakin' Leeks!

Leeks, sliced and diced! Photo by: wikipedia.org

Leeks. What the heck is a leek...You may be wondering? Not to fear Vivacious Vegan is here!

Leeks are a strange bird of sorts...and not a bird at all actually. A leek is a vegetable that belongs to the family of onions, shallots, scallions and garlic. It is bulbous at the bottom (like an onion) and has long, firm, crunchy cylinder-like leaves that grow up from the bulb. Kind of looks like this:

The roots and cut end of a leek. Photo by: wikipedia.org

They have a surprisingly mellow, 'sweeter-than-onion' taste. They can be eaten raw, blanched quickly or sauted and even baked. (Back in my dairy-eating days I once had Leeks mac n' cheese - didn't leave much of an impression) They are the kind of vegetables that blend into the background in terms of taste, but really kick butt in terms of nutrients.



One of my favorite recipes (as I am still transitioning to raw foodism) is a Curried Coconut Milk Thai Leek Soup.  It doesn't take long to make and even less time to simmer. YUM! (Recipe upon request)

Now onto the nutritional value!

Single leek flower head. Cool right? Can you find the bee in the picture? Photo by: wikipedia.org

You wouldn't believe these large long vegetables start out as these TINY LITTLE seedlings!

50% of daily value Vitamin K
30% of daily value of Vitamin A
20% of daily value of Manganese

1 cup raw leeks only 54 calories!!!!

What's nice about leeks is because they belong to the same family as garlic and onions we see many similar benefits as their fellow vegetable-mates.

 Leeks, lemon juice, evoo, olives, grated carrot, salt, peppa, basil and tomatoes! Yummy easy mid-day salad! Photo by : www.livingandeatingwell.com

How I eat them: a little bit of lemon juice and thyme or basil...chop them up and add to a salad! Crunchy delight! If you like them cooked, saute them with some fennel or mustard seeds and a little water for 5-7 minutes stirring frequently, toss with a little evoo, pepper and thyme; season to taste and add to any ready made dish of your choosing. Great to add to soups or omlettes for a suttle deliciousness!

As a transitioning raw vegan eater I am estatic (!) to:
get massive doses of antioxidants (which help in protecting my blood vessels and cells from damage), lots of B vitamin Folate (which is key for supporting my cardiovascular system) and flavonoids (which protect my blood vessel linings too!).

Fresh leeks ready for the taking! What will you make with them? Photo by: jasons-bites.com

Because leeks are highest in Vitamin K and A - they help most with helping blood to clot properly, protect your bones from fracturing, AND protect against liver and prostate cancer!

So go out and get you some little known lovely leeks today! (Tip: You can probably find them at your local Asian grocer)

Live. Love. Well.

~h

ORANGE you so sweet!?

What a beautiful ORANGE sunrise! Couldn't you just take a bite out of that sun? :-) Photo by: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Do you know that knock knock joke? Oh my gosh. It's like literally my favorite joke of all time. If I was ever trying to be cool and sophisticated...my corny sense of humor is a dead give away!

Ah well. I'm cool with that. :-)

Fresh pressed orange juice! Yummo! Photo by: www.foodrenegade.com

So I don't know anyone who doesn't like oranges. I myself enjoy a fresh pressed orange juice with my cheapo beginner juicer (gifted my a great friend and accomplice) and I must say...once you've had "fresh pressed" orange juice...it's REALLY HARD TO GO BACK.

Easy snack for grown-ups and kids alike! Photo by: eatsfoodhatesyou.blogspot.com

We all know and love oranges and they are just one of the many lovely citrus fruits one can enjoy.

Let's look at some of the benefits here:

Now, when it comes to food combining we must be vewy vewy careful to do it right, otherwise you may end up with a tummy ache.

Simple fruit combining chart. Bookmark! Very useful for understanding why kids get so many tummy aches. Photo by: www.30bananasaday.com (check out this website for good tips!)

Oranges are high in acidity and therefore should only be combined with other citrus fruits (grapefruits, lemons, kiwi, lime, pineapple, pomegranate, strawberry, tomato...) OR with sub-acidic fruits like grapes, apple, apricot, berries, cherries, pears, mango, nectarine, peach, or plums). Whew! That's a lovely long list of options. :-)


Long list of yummy fruits! Tasty for the eating! Photo by: thecitrusfruits.blogspot.com (good blog about benefits of citrus fruits - show them some love!)

Oranges are very high in Vitamin C, Fiber and Folate, Herperidin (which means strong anti-inflammatory and is found in the white pith of the skin), and Cryptoxanthin (which is a Carotenoid). They also help to decrease risk for calcium oxalate stones (kidney stones), lower cholesterol and high blood pressure, and are very low in calories. One medium size orange is about 60 calories!

Photo by: http://www.wakingtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Flickr-Orange-Peel-fdecomite.jpg



A fun trick: Save your orange peels, they can double as natural potpourri! Let them dry out and place in the bathroom, kitchen or living room.


As a transitioning raw vegan I LOVE LOVE foods that require no packaging, no fuss (except a maybe some wet wipes) and are healthy and delicious! Try adding some fresh oranges or orange juice to your diet today!

Love. Live. Well.

~h

Pomegranate lovin'!

Who can resist? Not me. :-) Photo by: www.healthtipsexpress.com

Oh yes, I said it! Pomegranates all day bishessssss~ lol

Okay that was a little wild introduction BUT if you have not yet added pomegranates to your life...you are seriously missing out.




Early morning eating! Ready to go! Photo by: taurist.wordpress.com

Aside from being one of the healthiest fruits you could eat, let me just tempt you with this little fact:

"Men and women who drank a daily glass of the fruit’s juice for a fortnight experienced a surge in the hormone testosterone, which increases sexual desire in both genders."Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2139292/Viagra-effect-daily-glass-pomegranate-juice.html#ixzz2W2G5JN9H

Yeah that's right...ladies and gents get your pomegranate on!

I also bet you didn't know (like me until I researched it)...Pomegranates are equal in antioxidants to green tea and red wine, and contain high levels of Vitamin C and Potassium. They are also known to lower risk of heart disease, lower risk of cancers like prostate and breast cancer, reduce cholesterol, help control weight gain, increase memory, fight cell damage and free radicals thus the anti-aging effects and so on.

How to juice a pomegranate. Photo by: www.bhg.com

If you want a natural aphrodisiac and a fruit that's great for your mind body and health...get you some pomegranates and make a date out of it!

How to eat a pomegranate:
You can make a little slit with a knife (don't cut through all the way) and crack it open with your hands. As my grandma says, then "Go for what you know!" There is no official way to eat it in my opinion and everytime it tastes just as juicy and sweet with a touch of tartness like a cherry. Yummo!

You can suck on the seeds, get the juice and discard or You can squeeze them and use for mainly juicing...BUT just know most of the benefits come from eating the seeds so it'd be a shame to waste them. They're like nature's little aspirins! They reduce inflammation and can buffer the effects of free radical damage. What's not to love?!



Try a pomegranate smoothie today! Photo by: positivemed.com

Plus they're fun to eat! Go straight from hand to mouth. Eat them raw. Sprinkle seeds on salads or juice to enjoy the fantastic benefits! As a transitioning raw food eater I LOVE LOVE foods that taste great, are fun to eat and most of all fit the bill on raw simple eating! Try some today!

Live. Love. Well.

~h

Avocado me now!

Shout out to all my AVOCADO LOVERS! Photo by: pinterst.com

On to a topic I thoroughly enjoy...the loving super food of AVOCADOS! (also known as the alligator pear...what a funny name lol) They have been enjoyed by millions over the past thousands of years all over the living world!

I love avocados the most because they are tasty and fit the bill when it comes to simple livin'. A splash of lemon, dash of garlic and you're good to go! Some like it with a squeeze of lime juice and a bit of evoo, mash it up and eat up! Or just eat it plain straight from the gourd! Others even make simple guacamole...there are so many uses and it's such an easy way to eat. Let's talk a bit about the benefits other than how tasty avocados are and how easy they are to prepare.

Oh man! When I tell you I have a new avocado smoothie-on-the-go/ice cream/popsicle recipe you will LOVE! You've just got to believe me...and better yet you've JUST GOT TO TRY IT!

Here we go:
1 medium sized avocado (peel and pit it)
1 cup "milk" (coconut milk or almond is my go to but I'm sure you can experiment with others)
4 ice cubes
4 tsp of sugar (this is optional, some like it sweeter others less so, if you add a little bit you can always add more)

Directions:
add milk, ice cubes and sugar to blender, blend well. Then add the avocado and blend until smooth. If it's too think add some water if too thin add some more ice (or avocado depending on how much you want to make) but be sure to TASTE IT before straying too far from the recipe. MMMMMMM YUM!

How to make ice cream out of it...throw it in a tupper ware and let it get a little more solid. How to make popsicles...get some popsicle molds, spoon the mixture in and freeze according to the directions. This is a GREAT WAY to get kids (and stubborn hubbies and lovers) to eat "green" popsicles and get lots of vitamin E, Omega-23 fatty acids, folate and beta-sitosterol in their sweet little bodies!

Yay for the wonderfulness and versatility of lovely avocados!

A great tasty recipe above! Photo by: OasisAdvancedWellness

Zip-Zap-SMOOTHIE!

The wonderful carrot-filled rainbow! Photo by: blog.bountifulbaskets.org

While in transition to a raw vegan diet or even just thinking about it...there are alot of easy meal ideas you can use that will be beneficial for your mind and body.


Here is are some great starter recipes to get you on the move! Photo courtesy of  http://douladivinity.tumblr.com/, one of my FAVORITE tumblr page's of all time. :-) Show her some love.

 One of the easiest and dare I say, most nutritious meals a human can feed it's body is JUICE!

Baby's love it, grandparents love it! IT'S EASY TO DIGEST AND GOES DOWN SMOOTH. Great for moms and dads and kids on the GO! I mean, seriously who doesn't like a nice refreshing juice at almost anytime of the day!

Baby's love GREEN SMOOTHIES! Photo by: www.greensmoothiegal.com

What I love about these recipes is they are properly combined for best absorbtion and digestion (yes, your body "digests" juice) and they really taste great.

I have a very basic juicer myself and have been able to enjoy many of the amazingly tasty benefits of juicing and make AT LEAST ONE MEAL A DAY a smoothie or juice feast meal.
*NOTE: This is one of my tips on how to lose 20 pounds in 3 months...stay tuned!

Vitamin A-Z can be found in these suckers! I love eating fruits! Photo by: mr-ginseng.com

As a natural vegan it is IMPERATIVE that I get certain minerals, vitamins and live ingredients in my diet at as many meals as I can. Smoothies/juices do it all.

Love. Love. Yum. Photo by: www.plantpoweredliving.com  

APPLE SNAP
3-4 apples (any sweet or tart variety), 7-8 carrots, 1-2 inches of ginger, 1-2 whole lemons = light sweet JUICE with a little KNUDGE! :-)

If you don't have the time/resources or interest in juicing...start small. Use your blender and try some of these recipes:

A little seedy, tart and summer time sweet! Photo by: www.thedevilwearsparsley.com

BERRY BERRY TASTY SMOOTHIE
1 cup strawberries, 1 cup raspberries, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup orange juice, 1 banana, 2 tbsp ground flax seed, 1 cup ice (or use frozen fruits) =- YUMM!

Ingredients: Banana, mango, pineapple, spinach. Photo by: dontwastethecrumbs.com

HAPPY GREEN MACHINE SMOOTHIE
1 large banana, 1 can of pineapple with juice (or 1/2 live pineapple sliced), 1 handful of raw spinach, 1-2 large mangoes (to your taste) = my favorite GREEN SMOOTHIE

Ingredients: Kale, almonds, banana. Simple and easy living! Photo by: blog.vellumandvogue.com

ALMOND JOYFUL SMOOTHIE
1 cup almond milk (or coconut or goat's or rice milk whatever you like), 1 banana, 1 handful of kale = TASTY STARTER smoothie

Ahh yes...a staple on the run go to smoothie. Great trusted brand! Photo by: www.tumblr.com

Last but not least...when I'm on the super-go-go and I know I need to get my smoothie or juice in for the day...I breakdown and buy it. I know this may seem not that awesome...but honestly I pay around $6-10 for the average "meal" on the go...so why not spend $5.99 on a 64 oz. Bolthouse Green Goodness smoothie and still have some change to spare for an extra 20 oz juice? Savin' dollars and livin' easy. :-)

I hope you will be inspired to add a smoothie to your day today! Post your very own smoothie/juice recipes below! Good health CAN BE YOURS!

Live. Love. Well.

~h


Detoxing...the smart way!

Talk about someone who would eat anything...and I mean anything. Losing weight was the toughest! Until I learned these easy tricks...Photo by: www.ommynoms.com

So the title is a bit catchy and by no means an absolute...HOWEVER...due to the volume of questions I have received about my detoxification process this year I will start a short series detailing my goals, initiatives and findings and HOW I LOST 20 POUNDS IN 3 MONTHS safely and securely.

Vegan lunches! Photo by: www.veganmotherhubbard.com

So...first thing's first you should know that I am a transitioning raw vegan. I was not born this way and have been on this journey for quite sometime. More recently, say within the last few years, I have been feeling an even stronger pull away from mainstream lifestyle habits and a calling towards rediscovering who I am and what defines me...food choices included.

A typical look into my cart any given autumn. Photo by: www.myrecipes.com

I desire to live long and to live well and thus I embarked on a journey to find what exactly that means to me. In this series I hope to share with you what I have learned in the process of un-doing years of behaviors and habits and the freedom we all have to make choices for our lives.


I have no intentions of "converting" you to choose my lifestyle but simply hope to share and present my personal findings to encourage or inspire others.
Thank you for joining me on this journey!

~h