Zesty Italian Salad Dressing!

I'm always trying to eat more leafy greens, and I've actually been really into salads lately. It wasn't always like that though, I used to hate salads. I don't like buying bottled dressings, so I looked up a homemade italian dressing, and found this one:

http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2010/07/perfect-homemade-italian-dressing.html

I use white wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil in the recipe. It's AMAZING! It's so yummy, and I eat up all my salad when I use this. I bought a glass dressing container recently, and it's come in handy. What homemade dressings do you guys like to make?

Whole Foods Shopping Trip!

Shopping at Whole Foods, while a regular thing for me, is still a lot of fun every time I visit. I go there for my groceries once a week, I actually love grocery shopping, it's fun! I shop there because they have so many different vegan options and everything is all natural, the people are so nice, and there's always something new to try. Here's my grocery haul for today- where I got a lot of new stuff, and some regular stuff! :)

Produce

• Organic Pink Lady Apples: These are hands down my favorite apples, and I was upset the past few trips because they didn't have them. I was happy to see them today! I only eat organic apples, as it is one of the most pesticide filled foods, so always opt for organic!
• Naval Oranges: These weren't on my list, but they had samples out, and they were really juicy and sweet, so I picked up two! Can't wait to cut these up
• Red Grapes: I love grapes, they're a great snack! I love them because they're quick and easy and super yummy, and they also make a wonderful frozen snack!
• Blueberries: I usually like to put blueberries in smoothies or my soy yogurt. I'm going to start going to the gym this week, as well as personal training sessions, so I'm going to make protein shakes with Jarrow Optimal Plant Protein for post workout, so blueberries will make a yummy addition!
• Organic Tomatoes: I'm always looking for new lunch ideas, although I love my salads. I actually got this sandwich idea from Elle Fowler on youtube, which is a tomato sandwich. I veganized it with vegan mayo, and toasted two pieces of vegan bread, and put sliced tomatoes on top, which was so yummy!
• Organic Baby Carrots: I actually love carrots, and I'm not a big fan of raw vegetables yet. They're sweet, and I always pack them for lunch with hummus
• Organic Spring Mix: I eat at least one salad a day, but usually two. I make homemade italian dressing, which I'll post soon, and it's delicious! I love my salads now. I always change up my lettuce, but Spring Mix is my favorite

Bulk

• Long Grain Brown Rice: Brown rice is a staple in our house- not just for me, but my parents as well. When my mom makes it, she makes it in the microwave, which isn't a way I like to cook if I can help it, so I make it stovetop. I usually make a lot of it, so I have some for the week
• Forbidden Rice: I've been intrigued by this rice so many times, and haven't picked it up until now. I love the color- it's pitch black! I'm excited to make this- maybe tonight!
• Pistachios: I love love love pistachios! They're so good, and I like shelling them, it takes more time to eat, so I get fuller faster
• Walnuts: I put these in my cold cereal in the morning (I'll post the recipe soon)
• Vegetable Corkscrew Pasta: This was a new thing I picked up! It looked good and actually has real vegetables as well as wheat, so I'm excited to try it!
• Fresh Ground Almond Butter: I get this, without fail, every single week. It's fun to grind it yourself, and I love knowing what's in it- just almonds! I like making banana sandwiches and wraps with almond butter, as well as putting it in smoothies, and with my apples!
• Organic Raisins: This was in a box, not the bulk bins, because the ones in the bins have canola oil on them. I love raisins as a snack, or on my cold cereal (or hot!) in the mornings!
• Organic Unsweetened Applesauce: While I almost always opt for fresh fruit, I do enjoy applesauce once in a while

Bars

• Luna Bar: I only got one, as I had three in the house already, and I got my favorite- Iced Oatmeal Raisin. It's so good! 
• Kind Bars: I got the Almond and Flax (plus Omega 3's- which I already ate, it was delicious!) and the Almond and Apricot. I love Kind Bars, and even though they do have honey in them, they don't have dairy, which is fine with me. 
• That's It Bars: These are amazing on the go! All it is is fruit- two servings of it! I actually printed out four free bar coupons, so I saved over $6!

Snacks

• Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Rosemary and Olive Oil Crackers: I love these crackers, and they're filled with great ingredients. I dip these in hummus as a snack, but I don't have them as a snack too often (I usually have fresh fruit or nuts)
• Chocolate Covered Cherries: I eat very healthy, but I do enjoy chocolate on a regular basis. I love it, and it's my treat. I believe that indulging in little ways is key to not going overboard eventually, so I picked these up
• Seasnax: Don't judge, but I actually love these. I was very skeptical last week when I saw them, but curious, so I only got one. They have bigger and little sizes, and I got the little one. It's a seaweed snack. I know, it sounds gross to most people, but I actually love them. They're little sheets, and very very low in calories (for those of you who count). Seaweed is high in nutrition, so that's a plus!
• Seasprinkles: These are basically the same thing as Seasnax, but in a ripped up form

Baking

• Organic Agave Nectar: I use this as a sweetener in a lot of my baked goods, as well as a replacement for honey, and on my vegan pancakes, waffles, and french toast. 
• Vegan Chocolate Chips: I use these in Chocolate Covered Katie's recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies, which I love. I also occasionally put them in my cold cereal and trail mix

Non-Dairy

• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk: I use this for everything you would put milk in- my oatmeal, cold cereal, baking, etc
• Whole Soy and Co Yogurt: I love this yogurt, in fact, it's one of the only non dairy yogurts I like (I love Trader Joe's brand- but I don't have a TJ's near me ):). I love putting cereal and fresh fruit in, and making a parfait. I love it plain too, though!
• Earth Balance Mindful Mayo: I've been wanting to get a Vegan Mayo for a while, and when I got a $1 coupon, I decided it was time. I used it right when I got home for a tomato sandwich, and I absolutely love it! I'm going to use it in Eco-Vegan Gal's 'tuna' (chick pea) recipe, on sandwiches, and in dressings!

Other

• Organic Puffed Kamut: This is the cold cereal I use in the morning, with a little fiber and protein for energy and satisfaction (: It's simple and I love it
• Whole Wheat Pasta: I got the 100% whole wheat pasta, which isn't only healthier, but tastes better. I make pasta about once a week, either with extra virgin olive oil or tomato sauce
• Kombucha: If you are into nutrition, or the Tone it Up girls, you have probably heard of kombucha. They rave about it, and it's supposed to be super healthy and good for you. It's a fermented tea, but is quite expensive, so I've never tried it. I bought a bottle, and will post about how I like it
• Buffalo Garlic Tofu: I tried a sample of this and absolutely loved it, so I had to pick a small container up. I stopped eating tofu as much as I did before, but I do enjoy the premade Whole Foods varieties once in a while

So this is what I got today! Have you tried any of these products? How did you like them? Do you have anything new you love?

Great Vegan Travel Foods!

Unfortunately, eating a healthy, clean eating, vegan diet on the go can be very difficult. I'm going to fly up to visit my cousins this weekend, and I went to Whole Foods to buy some travel-friendly healthy snacks.

•Organic Baby Fruit Purée Packs: I know these may seem silly, as they're targeted towards toddlers, but they're a great product. The brand I bought only contains puréed fruit, and is a great option when you can't pack regular fresh fruit

•Organic Dried Fruit, such as dried apples or bananas: If you love chips, these could be great for you. I love them, and the only ingredient there should be is the fruit, nothing else!

•Luna Bars: getting nutrients on the go can be tough, which is where Luna Bars can help you. These are loaded with important vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and iron, as well as fiber and protein. Plus, they're DELICIOUS! My favorites are Vanilla Almond and Iced Oatmeal Raisin

•Larabars: These fruit and nut bars are great, each is raw, vegan, kosher, non gmo, and has no more than 9 ingredients. The flavors are so great, I love the peanut butter and jelly and the cashew cookie!

•Kind Bars: Be kind to your body, with Kind Bars! They're all natural fruit and nut bars, and are absolutely delicious! Some have additional benefits such a extra protein and antioxidants

•That's It Bars: I love these. Each only has two ingredients, fruit. They have two servings of fruit per bar, so they're great if you can't carry fresh fruit with you (see my post on them!)

•Kale Chips: you can make these at home, but I bought them for convenience. These just might cure your crunchy tooth, and chip cravings. Plus, these have around 8 grams of protein per ounce! Not to mention they're made of kale

•Homemade Trail Mix: There are so many reasons to make trail mix at home, as opposed to buying it pre made. First off, it's cheaper. Second, you can portion size it yourself, because trail mix is often over eaten. Third, you can customize it! A serving is about 1/4 cup. Add whatever dried fruit, nuts, and seeds you want!

I hope this helped. What are your favorite nutritious, on the go snacks?

That's It! Bars

Some people simply don't like fruit. I don't get why, or how, and I personally think you might be insane, but it's true. Some people are always on the go and don't necessarily have the space or time to eat fruit. I always get enough fruit, so it's not a problem of mine, but I did see this bar in Whole Foods and it really caught my eye.

That's It! Bars are made of one ingredient, and one ingredient only: fruit. No added sweeteners, no weird frankenfood ingredients, nothing the average 3rd grader couldn't pronounce. They come in three flavors: Apples and Cherries, Apples and Apricots, and Apples and Pears. The ingredients are in the name!

I had the Apples and Pears and it was delicious! It was very tasty and had an indescribably amazing texture to it. They're only 100 calories, of course 0 grams of fat, contain 3 grams of fiber as well as natural health benefits from fruit. The most important part? They only have two, whole food, non GMO ingredients: Apples and Cherries, Apples and Apricots, and Apples and Pears. Each bar has two servings of fruit!

So while you should always go for the whole fruit when you can, these are a great option for when you simply can't. For example, I'm going on an overnight school trip, and need to pack my own vegan food. I don't have access to a fridge, so I can't pack much fruit. I will be consuming quite a few of these in the four days I'm away!

Try these!

Recipe Review: Chocolate Covered Katie's Rice Krispy Treats

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned her many times, but I'm going to mention her again anyway. Chocolate Covered Katie, in my eyes, is the queen of everything vegan desserts. I've made a few of her recipe's and all of them turn out amazing, she just knows what she's doing! I'm going to my friend's house later today, and she eats a lot of junk food. As a vegan, it's already hard to eat at a friend's house or out in a restaurant. As a clean eating vegan, it's even harder. So I decided to pack my own food for the weekend (oatmeal for breakfast, nuts and seeds for a snack, luna bars for nutrition, etc. Then I decided to pack some kind of healthy junk food replacement, so I wouldn't feel deprived. So I made CCK's Rice Krispy Treats and believe me, I don't feel deprived at all.

These turned out amazing. She suggests using peanut butter, but I used freshly ground almond butter. OH. MY. GOD. I can't say enough about these, they're amazing. I know they are a little fattening due to the almond butter, but lucky for us the fats in almonds are healthy fats! Just make sure to watch how many you eat (as hard as it may be).

She also has a chocolate version (of course!) and I didn't modify the recipe at all (besides changing the nut butter). Here's the link!

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/08/18/5-ingredient-rice-crispy-treats/

I'm Finally Going Full Vegan!

It sounds like a contradiction to call my blog 'The Clean Eating Teenage Vegan' if I still eat greek yogurt. I replaced milk with almond milk a long time ago, way before I even considered becoming a vegetarian, much less a vegan. I like the taste better, I used to hate the taste of milk. Then I slowly stopped eating other dairy products one week at a time- one week I stopped eating cottage cheese, the next I stopped eating string cheese. I replaced fat free shredded cheese with Daiya shredded 'cheese' (a 100% vegan cheese replacement, free of dairy (casein, whey, and lactose- most 'non-dairy' cheeses still have casein- making them not vegan, also free of soy, gluten, eggs, rice, peanuts, and tree nuts). I love all of my replacements, but for a while, that left non fat greek yogurt. I love greek yogurt, but I know it's right for me to give it up. First of all, the dairy farms are just as cruel as the meat farms (the egg farms are worse- they dispose of the male chicks- meaning throw out, or even grind through a machine) and it is important to me. Second, dairy has led to osteoperosis, and even cancer, and is honestly something I just don't want to be consuming. Third, and lastly, think about what the yogurt is made of. Milk. While so many people drink it, do they really think about what they're drinking? Infants drink their mothers milk to obtain nutrients and essentially 'fatten up'. The same goes for cows and their young- they have milk to give to their young and fatten up their young. The only reason we consume cows milk is because they product the most of it. But did you know that naturally, they only produce about 1/3 of what the dairy industry forces out of them? To me, I might as well drink my mother's breast milk. I don't know about you, but that doesn't roll in my family.
What about calcium? There are SO MANY vegan sources of calcium! I used to buy Oikos Organic Nonfat Greek Yogurt, thinking it was great for calcium, but then I found out that the 5.3 ounce cups only provide 15% of your daily calcium. I bought 3 new non dairy vegan yogurts today, and the Silk one that I bought had 30% of your daily calcium, plus an added 5 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber. Yes, it does have quite a bit of sugar, 18 grams, but it is considered a treat for me. Another source of calcium is Luna bars, which provide 35% of your daily value.
Blue Diamond Refrigerated Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk provides 45% of your daily value, making it 90% for two 8 ounce glasses. I know that odds are, you aren't going to consume two glasses of milk by itself a day, but here's an example: when I make oatmeal, I use 1/2 cup of oats and 3/4 cup of almond milk. The almond milk provides around 34% of your daily calcium (33.75% if you want to get technical). Then I'll make a protein shake for a post-workout protein source (all natural vegan protein powder of course, I usually make my Violet, You're Turning Violet! shake) and I usually use 3/4 cup of almond milk for that, providing another 34%. Already, that's 68% of my daily value. I usually have something else with calcium, and all of the little percentages add up, but if you for some reason don't have any other calcium that day, if you have another 8 ounce glass, you have another 45%, making it 113% for the day, so you're covered! (You can use that 8 ounces of almond milk in a healthy hot chocolate with truvia and unsweetened baking cocoa, if you'd like ;)

The only thing that boggles my mind about full vegan is yogurt. I like yogurt. I could probably give it up for good, but if I can find a vegan replacement, I'd rather do that. I tried Amande, and almond milk yogurt, and didn't eat it. It was gross. Then I had O'Soy, which is okay, but I learnt that the live cultures come from a cow. Today, I bough Silk and Whole Soy & Co, both soy yogurt. I also bought one rice milk yogurt, Ricera. Hopefully I find one I like! Any recommendations? When did you go vegan?

Violet, You're Turning Violet!

I love this smoothie. I adapted it from Whole Foods' Almond Berry Cream Smoothie, all I've done is added some all natural vegan protein powder. Why did I rename it? Because I saw the all natural ingredients they put into it (Unsweetened Almond Milk, Bananas, Blueberries, and Freshly Ground Almond Butter) and it came out bright purple. I'm talking a deep, deep violet. So when I drank it, my mouth literally turned violet, and it reminded me of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You know, the scene where she ate the gum and turned into a blueberry. I made one later that week at home, and I didn't add as much blueberries, plus I added protein powder, so it didn't turn a deep shade of violet, but violet nonetheless

1 banana
2 scoops of Jarrow Optimal Plant Protein Powder
1/2 cup blueberries (add more if you want a darker shade of purple, or a stronger blueberry taste)
1 tablespoon freshly ground almond butter
1/2 cup-3/4 cup of Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze

Blend! I add the protiein powder for a post-workout shake, but if I'm just having it as a snack, I'll usually leave the protein powder out

Shopping List

I wanted to make a list of everything that's usually in my house, not all at one time, but things I always buy!

Fruit

• BANANAS! My favorite fruit, and a great source of energy. I love making a Violet, You're Turning Violet smoothie after a work out (recipe soon). I also love slicing bananas and making little almond butter sandwiches with them. I also love eating them plain!
• Organic Pink Lady Apples: Always get organic apples, because normal apples carry a lot of pesticides, believe me it's worth the extra money. Plus, organic tastes better, and pink lady apples are my favorite. They're a softer apple, which I like, and sweet
• Blueberries: I normally buy non organic, just because I can't afford to buy everything organic. I love putting these in my Violet, You're Turning Violet! smoothie and just snacking on them as they are
• Pears: I love pears. I think they're a fruit that doesn't get a lot of buzz, but I think they're so good!
• Grapes: I. Love. Grapes. I love green grapes the most, but any grapes are fine. I love them! Love popsicles? Put a bunch of grapes in the freezer! It's so good!
• Strawberries: Who doesn't love juicy, red strawberries? I know I do! I love slicing them and putting them in greek yogurt (yes, I still eat yogurt :/ not a full vegan yet) or just eating them plain! Or, for a sweeter treat, top with some truvia ;)
• Pineapple: I love the organic one from whole foods, I think it's so sweet, but it doesn't come with a lot, and is quite expensive. I usually make a trip to the farmer's market and they'll core and take the skin off for me, so all I have to do is slice it. You get a whole pineapple for really cheap, and it's really good. I love pineapple! 
• Blackberries/Raspberries: These are probably the fruit I get the least, not for any particular reason, but I love them! I like raspberries better, but both are good
• Tomato: I am going to start making my own salsa, so I'll be buying a lot of tomatoes. I also love dicing it for Mexican dishes and other dinners! 
• Lemons and Limes: Fresh lemon and lime juice are great ways to flavor your foods! It's essential in homemade hummus, great on bean salads, and in kale salads (and other salads).

Vegtables/Herbs/Other

• Organic Kale: I love kale! It's a poster child of healthy eating and for a good reason, it's so good for you! I like putting it into green smoothies and making salads out of it. 
• Organic Leafy Greens: If I don't get Kale, I'll get Organic Girl or Earthbound Farms brand leafy greens for salads and wraps. I love baby spinach, baby kale, super greens, spring mix! I'm always eager to try a new lettuce type
• Fresh Herbs: i'm just starting to buy these, I'll be buying fresh cilantro for salsa soon, but fresh herbs can flavor any dish!
• Onion: Once again, this is for the salsa. I don't like onion in general, but in side dishes and dishes it's okay!
• Organic Baby Carrots: One of the few raw veggies for a snack that I actually like, I always buy carrots. I love them in hummus! I think the organic taste better, so it's worth the money for me
• Sugar Snap Peas: I like eating these plain or with hummus, but they're also good in asian inspired dishes like stir fry!

Bulk

• Long Grain Brown Rice: I love brown rice! My parents cook it in the microwave, but I like it stovetop for many reasons. One being I think it tastes better, another being the microwave kind is overly processed
• Quinoa: This ancient seed is SO healthy for you, and has so many nutritional benefits! It's the only grain that's a complete protein, and it has so many good things in it! It has a nutty flavor, and is a great side dish or a good base for a main dish (quinoa tempeh collard green wraps, anyone?)
• Israeli Couscous: I love Israeli Couscous so much, it's kind of insane. It is in the pasta family, and is so good! It's one of my favorite grains for sure!
• Almonds: I'll be honest, I don't eat almonds a lot as a snack. Not for any particular reason, but I do have fresh ground almond butter, which is just almonds. I do occasionally, though, and my parents do a lot. 
• Pistachios: I love pistachios! They're called 'the skinny nut' because you can have a lot more bang for your buck- as in more nuts for the nutritional density. Also, I love how they're shelled, because I start getting full as I crack open the shells, so the hunger gets to me faster
• Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seeds are an amazing source of protein, just two tablespoons is around 9 grams! It's a great protein filled snack, and I think they taste great
• Nutritional Yeast: This should be a part of every vegetarian or vegan's diet. 2 tablespoons provides 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and only 45 calories. So what do you put it on? My two favorite things are in a tofu scramble (with Daiya cheese...we'll get to that) and on top of air popped popcorn. Yum! It can be incorporated into many dishes though- like Daiya Mac and Cheese or Daiya Grilled Cheese
• Almond Butter: This obviously isn't a bulk bin, but it's right next to the bulk bins, along with two other nut butter options (usually peanut or cashew, and chocolate peanut butter- that's the junky one, don't get that one). It's just almonds, and you can do it yourself or there are already made packages. I make my own just because it's fun :{)
• Popcorn Kernels: I have an air popper, so I buy the kernels. I love buying anything in bulk for the reason that it's less processed and it can be a lot cheaper. I highly reccomend buying an air popper, they're around $20 and so much healthier than the pre-packaged microwave popcorn
• Oatmeal: It was on sale today ($1.29/lb) but it's normally only $1.49/lb, which is a lot cheaper than buying it in the box. I buy the old fashioned oats, NOT the quick oats, they're a lot more processed. 

Buying in bulk is cheaper, and I think it's kind of fun! I'm a grocery nerd though, so my fun may not be your fun. Still a better value!

Bread

• Ezekiel Pocket Bread: At only 100 calories, with 7 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber, plus all natural sprouted grains, this is an awesome option. These are so versatile! I love spreading hummus and white beans, hummus and spinach, and so many more 'sandwich' options. I also love cutting the pita into eights and dipping it in hummus. I also love making homemade, healthy pita chips! My favorite thing to do with these is use it as a crust for a personal Daiya pizza!
• Ezekiel Tortillas, small: These are so healthy and versatile, too! I love making hummus and spinach/kale wraps, but what I love most is a sweeter lunch, even a dessert: homemade vegan nutella (Chocolate Covered Katie's recipe) or freshly ground almond butter, with a sliced banana in the middle, and the sides folded over, so it's a banana wrap. It doesn't end there though! I love making Daiya quesadillas with these, or vegan tacos
• Rudi's Organic 100% Whole Wheat Bread: It's sad how when I was in a regular grocery store looking for a vegan bread, I couldn't find one. Not one loaf. But Rudi's brand has so many different kinds and is absolutely fantastic. I never use it for sandwiches (not because sandwiches are bad, I just don't like them) but I do keep it in the freezer for when I want to make vegan french toast
• Whole Wheat Pasta: I try to buy the kind that is only whole wheat flour as ingredients, and I usually stock up so I don't have to buy it all the time

'Dairy' (non-dairy products)

• Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk: I use this in place of milk all the time, I think it tastes so much better, and of course it's all natural, vegan, and cruelty free. A plus is that one eight ounce glass provides 45% of your daily calcium, so two glasses and you're already almost completely covered for the day. I use it in my oatmeal, smoothies, protein shakes, cold cereal, by the glass, just about anything. It's only 40 calories per glass, a fraction of that of skim milk. 
• Daiya Cheese: Now if you've never seen or heard of Daiya, you will on my blog. It's vegan and free of soy. Yes, I do try to eat unprocessed foods, and yes this is processed, but I feel you also have to have balance. If you don't include some 'junk', then I believe you'll go overboard and you'll binge. I use this all the time, it stretches and melts just like real shredded cheese. I use it for personal pizzas, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, tofu scramble, tacos, and so much more! 

Baking

• Stevia in the Raw Bakers Bag: I use this in recipes that call for sugar, but I usually include some agave nectar as well, as stevia has a slightly bitter taste. 
• Agave Nectar: I use this as a liquid sweetener as well as a replacement for maple syrup on vegan french toast and pancakes, as well as Van's waffles
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Vegan Chocolate Chunks: I use these in my CCK Chocolate Chip Cookies, and in my Yonanas as a yummy topping ;)
• Unsweetened Coconut Shreds: I am going to start making raw date cookies, so these will be a main ingredient
• Brown Rice Crisped Cereal: I use these to make CCK's Rice Krispy Treats
• Unsweetened Baking Cocoa: While it's main purpose is for my Chocolate Delight Oatmeal, I do use it in a bunch of recipe's
• Canola Oil: I try not to use oil a lot, but sometimes it's worth using a little bit to me
• Whole Wheat Flour
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

Freezer

• Van's Waffles: These are basically all natural, some are organic, eggos. These are considered a treat breakfast, even though my oatmeal's literally taste like a treat. I love the minis and the organic
• Amy's Veggie Burgers: I've tried a few, and these are some of my favorites. I always keep a box of these in the freezer, just in case we don't have a lot of food or I don't feel like making something
• Frozen Organic Fruit: Strawberries, Mango, Raspberries, all for my yonanas machine
• I also freeze my own bananas and grapes

Canned/Jars

• Canned Beans: Cannellini Beans, Black Beans, Kidney  Beans, Garbanzo Beans are all favorites of mine
• Bertolli Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce: I love this sauce because it's made up of all natural ingredients, and it's delicious
• Muir Glen Organic Soups: There are a lot of vegan options, and these are healthy and made of delicious whole foods, but the classic vegetable is a favorite of mine
• Amy's Organic Soups: I love how this brand has 'vegan' right next to the ingredients. I just got my wisdom teeth pulled out, and I literally lived on this stuff. I love the Lentil and Vegetable

I hope this helped some people! What's in your kitchen on a day to day basis?

Grocery Shopping: My Tips and Tricks

I love grocery shopping. I can literally spend hours in the store, just looking at all of the different health food products. I shop at Whole Foods, even though I suppose it can be a little pricier, it's worth it to me. I remember trying to find a vegan bread at a typical grocery store, and I literally could not find one. I love Whole Foods. They have the biggest selection of organic produce, as well as an abundance of non organic produce. They have pre-made foods which are easy for the nights where I don't feel like preparing dinner. They have their amazing bulk section, where you can scoop any amount you want of everything from dried beans to nutritional yeast to granola to rice. I remember when I first went vegetarian and was experimenting with foods I've never tried before- I bought WAY too much stuff. Whole Foods can be overwhelming, and you can end up with a lot more food than you need. I came up with a little system to help me, so I don't buy too much stuff.

I made a list on my phone first, with everything I need and want. Then, I write down on a piece of paper the things I need and the things I want. Finally, I'll make a final list in my little notebook and divide it by sections of the store. I know this sounds like a lot of time put into a silly little list, but I don't mind doing it, and I really think it helps. Although I always try to get something new that's not on my list when I go, just to widen my horizons and see what I like that I haven't tried. What tricks do you use when grocery shopping?

Cannellini Bean Pita Pocket!

So, as of right now, I literally have next to nothing as far as food goes in my house. I have Amy's Organic soup, some carrots, a pita pocket (now I don't, because I ate the last one), and beans. I just had my wisdom teeth extracted, so I was living off of pita and hummus, soup, and oatmeal for about a week. So, I threw a few things together, and came up with something that actually turned out to be really good!

1/2 cup of canned Cannellini Beans (my favorite! They're so good!)
Sea salt, black pepper, and ground cumin to taste (The cumin adds amazing flavor)
1.5 tablespoon of hummus
1 Ezekiel Pocket Bread

Cut the pocket bread in half, and spread hummus inside. Mix the beans, sea salt, black pepper, and ground cumin to your liking. Carefully pour 1/4 cup of the beans in each half. Devour!

I have a feeling this will be one of my new lunch and quick dinner staples, I loved it! Plus, it had 17 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber! Amazing!

My 'Junk' Foods

I believe that everyone should keep some junk food in the house, but only healthy junk food.

How can junk food be healthy?

Well my junk foods really aren't junk at all. They're made up of all natural ingredients and one of them has a lot of nutritional benefits. They're considered junk food to me because they're sweet, and taste like dessert (one of them is dessert). One is packaged and a lot more processed than my typical foods.

So if they're junk, why do I keep them in the pantry, and keep repurchasing them? Well, to keep myself on track. I know, it sounds like a contradiction to eat junk to stay on a healthy eating lifestyle. Without these treats, though, I would crave the same sweet taste a lot, and eventually binge on real junk food, and blow everything I've worked on.

So, here they are, and what I reccomend for your healthy junk foods:

• Luna Bars: With 8-9 grams of protein, 3-4 grams of fiber, 35% of your daily calcium, 30% of your daily iron, and a BUNCH of other vitamins, this could be one of the healthiest 'junk' foods you can buy. They come in a bunch of vegan flavors (Blueberry Bliss, Caramel Nut Brownie, Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Dipped Coconut, Chocolate Peppermint Stick, Chocolate Raspberry, Cookies 'N Cream Delight, Iced Oatmeal Raisin, Lemonzest, Nutz Over Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookie, S'Mores, Toasted Nuts 'N Cranberry, Vanilla Almond- My Favorite, and White Chocolate Macadamia). I love these- I think they taste delicious and I love the nutritional benefits. So why are they on my junk food list? The ingredients, while all natural and 70% organic, are a very long list. I don't eat many things that have such a long ingredients list, but the ingredients are okay. These are still healthy, but are considered a junk food for me
• Chocolate Covered Katie's Chocolate Chip Cookies: I've adapted my recipe from her, only changing a couple of things, and these taste delicious. Odds are, if you come into my house on any given day, you can find a plate of these sitting on my counter. I love making these at the beginning of the week so I have them, they're only 100 calories per cookie and 2 weight watchers points. With organic whole wheat pastry flour, vegan chocolate chunks, and more wholesome ingredients (I'll post the recipe), these might be the healthiest, most delicious healthy vegan chocolate chip cookies you'll ever make. 
• Any of Chocolate Covered Katie's Recipes! They're fantastic, she's amazing! 

What are your favorite healthy junk foods?

My Favorite Leafy Green: Kale!

Raw Kale is a nutrition powerhouse, and many people know it too. It's funny because it's often used as a garnish in restaurants, so some don't even know it's edible! I actually love raw kale. It has a slightly bitter taste, and almost tastes a little salty.
My favorite way to eat raw kale is in a salad, and I'm not the biggest salad fan in the world.

Simple Raw Kale Salad

Kale! (I use two cups or so)
Sea salt
Apple cider vinegar (I use a tablespoon, but add more or less to your liking)
Extra virgin olive oil (I use two teaspoons)

Assemble!

This is a simple but yummy and no fail lunch or dinner option. It tastes good, and your reaping all of the great nutrition that comes with kale.

:)

What are

Hummus!

Hummus is so versatile, and there are so many flavors to choose from! You can buy hummus in any grocery store, but it's really easy to make at home! (And it tastes so much better!) To make it at home, loosely follow this recipe:

1 15 oz can of chickpeas
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon of mince garlic

Add all ingredients in a food processor, and blend well!

This makes an original flavored hummus, but you can do so much with it. Some store bought flavor to inspire you:

Roasted Garlic
Roasted Garlic and Chive
Roasted Red Pepper
Greek Olive
Roasted Pine Nut
Sun Dried Tomato
Tahini
Jalapeño
Lemon
Spicy
Basil Pesto

And whatever your imagination can come up with!

Hummus is an awesome dip for raw veggies- it makes eating them a whole lot tastier! It's also great with homemade pita chips, spread in a pita or sandwich, and more! The chick peas add a little extra protein, and a lot of flavor!

How do you like your hummus, plain or flavored? What's your favorite thing to put it on?

:)

Yonanas!

I bought a machine a few weeks ago, and I was really excited to use it. It was sort of pricy, but I figured it was perfect for my healthy eating lifestyle, and would be worth it in the end. The machine is Yonanas- a machine that you insert frozen fruit into, and it comes out like frozen yogurt.
While bananas are the main example for this machine, because of creaminess and sweetness, other fruit can be used also. I love using strawberries for a sorbet. I honestly love this product- it was worth the $50 in the end ($40 if you have a Bed Bath and Beyond coupon ;). I use it all the time, and it's a great replacement if you love frozen yogurt. It tastes amazing and the texture is very similar to frozen yogurt.
It's a great treat to have for dessert, or a post workout snack (bananas are great!). Also, if you don't like fresh fruit (I personally think you're crazy) this is a great way to get your daily serving in.
:)

Cinnamon Sugar Oatmeal and Chocolate Delight Oatmeal

These taste SO GOOD and are all natural and a great way to start your day. Make sure to use Old Fashioned Oats, not Quick Oats. It tastes so much better, only takes a minute or two longer to cook, and is a lot less processed :)

Cinnamon Sugar Oatmeal
1/2 cup of old fashioned oats
1/2 cup of Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (you can use water, but I highly reccomend using this instead. It tastes SO good and adds some calcium!)
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
2-3 packets of Truvia

Cook oats with milk in the microwave. Add cinnamon and nutmeg to your liking, and truvia. Simple, but I promise you'll love it! It tastes so sweet!


Chocolate Delight Oatmeal
1/2 cup of old fashioned oats
1/2 cup of Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (you can use water, but I highly reccomend using this instead. It tastes SO good and adds some calcium!) 

Unsweetened Baking Cocoa

Cinnamon
Nutmeg
2-3 packets of Truvia


Cook oats with milk in the microwave. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and unsweetened baking cocoa to your liking, and truvia. This requires a little more Truvia, I add 1 packet more, because the cocoa is unsweetened. For those who love chocolate- this is perfect! 



These are both so tasty and healthy for you, you'll feel like you're eating dessert for breakfast! :)

My Two Cents

It's amazing how ignorant people can be. I was on YouTube and it was a vegan video, and there were so many comments from omnivores who were being downright cruel towards vegans. They were saying "all vegans are gay" and "vegans are ignorant for giving up meat and dairy" and other comments that were just mean. Now, I'm not anywhere near offended. I'm a vibrant, happy person who usually ignores the bad things that people say. I know who I am, and I love who I am. I know why I'm a vegan and in my head and my heart, I know it's the right thing to do. I know that half of these ignorant people have never tried the vegan recipes I cook up, so they don't know what decent vegan cooking is. So with all of that being said, I just wanted to point something out. Everyone is different. Some vegans love to talk about it with everyone and try to persuade them to become a vegan. While I believe that people should give it a shot, I don't go around saying it to everyone. If you ask me about it, I'll gladly talk about it because it's something I'm passionate about. If you don't, I won't push it on you. So if I don't push my vegan/vegetarian beliefs on you, then I don't think you should push your omnivore beliefs on me. Oh, and another thing, don't stereotype vegans the same way you shouldn't stereotypes a sex or a race. Saying "all vegans are gay" is so ignorant, I can't even begin to tell you. How would you like it if I said "all omnivores are gay"? Or is your ignorance level so high that you don't know what 'omnivore' means? Maybe if you started eating a diet comprised of raw veggies, fruit, nuts, and whole grains, you wouldn't be so angry. Just food for thought.

'Healthy' Foods

Not all food is made equally, something I'd hope you would learn by reading my blog. A lot of foods that are called 'healthy' really are not, but an unhealthier version of a once fantastic product. Here is a list of 'healthy' foods and their actually healthy alternatives!

-Nut Butters: Smart choosy moms do not choose Jif. Jif and Skippy are certainly not the peanut butter you want to be eating, they're filled with unnecessary oils and sugars. If you want a healthy peanut butter, look for a fresh ground butter that has nothing added- just nuts! You can find machines where you can grind the nut butter yourself in stores such as Whole Foods and Fresh Market, and some grocery stores have it in their deli section. With only one ingredient, a tablespoon of nut butter provides healthy fats, as well as delicious taste. More common nut butters are peanut and almond (I love almond butter, it is so good!) You can also make your own nut butter with a food proccesor at home! I've done this and it came out great.

-Pita Chips: My mom loves Stacy's Pita Chips, as do many other people who think that they're healthy. Truth is, the flour they used is enriched, which basically means it's more processed than it should be. Plus, homemade pita chips are always healthier than any pre-packaged kind. There are plenty of homemade pita chip recipes floating around the internet, but I'll post a recipe soon. They turn out delicious, and are very simple to make!

-Instant Oatmeal: Instant oatmeal gets a good rep because it is oatmeal, but what a lot of people don't know is that there are so many added ingredients to those little packs. Even if you're eating the plain instant, they still add ingredients that aren't in old fashioned oats. The flavored packs contain even more ingredients that you wouldn't normally put in your oatmeal. Don't go with the quick oats either, because those are more processed than the old fashioned. Go with old fashioned oats, and make sure the only ingredient is oats. If you're REALLY on the go and don't have time to measure out the oats, here's a tip: measure a lot out at a time, and put them in individual baggies for future use. Just as convenient as instant! I'm going to post two oatmeal recipes that are so good, they kick the instant oatmeal pack's butt! They're a staple in my breakfast regime and I eat them 4 out of 5 days of the week :)

-Granola: Granola can be healthy, but most packaged brands contain a heavy dose of sugar. A healthier alternative to granola is homemade granola. I haven't made any, but there are a bunch of healthy vegan granola recipes!

-Some Canned Soups: Soup can be a great option, light and very flavorful! If you go for canned, avoid mainstream brands like Campbells and Progresso, which can contain ingredients like unnecessary oils and potassium chloride. Brands such as Amy's and Muir Glen are fantastic, and have a lot of vegan options, and NO funky ingredients!

-Flavored Water: Brands such as Crystal Light contain aspartame, the same ingredient in equal, which in studies has been led to a bunch of toxic things, such as cancer. Flavored water is looked at as healthy, which unless it's homemade, it really isn't. Plain, natural water is always a better option, and should be a huge part of your healthy lifestyle. If you're still transitioning from sugary drinks such as soda and juices, a good option is flavoring your own water with natural foods such as fruit, cucumber, and mint. I personally like my water the way it is :)

-Artificial Sweeteners: Splenda and Equal are zero calorie, but they contain sucralose and aspartame, two artificial ingredients that can be very harmful to your body. Avoid these at all costs! Instead, use any all natural zero calorie sweetener such as Stevia, PureVia, or Truvia. If you want a less refined option, opt for agave nectar.

-Maple Syrup: 100% Pure maple syrup is in fact a healthy option, but a lot of 'maple syrups' like Aunt Jemima and Hungry Jack contain ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. Even if they don't have high fructose corn syrup, you should always go for 100% Pure maple. If you want another alternative with a thicker consistency, try organic agave nectar.

-Commercial Smoothies: Some are great, others contain artificial sweeteners or loads of dairy. It's always better to blend your own smoothies, and there are so many combinations to experiment with! I usually make mine with fruit, almond milk, occasionally a nut butter, and sometimes some of my Jarrow Optimal Plant Protein Powder if I just did a workout. I make green smoothies too! If you are out though, good options are All Fruit smoothies from Jamba Juice and Health Starts Here from Whole Foods (Almond Berry Cream is amazing, and I make it at home a lot).

These are a few that I can think of off the bat, but comment below if you can think of any!

Vegan Transition Products

I'm a little more lenient on vegan non dairy imitation dairy products, just because it was harder for me to give up dairy (I'm not vegan yet, I still eat greek yogurt. I know it makes my blog name seem like a contradiction, but I am going to be a vegan eventually, and it is the only dairy product I eat).

I don't miss meat. I don't crave hamburgers in the same way most of my friends don't crave tofu; it just doesn't happen. It doesn't appeal to me in the least, I actually find it has a slightly awful smell, and I even find it disgusting. I haven't been a vegetarian/aspiring vegan for more than 2 months, so I honestly don't know how that disgust towards eating meat developed so fast. I was never a big meat eater to start off with, I mean I still ate it, but I never really loved any of it except for an occasional filet. When my mom would make grilled chicken, I would always sulk because I never thought it was really that good.

Anyways, I thought I would make a list of vegan products that can replace dairy. Here we go!

Milk: This is by far the easiest! There are so many different non-dairy milks on the market! I buy unsweetened almond milk, usually Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla. I buy the refrigerated kind when I can, want to know why? It has 15% more calcium than the shelf stable (45% compared to 30% DV)! More calcium is always good in a vegan diet. Another option is soy milk, which is widely available in restaurants, such as Jamba Juice and Starbucks. It's probably the most popular non dairy milk, with dozens upon dozens of different brands to choose from. I've never personally bought it, but I have had it in restaurants, and it's good. An advantage of soy milk is it has a high protein content. Other ones I haven't tried are Coconut Milk, Rice Milk, Hemp Milk, and Oat Milk

Cheese: Daiya! Daiya is a brand of shredded 'cheese' that comes in mozzarella, cheddar, and pepper jack. It stretches and melts just like real shredded cheese, and is an overall great substitute. I've created many different vegan recipes with this, like my personal pizza, grilled cheese, and quick mac and cheese. Another great thing about Daiya is that it doesn't have casein, a dairy derivative that a lot of 'non-dairy' cheeses have, making them non-vegan. I know follow your heart has vegan cheeses too, but I've never personally tried them.

Yogurt: I'm going to be perfectly honest when I say I haven't found a non dairy yogurt that I've liked. I tried soy yogurt, which was the best, but still not good in my opinion. I tried coconut milk yogurt, which was way too coconutty for me, even though I got a strawberry flavor. I also tried almond milk yogurt, which I would think I'd love, but it was one of the worst. Maybe you will like them, but I haven't found one that I haven't disliked. I know they have rice milk yogurt, which I plan to try next, and I'm hopeful. This is why I haven't given up my nonfat greek yogurt yet, I love it too much :/

These are the only dairy products I replace, and I haven't tried any of the following, but I figured I would post them anyways. Keep in mind this is a clean eating blog, so certain products such as ice cream shouldn't be a part of your typical healthy eating plan, but a treat (I never have them):

Cream Cheese: Tofutti is the most well known brand, with many flavors to choose from. I know Galaxy Foods also makes a line as well

Ice Cream: There are many brands and flavors of non dairy ice cream. Here are a few brands:
-Tofutti
-So Delicious
-Rice Dream
-Almond Dream
-Soy Dream
-Whole Soy

Butter: Earth Balance is definitely the most popular and easiest to find. They have different flavors of spread and stick, and are used a lot in baking

Eggs: This isn't a treat, and should be great in baking, but I haven't gotten around to buying it yet. Ener-g Egg Replaces eggs in recipes. Tofu scramble is delicious (especially with some nutritional yeast and Daiya Cheese) and can replace scrambled eggs, although I personally think it has a different taste

Mayonnaise: Follow Your Heart has a variety (Vegenaise), as does Earth Balance. There is also Nayonaise, made by Nasoya

Sour Cream: Tofutti and Galaxy Foods

Whipped Cream: I haven't seen any around, but I know it does exist

Comment if there's a vegan dairy replacement that I didn't list! :)

Healthy Eating: Focus on the Ingredients!

I can't tell you how many times I've found "Healthy Snack" videos that solely focus on the nutrition facts. The girls who post the videos say "It only has 110 calories, and 2.5 grams of fat...so it's totally healthy" or something of the sort. Little do they know that the artificially flavored diet snack they're holding is definitely not healthy. I mean, they don't really know better, which is why I can't really blame them. They've been influenced by the Standard American Diet- SAD for short (coincidence? I think not). I'll do a separate post on that, but in this instance, I'm talking about how so many people look at the calories and fat of an item and assume it's healthy if the numbers are low. They don't even bother to read the ingredients, so they don't know how harmful some of them can be. Artificial, man made ingredients are not healthy. Long post made short, look at the nutrition facts AND the ingredients! If there's anything that you can't pronounce and sounds suspicious to you, don't buy it. Sometimes the nutrition facts can make the product seem unhealthy, but the ingredients will prove it is. Perfect Example:

Larabars! Larabars are one of- if not the healthiest bars you can buy. Not only are they vegan, but they're non GMO, raw, and made of all whole foods. Each bar contains less than 8 ingredients, and they're comprised of fruit and nuts. Since they do have a high nut content, they are a little calorie and fat dense. Does this mean they're not healthy? ABSOLUTELY NOT! These are so healthy! You just have to have them in moderation!

So as a summary, pick products with healthy ingredients! Still watch the nutrition label, but primarily focus on the ingredients, because low calorie and low fat isn't always the healthiest option!

:)

Mock Meats: My Take

I look at mock meats the way I look at mock fur: sure, you aren't wearing real fur, but you're giving the allusion that you are. So, case in point, while you aren't harming animals, you still kind of want the taste of meat, right? When you wear a faux fur coat, you still want people to think you're wearing animal fur. When you get closer, though, you can usually tell it isn't real fur. It may be the color, but it's usually the feel; faux fur isn't as soft as real fur (By the way, I'm 100% against fur. I'm not saying real fur is supposed to be anywhere but on the body of it's natural owner, the animal it belongs to). Well, I find faux meats to be the same in most cases. Not only do they not taste like real meat, which can be good or bad depending on whether you like the taste of animal or not, but the ingredients are usually very long and hard to pronounce.

Reasons I avoid mock meats:
1. It gives the allusion that eating meat is okay, and to me it simply isn't
2. It is usually composed of a lot of frankenfood type ingredients, no matter how natural it claims to be
3. If you're a vegan, some contain milk and egg ingredients hidden towards the end of the ingredients list
4. I love to cook, and I'd rather cook something myself
5. Clean eating does not only mean no synthetic ingredients, but a lot of whole and unprocessed foods. With that being said, mock meat isn't whole and usually very, very processed

I'm not saying I NEVER eat them. I do have them on rare occasions where I literally have nothing else to eat. In addition, if someone were to ask me whether they should eat real meat or faux meat, I would say faux meat in a heartbeat, simply because at least you're not doing animals harm. In the end, though, if you want to follow a clean, healthy lifestyle, mock meats should probably not be a big part of it

Vegetarian and Vegan: What's the difference?

     I can't begin to tell you how many of my friends, as well as my family, don't know the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan. I know it's not something they're interested in, which is why they don't pay most attention, which is understandable. For those who are interested in being a vegetarian or a vegan, or for those who are just curious, it can be a little mind boggling at first. Here are the different vegetarian and non vegetarian diets, simple and spelled out

Semi-vegetarianism:

• Pescatarian: Someone who consumes no land animal flesh, but does consume fish, dairy, eggs, and honey 
• Pollotarian: Someone who does not consume meat, pork, or fish but does consume chicken, dairy, eggs, and honey
• Pesce-Pollotarian: Someone who does not consume meat or pork, but does consume chicken, fish, dairy, eggs, and honey

Vegetarianism:

• Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: Someone who consumes no animal flesh, but still consumes dairy, eggs, and honey. Usually just called "Vegetarian"
• Lacto Vegetarian: Someone who consumes no animal flesh or eggs, but still consumes dairy and honey
• Ovo Vegetarian: Someone who consumes no animal flesh or dairy, but still consumes eggs and honey
• Vegan: Someone who does not consume any animal products whatsoever, or own any animal based products (such as fur coats and leather products)
• Raw Vegan: A vegan who's diet consists of unprocessed vegan foods that have not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Also called "Raw Food Diet"

So...what's the difference?

Vegetarian and Pescatarian

A vegetarian and pescatarian are often confused and viewed identical by many omnivores (someone who consumes both animal flesh and plant based products- aka 'normal' or 'regular'). One of the most common questions towards vegetarians is "Well...you can still have fish right?". If you're a vegetarian, then no. If you're a pescatarian, then yes. 

Vegetarian and Vegan

The basic difference between a vegetarian and a vegan is that a vegetarian consumes dairy, eggs, and honey. Honey is a big vegan debate, so while a standard vegan diet would not include honey, some less strict vegans do include it in their diet.

Vegan and Raw Vegan

While vegans do eat many raw foods such as raw veggies, nuts, and fruit, they also cook foods such as whole grains. Raw Vegans only eat raw food, meaning no cooked food whatsoever 

That's the difference, in a nutshell! :)