Tag Archives: Vegan
Healthy Honey Mustard
FeaturedI am obsessed with condiments.
Vinegar, Barbeque Sauce, Mayo, Mustard, Salsa, Chutney, Hot Sauce, Duck Sauce, Pickled Ginger, Pesto…you name it and I will use copious amounts.
Store-bought condiments are kind of pricey, though.
And they’re filled with preservatives to promote a longer shelf-life.
One of my favorites I love, LOVE is Honey Mustard!
But it’s sort of bad for you.
Through a few messy attempts, I developed my own version of Healthy Honey Mustard that is delicious and packed with Protein AND Fiber. Continue reading
Happy Weekend
FeaturedHappy Weekend!
Here are some pictures from my garden this weekend:
And here are my latest articles published on BlogHer
and Parent.co.
What’s new with you?
Hey! Like my writing? Do you wish you had access to all of my password protected posts and other content that isn’t available online? I have other work! I’ve published ! It’s nothing crazy; they are about 50-55 pages each and cost approximately $5 each depending on what country you are purchasing from. Each ebook consists of a , mental illness, family dynamics, social anxiety, and other awkward shit that happens in my life. It’s relatable, honest and raw. Oh, and there are pictures in titles like & . You’ll probably like it. Or not. What the hell? It’s $5!
***If you have previously purchased Amazon downloadable content, please note that the ebook content has changed. Some previously available titles have been updated and contain more essays, pages, pictures, etc. If you have specific questions, please email me directly @ .
Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar
FeaturedIf the glass bottle of Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar from my Balanced Gut, Balanced Mind post caught your eye and you’re wondering how in the world vinegar might be beneficial to your health, then this is the post for you.¹
And i
f you’re already well aware of the benefits of using raw apple cider vinegar, then I apologize for being patronizing, but, hopefully, this post will provide you with a platform to contribute your own unique experience using apple cider vinegar.
The information that I’m providing is by no means exhaustive, I’m not a doctor, nutritionist or licensed health professional.² This post is based on personal experience and I’d love to hear how it has personally helped you! So if you already use, or have used, apple cider vinegar in your daily regimen, then please comment below with your experience. Continue reading
Balanced Gut, Balanced Mind?
FeaturedNear the end of 2014, I published a post entitled What’s in My Pantry which explained the difference between Probiotics and Prebiotics as well as how they work in synchronicity within the human digestive system to promote Gastrointestinal and Mental Health benefits.
Because April is Autism Awareness Month, I wanted to revisit this topic.
As was stated in the original post, “there is hard evidence linking conditions such as Autism and Depression to the gut’s microbial residents…” There is scientific proof that the GI environment and conditions like Autism are linked.
“In humans, there is some very early evidence of a link between gut bacteria and mental health. A new study from England found that supplements that boost “good” bacteria in the gut (called “prebiotics”) may alter the way people process emotional information, suggesting that changes in gut bacteria may have anti-anxiety effects”.
Gut bacteria plays a major role in our sanity. Incredible.
Probiotics are the “good” bacteria (live cultures) naturally occurring in the stomach. These active cultures help balance gut flora by reproducing more good bacteria. A good balance helps boost immunity and overall health, particularly the aforementioned Gastrointestinal Health. Probiotics can be used to treat stomach issues like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), food allergies and lactose intolerance.
Prebiotics are the foods that help the Probiotics along. They are good bacteria “promoters”. Prebiotics and Probiotics work together to achieve Gastrointestinal Health.
Gastrointestinal Health is important for more than just happy tummies. More and more scientific research is pointing towards intestinal bacteria playing an influential role in managing mental disorder symptoms. Continue reading
Vegan or Orthorexic?
FeaturedUnless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know of at least one person who has either tried or adopted the vegan lifestyle.
Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products. -The Vegetarian Resource Group
I think that when people choose to go vegan and their hearts are truly in the right place about it, it reflects in their behavior, decision making and outward countenance for the better.
When I went vegan between the years of 2007 and 2013, it was for the purposes of restricting. I was basically using the lifestyle as a socially acceptable excuse for my anorexia.
So for ME, Veganism did not make me kind.
Rather, it made me bitchier, more defensive and all the more inconsiderate.
That was the case for ME. I am not projecting that on the experiences of others–everyone is different.
So in examining my experience, it was yet another instance of manipulating circumstance to protect my eating disorder–even if it has to evolve in some way, or so it has been the case over the years. I am and have been, working on that.
There has been a lot of bad press lately about orthorexia & veganism, so I want to address that:
What can happen to some individuals who adopt the Vegan Lifestyle is potentially developing the newly classified eating disorder called Orthorexia. This is when the person becomes so focused upon healthy eating that they begin to eliminate unhealthy, impure or “bad” foods from their diet to the point that it becomes so restrictive that they become malnourished.
The irony is that they are “so focused on being healthy” that they literally begin to sacrifice their health for the sake of it. Before everyone starts shouting at once, please notice I said “Some” individuals and “Potentially” developing.
I want to be clear that Veganism does not cause Orthorexia.
That would be like saying ‘Dieting causes Anorexia’ or ‘Getting the stomach flu causes Bulimia’, you see what I am saying?
Raw, Vegan Walnut Milk!
FeaturedToday I used up the last of my creamer for coffee, so I decided to get creative with what I had on hand. I am by no means skilled in the kitchen–I’m rather horrible actually. I’m neglectful in following recipes and usually just go off instinct.
This sometimes results in an accidentally nice-tasting result, but, more often, the results are pretty bleak.
I’d recently used my food processor to make homemade cashew butter sweetened with dates, and that somehow turned out really good. A day or so later, I wanted to find a savory use for my raw pumpkin seeds. I’d already tried a *sweet* attempt with Pepitas, Brazil Nuts and Raw Honey a while ago, with fairly decent results (below).
It turns out, pumpkin seeds, coarsely blended with salt and garlic, taste amazing mixed with pasta. I realized that I’d stumbled upon my own homemade vegan “Parmesan cheese” without actively looking for it. Whaaat? It was so good with plain pasta and a little pepper added. When tossed with the warm pasta, the pulverized pepitas became creamy. It tasted like Fettuccine Alfredo, but vegan! So, so surprisingly good.
Protected: Fast, Faster, Fasting?
Featured
Protected: Going Gluten-Free Series: Part 5 (Final)
FeaturedMyOatmeal! MyHappyTummy!
FeaturedLast weekend, I received my Specialized Oatmeal and PB Lean from MyOatmeal.com. This online company specializes in creating delicious, custom-blends of gourmet oatmeal and other nutritious products. With all the miles I have been running in this cold weather, I was so happy to see that delivery waiting on my doorstep!
Truly, I am so glad that I gave MyOatmeal a try. Like I explained in this post, you simply go online to create your Oatmeal or PB Lean blend while the price and nutrition facts update live as you adjust your order.
You can choose from Small, Medium and Large size bags.
A you may recall, I chose Oatmeal Cookie and Sugar Cookie Flavors.
Because, cookies. Continue reading