Vegmom Moments

Summer Treats

Yum!! No other words necessary!!

Trying Different Juices

I decided that I do NOT like broccoli in my green juice:

But I do like Romaine, Kale, Celery, Cucumber, Grapes and Apple!

The Fridge is Filling up Nicely

Can't believe I forgot to post these here.. Sorry too many sites now :-)

Here is the new fridge getting a heaping dose of organic produce:

A few days in, and we are already seeing 1/2 empty space.  

Some used for Juice:

Some for salads, others for yummy dinners:

But all filled with love:

The most exciting thing about this fridge, besides the fact that it WORKS compared to the one that did not, is I can see Everything.   I open the door and I can immediately see everything within.  Nothing hiding, nothing lost, and immediate food prep inspiration.

Me and this fridge are going to get along JUST Fine!

 

 

Kasha Pilaf Try

My new try this weekend was Kasha.  I've heard so much good about it as a Gluten Free grain that I finally decided to make some.

Tonight's dish was Kasha Pilaf with onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery, carrots, herbs and veggie broth.

It took a whole 15 minutes to prepare 'Total' (including the chopping of veggies)  And filled up an entire Large Skillet worth of food.  

The nutrition of Kasha is amazing, it is gluten free, fast, filling and easy to make.... So whats not to like, right?

Well for me, it is the smell, and the taste, and well, I Did NOT like it!

I really wanted to like it.  I even kept adding seasonings and sweetness and anything I could find to enjoy the flavor.  But it smelled like moth balls.  It just did!  I can't explain except to say every bite made me think of moth balls.

And the smell of moth balls can really disrupt a lovely meal.    

Did I get a bad batch?  Or does it always smell that way?

Now all that said.. the Vegkid really liked it.  He gobbled down two bowls of it, including the veggies and mushrooms.   Which is a super bonus.  

Hubby had one bowl but only because he was too hungry not to eat.

As for me.. I haven't disliked a "New Try" that much in a long time.  We'll give it one more shot with a breakfast recipe before disregarding kasha completely, but that little grain will have to work extra hard to win me over.

Have you ever used Kasha in a recipe?  Do you like?  Is there a trick?

Strawberry Time of Year

A friend and I were talking about Strawberry Picking the other day, but we didn't think they were open yet per the website.  Then husband brought up strawberries this morning and I thought "Why not try?"

So we called, and they were open...  This was Hubby's first time at this farm, but Veg and I went a couple times last year.  They have the best berries and the people are so nice.  

We got lots of berries:

Really big berries:

We ate 1/2 a bucket of berries, put four glass bowls in the Fridge, and froze a bunch:

These will become raw vegan ice cream... Can't wait!

Needless to say it was a BERRY Nice and Tasty Day!  *smile*

 

My Mom Goes Veg and Likes It

Normally when my Mom comes to visit, she eats what we eat in the house, but when we go out all bets are off.   And as soon as she goes home from her trip, she's right back in to her normal eating routine.

We discussed some of her obstacles to eating a more Veg diet:

• Organic is too expensive
• Recipes can be too difficult or time consuming
• Gets tired of eating just salads
• Hungry all the time

But remember from my earlier post that she arrived feeling pretty awful and was up for my challenge of helping her feel better.  The good news is that she loves her veggies.  So the challenge would be easier than I thought.

In my head, I knew what I had to do...

• Create foods that were nutritious, delicious and easy
• Keep her eating as Veg as possible to show her the power of healing foods
• Teach how to order at restaurants
• Show her recipes that were not too expensive and actually cost saving compared to meat products
• Educate about why I was using the ingredients that I was in a way that explained why she was feeling the way she was.
• Show her that eating Veg food is not just about salads for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Sneak in the Forks Over Knives movie... teehee 
• Provide grocery lists, meal ideas, and a care package of pantry items to help her get started once home.

And all that in a WEEK.   I had ONE week to make or break the idea that she could eat a more Plant based diet, feel great, and continue to do so at home.

To start off with, I explained my "New tries of the week".   One of her questions was:

"Don't you get bored eating the same things all the time?" 

My answer... HECK NO!!  Because I don't eat the same things all the time.  *smile*.   I try at least one new recipe every week, and by doing so my recipe stash continues to grow, keeping my taste buds very happy.

We did a new try together.   These Italian Meatless Meatloaf Muffins from Peas and Thank You.

They were a HUGE hit.  Even the Husband and Kiddo liked them.  But My Mom was Wow'ed.

"Didn't know you could do that with a can of beans"

The Meatless Muffins kicked off my examples of budget friendly meals.  She could easily make those at home and have them last several meals for the cost of a can of beans.  This was also my opportunity to introduce hemp seeds (I used those instead of flax in the recipe) and discuss Omegas. 

Next up, that pot of my creamy sweet potato, tomato soup.   

The great thing about soups, is you can get so much goodness in to every spoonful and make enough that will last a couple days.  You can also change them up every time so they seem a little different and avoid the boredom factor.

This batch was extra spicy but perfect to clear her sinuses and ears after the plane ride.

Vegkid was hungry one day after school.  So I whipped up these nut butter no bake cookies in about 3 minutes.  Showing my mom how easy it can be to have a filling power packed snack in seconds.

To add some whimsy we rolled a few in coconut.

This is one dish I could eat every day, but try to limit myself.  

Knowing my Mom loves her some pasta, and even more so, she loves her creamy pasta sauces, I knew this would be a perfect recipe to share with her.

Using Brown rice noodles, and my Vegan Creamy tomato sauce, she was immediately hooked.

(sweet potatoes and macadamia nuts are the secret creamy ingredient)

We made one batch simple, and another batch had spinach, peppers, onions, etc.

What I liked most about showing her this recipe was the thought that you can get creative.  As long as you have a Fat, Sweet, Salt, Acid, & Bitter, you will have the perfect combination almost every time.

In this case the Fat is the Macadamia nuts, Salt was garlic salt, Acid was the tomatoes, and Bitter was the herbs.

We made a couple batches of avocado creamed massaged kale salad.

This is another great power punch filling recipe that really only takes a few minutes to make and can last a couple meals for one person. (unless your me and can eat it all in one setting)

 

Since it was Veg's birthday I was able to show his NeeNee that Vegan cupcakes can be all natural and Amazing in flavor!!!  Especially when you throw on top some raw whipped frosting and berries.

Frosting was:

Macadamia nuts, bananas, coconut nectar and vanilla.  

I filled her up with several different smoothies through out her visit.  Trying to quickly get the greens in her body to help those arthritic joints.  By day 3, she noticed significant improvement.

Her first Collard Greens Try took a couple bites to grab the taste.  But then she ate more and more and more.  Turns out she likes collard greens.

The Cauliflower Experiment:

Cauliflower is the perfect example of a single food that you can make in to several different meals.  It is also quite nutritious for a whilte veggie and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which was perfect for my task at hand.

First up, Mashed Cauliflower.   My Mom asked why not just use a Potato... Which is a very valid question.  

That is when I got to explain the goodness that is cauliflower.  Not to mention, mashed potatoes generally have dairy and take on a whole new problem.   Where these are just raw vegan mashed up cauliflower chunks with some great natural flavors added in.

Verdict:  She really really really liked this stuff but said she would use it more of a cold vegetable dip than a warm mashed potato side dish.

Next was Cauliflower Rice, she was shocked at the flavor and within minutes had ideas of how she could make this in to different flavorful dishes.  Mexican, italian and asian themed rice dishes all came to mind.

Last was Cauliflower Popcorn.   

Verdict:  She said It smells like buttered popcorn but doesn't taste like popcorn.  After a few more bites, she liked this recipe, but had to let the Nutritional yeast flavor grow on her.  And admitted she may not make this one at home.  But would do something similar using a different type of sauce. 

At the end of the Cauliflower Cooking lesson, my Mom learned tons!   Everything from nutrition to preparation.  And it showed that from ONE big cauliflower and a few fridge/pantry items, you can make 3 totally different dishes with totally different tastes and textures.  

From there, the possibilities are endless.  Not to mention budget friendly and easy!

 

Time for dessert:

This was an amazing raw vegan dessert that I first tried a couple weeks ago.  It is so filling and so good that you can't eat a lot in one setting.  So the sauce keeps for a few days and you can have a quick go to snack.  Or delicious breakfast.

I'm now calling it "Apple Stack Surprise"  *smile*  this surprise has a raw chocolate sauce, maple almond butter, bananas, green apples, and Cinnamon on top for good measure.

Husband wanted a baby bella sandwich one night... NeeNee went straight for the baby bellas and ignored the sandwich part.  

She found these to be delicious.  And I was excited that she nixed the bread.  

Salads, oh my word... the salads we did eat.   My mom has her "secret dressing" that she has made my whole life.  So her contribution to the kitchen this week was her famous salad.  HUGE bowls of salads were consumed by all.

BUT, I took this opportunity to show her that the same salad doesn't have to happen when she gets home as an every day thing.   There are 1000's of different types of salads you can incorporate in to your meals.  From cucumber salads, to avocado creamy salads, to kale, to mixed greens with apples, to a vegan waldorf.. the list is endless. 

Adding seeds, nuts, veggies and fruits, can all take any salad from ordinary to extraordinary.

This green smoothie was extra special because it was packed with anti-inflammatory foods.  Everything from greens to pineapples to celery and coconut.

The best part was the taste.  NeeNee said this was her favorite smoothie ever.  

Those are just a few examples of our week in food.  When all was said and done.. My Mom felt GREAT and learned tons.

In one week, Her skin was clear and soft, she said she felt lighter, no bloating, no stomach discomfort, her fingers were bending without pain, head was clear, flexibility was coming back in to her joints, the rest of her bones and body parts were moving with ease, she slept well, her cold/allergies/sinus stuff went away and so much more.

She got a new book to fill with recipes, grocery lists, notes and to do items which she loves:

(Actually this one is mine, hers was white with black decorations.  We had so much fun at Staples picking them out)

Since getting home she has already gone shopping and stacked her fridge with fresh fruits and veggies.  Made a stir fry and sprinkled hemp seeds on top.  *smile*

Her husband had a meaty dish, while she opted for the lighter vegetarian fare.

She has declared to him that she will not be eating any more red meat.  If Only I could have seen his face!

When discussing grocery cost, my Mom realized that if she didn't purchase any animal products for her self that she could use that money to grab tasty vegetable alternatives.  And since those foods will be for just her to consume, they can last quite a while without much effort.

So all in all, I'd say I completed my mission successfully.  She is off to a great start to healing herself from the inside out.  

Speaking of the outside...  The Vegmom Spa experience wouldn't be complete without home made body care products.  Oh, and we made some good ones!!!  That post coming soon!

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

 

 

 

Cinnamon Green Goodness

This Happy Herbivore Cinnamon Bun Smoothie recipe is good just the way it is.  How ever I was out of ingredients today, wanted some added green value and decided to kick it up a notch.

Soooo.. This beautiful Drink is a modified Cinnamon Bun Smoothie:

Hemp Seeds and Coconut Water to make a "milk" like consistency.  Then Added bananas, vanilla, dates, cinnamon, spirulina powder, Spinach and Ice.

OH MY YUM!!!!  Thank you Mr. Vita-Mix!

 

 

Baby Bella Sandwich and Lettuce Wrap

I saw Baby Bella Mushrooms at the store last week that looked really good for Hubby.  I'm not a mushroom fan, but I knew he was and these looked perfect.

Since then, I've added them to Veg's Tortilla Pizzas, put them on Hubby's salads, but there were still a whole lot left that needed to be used up.  That is when I flipped through Everyday Happy Herbivore book to find "Island Portobello Burgers" on page 88.

Well, let me tell you, I learned the only way in this world that I DO like Mushrooms!  Who Knew????

Yup, I grabbed the skillet, mixed up all the ingredients per her instructions, brought to a boil, and then added all the Baby Bellas along with some onions and peppers.  Cooked for about 10 minutes....

This Sandwich (yes there is bread under there) was layered with Lettuce, avocado, pineapple slices, and the Baby Bella mix.  

More Avocado and Pineapple on top, then toasted bread on top of that.

That was Hubby's sandwich.. He couldn't stop raving about how good it was.  He went back for more, and was practically licking the pan.

I decided to try a tiny little piece.  OH MY YUM!    My tiny piece turned in to this awesome lettuce wrap:

Can't believe I like Mushrooms now!!!  

Hemp Seed Milk and HH Cinnamon Bun Smoothie

I was feeling like a creamy smoothie, and something different that I don't usually make.  Which is when I remembered Happy Herbivore's Cinnamon Bun Smoothie that seemed to fit the bill.

BUT, we only had soy milk in the house of which I'm not consuming these days.  Soooo, I put on my thinking cap!

1 Cup of Water, with some Hemp Seeds in to Mr. Vita-Mix and Voila!

Instant non-dairy milk for my HH Cinnamon Bun Smoothie:

Not to mention Raw, Frothy, Omega filled Goodness...

Then I added all the other ingredients to finish off this treat.

Sorry HH, but I can't make a smoothie without some greens!  I added a bunch of spinach to the mix, and couldn't taste it a bit.

Hence the pretty green color.   I also had to add an extra banana and a little bit more maple syrup since my milk was not pre-sweetened.

But OH MY YUM!!!  This was delicious.  Vegkid drank some too and gave a big thumbs up!

If only I had saved some for tomorrow??  Oh well, Just have to make more *wink*

 

 

Good Bye 2011 - Hello 2012

Hubs and I sat down last night to put all our memories from 2011 in to our little book.  We basically write down everything that comes to mind from the year prior.  For some reason it was hard to remember EVERYTHING.  Thanks to this blog and my Family picture blog, I was able to piece together all the interesting events.

A lot of business travel, personal travel, several family trips to Michigan, an Awesome Florida trip where Dolphins and space shuttles were involved, An Amazing South Carolina trip where Dolphins, forts and long sandy walks were involved.  Veg learned how to swim this year.  We had several visitors at the homestead. Saw a light house, a great lake, went to Airforce Museum, Mountains, Chess club and sporting events.  We grew lots in the garden, enjoyed the Farmers market, started Juicing, and So much more!

2011 was a Great Year!!!

We drank lots of these:

And these:

Lots of NeeNee Soup:

Lots of Raw Vegan Goodness:

This one is Bananas, Pomegranate and Pecans with Macadamia Cream sauce:

First Persimmon Try:

Raw Vegan Creamy Kale Salad:

Raw Vegan Baklava:

Developed a love for Cauliflower:

I completed my First and Last Full Marathon... 

I simplified more in 2011, Made a lot more home body care products, Started my 10 Minute rule (breaking tasks in to 10 minutes so they don't seem so daunting).  I also began being happy about what I have accomplished vs. what I still have left to do.

At the end of 2011, my Accomplishments were many!! Both in the house and out of the house.  Both mentally and physically.. I even enjoyed crafts again as I prepared my self for 2012.  

Prepared myself Mentally that is!!  2012 is going to be another Big year.  I can feel it.

To start with, my Nutrition Classes will officially begin, and I'm super excited about that.  I'm going to complete another 1/2 Marathon (if my hormones cooperate that is).  But this time, I'm going to drop at least 15 minutes off my time.  I'm going to focus on myself a little more, find MY HAPPY, while being the best parent and wife I can be.  Most importantly, I'm taking back control of my happy!  The moods of others should not dictate my own.

Yesterday I got out for the first 1/2 Marathon training day of 2012.   For not running much the past few months, I was impressed with my Body's ability to jump back in.  I went a total of 4.5 miles with the first 3 running non-stop with no pain.  Powered by Greens!!!

My rest days for this 1/2 marathon training will be different! I'll be including some strength training and muscle stretching to the mix.  If I want a different result, then I must do different actions.  2012 is the year for Different and for finding my Happy!

Bring it on 2012... This will be the best year ever and I'm ready!!!!

 

Crafts and Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Hubs asked for Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Bars for his birthday.  But when his Birthday came, he ordered a cupcake instead.  

A few days later, he reminded me that I neglected to make the Choco Peanut Butter Bars. 

And far be it from me to turn down Chocolate:

Here is the recipe I use, but Veganised.  I've seen many more similar recipes since, but that is the one I wrote down long ago, and have continued to use.

While the family was chowing on this Chocolate Peanutty Goodness, I was busy grabbing them to help me with crafts.

Lots of Cards were made and a calendar was completed, see here!

Hubs made me these shorts from an old T-Shirt:

This mess had to be cleaned:

It was a week full of Chocolate and Crafts, aka FUN... I'm not complaining.

Happy Herbivore In The House

Between these two books I have officially made over 30 HH Recipes:

And this week was no exception:

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Maple Syrup Drizzle for the kiddo;

Cauliflower Hash for me:

Fried Bananas for all of us:

More Chickpeas for Me (but I shared with Hubby)

Pinto Bean Patties for everyone (except mine was without the bread)

And Raw Sweet Potato Soup for the Kiddo (but he shared with me)

It has been a Happy Herbivore Cookbook kind of a week and I'm not complaining one bit!

PS.  The Raw Sweet Potato Soup was my new Raw try of the week, so I mastered two tasks with the work of one!!

P.S.S  The Sweet Potato Soup is not listed as raw, but I made it in the Vita-Mix per a "chef's note" and it turned out rather raw but warm and delicious.  I will go lighter on the Ginger next time but otherwise.. Oh My Yum!

P.S.S.S  The Chef's Notes in HH Books, are so absolutely awesome. Be sure to read them or you can miss out on something really tasty!

Fresh Cranberry and Pear Juice

We tried the Cranberry & Pear Juicer Juice that I mentioned in this post:

It took two bags of Organic Cranberries and 2 Organic Pears to make two servings.  Soo so so bitter, that we added some water, ice & Coconut Nectar:

For me, it was great.  Still bitter, but kind of refreshing and tangy.   Hubs, thought it was TOO tangy, but I kept seeing him go back to his glass and sip more.  Maybe once the ice melted, it got better?

So I think I will add cranberries to juice again, but they will be an Addition, and not the main course.

Maybe Apple, Cranberry, Celery kind of a thing.... We'll see!

Otherwise, I'll keep the cranberries to Smoothies.  That way everyone in the house will consume their flu preventing, antioxidant packed goodness.

 

 

Cranberries are Back And in my Morning Smoothie

I've been reading a lot about cranberries of late including their Antioxidant effects, how they can be good for fighting off infections, are high in Vitamin C, they can help with skin ailments, blood flow, even cancer prevention, and keeping the Flu Bugs away.  And of course all us girls know that drinking real cranberry juice can help with those pesky bladder and urinary infections.

But eating them plain is not something I enjoy.  So last year (I think it was last year) I started putting them in my Smoothies.  When added to a smoothie their flavor was much more enjoyable and I could consume more that way.  

Now if I ponder too much on how they are harvested (flooded bogs and people walking in them), I'd likely avoid them all together.   I don't focus on that so much!  Nope, not one bit!!  Really!!

Sooo The cranberries are BACK in our stores and that means they are back in our tummies.

Next try for the cranberries will be Mrs. Juicer...  I watched this video where they make a drink at the end with Juiced Cranberries and Pears... Hmmmm, does that sound tasty or what???  I also like that she talks about eating bright colors and people are healthier that do so.  And how blueberries help with sugar in our bodies, who knew?

When I went to the Herbal doc she said I should eat 3 servings of Berries a day.   Now I know why!  *smile*

Do you eat your berries?  What are your favorites?

 

 

 

Vegan Food IN THE MALL FOOD COURT

I'm Not talking about a restaurant or cafe that also carries Vegan fare, I'm talking about an entirely VEGAN spot IN the food court at Dayton Mall.

I thought that was the coolest thing:

Loving Hut:

I had a Salad:

Veg Had Spring Rolls and Sweet Potatoes Fries:

I will not confirm or deny this, but I may or may Not have had some of those fries.

Then we shared some Potato Leek Soup:

And for dessert, we shared a VINKIE...  Yes that would be a "Vegan Twinkie"  A Vinkie!

I posted the other day that for me to eat something with wheat again, it would have to be really worth it.

Yeah, Well... Having one bite of this thing was soooooo worth it!  And soooo Good!

Disclaimer:  I don't have Celiac, or even a Vinkie wouldn't tempt me to eat wheat, but since mine is just a sensitivity, I know the consequences of my digestion/skin and head, by partaking in such a treat.   And thankfully, this bite didn't hit me too hard.  Besides, I HAD to try it, as the good responsible parent before allowing Veg a bite, right????  *wink*

FYI - It was French Toast Flavored in case you were wondering, and OH MY YUM!!!  

Also in the food court was a Saxby's Coffee, I noticed all their Fall stuff, and asked if by chance their Pumpkin Spice mix was Vegan.  And she said YES!!!  REALLY????    There aren't many Vegan Pumpkin Spice options, so I was surprised and had to support the cause.

I mean, I didn't have a choice right?  I was left there with a Vegan option in front of my eyes and another 4hrs worth of driving before our final destination.. It was a critical moment (or maybe lapse in judgement) 

But I got an Iced Americano with a Pump of Pumpkin Spice (Coffee, Water and Pumpkin).... Yum!

It was actually a little sweet, but nothing I couldn't handle.

That concludes our Stop in Dayton.  

If you ever find yourself there, be sure to check out the Airforce Museum, and maybe some yummy Vegan Treats!  (We even passed by an Earthfare).  Not a town that I will go hungry in, thats for sure!

Thinking we'll be stopping through again!

 

Top 15 Vegmom Tips to Help Kids WANT to Eat Well

I received a great question today from Rebecca:

"I am trying to go vegan but want to make sure my kids eat the good food and get enough nutrients. Any suggestions or advice? I have a 2 and 4 year old"

Which made me want to create this post out of oldies but goodies... It will be long so be warned!

My parenting style in general is to allow the kiddo to think for himself.  Set safe boundaries and then allow him to make choices within them, with the thought that some day, I won't be around, and he will have to make choices anyway.  I'd prefer he make the RIGHT ones whether I'm there or not!

Now I can't say this will work for every child, but I've seen it work at least 100 times with mine.  Soccer Games, Parties, School, Camp... he CHOOSES the right foods because he wants to.  And if he WANTS to, then he doesn't need to "sneak" or "rebel"...

Making them WANT to, is the trick!

Soooo, HOW did I make him want to?  Well, I have the advantage that certain foods do make him physically ill, so he knows to stay away from those.   But as for everything else...  That took Trickery!

Here are my top 15 Tips to making  Tricking kids in to eating well:

 

#1 - Keep things COLORFUL:   

 

 

#2 - Don't ever make them feel left out.  If its Pizza day at school/camp, send them with Pizza:

Last Minute Vegan Pizza

If there is a party, be prepared to send them with dessert that they can eat.

 

#3- Prep Food over the weekend!!  Keep Washed, Fresh and Cut Up Yummy Food in the Fridge so they can grab easily (age appropriate of course)  or so MOM can grab easily.  

When your in a hurry, it is so much easier to grab the junk food because it is fast.  But if you take away the need, you leave your self with healthy options instead.  Ready for everyone to graze on.

This link probably has the biggest prep day I ever had:  Major food prep sunday

 

#4 - Take them to Sustainable Farms in your area, so they can interact with the Animals and see the Gardens first hand.   They learn to appreciate the animals and the great food as well as to see natural vs. not so much.

 

#5 - Educate!!  Explain your choices as early as possible and answer questions that come up.  If they want to know what is in a burger.. Tell them the truth!

Watch movies together when age appropriate

Read Kind Books:

Or take them to classes at the local health stores.  My son Still talks about a class where he learned about Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup.  I think he took that class 3 or 4 years ago.

 

 

#6 - Make Eating Fun

Mashed Potato Turkey with Asparagus:

Food as science experiment (watching the fibers of a watermelon), doesn't get more fun than that for a curious Tot!

 

#7 - Let them help - it may not be perfect, but who cares.  They can help meal plan, shop, pick recipes from books, prepare foods and cook.  Even a one year old can point to a picture and help choose what goes on his/her plate.

Veg prepares his own lunches now.  He knows what is going in his box and how much work it takes, so he rarely brings home any waste.  Here is an example.. 

1/2 Avocado, Raw Macadamia nuts, Strawberries, Apples, Veg Sushi

 

#8 - Take a trip to a Farm Sanctuary, learn about the animals and their stories that brought them to the sanctuary.  

I mean really, who could eat this sleeping beauty after meeting her and hearing her sweet little snores:

 

#9 - Compartments.. My kiddo LOVES food Compartments, even when I was making his lunches and variety.  Always offer variety, allow them to choose what they will eat, and try new things.  If they don't like one thing, there are stll 4 others that they do like.

Variety also provides a good mix of nutrients, protein, calories and healthy fats for their growing bodies.

Ha, just realized all the pictures I chose for this post have grapes... I promise he eats more than grapes *smile*:

Spaghetti, Tings, wafers, celery and grapes:

Banana/Peanut Butter dogs, cranberries, pretzels, grapes apple:

Coconut Yogurt, Pear, Grapes, Peanut butter cookie, Cranberries, Flax Crackers:

Apple Sauce, Oat Bar, Cucumbers, Snack mix, & Tofurkey Rolls:

Muffin Tin Dinners - Another great compartment alternative.  For the little tikes I used the little cups and for an older veg, I used the big ones.   At 8yrs Old he still asks for Muffin Tin meals.

(Yes, I know it is not tin, but you get the idea)

This one has Cucumber salad, Sweet Potato mash, Strawberries, Grapes, Vegan Quesadillas:

 

#9 - Plant a Garden big or small.  Even a flower in a window.  

They get to see the work involved, feel the accomplishment of a harvest and watch their plants grow.  if your lucky enough to get a bounty, you know exactly where it came from:

Let them make Garden Rainbows with the hose:

And Don't forget to Compost for your garden.  Put younger kids in charge of filling the bin in the kitchen, and older kids in charge of dumping in to the compost outside.  

Teaching the circle of garden life, is not only being environmentally responsible, but your Garden will thank you and your kids will have fun:

 

#10 - Find Alternatives:  

When they ask to try something they see with a friend, make sure they know there is an open door policy and that you'll listen.  

Then make sure you LISTEN...Find a Vegan, Organic or Healthier Alternative.  Empower them to feel good about their choices and that they can talk to you when needed:

Find treats that you feel good about providing them.

HH Cinnamon Buns

#11 - Don't keep bad stuff in the house, makes it too easy to munch.  If you decide to allow treats, or non veg foods when outside of the house, make them the occasional option.  

Inside the home is like a Veg Safety Zone, variety and color.  We don't even allow family to bring meat foods in to the house any longer.  It is seriously a VEG Friendly Zone now that Hubby is on board.  Of course that wasn't always the case.  But it is all my Kiddo knows.

If they know no different, they act no different.

 

#12 - Themes, create fun themes, whether that is holidays, colors, or in this case we were learning about Mexico and had an entire day of Mexican Food.  

Veg's favorite of course was this Mexican inspired Vegan Dessert:

 

#13 - Bulk Section - I don't have much counter space, but I did dedicate a portion to my "Bulk Section".  There are always nuts, seeds, or grains and dried organic fruit of some sort.  This provides go-to powerhouse snacks for all of us, and quick grab options when making lunches.

This has transformed over time, for age appropriate Veg as I allow him to grab his own snacks at will.  Obviously as a toddler, I wouldn't keep choking hazards within reach.  But as he grew, and could reach the countertop this became a wonderful solution.  

Also by empowering him to grab all his own snacks, I never have to hear "I'm Huuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnggggrryyyyy"  I eliminated so much whining by giving up a section of my counter.

He also has a drawer and all other dried goods are in there for his choosing.

 

#14 - Go Fruit Picking - You know where the food came from, they get to see where it came from, you can talk to local farmers, and just have a very fun outing with a delicious bounty:

 

#15 - LOVE - the most important item of all.  Model love to yourself, your family, the planet and the animals.  Be a good example for your children so they can follow.  Put love in everything you do, including the food you provide..

And if nothing else works, make green juice or green smoothie with a heart on top.... Who wouldn't consume that??:

Stranger Things Have Happened?

A totally random post for this Wednesday!!!

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Most Sundays, I prep salads for the week, this Sunday was no different.  

But most weeks those salads become mine for lunches because Hubby says the guys will Tease him if he shows up with salads.

WELL, this week he grabbed a salad.. WHY?  You ask?  Because everything else he takes already has them calling him a health nut, and apparently as of this week he is officially the Site Health Nut!  

Thinking I have done my job, when the Hubs is labeled a health nut! <she says with a humble grin>

So now he takes salads.  Stranger things have happened!

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Tomorrow the Vegkid has a presentation at school and he needs an outfit that represents Ben Franklin...

In his picture, Ben Franklin has a Ruffle thing under his coat on his chest.  I'm not going to purchase a ruffle shirt just for one presentation.. and the Kid was NOT happy with me about that!  Call me a Bad Mom!    Ok, not just yet!!  

I decided to grab an old T-Shirt, cut around the collar, so the collar will fit over the character's head.    Then use the rest of the T-Shirt to bunch up all ruffled and put the jacket over to cover up the sides of the T-Shirt. 

It worked..(look for picture soon)  Took Only Scissors, an Old rag and 3 minutes, to make the perfect Ruffle thing for our Fake Ben Franklin.  Not so bad if I do say so myself!

Vegkid says "Wow, you are a Crafty Lady, aren't you?"

Hey Mikey, He likes it!!

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I hear all the time in Blog Land about Chia seeds and how great they are for us.  Antioxidants, Protein, Fiber, Omegas, etc. Full of goodness, and filling and versatile.   Even my Friend got them after reading about their goodness in a book. 

So finally I purchased some... YUCK!  I mean, the texture alone was enough to make me gag.  When wet they get all slimy, and the taste... Ewww... I tried.  I really tried.  I really wanted to like them.   But just couldn't.  So they went on a shelf and sat there all by their lonesome.

Until Tonight:

I saw this post from Pure2Raw and realized I like Tahini... Hmm.. I have Chia Seeds, and I like Tahini.. why not?  I gave the Chia seeds one more try at life in my kitchen.

But made a single serving quick snack try from their recipe.  I only used 2 TBS of filtered water, 2 TBS of Chia Seed Mix, 1 tsp of Tahini, a Dash of maple syrup and a dash of Cinnamon.   Mix Mix Mix and sit for 10 minutes like they suggested!  Voila!

Chia Pudding, that I really really liked!!!  

Who would have thunk it?    This may now be the perfect go to snack or breakfast for this busy Mom.  I can even take it traveling and just add cold water plus toppings no matter where I am..  Sooo Excited!

Thanks Pure2Raw for another great Veghouse Try!

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And that ends this very random post... OK one more... Can I just say that I really like my Juicer!

That is A LOT of juice!  Oh My YUM!

Good Night!!!  

Prepping Lunch for the Veg Husband

Came on to post this and saw all the Forks over Knives Facebook visitors..  Was awesome to read the comments and see how many people also let their children watch Forks Over Knives.  Welcome to Vegmom Moments if this is your first time here, feel free to say Hi in the comments or add to discussion.

Now for that post:

I tend to place pics of my Glass Bowl Tower lunches or Tiffin Lunches or more Tiffin Lunches and the Vegkid Laptop Lunches but I realized today that I have never (or don't think I have) posted the kind of food that Hubs packs for his lunch + daytime snacks.

So here is what he took with him today for snacks  (all organic of course):

Green Juice= Apple+Parsley+Celery

1/2 Avocado, Whole Peach, Strawberries & Grapes

And for his main lunch, Left over Brown Rice (gluten free) Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Veggies:

Don't worry he doesn't combine all the fruit with the pasta *I hear gasps from those that food combine*  but he munches his raw stash threw the day for breakfast and after lunch if snacks are needed.  Then chows the left overs or a sandwich at the lunch hour.

He also took a Vegan Choco Chip Cookie for his dessert which I didn't get a picture of.  I haven't talked him away from the cookies yet! *smile*  

Yes - He has a long day, hense all the food for one guy, and eats a little at each break.!  

But this is NOT the type of lunch you would have found him eating several years ago.  And that's what makes this post truly awesome.  Actually, I wouldn't have even mentioned on this blog the lunches he ate a few years ago.  

There was a time when the Hubs was eating a S.A.D diet, and very SAD it was.

A couple Kidney stones, some Gout Attacks, Chronic Sinus infections, Constant Bloody Noses, Stomach problems, a cough that wouldn't go away and one Xbox later... I now have a Veg Hubby!  (PS. the Xbox is another story)

Curious?  How many warning signs do we have to get from our bodies before we say "Wait a Minute, Maybe I should make a change?"

For my Husband, it was quite a few.  But now I get to call him a VegDad, and that makes me a very happy Vegmom!  

 

Creamy Vegan Potato Soup

This morning I felt good enough to go to work.  

Down another pound though, making 5 total since Monday.   (you know if I was actually hanging out with the toilet, or purposely detoxing this would make sense, but I'm not)  

Of course both the Doc and Midwife said there was nothing wrong with me, but I'll just keep dropping a pound a day.  I guess if there is nothing wrong, then it can't hurt, right?  (she says sarcastically)

At lunch, I had the brilliant idea to eat a large salad.  Trying to re-nutrient the bod.  That didn't go so well.  Within an hour, my stomach discomfort was back, and I became too tired to hold my head up.  Hmmm... 

Since the Raw food didn't go so well at Lunch, I decided to try a warm comfort food for dinner.

OH MY YUM!!!!  I've never made Potato Soup before.. I knew I wanted Potato Soup but no energy to look for recipes.

So I washed and chopped up two Golden potatoes.  Threw them in a pot of boiling water for 8 minutes...  Drained and dropped them in Mr. Vita-Mix.. Then I just looked at the potatoes in Mr. Vita-mix.

NOW WHAT?  That is when I start to have a conversation with myself...Hemp seeds and water make "Milk", lets throw in some Hemp seeds and water, that will get it creamy and give me Omegas... Good deal.. In go the hemp seeds and water.

Garlic is good for immune, throw in a Garlic Clove... done!

Turmeric is good for inflammation... Oooh, turmeric is orange.. I can make Creamy Cheezy Potato soup... 

In goes a whole lot of Nutritional Yeast (hello Vitamins and Protein)

Then I turned on Mr. Vita-Mix... Steam started coming out the top and I knew this soup was about to be mine.

This is when I started tasting, and adding flavors/Spices until I was happy....A dash of agave, A dash of White Balsamic Vinegar, garlic salt, onion powder, chives, some pepper and kelp powder.  

Mix Mix Mix, Pour in a giant bowl, with some more Nutritional Yeast on top for cheezy goodness:

It was Thick, It was Creamy and It was Cheezy... Also Vegan, Easy, Fast and soooo Good!

The Perfect Warm Comfort food for this struggling tummy!

THANK YOU Mr. Vita-Mix for the inspiration, Oh and the mixing too!

Some more Happy Herbivore Eats

We tried the Maple Glazed Carrots tonight from The Happy Herbivore :

Hubby chowed down and there was no stopping him.  Vegkid was not as thrilled with them and personally I'm not a cooked carrot kind of Gal.  But I gave them a try, and WOWsers, were they tasty!

Next time I'll add more veggies as the recipe calls for (tonight I only had carrots and onions) 

I also made some more Hawaiian Chickpeas.. Pretty sure I can't go a week without them now:

Even threw some cut up pineapple in the salad to give the effect and the dressing was a simple Orange Juice and White Balsamic mixture.

Citrus, sweet, spicy and Crunch all in one bite!

OH MY YUM!

Friday Tiffin

I had the most yummy goodies for Work Food today!

Salad with an Orange Juice and White Balsamic vinegar Dressing:

This bad boy was light and refreshing and quite tasty!  That mixture of dressing has no oil, but full of flavor.  Not to mention it is Quick for those getting ready for school/work mornings!

Berries and a side of Date filled with Almond butter:

Apples and Macadamia to munch!

PS.. I'm joining the Mac world and this is my first post on the new machine.  Can someone please comment if it looks normal and the pics aren't too large?  

Thanks :-)

Here is to a great long weekend and some very Yummy food treats!

Raw Food Goodies

I down loaded the Eco Chef App which has recipes and info from the author of this book:

Raw STAR Recipes: Organic Meals, Snacks & Desserts Under 10 Minutes

The first recipe I decided to try was a Raw Mac & "Cheese" made out of Yams as the noodles.

So I'm not a fan of Yams or sweet potatoes for that matter, I don't like them.  Never Have!   In fact to get the nutrients of said goodies, I would have to chop them up and throw in a smoothie.

But now I have a changed mind and taste bud..  Who knew that by slicing a raw Yam real thin, marinating in lemon juice, and adding a nutty creamy sauce that I would like them.

(sorry for the horrible phone pic)

I tweaked the recipe by using less turmeric and throwing in some nutritional yeast.  Also used Sunflower seeds and hemp seeds as my base and less oil than the recipe called for. 

It was Really Really good though.  And now that I like this, I can see myself dicing more Raw Yams in to all kinds of shapes and flavors.  Thinking a Pad Thai type sauce would be amazing.

As For dessert.. Frozen Bananas ala Vita-Mix:

Its been a good food week so far!

Green Smoothie Love

The Herbal doc had me pause my Morning Green Smoothies, in favor of the "Fruity shake" I had to make with her concoction.  Well that stuff is all gone, so I'm back to Green Goodness...

And couldn't be happier!!  Hello, Green Goodness!

 

Last Night's Salad

Added Something Fruity and Nutty this time:

Romaine, Celery, Avocado, Raw Pecans & Apples with a vinaigrette dressing

Oh my Yum!

Tonight's Salad With Some Raw Tabouli on top

Tonight's salad was a super special green treat.. Romaine, Chard, Celery, Mashed Avocado, with some Raw Cauliflower Tabouli (or tabbouleh, still not sure the right spelling on this one).

Topped off with a tiny bit of  thrown together oil/vinegar'ish dressing..

Its like ooey gooey on top of green and crunchy!!  All the texture and tastes worked perfect together.

Think I'm liking this salad challenge!  Even made extra for my lunch tomorrow.

OH  MY YUM!!

A Happy Herbivore Chickpea Salad

I'm Consuming A LOT of salads these days.  In fact, about 5 heads of romaine in a week.  Which means I'm needing to get creative.

I made Hubs a stir-fry with Hawaiian Chickpeas from The Happy Herbivore Cookbook and grabbed a few to throw on top of my salad. 

If all that wasn't good enough, I concocted a nutty sweet dressing to go over the top....with a variation of Kristens Raw 4-Ingredient Magic Dressing

That masterpiece has Romaine, Chard, Celery, Chickpeas, sesame seeds, and the Almond Butter Terriyaki'ish dressing...

So so so Good  And really excited during this elimination diet of sorts to know that Chickpeas don't upset my stomach.  It must have been what I was eating WITH the chickpeas that started to upset my stomach.

Which brings me back to the thought that bread, rice and pasta's are not my friend!

Oh but that salad was my friend!  I will make that again!  OH MY YUM!

 

The Past 7 Days

This past week has been a little up and down!   In the spirit of sharing the good with the bad, here we go!!

Very Very Bad:

My Sweet little Niece did this to her Arm and required surgery!!! Sending lots of love and hugs her way!

Very Very Good:

Massaged Raw Kale salad prepped for the week, so I don't have to buy it from store today:

Very Bad:

My Favorite Website of All time is going away, which means I will go back under my rock and lose contact with a great group of people. 

 

Very Good:

Choosing Raw 5 Minute No Bake Sunflower Oat Bars

These are Seriously Yummy and Easy.  I made several modifications based on what I had in the house.  Only hard part was waiting for the fridge time.  But so worth it. 

I Replaced Sunflower Seeds with Hemp Seeds, Choco chips for the Carob chips, Cut up Dates instead of raisins and Almond Butter was the nut butter of choice.  I like that this recipe can be modified to any diet restriction, from gluten free to nut allergies, but allow a rich, filling, natural, nutritious and delicious snack.

If you check out the link it even shows the bake or dehydrate options if you'd rather have a crunchy variety.  But we are quite happy with the fridge chewy method.

The recipe says they can last a couple weeks, Such a great grab and go snack. But I'm thinking they will be gone in a few days.  Hubs got a hold of them this morning, and I only have 1/2 a pan left now.

Veg wants a batch for himself though, (he can't have almond butter) so I'm going to buy more oats today, and make a Vegkid Friendly batch next.

Just a Little Bad:

Found Out I have to travel Twice in the next month or two, Business travel is not my friend!  And Hubs may get laid off or shift crews which will change location and hours.  Not looking forward to either.

A whole lot Good:

Reason #2345 that I love my Mini... I've never had a sun roof before and never really wanted one.  But now I have one WITH A SCREEN... how flippin' cool is that?  All the breeze minus the bugs.  My morning commute is so breezy now!

Annoying Bad:

Veg has sprung a bunch of Eczema patches out of the blue this week.  Hasn't had any of those since he was a little tyke and we controlled by diet, and now there are spots all over his bod.  Trying to track down the cause, for now coconut oil is keeping the itching way and healing the red spots. 

I have a feeling it is something at school he is getting in to.  His latest excitement of holding and monitoring cicadas in the outdoor "classroom" is my first thought.

First of all it is gross, and second they are crawling on his arms and that is where the patches started.

Nice Good:

Watching all the critters this weekend.  I actually had a Humming Bird swoop down in front of my face and just hover for at least 30 seconds, as if it was saying "Hello, Good Day"  While I was watering the garden. 

Then the prettiest butterflies started flying around me.  Never have I experienced such an awesome moment. 

I felt like I was being reminded that everything was going to be OK! 

And this Silly Squirrel trying to carry his giant bounty across my fence gave me a good laugh:

As for the rest of the Good/Bad.  A few stressers at work, a few stressers at home, my visit to an herbalist and the reasons behind it, another diet shift (in a good way), a friend going through a difficult time, change in exercise routine, an Incredible Cleaning Hubs, some good movie time, and my new love for Cinnamon...  More to share..stay tuned! 

Did I mention the week was filled with ups and downs? So much to be thankful for, so much to do and yet every once in a while it is OK to stop and see the not so good moments. 

I feel like they make the good moments that much better!  And also make me normal. 

OK Scratch that.. I'll never be "Normal" but I'm not perfect, and that is for certain!

Hope your week had many more good than bad moments!

Green Smoothie in A Glass Bottle

I've had several double Smoothie days last week... One morning, I was having fun taking pics of my new Life Factory Glass Bottle:

I already have several of the 22oz but this is my first 16oz which I got because it fits better in the Mini's Cup Holders.

Here is the top... Yum, makes me want a sip right now!

And here is the rest of it...  From this angle, doesn't it look like 12ft tall?

I just love these glass bottles... especially when they are holding my Favorite Green Goodness!

 

A Perfect Match

While on vacation last month, the juice bar we stopped at made smoothies with fresh juice as the liquid. And I kept telling myself to do the same ever since.

So today I made some fresh raw apple juice and used it as the base in my very berry green smoothie.. Oh my yum!!!!

Mrs. Juicer, and Mr. Vita-Mix - A match made in juice land!

Fresh raw apple juice, frozen blueberries and strawberries, fresh banana, spinach and just a little ice for more thickness.

Delicious!

More Veggie Power

Some thing I ate didn't agree with me... likely the salad even though I tried to remove all the cheese that was put on top (when I wanted no cheese) or the veg wrap that I found chicken in (AFTER I took a bite).. UGH! 

But when I was feeling better tonight, I needed some more green goodness and a swig of aloe juice.

I was also feeling like Juice Juice.. the good kind, and eating something cooked, grainy, vegan and hearty to fill up my belly, so the fruit in my hotel fridge wasn't going to cut it for this one.

My Friend shared with me a hidden gem near by that not only has Vegan foods in the Deli but also A Juice and Smoothie Bar!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. My day is complete...

Carrot, Celery, Parsley, Spinach, Apple fresh raw Juice - CHECK!

AND

A Green Smoothie of which I don't even remember what was in it.. but something green, some berries, and some fresh Apple Juice comes to mind.

The Sandwich was a GIANT Veggie Patty with Avocado and veggies on top... Grains- CHECK!

Along with A chickpea Salad for the side. Legumes - Check!

A perfect Mini - Picnic Dinner...Now for the record, I was supposed to save the smoothie for morning, but Ummmm... It was soooo tasty!

Shhh, don't tell! 

Now I'm going to indulge in a spoonful of Minty Coconut Ice "cream"... Yeah they had that too...

What?  I'm away from home.. I can indulge?  Right? 

Shhh, Don't tell!