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Whey Protein Supplements vs Plant-Based Proteins

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Whey protein products are regarded by most fitness enthusiasts as a supplemental staple for athletes and bodybuilders; claiming it’s the ultimate source of protein and they sometimes even go to the extreme of saying it’s the highest quality protein available.

On the other hand there are multiple studies which show that most athletes can easily meet their daily protein requirements from a plant-based diet alone. And for many people whey protein can cause bloating and stomach upset actually bogging them down.

It is unfortunate that most trainers, athletes and bodybuilders are persuaded by what they read in exercise and bodybuilding magazines. And, more times than not, this is worse than getting nutritional information from a comic book.

Americans, in general, are on a protein binge; brainwashed with misinformation that has been drilled into them since childhood. Ironically, most of the educational materials used in public schools have been provided (for free) by the meat, dairy, and egg industries, and this has been the case for more than seventy years. These industrial giants have successfully lobbied the government, resulting in favorable laws, subsidies, and advertising propaganda that generates huge corporate profits at the expense of our national health. As a result, Americans have been, and continue to be, programmed with dangerous information, and protein supplements (especially whey) are recommended for anyone who pursues any sort of athletic endeavor; this in addition to their recommended diet which already contains excessive amounts of meat, dairy, etc. Most of us were raised on tall glasses of milk, grilled chicken salads at restaurants, large omelets filled with cheese, and in some instances, whey protein shakes. (And that’s referring to the most nutritionally-conscious of us. Many folks still think vegetables mean French fries, or perhaps the single leaf of iceberg lettuce on a bacon double cheeseburger.)

One question that might be asked is just how many people don’t get very far in their athletic career because they spend much of their exercise time and energy burning off or eliminating all the toxic sludge they put in their body. Whey, which is the watery byproduct of cheese production used to be discarded and dumped into waterways until environmental concerns caused cheese manufacturers to take a second look at this practice. Once they discovered that they could actually profit by selling whey as a protein source, whey was no longer dumped, but became a food supplement and additive, backed by a massive ad campaign.

Plant-based eating is a relatively new and undiscovered territory for most North Americans. So, when deciding to add more veggies to their diet to be “healthier” or “more environmentally friendly”, that addition might include refined sugars and grains, highly processed soy-based meat substitutes, Twizzlers, pizza, beer and other unhealthy foodstuffs. While this kind of food substituting is beneficial for the animals, and (depending on how these pseudo-foods were produced) better for the planet, it might not be so helpful for our health, body composition and general wellbeing.

Many sincere, informed vegan and/or vegetarian’s diets include juicing and blending, primarily due to the nutritional density and ease of digestion of vegetables and fruits consumed in this way.

Other plant-based foods are also easily digested and absorbed, they consume less energy to produce more energy, and this allows for a healthier, more efficient gastrointestinal tract in the active athlete. Indeed, many athletes who switch to a plant-based diet report feeling an almost immediate surge in energy.

Additionally, many athletes who have used whey protein supplements as a part of bodybuilding or other exercise regime have noted that the muscles they build are not maintained, and disappear quickly when the whey protein is discontinued.  Plant-based proteins are different.

If you feel the need to further supplement your plant-based diet with natural protein, here’s a couple alternatives to whey and/or other concentrated animal–based proteins…

Chlorella, Spirulina and blue-green algae are concentrated forms of plant-based proteins.  They are 100% whole food from the ocean/plant kingdom. This type of complete protein is 100% assimilated by the body, is nutritionally dense, full of minerals and chlorophyll. Additionally, you will gain the extra benefit of it assisting your body in detoxification, including the elimination of heavy metals and radiation. This type of protein will build extremely strong, dense and long lasting muscle tissue.

And another is hemp protein powder.  This concentrated supplement closely resembles the protein of the human body.  It is easy to digest and contains all of the essential amino acids that the body requires, including Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, acids that whey protein is lacking.

Many trainers and other fitness enthusiasts, especially those interested in bodybuilding love to make the claim that a plant-based protein simply cannot promote muscle growth as effectively as animal derived protein (like whey).  However, it’s not difficult to observe how herbivores like cows, horses and even gorillas possess lean, strong muscles.  In fact, many bodybuilders who have changed from whey to a plant-based protein have noted that the muscle tissue built from plant-based protein is more solid, very dense and resists deteriorating over time.

For more on America’s obsession with supplemental proteins please read the following, click on: 3 Myths About Protein and a Plant-Based Diet

Yoga & Body Detoxification…

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Did you know your body is designed in such a way that it will automatically engage in some form of detoxification every single day? Regular daily yoga practice is one of the best ways to insure that your body remains subtle and as toxin free as possible.

First let’s take a look at how the body actually accomplishes the task of detoxing…

The three main bodily systems employed to get rid of accumulated waste and toxic debris are the circulatory, digestive and lymph systems. Each one of these plays a crucial role in the process. The circulatory system pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen to and carrying waste products away from cells. The digestive system processes the food we eat, separating nutrients from waste and eliminating anything the body doesn’t need. And the lymphatic system collects intracellular fluid from throughout the body and transports it to the lymph nodes where anything harmful (such as bacteria or other contaminants) is removed before the lymphatic fluid is returned back to the bloodstream.

Under optimal conditions, these are robust systems that work well on their own. However, in today’s world, the excessive exposure to both external and internal toxins, the many stresses that are often placed on our lives and an all too often, nutrient-poor diet place an undo demand on these systems, and yoga is an ideal solution to these problems.

How yoga facilitates cleansing

Some forms of vigorous exercise can stimulate all three of these systems of elimination to some extent. But yoga, with its focus on systematically and alternatively stretching and compressing every part of the body, is particularly well-suited to keeping the toxin/waste elimination on par and functioning well.

A well-rounded yoga practice session, engaging every part of the body, facilitates the removal of waste products, including carbon dioxide and lactic acid, and in turn stimulates lymphatic drainage in areas that traditional exercise just doesn’t reach.

Yogic breathing (pranayama) also plays an important role in promoting detoxification. Many people sit with poor posture which impedes the lungs from inflating fully, and our chronic state of low-grade stress often leads to a constricted diaphragm which further inhibits proper breathing. As a result, we aren’t able to take in as much life-sustaining oxygen when we inhale, or expel as much of the potentially hazardous carbon dioxide when we exhale.

Clear your body, clear your mind.

In addition to all the physical benefits of the poses (asanas), yoga aids in mental detoxification as well. Performing yoga helps to purge toxic thoughts by teaching you to move your awareness away from the constant “chatter of the mind” and back to the present “now” moment, a practice that’s not commonly found as a basic component of conventional fitness pursuits.

Furthermore, a regular daily yoga practice helps you to eliminate both the tangible and the intangible toxins that could otherwise keep you from feeling your best and maintaining a state of health and wellness.

 

Third Eye Meditation – Opening the 3rd Eye

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Can you imagine what your life would have been like if you had kept your eyelids shut since you were born? Your eyes would have worked perfectly but yet your sense of vision would have gone to waste. Similarly, not opening your 3rd eye is keeping you in the dark in relation to enjoying the wonders and wisdom of your sense of mystic or spiritual sight.

This can be likened to putting shutters on a window and keeping them closed. No light comes in and those on the inside can only imagine the marvels of all that exists outside of those shutters. Unfortunately, this really leaves us in the dark about what is real, who our true Self is and what life is really all about.

While attending a secret, esoteric school in Egypt, Pythagoras was given the following technique…

“ATTENTION BETWEEN EYEBROWS, LET MIND BE BEFORE THOUGHT. LET FORM FILL WITH BREATH ESSENCE TO THE TOP OF THE HEAD AND THERE SHOWER AS LIGHT.”

Pythagoras then traveled with this technique to Greece, and consequently he became the fountainhead, the primary source of all mysticism in the West. He is recognized by many to be the father of mysticism in the West.

Attention between the eyebrows – although relatively simple, this technique is very deep. When we try to mentally comprehend this, modern physiology and scientific research, points out that between the two eyebrows is a gland which is the most mysterious part of the body. This gland, the pineal gland, is the third eye of the Tibetans; Shivanetra (the eye of the Shiva), of tantra. Between the two eyes there exists a third eye, but it is impotent, non-functioning. It’s there, it has the ability to function any moment, but it does not normally function on its own. You need to do something about it, you have to open it. It’s not blind; it is simply closed.

Now, some notes on the technique used to open the third eye…

Close your eyes, (or keep them half-open/half-closed) and look upward – not forcibly crossing your eyes, but instead, converging them slightly. Then focus both of your eyes just in the middle of the two eyebrows. Focus attention just in the middle, as if you are looking with your two eyes. Give your total attention to it. This is actually one of the simplest methods of being attentive. You cannot be attentive to any other part of the body quite as easily. This pineal gland absorbs attention like a sponge. If you give attention to it, both your eyes become mesmerized with the third eye. They become transfixed; they cannot move. The third eye catches attention; it’s like a magnet for attention. Traditions all over the world have used this method. It is simple because with a little effort in trying to be attentive, the pineal gland itself helps you; it is magnetic. Your attention is brought to it and then that attention is absorbed.

It is said in the ancient tantric scriptures that attention is food for the third eye. It is hungry; it has been hungry for your whole life. And once you pay attention to it, it becomes awake. It becomes alive! The food is given to it in the form of attention. And once you know that attention is food, attracted by the gland itself – then it is not a difficult thing. One has only to know the right point. The important thing is to bring your attention to that area. Don’t try forcibly to bring your eyes to a focus, but gaze mentally towards that point, and let the spiritual eye draw you into itself. Remember at all times keep your eyes relaxed and your brow smooth. When it becomes difficult to move them, then know you have found the right point.

Being focused on the third eye, suddenly you become a witness. Through the third eye you become the witness and you can see thoughts running through the mind like clouds in the sky or people passing on the street. While focused in the third eye, suddenly you can observe the very essence of breath, not just the breath, but the very essence of breath, which is prana.

Pythagoras’ sutra says, “Let form fill with breath essence to the top of the head…” And when you come to feel the “essence” of breathing (prana), just imagine that your head is filled with it, simply imagine that. No need for any effort. When you are focused on the third eye center and then imagine it filling all the space in your head, the “shower of light” happens, then and there – a shower of light falling down from the top of your head. This shower can recreate you; it can give you a new birth.

This 3rd eye meditation technique has the potential to throw the shutters wide open, as well as provide you with wings to transport you to the infinite, eternal, universal divine reality that is your inherent birthright.

The Importance of the Feet & Pada Bandha in Yoga

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Acquainting yourself with the essential workings of your feet and the pivotal role they play in yoga is literally the foundation of productive and genuine practice. It’s the first step in attaining proper balance and body alignment.

Since antiquity devotees have considered it a privilege to touch or kiss the feet of their beloved masters and treat it as an act of reverence. Accordingly, the very first phase of the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga’s invocation is, “vande gurūṇāṁ caraṇāravinde sandarśita svātma sukhāva bodhe” (Praise and adorations to the lotus feet of the Gurus, for they reveal the happiness of the true Self), acknowledging that the true yoga teachings to have “walked” down through time on the feet of the adepts.

This honoring symbolically represents the importance of the feet as the very foundation of the “temple of the body”. Since the foundation of a temple must be strong and level to support the entire structure, the feet must also be sturdy to support and balance the legs, spine, arms, and head. If our feet are tilted (turning inward or outward) or our arches are collapsed, that will be telegraphed up through the entire body producing misalignment. Ida Rolf, the world renowned body worker and the founder of “Structural Integration” (Rolfing), often pointed out, “A man’s tracks tell quite a true story. They inform quietly about ankles and knees, but they shout the news about hips and pelvis. If one foot is consistently everted (tilted onto its inner or outer edge), the ankles, the knees, and more likely, the entire pelvic basin is rotated.”

But our bodies are not static like temples, we move around, so our feet are required to be flexible and adaptable to various terrains. Simultaneously, they must be firm stabilizers. When the foot is collapsed or distorted, the resulting strain travels up into the hips and lower back, and a strong, adverse pull or twist may develop, either from side to side or back to front.

The best way to tell if your feet are everted is to look at the soles of your shoes. Do the heels wear down unevenly? If there is excessive wear on one side, the foot is shifted off its central axis, resulting in undue strain on the knees, hips, and/or lower back.

Now on to Pada Bandha…

In Sanskrit Pada is translated as feet, and Bandha as lock, and/or a “harness” that can be used to draw energy upward. Pada bandha is a group of muscles in the feet that, when engaged, cause energy (prana) to spread out. They can be compared to valves; when a valve is open, then fluid can move through it to be distributed beyond the feet into other areas of the body, but if the valve is closed, then fluid cannot move into any area beyond the valve. Engaging the Pada Bandha is like opening tiny valves in the feet for energy to move more efficiently.

Pada Bandha is engaged through lifting up the arches of the feet…Stand with your feet together. Lift your toes and gently spread them apart. While keeping the toes lifted, feel the inner edges of the balls of your feet and focus on pressing that point firmly into the mat. It’s quite useful to play around a bit with lifting and lowering the toes giving you a better feel for how the ankles and inner ankles lift up. This awakens Pada Bandha. At first it will be challenging to keep Pada Bandha engaged when you lower your toes to the floor, but with enough practice you’ll perfect it.

Generally speaking, once you cultivate mobility and support in your feet (in other words, once Pada Bandha is actively engaged), you can sustain the same lifting action to pull life force in through the feet. Without Pada Bandha, the thighs, hips, and low back lose their intelligence and they need that intelligence to stay sufficiently active.

As an activated Pada Bandha supports proper elevation in the ankles, knees, and inner groin area, it also supports the lift and firming of the pelvic floor (aka, Mula Bandha). Even though the first primary chakra (located at the perineum in the pelvic floor), is traditionally called the Root (Muladhara) Chakra, our feet provide even broader stabilizing root support for the upward moving calves and thighs of our legs. From this point of view, we have two root supports, located in the center of both feet, like a healthy tree in which the root system divides as it descends.

In addition to our formal yoga practice, we can take many simple steps to improve both the flexibility and strength of our feet. When at home, walk barefoot whenever possible. Leaving our shoes at the door not only helps to maintain a clean house, we will likely develop a greater feel for the textures and surfaces beneath our feet giving us a feeling of being grounded and “in touch” with oue surroundings. Being barefoot at home also gives us the opportunity to incorporate all sorts of “foot yoga” into our daily routines. We can even practice lifting our arches and spreading our toes in the kitchen while doing the dishes or tending to things cooking on the stove.

Additional note from Rae: It is highly recommended you get a pair of “Gel Flex Toe Stretchers”. Simply slide the soft, flexible polymer gel toe stretchers between your toes and feel the circulation and elasticity in your foot muscles and ligaments increase. Best bargain is probably on Amazon.

How Inflammatory is Your Diet?

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Are you aware that the foods you eat every day may be the cause of chronic inflammation in the body and put you at risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and even some forms of dementia?

Basically there are two types of inflammation that can be present in the human body: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is most often useful, but chronic inflammation is the root cause of many diseases and ailments.

Inflammation is one of the common natural responses the body has to the healing process. Acute inflammation works great for healing a cut or a bruise. The body’s white blood cells and their chemicals get into the affected area, do their job and get out. But too much of a good thing leads to problems. Chronic inflammation will damage, rather than repair, healthy tissues and cells. When inflammation is too intense and/or prolonged, it produces sickness and disease instead of healing.

When your chosen lifestyle includes an unhealthy or poor diet, you’re setting the stage for chronic inflammation to damage your body, establishing a constant irritation, quite possibly throughout the whole body; damaging arteries, which can lead to heart disease or dementia, aggravating tissues and cells, which can lead to cancer, diabetes, or irritating joints and connective tissue resulting in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

The sad part is chronic inflammation is a silent condition; you may even have chronic inflammation and not know it.

Foods that commonly cause inflammation:

Are you wondering if your diet is high in inflammation-provoking foods yet? Dietary foods that trigger chronic inflammation in the body include many of the fats in meat and dairy products, refined sugars, saturated and hydrogenated oils, processed and fast foods, bleached and enriched grains, fried foods, pastries, plus processed meats like hot dogs and deli items. A specific omega-6 fat, called arachidonic acid, found in most meats, is a particularly potent inflammation promoter. Check your kitchen supplies and throw out these inflammatory foods, then eliminate them completely from your diet.

Additionally, those who are overweight have an increased risk of chronic inflammation. Most possibly this occurs because the body’s fatty tissues store arachidonic acid, increasing the supply of this damaging, inflammatory chemical.

The solution:

Make antioxidant-rich plant-based foods a staple in your diet and eat more vegetables and fruit. The more phytochemical-rich fruits and vegetables you eat, the more you boost your immune system which naturally defends the body against inflammation and disease. Once you develop an appetite for antioxidants, you’ll feel more energy and notice an almost immediate improvement in overall health. Antioxidants are the key to disease prevention and the reduction of inflammation. Extra-virgin olive oil, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, whole grains, things like green tea and certain spices (e.g.; turmeric and ginger), prevent much of the tissue damage that would otherwise trigger an inflammatory response. Proper food selection insures that you’re getting the best dietary sources of antioxidants, like vitamin C, beta carotene, and thousands of essential phytonutrients. Antioxidants block free radicals (highly reactive oxygen fragments) that if allowed free reign, would damage the genetic code, cell membranes and proteins, leading to heart disease, cancer, dementia and more.

Additionally, you should also know that no amount of dieting will drastically improve your health unless you also adapt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You’ll find it very helpful to exercise daily, cut back on stress and reduce your exposure to toxins as much as possible; if you do this, your body will repay you a thousand-fold.

So…What are you waiting for?

My Hero – Birke Baehr…

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An Internationally recognized speaker and youth advocate for sustainable food and agriculture, Birke has visited and volunteered at farms around the United States and recently published his first book, “Birke on The Farm”.  Birke has spent the last four years traveling around the United States and Italy visiting organic farms and learning from the farmers who steward those farms. He has attended numerous organic agriculture seminars and workshops; including one with renowned farmer and author, Joel Salatin who Birke looks up to in his pursuit of new thinking about food and agriculture. Birke continues to educate himself in this genre and intends to be a sustainable organic agriculturist in the future. He has a passion for educating others, especially his peers, about the destructiveness of the industrialized food system and the enlightening alternatives of sustainable and organic farming, food and practices. At 11 years of age, Birke was the youngest presenter at TEDx Next Generation Asheville (Aug. ’10) where he gave the talk entitled, “What’s Wrong With our Food System” which became an internet sensation with close to 2,000,000 views.

Here’s the video…

And – young Birke has a website, visit it here…https://www.birkeonthefarm.com/index.html

Raw Vegan Holiday Salad Recipes

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Rawsome Salads

Orange, Avocado, Spinach Salad

This salad recipe kind of sounded like an odd combination, but the flavors actually mesh pretty well together. The sweetness from the orange goes nicely with the tanginess of the lime and creaminess of the avocado.

Ingredients:

  • 1 orange
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • Dash of sea salt
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • Black pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Section the orange and use a knife to cut off the skin from the sections. Try to drizzle any of the remaining juice into a small bowl.
  • In the small bowl containing the orange juice, whisk together the remaining juice, olive oil, lime juice, and sea salt.
  • In a serving bowl, add spinach and sliced avocado. Pour dressing over top and gently toss. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Creamy Sea Salad

Dulse is a popular sea vegetable that is good in soups, salads, or even sandwiches. It has a soft chewy texture and a rich reddish brown color. It can be bought in flakes or as whole stringy leaves. Dulse is a good source of protein, B-12, chlorophyll, enzymes, and fiber.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mixed greens
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/4 cup dulse flakes
  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup sprouts
  • Dash sea salt
  • Dash black pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a bowl. Gently toss. Add your favorite raw dressing.

Coleslaw

Coleslaw always seems to be the salad you take with you on picnics. When using the purple cabbage, it’s definitely one of the prettiest salads. Try it and see if it’s also one of your favorites!

Ingredients:

1 cup purple cabbage

  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 tomato, diced
  • 1 small carrot, shredded
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  •  1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a bowl and gently toss.

Simple Green Salad

This recipe is super easy and honestly, you can substitute any of the greens for ones that you like in this or any of the salad recipes. This just has a variety of greens and variety is good for your body! A list of scrumptious salad greens to insure colorful variety…

  • Arugula
  • Cabbage (green or red)
  • Chard, Swiss (green, red or rainbow)
  • Dandelion Greens
  • Endive
  • Escarole
  • Kale
  • Radicchio
  • Romaine
  • Spinach
  • Watercress

It’s easy to pick just one type of green to eat in your salad daily (baby spinach is my choice!), but it’s also nice to give your body a variety, here’s a simple suggestion to get you started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup red kale
  • 1/2 cup mustard greens
  • 1/2 cup spinach
  • 1 cup arugula

Directions:

  • Remove ribs from kale and mustard greens.
  • Chop all greens into bite size pieces and toss.
  • Add your favorite vegan raw dressing.

Raw Pad Thai Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 zucchinis, sliced into strips with a vegetable peeler
  • 2 large handfuls of bean sprouts, approx 2 cups
  • 3/4 cup chopped nuts (use almonds, peanuts or cashews)
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • Juice from one lime
  • 1 tablespoon raw, cold-pressed olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Preparation:

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl until well coated. Add a dash more salt if desired and enjoy!

Vegan Holiday Snack Recipes

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Olive Tapenade

Olive tapenade is a great spread to serve with crackers for an easy gourmet appetizer or hors d’oeuvres. This recipe, which uses two kinds of olives, making a nice color combination, adds to the appeal of the dish. This olive tapenade recipe is both vegetarian and vegan, and can be prepared in just a few minutes. You might also want to try this recipe for olive tapenade with sun dried tomatoes, or if you like spicy food, try this version of olive tapenade with peppers and hot sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup black olives
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • 1 tablespoon capers (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Preparation:

In a food processor, simply process all ingredients for a few seconds, being careful not to process too finely, since tapenade should not be too smooth.

Serve with crackers, flatbread, baguette, or slices of toasted artisan bread.

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

This easy vegan bruschetta is made with fresh tomatoes and basil and drizzled with olive oil. No cheese is needed if you use fresh red ripe tomatoes and flavorful basil. As for the salt, any kind will do, but sea salt or kosher salt will give the best flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 12 slices French or Italian bread, lightly toasted
  • 3 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

Preparation:

Combine tomatoes, oil, basil and salt in a covered bowl and let marinate at least 4 hours (do not refrigerate; tomatoes will lose their flavor).

Use a slotted spoon to layer on to bread. Serve immediately.

Spicy Vegetarian/Vegan Bean Dip

A classic vegetarian bean dip with spicy chilies and Tabasco sauce. Vegetarian bean dip is great for a casual vegetarian Super bowl or party appetizer. This vegetarian bean dip recipe is also vegan.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 28 ounce can vegetarian baked beans, drained
  • 1 – 4 ounce can green chilies, diced
  • 3 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp Tabasco sauce (or your favorite hot sauce to taste)
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • Tortilla chips
  • Preparation:

Drain beans and add to blender. Add chilies, vinegar, chili powder, Tabasco, onion powder, salt and garlic powder blend until smooth. Pour into bowl and garnish with green onions.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Vegan Holiday Dessert Recipes

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Brownies (egg and dairy free):

Brownies are a classic and simple treat and this recipe makes it easy for the lactose intolerant to enjoy them just as much. The recipe comes from a dessert spot in New York City.

  1. Mix 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum.
  2. In a second bowl, mix 1/2 cup of applesauce, 1/4 cup of canola oil, 1 tablespoon of vanilla and 1/2 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips.Mix both bowls together.
  3.  Bake for 15 minutes at 325 degrees.

Gingerbread Cookies:

Take a traditional holiday recipe and turn it vegan with this recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons coarse sugar (turbinado or demerrera or “sanding” sugar)
  • 2 cups unbleached flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup almond (or soy) milk
  • 1 cup raw sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

  1. Sift dry ingredient (except sugar) into a bowl and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl combine wet ingredients, including the raw sugar and whisk or beat on medium until blended.
  3. Stir in the pre-sifted dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
  4. The dough will be quite sticky and you may need to dampen your hands to work with it. Roll the dough into little balls (about 1 Tablespoon) and flatten out to your liking.
  5. The thinner the cookie the crisper it will be – a slightly thicker cookie will yield a crunch on the edges and a slightly chewy interior.
  6. Press the coarse sugar onto the tops of the cookies and bake about 10 minutes at 350 on a greased cookie sheet.

Pumpkin Pie:

The holidays wouldn’t be the same without a pumpkin pie. Here’s a vegan version of the old standard recipe.

  1. Mix 2 cups of pumpkin purée, 1 cup of almond (or soy) milk, 3/4 cup of raw sugar, 1/4 cup of cornstarch, 1/2 tablespoon of molasses, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, 1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon of allspice.
  2. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Banana Ice Cream (dairy free):

All ice cream has dairy in it, right? Well, not so, here’s some awesome ice cream made from a frozen banana.

It’s simple…freeze a banana, put it in a food processor, and that’s it. It takes a little bit of time to get creamy. But, that’s it. Add a teaspoon or so of peanut butter and just a  bit of cocoa powder (optional).

Healthy Holiday Indulgence

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This is the time of year when we get together with family and friends who are probably less aware of, and surely less sensitive to, the dietary choices we’ve made in regards to the impact food has on our overall health. During this time cravings for the unhealthy foods we’re offered everywhere we go can be a powerful challenge to our coping skills. It can also be somewhat troubling to know how to properly respond to questions (or even criticism) without trying to convert those around you.

Although we know better, we can still have unhealthy cravings. And there’s a thin line between craving and addiction (see THIS POST). It’s critical to keep in mind that healthy eating habits are an advantage, not a deprivation over the holidays. Knowing that you are choosing not to pollute your body with the toxic food ingredients that surround us all during these festive occasions will keep you on track and may even be an inspiration to others – who knows, perhaps they’ll learn to embrace these differences rather than resent them.

You gotta love the old adage, “Nothing tastes as good as health feels”, which prompts us to remember that yucky, lethargic feeling we used to get after indulging ourselves with sugary, salty, fatting, msg-laden foods.

In an ideal world, we would be surrounded by delicious, healthy, nutritious, hypo-allergic foods; especially at holiday time when everyone wants to feel their very best in order to make the most of their celebrations with loved ones. So in the spirit of the holidays, over the next couple weeks this blog will feature a variety of nutritious and satisfying plant based recipes that will help us stay on the path to optimal health and wellness.

We’ll start with these recipes, but stay tuned there’s more to come.

Appetizer – Mushroom-Almond Pate (serves 4 – 8)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup almonds, ground
  • 2 oz. (approx ½ stick of Earth Balance vegan butter substitute)
  • ½ lb. portabella mushrooms, finely chopped
  • ½ tbs. salt
  • ½ tsp. thyme
  • pepper to taste
  • ½ cup water

Directions:

  • Melt the Earth Balance, add the thyme and sauté the mushrooms.
  • Add the water and allow the mixture to season and cook off a bit.
  • When the liquid is about halved, remove from the heat add the ground almonds and puree to a fine pate.

Serve with warm pita triangles or crackers of your choice.

Lentil, Walnut & Celery Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces lentils
  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 scallions, finely sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • cumin to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  • Cook the lentils with the salt, cumin and a bay leaf until just tender but not too soft depending on what sort of lentils they are.
  • Drain and cool (discard the bay leaf).
  • In a small bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and add to the lentils.
  • Shake together the vinegar and oil and pour over the lentils.

Can be served warm or cold.

Entrée – Tempeh Bourgogne (serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • tbs. olive oil
  • pkg. (approx 9 oz.) tempeh, sliced in bite sized pieces
  • package (8 oz.) mushrooms, sliced
  • large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red wine or more if needed
  • 2 tbs. Braggs Aminos
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 red bell pepper (optional), cut in small pieces
  • 1 tbs. arrowroot flour or cornstarch

Directions:

  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
  • Add the onions and saute until semi-clear.
  • Add the chopped red bell pepper and sliced mushrooms.
  • Lightly saute the vegetables.
  • Add the tempeh pieces and saute until golden brown.
  • Add the wine, Braggs and seasonings.
  • Shortly before serving, mix the cornstarch in a bit of red wine and add slowly this to the mixture in the frying pan, stirring until the sauce thickens.

Serve this with cooked potatoes, either mashed, or boiled.