Hot Secrets for a Strong Body
◊ Drink plenty of water daily.
◊ Seven slow deep breaths slay stress right away. You might even get a nice head rush.
(Sit on a chair, palms atop your thighs. Keep your eyes closed. Tuck the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Follow your breath.)
◊ Use raw cane sugar, not refined sugar–which is filtered through charred cow bones, ugh!
Check out Florida Crystals.
◊ Take Vitamin B12 twice a week. (500 micrograms each)
◊ Green tea is rich in antioxidants. Try Fujian Jasmine Tea. (Click on the yellow tea tin to enlarge photo. Only about $5.00 for a one-pound tin at Asian grocery stores.) Goji berries–or wolfberries–from Tibet and China, especially good from the regions of Ningxia and Xinjiang, are loaded with antioxidants, too.
◊ Raw walnuts boost your energy.
◊ Weightlifting builds not only muscle but strong bones. Cross-train with yoga if you want long, less bulky muscles.
◊ Be bold. Try new fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and foods from around the planet.
◊ Rely on your deepest instincts for creating a vegan way of life. Forget any so-called expert’s claim of a foolproof blueprint. Trust in your own power.
SHOP LOCALLY AND SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY. ASK THEM TO STOCK A FEW OF YOUR FAVORITE ESSENTIAL VEGAN ITEMS.
Try Homemade Trail Mix
It’s cheaper, fresher, and custom-made like a gourmet treat. Combine nuts, raisins, dark chocolate chunks, sunflower seeds, diced dried fruit. Store in an airtight glass jar.
Check here: IS IT VEGAN?
Vegan Cooking/Baking Tricks
1/2 mashed ripe banana = 1 egg
(Or 1 oz mashed tofu. If a recipe needs 1-2 eggs, just omit them and add 1-2 tbsp of water.)
soy yogurt = yogurt
soy, rice, or almond milk = milk
Soy Garden butter = butter*
*Canola and extra virgin olive oil are healthiest for your heart.
Skip margarine, the hydrogenated artery-clogger. Eat less omega-6 fats such as corn oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, and safflower oil.
And remember: omega-3 fats are vital for good health. Flaxseeds are the best source. Whole flaxseeds are harder for your body to digest and absorb. Grind in coffee grinder or blender. To keep fresh, grind only a small amount and store in airtight glass jar in freezer. Make a habit of sprinkling ground flaxseeds on your oatmeal and cereal. (By the way, flaxseed oil should be eaten raw and not used in cooking.) Some other excellent sources of omega-3 fats are hemp oil, canola oil, soybeans, almonds, pine nuts, broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, oranges, lemons, limes, melons, and cherries.
Fantastic Flaxseed Egg Substitute
Whip 2 tablespoons flaxseeds + 1 tablespoon water in blender until rich and gooey.
THINK OF COOKBOOKS AS TRAINING WHEELS ON A BICYCLE. GRADUALLY, YOU’LL BE COOKING FROM MEMORY, SPONTANEOUSLY IMPROVISING, AND EVEN CREATING YOUR OWN RECIPES.
Pizza
Skip pizza? No way! Order or make pizza without dairy cheese. Just add extra veggie toppings.
When you feel like getting fancy, add kalamata olives and thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms. Use olives and mushrooms sparingly. Fresh portobello or baby portobello mushrooms work great, too. (Shiitake has a stronger flavor.)
Mix 1-2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) with a little water in a cup. Stir until smooth. Drizzle on pizza. Lightly sprinkle pizza with nutritional yeast, if you want. It adds a nutty, cheesy flavor.
TIP: Boil dried shiitake mushrooms to soften. Cool. Squeeze out excess water before slicing.
For Traditional Pizza with Vegan Cheese
Use Follow Your Heart Mozzarella.
This cheese is too soft to grate. Slice into matchsticks so it looks like shredded cheese.
Marinate with a few drops of Colgin Liquid Smoke if you want an incredible “smoked mozzarella” flavor. (Use only a few drops. More will smother all other flavors.) Toss gently with your fingers to marinate thoroughly.
The trick is to bake until the cheese is golden brown and crispy, not just melted and still white.
Secret to Tasty TVP
texturized vegetable protein
Get the kind from the bulk food bin that looks like bits of granola instead of big chunks.
About 1-2 hours before using in recipe, lightly marinate in soy sauce. Stir in just enough soy sauce so pieces turn dark in color. (Shouldn’t be soggy.) Cover bowl and let stand at room temperature.
Glazed Walnuts
Emerald (Click on PRODUCTS.)
Vegan flavors: Original, Apple Cinnamon Glazed Walnuts ‘n Almonds, Pecan Pie, and Chocolate Brownie.
Next Best Thing to Homemade Tomato Sauce
Use Francesco Rinaldi Hearty Pasta Sauce. Specifically, the “Sweet & Tasty” flavor.
Add a bit of fresh garlic or your favorite herbs and spices to punch it up.
Add fresh chopped veggies like baby portobello mushrooms and red bell peppers.
Try lots of new combos.
13 Common Animal Ingredients to Check for on Food Labels
albumen
calcium stearate
casein/caseinate/sodium caseinate
diglycerides
gelatin
glycerides
honey
lactose
lard
lipoids/lipids
monoglycerides
polysorbates
whey
DIY Soy Candles
Candle Recipe
(Don’t let the ’70s-like candle in the photo scare ya off.)
Rather buy ‘em than make ‘em?
Companies That Sell Vegan Candles
THE NON-TOXIC WAY
1 cup apple cider vinegar + 2 gallons hot water
= floor cleaner (and glass cleaner)
Naturally deters ants, too. The vinegar scent vanishes once the floor dries.
vinegar + baking soda
= all-purpose cleaner for counters, sinks, toilets
Add salt to mixture for tough stains or grime.
Got a gunky decal or stubborn sticker?
Dab with vinegar, wait, then gently peel.
To unclog drain:
Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down drain
Add 1/2 cup vinegar
Shut sink or tub plug for 5-10 minutes
Then flush with pot of boiling water
~Repeat if needed~
