Sabra Hummus (with your personal touch)

Today was a left-over lunch kind of day.  Not bad at all though!  The other day I got some Sabra brand hummus (my favorite store-bought hummus).  As an after-lunch snack, I enthusiastically devoured a healthy serving with some pita.  I topped it off with a few slices of roasted garlic and knew that it was a piece of perfection sent from heaven.

It was so good that I decided that it was worthy of a photoshoot.  

Commence the photos!!

Sometimes I just don't feel like making my food.  That is where Sabra steps in!  

Just add some Olive Oil and your topping of choice to give it your own personal touch.

What do you like to eat with your hummus?

Que te vaya bien!

Hummus & Veggie Pita

I am preparing for a four month trip to the Middle East.  So, inspired by this upcoming venture, today I made pita filled with hummus and tons of veggies!

 Both inexpensive and delicious, this is a healthy alternative to hamburgers and hotdogs.

Que te vaya bien!

Roasted Garlic

A friend of mine, Stephen, told me about this recipe. I decided that it sounded so delightful to eat and easy to make that I had to try some.  

You can use the roasted garlic for so many things.  You can eat it alone, mash it up and spread it on bread, mix it into salad dressings, the list is basically as wide as your imagination.  I used it to make garlic bread and I must say that it was some of the best garlic bread that I have ever eaten. 

Roasted Garlic is now a necessity in my kitchen.

Que te vaya bien!

Homemade Pasta Sauce

The other day a neighbor brought a huge bag full of their own home-grown tomatoes.  They are so delicious and fresh!  Even better than any tomatoes I have ever eaten that were from the store.  Of course, this is expected from fresh tomatoes.  

This recipe came about when I wanted to make some pasta but did not have any sauce to go with it.  I looked at the bag of tomatoes and decided it was time to make my own sauce.  With some advice from my mom, I was able put together delicious recipe.

Experiment with it and let me know what you think!

Do you make your own pasta sauce? What are your tips?

Que te vaya bien!

Italian Seasoned Potato Wedges

Potatoes are a constant in my life.  From mashed potatoes, to french fries, to potato bread, I can honestly say that I am a long-time lover of this vegetable.  All you have to do is put a plate of potato wedges in front of me and I will immediately become your friend.  Not that it's hard to be friends with me normally, of course, I just really love potatoes.

Anyways, enough of my raving, on to the recipe.

This came about when I was cleaning out my refrigerator.  I had somehow forgotten about two lonely potatoes and they were just about to go bad.  Working quickly, I washed and scrubbed them and tossed them in the best mix of spices that I could find. 

This recipe was the result, I hope that you enjoy!

Extremely tender insides, slightly crunchy outsides...
 basically they were pretty mouth watering wedges if I do say so myself.


Que te vaya bien!

Rice and Zucchini Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushrooms have become a second love in my life.  I used to hate them, but they have grown on me.  Now I eat them every chance that I get!  Last night I made my own stuffed mushrooms and they turned out heavenly.

So heavenly, in fact, that they sent their consumers into a delighted frenzy!

Here is my recipe.  I used a set of spices called Rustic Tuscan Seasoning and Perfect Pinch Caribbean Jerk.  They were filled with a strange (but delicious) mix of spices that would be difficult to re-create on your own.  Therefore I did not include them in the recipe but I encourage you to experiment!

I hope that you make your own mushrooms and enjoy them as mush as I did these.

I would love to hear from you so feel free to leave any comments!

Que te vaya bien

Veggie Sloppy Joes

Nothing says summer like a plateful of baked beans and a sloppy joe.  Sloppy joes remind me of my childhood because growing up my mom would always make them in the summertime for my friends and me. 

I came across the meatless ground in one of the most unlikeliest of places, Walmart.  That store has been surprising me lately with a variety of veggie items as well as non-dairy milk and ice cream products!

Usually I am pretty skeptical of fake meat but I decided that this was worth a try.  It actually turned out to be really good, especially when it is mixed with a sauce.  Fake meat does not have a strong taste but when you cook it with other things then it tends to soak up the surrounding flavors.

If you are in the need for a good fake-meat dinner, then I definitely recommend using the Yves meatless ground.  It is also good for tacos and casseroles.

I hope that you try it and conduct your own experiment with the veggie meats! Feel free to leave a comment telling me how you experimented with it.

Que te vaya bien!

Strawberry Rhubarb Delight

Well hello there! I have been enjoying my summer and soaking up a lot of sun alongside my delicious homemade food. I hope that you are doing the same! 

Today I am posting the perfect summer dessert. It includes fresh-picked strawberries and delicious rhubarb. Strawberries are finally in season and I am BEYOND excited to have them back in my life!

Who knew that eating healthy includes so many sweet desserts? I have been absolutely amazed as I continue to come across vegan cakes, cookies, and other desserts that are absolutely worthy of my sweet tooth.

In the spirit of summer I am also posting a song that has been played over and over on my summer playlist.

Give it a listen as you bake the Strawberry Rhubarb Delight in order to fully experience the sounds, smells, and tastes of summer!

Que te vaya bien!

Los Completos

Not long ago I was blessed with the opportunity to study abroad in Chile, South America.  While I was there of course I went out of my way to try as much of the delicious street food as possible!  Completos quickly became one of my favorites.  A Completo is a foot-long hot dog covered in avocado (also known as palta in Chile), tomatoes, onions, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. 

Here is a picture of my friend and I with our (shared) completo:

Just look at the spillage of avocado.

Here is a close-up after the first face covering bite:

Yes, that is a real hotdog and mayonnaise.  This took place in my pre-vegan days!

The cool part about changing diet habits is that you can experiment and re-create your favorite meals.

Today I went on an amazing adventure and finally re-created my beloved Completo. And honestly, they tasted even better!!!

Technically, these are mini Completos because they are not foot-long. But who would really notice anyways??

If you went vegan, what would be the first meal that you would re-create??

And if you already are, what was your first re-creation?

Que te vaya bien!

Guacammus (Guacamole Hummus)

Guacamole and hummus are my two most favorite dips/spreads of all time.  The other day I was about to make some hummus when I remembered my very ripe avocado in the fridge.  Suddenly a thought dawned on me:
 "What happens if I put my avocado in my hummus?"

I quickly found the answer. Pure majesty.

Do you have any favorite hummus flavors??

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Hola a todos! I am back from a long hiatus in the dark dungeons of my university. This semester has been the busiest one yet and it has taken up a lot of my time, which is why I have not been posting.  Also, I have been pretty broke so honestly you don't want to know what I've been eating.  Just kidding, I haven't been eating that bad, just nothing fancy.  Mainly beans, rice, and pasta.  Basically all of the recipes that I have already posted.  

Anyways, the past few days I have been making some interesting things and their recipes are in the shop-the photoshop that is. Ha ha. I'm so punny! Don't judge me too hard, exams are here and I'm starting to lose my sanity.

So today's recipe is something simple. A smoothie!

I've been keeping frozen strawberries and bananas in my fridge so that I have them on hand for such necessities as this.

I usually use about a cup of soy milk, a handful of frozen strawberries, and half of a frozen banana... but you may be different.  So the cost is +/- $1.00 depending on your preference.

Que te vaya bien!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos

I just can't get over how amazing sweet potatoes and black beans are together!  

Yesterday I wanted to make my Sweet potato & Black Bean Enchiladas for lunch but I didn't have the enchiladas sauce, I had flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas, and I didn't have as many spices/ingredients.  So then I thought "well, what about taquitos instead?"  Sounded like a solid decision to me. Until my roommates made plans to go to the beach, a plan that I simply refuse to be left out of.

So in my rush, I threw some rice on the stove and cut out the baking part.  Instead of enchiladas or taquitos, they turned into sweet potato and black bean burritos!

Don't you just love how a few small steps can turn a food with similar ingredients, such as enchiladas, into something totally different, such as a burrito??

These are DELICIOUS!!!

 (and so cheap... and so healthy... they just keep getting better and better)

Originally I was not going to blog about this because I thought that I already had too many combinations of sweet potatoes and/or black bean recipes, but my friend insisted. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did (and will. There are still leftovers in my fridge).

Que te vaya bien!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I have been wanting to venture out into the vegan baking world for awhile now and over the weekend I finally got all of the ingredients that I needed! Wooo!! 

For this recipe I made a trip to my local organic grocery store for some egg replacement, vegan butter, and vegan chocolate chips.

These were absolutely amazing! They were even fully approved by my non-vegan roommates. I must say that for my first time baking anything vegan, this was a great success!!

Change for the Better.

The theme of this blog is Vegan & Verdure, which I define as the health and vigor achieved while eating a plant-based diet.  I feel that so far I have done a very good job of showing the health aspect, but I have not mentioned the vigor aspect yet.  Well, that is all about to change because I feel pretty vigorous right now!

Here are just a few exciting highlights from my personal experiences while eating a vegan diet!

Since changing my eating habits:

I have lost 15 lbs.

I have run faster. (I ran a 5k on Saturday and it was less than challenging. Time to up the distance… half-marathon anyone?)

I have learned [and am still learning] how to cook.

I have become more informed.

I have learned how to love and respect my body.

I have learned how it feels to be judged and how to show love despite that because, well, now I know how it feels to be judged.

In this moment, I am the healthiest and happiest that I have ever been in my life.

What could possibly be more exciting than that? Well, knowing that I can keep pushing myself to learn more, eat more, run faster, and live longer.

Whoever thinks being vegan is boring, stupid, tasteless, and weird needs to do some serious re-evaluation because I absolutely LOVE my life and thank God everyday for the health that He has given me!

Another Delicious Breakfast! Fruit Oatmeal

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day (with dinner being a close second).  I frequently make oatmeal because it's fast, filling, and can be absolutely delicious depending on what you put in it!  

Plus, look at how insanely cheap it is!!! Only 75 cents for one serving.

I think it actually just became a little more delicious after finding out how cheap it is. 

I recently bought flaxseed because I kept seeing it pop up here and there; and I have heard rumors of it being very good for you.  I did not realize how amazingly good it is for you until I bought and read the package.

Listen to this:

"Flaxseed contains high levels of natural antioxidants called lignans.  Many plant foods have some lignans, but flaxseed has at least 75 times more than any other.  To get the lignans that are in just two tablespoons of flaxseed meal, you would need to eat about 30 cups of fresh broccoli."

[Source: back of my flaxseed meal bag]

Wow ok, so that sounds important.  
My question is, what are lignans and how do they help me?

Here is what I came up with through a quick google search:

"Lignan is a chemical found in the cell walls of plants.... (commence lots of scientific names and explanations)..." So basically they help reduce breast cancer, prostate cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and the list goes on.

[Source: Lignan Benefit by Ray Sahelian, M.D.]

In addition to lignans, flaxseed also contains a lot of fiber and omega-3s.

My conclusion?

Go flaxseed!

Banana & Coconut Pancakes

Pancakes are simply amazing and, fortunately for me, they are easily made vegan! My favorite thing to do is mix in some oatmeal and fruit and Voila! Delicious and healthy breakfast. 

Just mix all of these ingredients together. I love how cheap it is too!

Remember to always add whatever you feel like.  A few extra spices here, some fruit there.  Honestly, I love the extreme versatility of pancakes.

Que te vaya bien!

Vegan Diet Helped Prisoners

This article was very encouraging!

It is about how a prison in California created a program called NewStart in which prisoners were offered a vegan diet along with Bible studies, anger management, and job training.

The prisoners who participated in NewStart experienced very positive changes in how they felt physically, mentally, and spiritually.

This only goes to show how important it is to eat a healthy diet, because what you eat affects every cell of your body!

Read the article Here

Falafel

     Falafel is a typical Middle Eastern food that is used in wraps.  It is made out of chickpeas, onion, spices, and flour and then lightly fried to give it a good crunchy outside with a warm and soft inside.  As I may have mentioned, I am completely obsessed with hummus.  Therefore, it only makes sense for me to be obsessed with falafel as well!

Can I just say that this meal takes my food experience to the next level.

Que te vaya bien!

A little something called pH

pH levels.
Isn't that something that I vaguely remember from high school chemistry class?
Well, yes. And as it turns out, it is something that you should pay more attention to.

pH (or potential Hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity and alkalinity of a solution.[Source: Simply-Hydroponics.com]
Ok, so why is that important?

Our bodies are controlled by their pH levels.  The range of pH levels are from 1 (the most acidic) to 14 (the most alkaline) with 7 as neutral. An acidic blood pH level will lead to fatigue, excessive weight, heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. The body's ideal pH is 7.35, which is on the alkaline side of neutral (Thrive, Pg. 47).

[Click photo for source]

Did you know that cancer cannot live in an alkaline environment? There is a cure for cancer. It is called eating an alkaline forming diet (which is plant-based).

Today's North American diet consists of fast food, pre-cooked meals, and processed foods that all lead to a very acidic blood pH level.  No wonder everyone is so tired, overweight, and dying from heart disease and cancer.

These problems can be fixed by simply eating the right foods!

Here is a small list of alkaline forming foods:

• Avocados
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Berries
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Celery
• Lemon
• Mangos
• Mixed greens
• Onion
• Parsley
• Peas
• Sweet Potatoes

Some of these foods, such as lemons and apples, are considered acidic, but once they are consumed then they become alkaline forming.
 (Thrive, Pg. 49-52)

... the list goes on.

So how do I figure out what my body's pH level is?

Well, you use little test strips that look like this:

You simply put a piece of the strip on your tongue and watch as it changes color.  Then match the color to the pH scale that comes with the pack.  You can buy them at places such as Walmart, you local health food store, or even on amazon.com.
Here is a link to some test strips on amazon: Phinex Diagnostic pH Test Strips.

Be informed. And eat your fruits and vegetables!

Mushroom & Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells

      I am still reading through Thrive and enjoying every page of if! The book is full of great information and I recommend it to everyone.  I have only made one recipe from the book so far, it was an experiment for me, so I did not take any photos for posting.  The recipe was a success though so I will be posting about it soon!

      For now I will post one of my own recipes.  It is a simple one, made by many people I'm sure, but a good recipe nonetheless.  This recipe is for pasta shells stuffed with mushrooms and spinach (and many extra spices that you will throw together!).  As you may have noticed, I frequently use the mushroom and spinach combo in much of my food.  It is such an unbeatable, healthy, and delicious combo... how could I not use it?!

Pin It

      I understand that the recipe on the photo is sightly vague.  Firstly, I cannot fit all of the directions in such a small space while still keeping it readable.  Secondly, I hope that the vagueness shows flexibility in the recipe and encourages experimentation in the kitchen.

      If you are at a loss, which I doubt that you are... but just in case, spices that I frequently use in my mushroom/spinach combo are garlic, pepper, paprika, chili powder, onion, and olive oil/wine/any kind of sauce.  It is best to sauté on a low heat in order to maintain as many of the nutrients as possible.


What are your favorite spices?

I have shared this at:

&

Que te vaya bien!

Thrive

      I recently started reading the book Thrive by Brenden Brazier.  It is about his journey to optimal performance as a professional iron-man triathlete.  Guess what gets him there? A nutrient rich, plant-based diet.

Expect good things from in the next few days as I post recipes and health tips inspired by Thrive!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

My friend came across a recipe for these enchiladas on Pinterest and invited me over for dinner to enjoy them with her.  Oh man, they were so amazing!  After I left I decided that I just had to make my own.  

Here is the recipe that I came up with.

(I left the amounts of the spices out so that you can tweak it to how you like it. If you are the kind of person who needs to follow the recipe to the T, then I recommend beginning with a teaspoon of each spice and working out from there.)

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Make it your own by adding different spices or vegetables!

Just experiment :)

I shared this recipe at:

&

Que te vaya bien!

Hummus, Spinach, & Avocado Wrap

If I could, I would slather hummus on everything.

My roommates can attest to this, when I made this wrap I almost fell to the floor in absolute delight!

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I shared this recipe at:

Que te vaya bien!

Purple Delicious Smoothies

Since I am struggling to stay on top of my workload for school, this post will be short and sweet (literally).

      Purple is one of my absolute favorite colors, so it is very appropriate that my smoothies usually end up being that color as well!  Typical ingredients in my smoothies are soy milk, apple juice, frozen fruit, agave nectar, walnuts or almonds, and cinnamon.

Both delicious AND heart healthy!

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      Smoothies are a great way to add something sweet to your day.  They are also a great snack because they are full of vitamins and protein from the fruit and nuts!  They help boost my energy when I need some, or relax me when I'm stressed.  I make a smoothie at least every other day for all of these reasons and because I really just LOVE them :)

I have shared this at:

What do you turn to in order to satisfy your sweet tooth?

Que te vaya bien!