I started buying coconut water and organic soy milk from my neighborhood 99 cent store ( I am sooo happy they exist and sell these, regular markets charge sometimes 3 times as much for same brand) And by the way I buy WestSoy soy milk bec...ause it does not contain carageen...if you don't know whats bad about carageen, Google it. Anyway, to save more money I freeze the coconut water and soymilk (in seperate) freezer trays and use the cubes in smoothies. I usually add 3 cubes coconut water and 4 cubes soy milk. I throw them in after I add everything else and let them melt -- then I blend them together. Yum!

 

 

I make a smoothie everyday...here's the recipe for the one I'm drinking right now.

 

 

 

 

3 cubes frozen coconut water

4 cubes frozen soy milk (organic)

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 banana

2 large carrots (juiced)

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup spring water

teaspoon ground flax seed ( I use Bob's Red Mill)   I don't have a grinder right now

 

Throw these into a blender

Allow the frozen cubes to melt; it takes about 15 minutes and then blend mixture

Enjoy!

 

 

 

xo   Inge

 

Baby it's Cold Outside and that Means Chili...

Its bloody cold here in Southern California these days....ok -- it's not Minnesota cold -- but the reason we have over 8 million people living here is because of the great weather.  We Southern Californians aren't used to this kinda cold. Yesterday we were colder than Chicago!



Baby it's cold outside and that means its time for soups and chili. Here is my recipe for hearty vegan chili.



First thing in the morning (or you can do this the night before) is to soak fresh black beans for about 3 hours...then I boil them on low heat until they are fairly easy to smash with a fork. Since there is just me and my hubby, I start with a 1/2 cup fresh beans which turns into at least a cup after they are cooked.



When the beans are done I take out my large soup pot and pour in some olive oil...just enough so I can sautee an onion, which I already chopped up before hand.



When the onions are carmelized I throw in a 16 oz. can of organic tomatoes (any size will do...if they are whole tomatoes, I put them in blender for 1 second)


Then add 1/3 bag frozen organic corn (I buy mine from trader Joes)...stir in black beans and let simmer. If you want you can add chopped up organic potatoes to make it thicker. A green pepper is good too, but we aren't big on green peppers in this household.



So where's the chili seasoning???   I used to buy the ready made but now I make my own...I want to know exactly whats in my food. The ready made only list a couple of ingredients  and the rest are"natural spices"...ok, what constitutes "natura"l these days? After finding out what companies put into our processed foods...with the blessing of our FDA...I don't trust them...sooo I found this terrific chili/taco seasoning recipe from another blogger...you can find her over here... http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/homemade-chili-and-taco-seasoning/


For this recipe I use 2 heaping tablespoons chili mix...if you want more you can season to taste.



Here's how to make your own chili seasoning:

4 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sea salt
4 teaspoons black pepper
 

this makes about 2/3 cup. I keep it in a ziplock baggie for future use.



Sometimes I add a tablespoon of vegan sour cream on top of my bowl. Yum!


xo     Inge


 

100 Days of Real Food

I found this article while cruising the internet.

"100 Days of Real Food: Easy Ways to Cut Back on Processed Ingredients"

You can find it here.... 

http://www.takepart.com/photos/avoid-processed-food?cmpid=tp-ptnr-foodbabe


and this article will make you think twice before you buy....

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/hidden-ingredients-processed-food.html?page=2


xo      Inge



I almost forgot to wish you a  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Bargain Alert! If your vegan and on a budget, or want to eat healthier and you live near a Stater Brothers grocery store...

Earth Balance spread and West Soy milk are both on sale!  Earth Balance is 1.99 a tub and West Soy is 1.29 to celebrate Non-GMO
month. If your store ran out, ask for a rain check.

Let's support those companies who do the right thing!

Did I mention I am a contributing editor for the Orange Juice Blog? Its an online political rag and my beat is pretty much about health and the environment. A new vegan, raw restaurant is opening this week in Santa Ana. Here is the interview:


I have been 99% vegan a year this November. I decided to go vegan for heath reasons and to my surprise I don’t miss dairy or meat – ever. Its easy for me to fix a meal for myself at home, but eating out is - well it sucks. Not only do I have a small amount of choices from a mainstream restaurant menu, but now I have to ask my server if the food contains GMOs to which he/she replies “What’s a GMO?” If I had a nickel every time I heard that question….

The first time I met Marchell was in Tustin at the local antique market. I was a vendor and she was going around the market giving away samples of her homemade passion fruit juice. She was opening a raw food restaurant late summer in the Artists Village in Santa Ana and was giving out samples of her specialty drinks to outdoor venues around town. A couple of months later I attended a professional woman’s networking group at Harmony Arts & Wellness Center in Huntington Beach, and guess who was there? Marchell. She even brought 5 different raw desserts that she made herself. Like I said before, I am vegan but the only raw foods I ate were salads. I had no idea raw food could be so delicious and her presentation looks like something one would find in a four-star restaurant.
Marchell shared her story with us at the women’s group and what a story she had to tell. I knew I had to write about her for the OJB. She is a woman who is following her dream, the American dream.

Here is her story:

After years of suffering from multiple chronic health conditions, Marchell became an avid proponent of organic, living foods when she was cured of a serious illness after just eight months of a raw vegan diet. Since then, Marchell’s battle with chronic asthma, eczema, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and numerous other ailments have all joined the cured list of lifetime plagues. With the use of food as her medicine, Marchell’s health is more radiant than ever, with energy to spare.

Her enthusiasm and passion for the raw food lifestyle became an entrepreneurial reality when she was laid off from a teaching position in June of 2011. Always one to embrace change, Marchell welcomed the possibilities of the future with open arms and sky-high dreams. One year later, she is the owner and executive chef of Au NatuRaw Organic Garden Eatery in The Artists Village in Santa Ana. Her vision for success is to provide living foods that promote radiant health, classes that educate others about the importance of biodiversity and sustainability, and cooperative participation in ensuring the redemption and continued well-being of our planet.

Here’s our interview:

OJB: Why did you decide to open a raw food restaurant?

Marchell: Opening a RAW restaurant is the result of standing in the unemployment line and waiting for a check, but mostly because of the so few TRUE healthy options available to dine. The concept of Au NatuRaw is to provide diners the alternative option to GMO culinary faire without compromise! Au NatuRaw supports local farmers and uses all organic ingredients. Because the desire for organic ingredients has grown exponentially, Marchell’s outlook for the future is that non-GMO restaurants like Au NatuRaw will become the norm vs. the oddity on the block. Customers can always trust that their dining experience is an organic experience, with a gazillion tons of complimentary, down-home hospitality.

OJB: Restaurants are a tough industry. Do you have any restaurant experience?

Marchell: I grew up in a family that celebrated the art of culinary diversity. My mother prepared foods from scratch and my father was famous for his Southern dishes. I also have a twenty-something year career in the restaurant industry learning the culture, flavors, and temperaments from talented French, German, Italian, Mexican and Continental Chefs, who now inspire the specialties on Au NatuRaw’s menu.

OJB: What are some of your specialties?

Marchell: A Salade Nicoise, minus the anchovies, to an eleven layer lasagne made with zucchini noodle pasta; the daily seasonal raw vegan pizza, and mole enchiladas lead the menu in entrees.

Dessert specialties include key lime pie (Dad’s southern favorite), cheesecake made from cashews and young coconuts, and brownie a la mode. All desserts are organic, raw, vegan, gluten, dairy, and guilt-free!

After months pf preparation and an army of devoted volunteers Au NatuRaw will open its doors to the public on October 5th, to coincide with ArtWalk Saturday in Santa Ana, although a soft opening is planned for October 1st. If you would like to try something new and healthy, please come to Au NatuRaw located at 206 N. Broadway, Santa Ana. CA 92701. If you want to call ahead 714-227-3944.

You can find this story and others  over here  --->    http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2012/09/a-raw-deal-thats-truly-well-done/


xo   Inge

How to Make A Fabulous Green Smoothie without Really Trying

I ran out of my face cream and I didn't want to spend the money to buy more...mainly because we are on a tight budget these days and quality face cream is expensive. So I discovered online recipes to make my own. The easiest one I found is aloe mixed with lanolin. I already have a large bottle of aloe juice in the frig so all I needed to buy was the lanolin. An 8 ounce bottle is $6 in Sprouts; you can find it in most health food stores. My recipe is 1 part lanolin to 3 parts aloe. I mixed a small amount together and stored them in small glass jar I had left over from something else...I have an assortment that I keep to use for other things. I keep the aloe in the frig, it seems to last a long time.

xo  Inge

It's that time of year again....shopping for that perfect for someone special or yourself! You already know I am a huge advocate to buy American made and especially from local business. I also turned vegan this year because of my health and yes...because I found out what horrible conditions our animal friends live and die in. There are two links I am featuring today who I think you will like and you will be supporting American artists and animal lovers.

The first is   Daisey Wares  http://www.etsy.com/shop/daisywares   the owner sells and makes handmade jewlery and vegan body products. She also rescues farm animals and works with the Harvest Home Sanctuary.
http://www.harvesthomeanimal.org/

The second is The Qi papers    http://www.etsy.com/shop/qipapers?ref=em  the owner sells and makes handmade postcards and cards. She uses the Japanese art of woodblock printing called Moku Hanga. She also rescues bunnies and fosters lots of them.

Please check out both of these sites and support small business!


By the way I am going to a Christmas party tommorrow at the Double Tree Hotel. It's for cancer survivors and is sponsored by UC Irvine Medical Center. Woo! Hoo!


Eat your fruits & veggies!   xo  Inge

I made homemade bagel chips. Well, sort of... ok, I bought the bagels and cut them up into bite size pieces. Then put olive oil on top. Baked at 450 for 10 min. and dipped them in hummus. YUM!