Cook Yourself Happy

Fast Fresh Penne with Feta

2011-06-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

6 ounces uncooked penne pasta
½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 can (14½ ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking sauté mushrooms in oil in a large skillet for 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, basil and salt. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.
3. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Stir in the cheese, heat through.
4. Serve with warm buttered Italian bread or rolls. Makes 4 servings.

http://www.momswhothink.com

Chocolate Hazelnut Blender Pie

2011-06-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Hazelnut Blender Pie

1 cup roasted hazelnuts with the skins removed
3/4 cup coconut flour
3/4 - 1 cup cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder
4 organic eggs
2 cups hemp or soy milk
1/2 cup / 1 stick of vegan margarine (Earth Balance of Nuttelex) melted
3/4 - 1 cup agave nectar to taste
2 tsp natural vanilla extract
a pinch of Celtic sea salt

Preheat your oven to 150 C / 300 F.
Roast the hazelnuts on about 200 C / 400 F for about 8 minutes until fragrant. Be sure not to burn them.
Set aside to cool and then roll off the skins.
Throw all the ingredients in your blender and mix on high until smooth and creamy. The mixture is very thick.
Grease a 9 inch / 23 cm pie plate and pour the mixture into the dish.
Bake for about 40-60 minutes (depending on the temperature of your oven) or until just set.
The pie will continue to set while cooling.
Allow to cool completely and then chill in the fridge.
Serve with dollops of vegan cream, berries or shredded coconut. YUMMO!

http://healthyblenderrecipes.com

Grill-worthy Veggies

2011-06-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

The sizzle of a steak on the grill is one of summer’s signature sounds, but man can’t live on meat alone. If you’re looking for a couple of sides that are both healthy and hearty, consider planting some of these grill-worthy vegetables in your garden this summer. Not only will they stand up to the heat of the grill, they’ll be the perfect complement to steaks, burgers or whatever else you cook up.

Zucchini

A great plant for the novice gardener, zucchini grows like a weed, even when slightly neglected. Zucchini are sprawling plants, so give them plenty of space to grow, at least a foot and a half between each plant. And zucchini are not shy when it comes to heat and sun, so plant them in the brightest spot in your garden. They should start producing fruit in six to eight weeks.

Best way to prepare: Cut them a quarter of an inch thick lengthwise in long, flat slices, which will prevent the zucchini from falling through the grate. Toss the slices in some oil and add a little salt and pepper. Cook directly on the grill until they brown and blacken slightly on each side. Finish them off with a light coating of vinaigrette before serving.

Potatoes

Potatoes are fairly easy to grow. You’ll have the best luck with seed-grade potatoes sold at a garden store, but even supermarket spuds will work. Once your potato has started to sprout eyes, it’s ready for planting. Each eye will produce its own plants, so cut up the potato into segments so that there’s one eye per piece.

Once you’ve cut the potato, place the pieces in a paper bag for two days, which gives the cut ends time to heal. Plant the potato pieces one foot apart in a trench about six inches deep facing eye-side up. The potatoes should be ready to harvest in two to three months.

Best way to prepare: Chop the potatoes about a cubic inch in size. Add salt, pepper, diced onion, minced garlic, a splash of oil and a pinch of freshly chopped rosemary. Wrap everything in a tinfoil package, poke a few holes in the foil with a fork so that steam can escape and toss on the grill for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

Bell Peppers

A great heat-loving plant, bell peppers should be planted 18 inches apart and about an inch deep. Plant them in a sunny spot well after the last frost has passed and you should see peppers in about 10 to 12 weeks.

Green bell peppers are just peppers that have not been allowed to fully ripen on the plant. If you want the sweeter yellow, red and orange peppers, leave the fruit on the plant for an extra two to four weeks.

Best way to prepare: Core and quarter the peppers, add a splash of oil and cook directly on the grill until the skin blackens. To easily remove the blackened skin, cover the still-warm peppers with plastic wrap and let them sit for 10 minutes. The skin should then slide off easily.

Mushrooms

If you’re looking for something a little different to grow in your garden this year, consider a mushroom kit, which comes with live, active spores and a growing medium. Every species of mushroom is going to prefer slightly different growing conditions, so read the instructions that come with the kit carefully. But, generally speaking, mushrooms are going to prefer cool, damp and shady conditions and can even be grown indoors.

Best way to prepare: Place mushrooms on a wooden skewer and toss in a little oil. Add salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms start to shrink and wrinkle, about 10 minutes.

Lite Summer Meals

2011-06-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

Cuban Tilapia

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
4 tilapia or other mild-flavored fish fillets (about 5 oz each)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
4 cups mixed salad greens
2 cups fresh or canned (drained) pineapple chunks
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Preparation Instructions:

In 1-cup glass measuring cup, beat all dressing ingredients with wire whisk.
Set oven control to broil. On rack in broiler pan, place fish; spray tops of fish with cooking spray. Sprinkle tops of fish with 2 tablespoons lime juice and the seasoned salt. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 6 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.
Meanwhile, on each of 4 plates, arrange 1 cup salad greens. Divide pineapple among plates. Place fish on or next to greens. Sprinkle greens and fish with mint. Serve with dressing.

http://www.glutenfreely.com/recipes

John's Vegetarian Chili

2011-05-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 coarsely chopped chili pepper
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
16-ounce can black beans, 16 oz can of pinto beans
1 16-ounce can diced tomato
2 uber finely chopped corn tortillas

Preparation Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, pepper, and garlic; sauté until onions soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in chili powder, oregano, cumin stir 2 minutes. Mix in beans and diced tomatoes. Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend and chili thickens, stirring occasionally, mix in finely chopped tortillas to thicken chili. Season to taste with salt and pepper. a little sour cream never hurts. i serve over steamed rice.

Passion Fruit Juice Colada

2011-05-27T12:11:00.000-07:00

2 cups ice
1 cup passion fruit juice
1/4 cup cream of coconut
3 ounces rum, optional

Combine ice, passion fruit juice, cream of coconut and rum, if using, in a blender and blend until smooth.

Jamie Oliver - Jamie at Home - Asparagus 1:2

2011-05-23T09:32:00.001-07:00

Avocado/Watermelon Salad

2011-05-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 large avocados - peeled, pitted and diced
4 cups cubed watermelon
4 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Directions

In a salad bowl, toss together the avocado, watermelon cubes and spinach. Stir in salad dressing just before serving.

Mango Salsa

2011-05-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 1/2 cup)
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 Jalapeño chile, minced (include ribs and seeds for a hotter taste if desired)
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the salsa ends up being a little too hot or acidic for your taste, you can temper it by adding some diced avocado.

Avocados are our friends.

2011-05-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids Melt Belly Fat

A diet that is rich with MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) can help reduce belly fat. Belly fat can enhance the chances of having a cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. MUFAs are found in oils, nuts, seeds, olives, avocados, and even dark chocolate. You want to incorporate these into every meal you consume. They are considered a good fat. You still need to eat a healthy calorie enriched diet in order to loose the weight, but consuming mufas will help reduce your belly fat.
When you are cooking choose oil that is rich with monounsaturated fatty acids. You can use any of the following in your meals to help aid in burning your belly fat such as; olive oil, canola oil, flax seed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and also pesto sauce.
You can eat any of the following as a snack or even add them into your meals; almond butter, smooth and crunch natural peanut butter, dry roasted cashews, cashew butter, dry roasted sun flower seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds, dry roasted peanuts, brazil nuts, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seed paste. You might want to add avocados into your meal to burn belly fat. Try eating lots of olives, you can choose from green olives, black olives, black olive tapenade, or green olive tapenade.
For the chocolate lover you want to choose from semisweet chocolate and dark chocolate. Add the chips or shavings for an added treat plus the benefits of belly fat burning.
There is no set limit on how much or how little monounsaturated fatty acids you should consume on a daily basis. You want to try and have at least one MUFA in every meal. Instead of cooking with butter use oil with MUFAs in it, put it on salads, or in marinades, 1 tablespoon is a serving. Incorporate nuts and seeds as a snack, dress up a salad, crush them up and use as a breading for meats, spread nut butters on fruit, crackers, and bread. Two tablespoons of nuts or seeds equals to one serving of monounsaturated fatty acids.
The two avocados to choose from are Florida or Hass. You can put these in with a salad, mix into a salsa or a dip, and eat them as is. You will need to eat ¼ cup of avocado to get a full serving of MUFAs. Olives can be eaten as a snack, on top pizzas, in salads or pastas. Tapenade can be spread on crackers or a slice of bread when eating a sandwich, or even put it in stuffed chicken or on fish fillets.
You need to eat 10 large olives or two tablespoons to get a serving of monounsaturated fatty acid. You can eat the chocolate any way you like it; ¼ cup gives you a full serving of MUFAs.
http://www.momswhothink.com

A Passover Recipe As Easy As Matzo Pie

2011-04-13T08:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/13/135345886/a-passover-recipe-as-easy-as-matzo-pie?sc=fb&cc=fp

Sexy Bitches Like it Raw: episode 3 Tha Purrfait

2011-03-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

Seven Minutes to Raw! with Brigitte Mars

2011-03-06T05:04:00.000-08:00

Raw Food Recipe - Zucchini Pasta with Marinara Sauce - A Raw Diet & Raw ...

2011-03-01T07:22:00.000-08:00

Champagne Cocktails

2011-02-14T07:35:00.000-08:00

Champagne

Champagne is the name given to the bubbly white wine from the Champagne region of France. Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon and Bollinger are famous brands that are known the world over. Champagne first found favor with the French Royal family which is where it became associated with being an upper class drink.

During the 1920s the Champagne Cocktail was found to be extremely popular amongst the 'Flapper set' which added to the allure of bubbles. In more recent times it was a popular drink for Patsy and Eddie on Absolutely Fabulous!

When it comes to Champagne cocktails I substitute any nice tasting sparkling white wine. The rule of thumb for me is if I would drink it on it's own then I'll use it in a cocktail, if I wouldn't drink the champagne then it will not be going into a cocktail!

Cupid's Bow
5 oz Champagne
½ oz cherry liqueur

Pour the cherry liqueur into a Champagne flute and fill with chilled Champagne.

Flirtini

1 shot vodka
¾ shot triple sec
2 shots pineapple juice
champagne

Put the vodka, triple sec and pineapple juice into a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass and top up with champagne.

for more ideas: http://www.squidoo.com/champagne-cocktails

Chocolate Fondue and Axis Kiss Cocktail

2011-02-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

Perfect for a sexy Valentine's Dinner

http://www.kitchendaily.com/2011/02/10/valentines-day-cooking-videos/

Axis Kiss

Ingredients:

dash of amaretto almond liqueur
dash of creme de cassis
chilled Champagne

Pour the amaretto and creme de cassis into a Champagne flute.

Gently top with Champagne.

Homemade Snow Ice Cream

2011-02-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

5 cups of clean snow

1/2 cup of sugar

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1 cup of milk, (I use vanilla soy milk)

in a large mixing bowl add milk, sugar and vanilla. whisk together until the sugar dissolves. slowly add about half a cup of snow at a time. slightly whisk, serve immediately.

Beer Bread, 5 ingredients or less

2011-02-01T10:59:00.000-08:00

3 cups of self rising flour
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
12 ounces of beer, I prefer a dark heavy beer
2 tablespoons of melted butter or olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients except melted butter together-stirring just until blended. (do not over mix) Pour into greased bread loaf pan. Spread melted butter or oil over the top of the bread during the last 10 minutes of baking. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

Watch How to Cook Your Life | Watch Free Documentaries Online | SnagFilms

2011-01-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

Watch How to Cook Your Life Watch Free Documentaries Online SnagFilms

Mushroom and Sour Cream Enchiladas

2011-01-28T04:42:00.000-08:00

Mushroom and Sour Cream Enchiladas

¨ 1 8 oz can of cream of mushroom soup

¨ 1 8 oz container of light or vegan sour cream

¨ ½ cup of white button mushrooms, chopped and lightly sauted in olive oil

¨ 2 tsp of diced tomatillo peppers, I use canned

¨ 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, you can use what you like

¨ 12 corn tortillas

¨ 1 oz can of enchilada sauce, I used red for contrast or you can make your own

ü combine soup, sour cream, 1 cup of cheese (save the rest as a topping), peppers and mushrooms

ü heat tortillas until pliable, about a minute in the microwave.

ü in a shallow baking dish roll a heaping spoonful of the mixture in the tortillas or you could layer like a casserole, top with enchilada sauce and the remaining cheese, bake at 350 for 20 minutes

* you can also add chicken and spinach

Chocolate Bread

2011-01-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

Don't let this recipe scare you, if I didn't screw it up then you won't either, everyone knows I am a notoriously bad baker.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cupwalnuts
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used cherries)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar, water nuts and fruit. Mix together until smooth.
Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Facon (fake bacon)

2011-01-18T01:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it has the texture of play dough, but once you get past that it actually tastes pretty darn good.
I love it with banana nut pancakes and on my famous FLAT Sandwiches (facon, lettuce, avocado, tomato).

Twice Baked Potatoes

2011-01-11T05:55:00.000-08:00

Low Fat Twice Baked Potatoes

v 3 medium size potatoes

v 1/3 cup of fat- free Italian dressing made with olive oil

v ¼ cup of low fat, fat free or vegan sour cream

v Fat free or vegan cheddar cheese

v Sea salt to taste

v Black cracked pepper to taste

Bake potatoes until they are soft, and then cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out all of the potato and put in a mixing bowl, leave the skins intact. Add dressing, sour cream, salt and pepper, mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth. Place a heaping spoonful of the mixture back in the potato skins and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

260 calories

Eat Your Veggies...

2011-01-07T05:55:00.000-08:00

More Veggies!

Asparagus- excellent source of potassium, fiber, vitamins A, C, K and B complex, reduces weight, Inflammation and depression

Allium Foods- Have natural antibiotic properties, boost immunity, reduce inflammation and fight infection.

· Leeks

· Onions

· Shallots

· Scallions

· Garlic

Sweet Potatoes- are rich in carotenoids, vitamins A, B6, C, potassium, iron and fiber and are delicious.

Bell Peppers- great source of potassium, manganese, fiber and vitamins A, B, C and K

· Green peppers

· Yellow peppers

· Orange peppers

· And red peppers

Summer and Winter Squash- rich in carotenoids and vitamins A, C, potassium, magnesium and fiber

Eat Your Veggies!

2011-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Mother always said to eat your vegetables…here’s why.

Here is a list of the healthiest vegetables and why.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Are filled with anti-aging, cancer fighting, immune boosting phytonutrients, plus vitamins C, K, potassium, calcium, iron and folic acid.

· Broccoli

· Cauliflower

· Brussels Sprouts

· Green and Red Cabbage

Carrots- protect against cancer, improve eyesight, high levels of carotenoids and vitamin A, B, C, and K (when raw)

Dark green leafy

Most nutritious eaten raw, contain iron, potassium, calcium, carotenoids, vitamins B, C, E and K.

· Kale

· Spinach

· Swiss Chard

· Collard greens

· Parsley

· Red and green lettuce

· Mustard and turnip greens

Tomatoes- high in lycopene carotenoids and vitamin C

Beans and Peas

High in protein, fiber, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium

· Peas

· Lentils

· Soybeans

· Lima beans

· Kidney beans

· Garbanzo beans

Babycakes Bakery NYC

2011-01-05T05:08:00.000-08:00

Erin McKenna (BabyCakes NYC) on Martha Stewart (2009, 3/4)

2011-01-05T05:04:00.000-08:00

Just got this book...love it. I will post the link for Amazon.

For the Love of Tea

2011-01-04T05:31:00.000-08:00

Almond Tea

Ingredients

4 cups hot water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons instant tea
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 to 1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in the tea, lemon juice and extracts. Yield: 4-5 servings.

SPICED TEA

Ingredients

3 quarts water
5 individual tea bags
1 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
3 to 4 cinnamon sticks (3 to 4 inches)
1 tablespoon whole cloves
3/4 cup thawed lemonade concentrate
3/4 cup thawed orange juice concentrate
2 cans (6 ounces each) pineapple juice
Additional cinnamon sticks, optional

Directions

In a large kettle or Dutch oven, bring water to a simmer; turn off heat. Add tea bags, cover and steep for 3-5 minutes. Remove and discard bags.
In a bowl, dissolve sugar in boiling water. Add cinnamon sticks and cloves; cover and steep for 15 minutes. Add concentrates and pineapple juice; mix well. Strain and discard spices. Stir into tea; heat through. Serve with cinnamon sticks for stirrers if desired. Yield: 3-1/2 quarts.

refried black beans

2011-01-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

These are great as a side with

your favorite tex mex, on nachos or tacos.

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 (19-oz) can organic black beans, including liquid

1/2 to 1 cup water

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook garlic in oil in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans with their liquid and mash with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to make a coarse purée.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot. Stir in enough of water to thin to a creamy consistency. Add pepper to taste.

Serve warm, sprinkled with cilantro.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-25T08:52:00.000-08:00

We wish you a wonderful holiday and happy, healthy, wholesome eating.

Figgy Pudding

2010-12-16T20:34:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

2 cups dried figs (about 1 pound), stems removed, chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Garnish: Whipped cream

In an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the eggs and molasses and beat again. Add the figs, lemon peel, buttermilk, and walnuts. Blend 1 minute. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend until everything is incorporated.

Grease and flour and 8 by 4-inch soufflé dish and pour in the batter. Bake in a 325-degree F. oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Easy Black Bean Chili

2010-12-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

12 oz can of black beans
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch of cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tsp of ketchup
1 cup of chunky salsa
salt and pepper to taste

Add beans (do not drain) and all of the other ingredients, simmer for

20 minutes on low temp and serve. I like it over rice with cheese and sour cream.

Vegan Eggnog

2010-12-14T09:57:00.000-08:00

4 cups soy milk
1 tbsp vegan instant vanilla pudding powder

1 cup nondairy whipping cream or heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

Whisk together half of the soy milk and instant pudding untill thickened. Add the remaining soy milk and the cream and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, except cinnamon. Allow to chill overnnight before serving, and sprinkle with cinnamon just before

Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

2010-12-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

¨ 8 pounds tomatoes, seeded and diced

¨ 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

¨ 1 large onion, minced

¨ 3 cloves garlic, minced

¨ 1/2 cup olive oil

¨ salt and pepper to taste

In large saucepan, cook tomatoes and basil over medium-low heat until tomatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, in medium skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent.

Add onion mixture to tomato mixture and add salt and pepper. Let simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until thick.

Stuffed Manicotti

2010-12-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

1 (16-ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (8-ounce) package manicotti (14 shells)

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, and the next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a medium bowl. Spoon about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture into each uncooked manicotti. Pour half of tomato-basil pasta sauce(see above) into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer over sauce, and top with the remaining sauce. Pour 1 cup water into dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella evenly over sauce. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until shells are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Quest for a Vegetarian Sloppy Joe

2010-11-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

I have been on a quest for sometime to make the perfect vegetarian sloppy joe. I think this is the best recipe so far.

4 Amy'sVeggie Patties
red and yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup of vegan barbecue sauce
1 Tsp of ketchup
1 tsp of Louisiana Hot sauce
1/2 tsp of brown sugar
1/2 tsp olive oil

Defrost veggie patties in microwave and the crumble until it resembles ground meat, set aside. Saute bell peppers in olive oil until soft, add veggie crumbles and heat through, in a bowl add barbecue sauce, ketchup, hot sauce and brown sugar whisk together and pour over the veggie crumbles and stir continue cooking until the mixture simmers. Pile of a bun or fresh Kaiser roll with your favorite cheese.

The livestock sector is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, while all the cars, lorries, ships and planes added together do not account for more than 13% of greenhouse gas emissions.

2010-11-23T15:16:00.000-08:00

It's so easy to commit to one day a week without meat, not only will it be beneficial to the environment, but it can have a positive impact on your health as well. If you are a die hard meat lover, try using a meat substitute like Morning Star Crumbles, they work great with tacos, chili, or spaghetti sauce.

for more on this subject: http://hubpages.com/hub/The-carbon-footprint-of-meat-consumption

Lemon Rice

2010-11-22T19:48:00.000-08:00

equal parts rice and water
juice of 2 lemons
2 cloves of garlic chopped

2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon of rosemary

1 tablespoon vegan butter

you can boil this or steam it, juice both lemons (reserve 2 slices for garnish) add the juice to rice and water, next add the garlic, bay leaves, rosemary and butter, cook rice per instructions and serve hot

Sweet Potato Curry

2010-11-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

½ yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons of green curry paste

1 can of coconut milk

¼ teaspoon of ginger paste (you can use fresh if you like)

½ teaspoon of rubbed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon of coconut oil

in a wok or stir fry pan Heat coconut oil and sauté onion and garlic until onion is transparent,

add pre-boiled cubed sweet potatoes, curry paste, coconut milk , red pepper flakes and ginger paste, heat to a boil and then let simmer for 10 minutes, serve over jasmine rice

The First Thanksgiving

2010-11-22T10:35:00.000-08:00

The only written eyewitness account of the first Thanksgiving dinner was a letter written by colonist Edward Winslow to his friend in England in late 1621. History scholars have scoured this correspondence to try to accurately forge an account of the true Thanksgiving meal. The vision of the feast this letter and history form is far from how it is traditionally replicated in modern America.

Foods That Were Not Served at the First Thanksgiving

Turkey - Turkey was often eaten by both the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims but is not specifically mentioned in Winslows’ letter. The account mentions “wild fowl” only and could have referred to duck or geese instead of wild turkey.
Popcorn - There was no popcorn, corn was prevalent but was not popped.
Cranberry Sauce - Fifty years after 1621 there is mention of a cranberry sauce for use with meat in English recipes. Prior to this time sugar, a necessary ingredient in cranberry sauce was an incredibly expensive import. Both the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag would add whole cranberries as an ingredient to add tartness, however cranberry sauce itself would not appear until the 1670’s.
Potatoes - White potatoes were virtually unknown in England at the time of the Thanksgiving feast, they were only raised by specialized botanists at the time and were not a part of the English diet. Sweet potatoes were, in the early 1600’s, imported into England from Spain and were used only by the ultra wealthy for their purported aphrodisiac properties.
Pumpkin Pie - There were no readily available ingredients for the crust of a pumpkin pie at the time. Pumpkin and squash were included in the feast but served as vegetables only. After 1621, pumpkin dessert recipes included pumpkin pieces sliced similar to apples only.
Apples - Apples were not present in 1621 in Plymouth.

Foods Included in the Original Thanksgiving Feast

In addition to the wild fowl, pumpkin and squash mentioned above, the following foods were certainly abundant and most likely were included in the “harvest” celebration:

Fish
Lobsters
Eel
Mussels
Oysters
Corn
Parsnips
Collards
Turnips
Spinach
Onions
Dried Beans
Dried Blueberries
Grapes
Nuts

1621 Thanksgiving Meal Details

The celebration lasted for three days, not one, and consisted of intermittent feasting and entertainment (games and shooting of muskets).
It was most likely held in October, not November.
There is no evidence that the Indians (Wampanoag) were explicitly invited.
It was not called “Thanksgiving”. It was a “harvest festival”.
It did not become an annual event.

“by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” - Edward Winslow – December, 11, 1621

Read more at Suite101: The Original Thanksgiving Day: The Surprising First Thanksgiving Menu- No Turkey, No Pumpkin Pie? http://www.suite101.com/content/the-first-thanksgiving-day-a34145#ixzz162NT0aMH

Cleansing Tea

2010-11-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

mix green tea leaves, dandelion root and peppermint root

peppermint aids in digestion
dandelion cleanses the liver and kidneys
green tea is used to treat everything from headaches to depression

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner- Green beans and Cranberries

2010-11-21T12:09:00.000-08:00

This is a great recipe from the PETA website: http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut on the diagonal
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup cranberries
1 clove garlic, minced and pressed
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drain the beans in a colander and hold under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Blot the beans with a paper towel to remove the excess water.
• Put the beans into a dry skillet and heat over medium heat until the remaining moisture on the beans evaporates. Stir in the margarine, cranberries, garlic, parsley, tarragon, salt, and pepper, tossing to coat well.
• Cook until heated through.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving -Apples and Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-21T11:44:00.000-08:00

· 4-5 sweet potatoes, sliced or chopped

· 2 apples, chopped

· 1/4 cup maple syrup

· 2 tbsp brown sugar

· 2 tbsp margarine, melted (earth balance, for vegans)

· 1/4 tsp cinnamon

· 1/4 tsp nutmeg

· salt and pepper to taste

Place apples and sweet potatoes in a crock pot or slow cooker.

Sprinkle remaining ingredients on top of the potatoes and apples.

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Vegan Potato Soup

2010-11-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

about 1 pound of potatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 vegetable bouillon cubes
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
4 cups of water
cheddar soy cheese, shredded

dollop of Tofutti’s vegan sour cream

In a large stock pot, saute the onion with sea salt until the onion turns slightly translucent

Add the garlic and stir well with the onions. Saute for another minute
Add the potatoes and saute for about a minute or two
Add the water and bouillon cubes
Cover and bring the soup to a brisk boil
Reduce heat to a simmer
Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes
Turn off the heat and use an immersion or hand held stick blender to puree the soup in the pot. You can also pour the soup into a blender and puree the soup one cup at a time.
Add the fresh rosemary leaves while blending and blend until smooth making sure that all of the chunks are pureed out.
Once the soup is pureed and smooth, return to the soup pot to reheat.

Top with cheese and sour cream

Alicia Silverstone's Recipes: See What She Eats to Stay Healthy, Energetic and Happy

2010-11-20T10:36:00.000-08:00

my husband and I are currently reading this
it has wonderful information ,as well as, great recipes

Alicia Silverstone's Recipes: See What She Eats to Stay Healthy, Energetic and Happy

I'm not crazy about casseroles but...

2010-11-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

2 cups of plain soy milk
1 8 oz tub of cream cheese (you can use vegan if you like)eat
1 can of rotel tomatoes
1 can of sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cloves of garlic, mashed into a paste
Pasta of your choice, I used rotini
grated cheese for the top
cracked black pepper to taste

cook pasta according to directions
heat soy milk on medium temp, add cream cheese and garlic paste and stir until the cheese melts.
once cheese is melted and milk and cheese are combined then add tomatoes, mushrooms, and pepper
pour mixture over pasta and top with shredded cheese, bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner-Cranberry Sauce

2010-11-18T16:52:00.000-08:00

1½ c sugar
1½ c water or water/orange juice mixed
1 t grated or minced orange zest
4 c fresh cranberries

Mix sugar, liquid, and zest in the saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.
Add cranberries, lower heat, and simmer until the berries are tender and the skins have popped, 10 minutes or so.
Transfer to a bowl and chill until the sauce is like jelly.

Meatless Burgers

2010-11-17T09:17:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite meals is soy burgers and sweet potato fries. We recently decided to do a comparison of three different meatless burgers we have found.

Nutrition Information: 130 calories, 0 saturated fat,
0 trans fat, 390mg sodium, 12g carbs

Nutritional Information: 170 Calories, 1g saturated fat,
0 trans fat, 360mg sodium, 4g carbs

Nutritional Information: 120 calories, 1.5 saturated fat,
0 trans fat, 380mg sodium, 6g carbs

Overall we like the taste and texture of the Boca and Morning Star best.
Morning Star has the best texture for grilling
None of the brands held up well in the microwave, not recommended, grill or grill pan work best.
Amy's has the best nutritional value.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner

2010-11-15T20:05:00.000-08:00

Popovers

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 teaspoon room temperature for pan
4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk, room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease a 6-cup popover pan with the 1 teaspoon of butter.
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and process for 30 seconds. Divide the batter evenly between the cups of the popover pan, each should be about 1/3 to 1/2 full. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the popovers to a cooling rack and pierce each in the top with a knife to allow steam to escape. Serve warm.

Store bought Roux and Voodoo Seasoning

2010-11-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

this is my favorite roux

Voodoo Seasoning

2010-11-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

Vegetarian gumbo

Pre-made Roux (don’t ask me how to make it, I either don’t get it dark enough or I burn it)

2 generous Tsp of Voodoo Seasoning (dried herbs like oregano and thyme and some other good stuff)

the holy trinity

¨ 2 onions

¨ Red, yellow and green bell pepper, diced

¨ 4 stalks of celery

6 cups of vegetable broth

1 can of stewed tomatoes

3-5 shakes of Louisiana Hot Sauce

3 cloves of garlic

1 ½ cups of chopped okra (I like frozen)

Salt and pepper to taste

About a tsp of file powder

In a large stock pot

follow the directions for the roux

sauté the holy trinity in some olive oil, veggies should still be firm

add vegetable broth to the roux then the trinity, hot sauce, garlic, tomatoes, okra,

voodoo seasoning and salt and pepper

bring ingredients up to a boil and let it simmer about an hour or all day so the house smells good

spoon over cooked rice and add file powder to thicken

Comfort Food-Improvised Sandwich Press

2010-11-15T09:21:00.000-08:00

sometimes you just need a good old fashioned
grilled cheese sandwich

sushi plate and Buddha statue makes
a great sandwich press

homemade sour dough and Amish American cheese

*try using 1 part butter to 2 parts olive oil for cooking
can be modified for Vegans using a whole grain bread,
vegan butter and soy or rice cheese

desserts-Cake Balls

2010-11-15T06:10:00.000-08:00

1 package cake mix
1 container prepared frosting

Chocolate or white Almond bark for coating

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.

Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner

2010-11-13T05:58:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Soup
4 cups cooked pumpkin
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetarian soup stock

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Gently add the onion, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and browned. This will take around 30 minutes. Add the cooked pumpkin, then gently stir in the vegetable stock. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes. To thicken the soup, simmer uncovered for ten minutes and allow to stand before serving.

Mindful Eating

2010-11-12T05:32:00.000-08:00

We are all so busy in the world today. It makes the practice of mindfulness very difficult, this is especially true in my life right now, in fact I decided to post this while I ate my dinner (peanut butter sandwich) last night from a napkin, as I stood over the sink in the kitchen. I was the only one home and it seemed silly to mess up a dish, or even sit down and enjoy my food, I simply inhaled it and went back to the paper I was working on. This attitude has contributed to the rampant obesity we have come to accept in this country. Like in meditation, we must sit and develop awareness regarding our bodies and it's basic need for nourishment in our daily lives. Here is a wonderful description by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is very pleasant. We sit beautifully. We are aware of the people that are sitting around us. We are aware of the food on our plates. This is a deep practice. Each morsel of food is an ambassador from the cosmos. When we pick up a piece of a vegetable, we look at it for half a second. We look mindfully to really recognize the piece of food, the piece of carrot or string bean. We should know that this is a piece of carrot or a string bean. We identify it with our mindfulness: "I know this is a piece of carrot. This is a piece of string bean." It only takes a fraction of a second.

When we are mindful, we recognize what we are picking up. When we put it into our mouth, we know what we are putting into our mouth. When we chew it, we know what we are chewing. It's very simple.

Some of us, while looking at a piece of carrot, can see the whole cosmos in it, can see the sunshine in it, can see the earth in it. It has come from the whole cosmos for our nourishment.

You may like to smile to it before you put it in your mouth. When you chew it, you are aware that you are chewing a piece of carrot. Don't put anything else into your mouth, like your projects, your worries, your fear, just put the carrot in.

And when you chew, chew only the carrot, not your projects or your ideas. You are capable of living in the present moment, in the here and the now. It is simple, but you need some training to just enjoy the piece of carrot. This is a miracle.

I often teach "orange meditation" to my students. We spend time sitting together, each enjoying an orange. Placing the orange on the palm of our hand, we look at it while breathing in and out, so that the orange becomes a reality. If we are not here, totally present, the orange isn't here either.

There are some people who eat an orange but don't really eat it. They eat their sorrow, fear, anger, past, and future. They are not really present, with body and mind united.

When you practice mindful breathing, you become truly present. If you are here, life is also here. The orange is the ambassador of life. When you look at the orange, you discover that it is nothing less than fruit growing, turning yellow, becoming orange, the acid becoming sugar. The orange tree took time to create this masterpiece.

When you are truly here, contemplating the orange, breathing and smiling, the orange becomes a miracle. It is enough to bring you a lot of happiness. You peel the orange, smell it, take a section, and put it in your mouth mindfully, fully aware of the juice on your tongue. This is eating an orange in mindfulness. It makes the miracle of life possible. It makes joy possible.

from the website: http://chetday.com/mindfuleating.htm

Thich Nhat Hanh was born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo in Thừa Thiên (Central Vietnam) in 1926. At the age of 16 he entered the monastery at Từ Hiếu Temple near Huế, Vietnam, where his primary teacher was Dhyana (meditation Zen) Master Thanh Quý Chân Thật .A graduate of Bao Quoc Buddhist Academy in Central Vietnam, Thich Nhat Hanh received training in Zen and the Mahayana school of Buddhism and was ordained as a monk in 1949.

Happy Veterans Day

2010-11-11T06:20:00.000-08:00

In honor of Veterans Day, I wanted to present a little information on food in the military. It has come a long way since the days of the Civil War.

The Armed Forces Recipe Service is a compendium of high-volume foodservice recipes written and updated regularly by the United States Department of Defense Natick Laboratories, and used not only by military cooks but by institutional and catering operations. It originated in 1969 as a consolidation of the cooking manuals of the four main services, and is based on previous military publications dating back to the first standardization efforts in the US Army in 1896. Recipes are based primarily on American cookery, though with the addition of specialized items such as vegetarian, kosher, and halal recipes to meet more specialized needs of those being served. The Service database is now distributed by the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, a division of the US Army Quartermaster School based in Fort Lee, Virginia.

Each recipe card has a standardized format; each recipe is calibrated to feed 100 people, with a basic nutritional analysis across the top of the card. Traditionally available primarily in print format, the AFRS database is also available electronically.

Here is a military vegetarian recipe!

Cabbage and Tofu Dumpling Soup

Dumplings:
1/4 pound firm tofu
4 tablespoons water
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Soup:
1/2 medium head cabbage
1 tablespoon corn oil
8 cups boiling water
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Chopped scallions

Dumplings: Blend tofu with water until smooth.

Sift dry ingredients. Stir in tofu mixture. Knead for 1 minute, form into 1/2-inch balls and set aside.

Soup: Mince core of cabbage and shred leaves finely. Heat oil in soup pot. Add cabbage and sauté over medium heat until golden.

Add water and bay leaf; return to a boil.

Add dumplings, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The dumplings should be floating on the top at this point. Remove bay leaf.

Dilute soy sauce in a bit of the broth, then add to the soup. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve garnished with scallions.

Servings: 6

For the Holidays

2010-11-10T16:08:00.000-08:00

Eggnog Daquiris
equal parts store bought eggnog and ice
2-4 shots of a premium vodka
1/3 cup of condensed milk
blend until smooth
DRINK UP!

Vegetarian Thanksgiving

2010-11-10T04:42:00.000-08:00

Crudités is a French term that refers to "raw vegetables," so a platter of crudités typically consists of one or more types of raw vegetables served with one or more dips. These are great for parties and can be served as an appetizer or in place of a salad. The sky is the limit, use what you like best.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving

2010-11-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

Simple Vegetarian Dressing

1 Package of premade stuffing cubes

1 container of organic vegetable broth

1/2 cup of sliced onions, chopped

1/2 of a small white onion

2 large stalks of celery, chopped

1 can of organic mushrooms

1 can of organic water chestnuts, drained

1/3 tsp of dried tyme

1/3 tsp of dried sage

cracked black pepper to taste

sea salt to taste, but remember the broth as a lot of sodium so taste befor you add

saute veggies in a tsp of vegan butter until soft, add 1 cup of vegetable broth and let simmer
in a large mixing bowl add your stuffing cubes, sage and tyme
pour the sauted veggies and hot broth over the cubes to hydrate
stir and contiue to add the rest of the cold broth to the mixture until it is soft and wet
Spoon in a metal baking dish and spread evenly
bake until the liquid is absorbed totally and the top is brown

Fall Comfort Foods

2010-11-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe

1 1/4 cups of flour

1 1/2 tsp of ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp of sea salt
4 Tsp of vegan butter
1/ cup of sugar
1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
1/4 cup of cinnamon flavored applesauce
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and sea salt
in a different bowl cream butter, and sugar together and beat until fluffy
beat in syrup and apple sauce until smooth
dissolve baking soda in a cup of hot water, stir until the mixture seems curdled
stir into mixture and then add to the flour mixture
combine ingredients well, fill cupcake liners 1/2 full and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees
cool and frost

*I used a store bought cream cheese frosting.

I Made My Own Sugar Scub!

2010-11-07T16:08:00.000-08:00

1 cup of granulated sugar
1/3 cup of olive oil
juice from a whole lemon
3 drops of almond essential oil, for scent

Natural Beauty Remedies

2010-11-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

Easy Pizza

2010-11-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

brush with olive oil and sprinkle on Italian seasonings
Bake at 450, for 10 minutes or until crisp

for sauce use all natural Bruschetta
it's perfect for pizza

saute some veggies in 1tsp vegan butter and 1tsp of olive oil

top crust with bruschetta, veggies and your choice of cheese,
bake until cheese melts

slice and eat

What the Buddha Said About Eating Meat

2010-11-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

Ajahn Brahmavamso

Since the very beginning of Buddhism over 2500 years ago, Buddhist monks and nuns have depended on almsfood. They were, and still are, prohibited from growing their own food, storing their own provisions or cooking their own meals. Instead, every morning they would make their day's meal out of whatever was freely given to them by lay supporters. Whether it was rich food or coarse food, delicious or awful tasting it was to be accepted with gratitude and eaten regarding it as medicine. The Buddha laid down several rules forbidding monks from asking for the food that they liked. As a result, they would receive just the sort of meals that ordinary people ate - and that was often meat.
Once, a rich and influential general by the name of Siha (meaning 'Lion') went to visit the Buddha. Siha had been a famous lay supporter of the Jain monks but he was so impressed and inspired by the Teachings he heard from the Buddha that he took refuge in the Triple Gem (i.e. he became a Buddhist). General Siha then invited the Buddha, together with the large number of monks accompanying Him, to a meal at his house in the city the following morning. In preparation for the meal, Siha told one of his servants to buy some meat from the market for the feast. When the Jain monks heard of their erstwhile patron's conversion to Buddhism and the meal that he was preparing for the Buddha and the monks, they were somewhat peeved:
"Now at the time many Niganthas (Jain monks), waving their arms, were moaning from carriage road to carriage road, from cross road to cross road in the city: 'Today a fat beast, killed by Siha the general, is made into a meal for the recluse Gotama (the Buddha), the recluse Gotama makes use of this meat knowing that it was killed on purpose for him, that the deed was done for his sake'..." [1].
Siha was making the ethical distinction between buying meat already prepared for sale and ordering a certain animal to be killed, a distinction which is not obvious to many westerners but which recurs throughout the Buddha's own teachings. Then, to clarify the position on meat eating to the monks, the Buddha said:
"Monks, I allow you fish and meat that are quite pure in three respects: if they are not seen, heard or suspected to have been killed on purpose for a monk. But, you should not knowingly make use of meat killed on purpose for you." [2]
There are many places in the Buddhist scriptures which tell of the Buddha and his monks being offered meat and eating it. One of the most interesting of these passages occurs in the introductory story to a totally unrelated rule (Nissaggiya Pacittiya 5) and the observation that the meat is purely incidental to the main theme of the story emphasizes the authenticity of the passage:
Uppalavanna (meaning 'she of the lotus-like complexion') was one of the two chief female disciples of the Buddha. She was ordained as a nun while still a young woman and soon became fully enlightened. As well as being an arahant (enlightened) she also possessed various psychic powers to the extent that the Buddha declared her to be foremost among all the women in this field. Once, while Uppalavanna was meditating alone in the afternoon in the 'Blind-Men's Grove', a secluded forest outside of the city of Savatthi, some thieves passed by. The thieves had just stolen a cow, butchered it and were escaping with the meat. Seeing the composed and serene nun, the chief of the thieves quickly put some of the meat in a leaf-bag and left it for her. Uppalavanna picked up the meat and resolved to give it to the Buddha. Early next morning, having had the meat prepared, she rose into the air and flew to where the Buddha was staying, in the Bamboo Grove outside of Rajagaha, over 200 kilometres as the crow (or nun?) flies! Though there is no specific mention of the Buddha actually consuming this meat, obviously a nun of such high attainments would certainly have known what the Buddha ate.
However there are some meats which are specifically prohibited for monks to eat: human meat, for obvious reasons; meat from elephants and horses as these were then considered royal animals; dog meat - as this was considered by ordinary people to be disgusting; and meat from snakes, lions, tigers, panthers, bears and hyenas - because one who had just eaten the flesh of such dangerous jungle animals was thought to give forth such a smell as to draw forth revenge from the same species!
Towards the end of the Buddha's life, his cousin Devadatta attempted to usurp the leadership of the Order of monks. In order to win support from other monks, Devadatta tried to be more strict than the Buddha and show Him up as indulgent. Devadatta proposed to the Buddha that all the monks should henceforth be vegetarians. The Buddha refused and repeated once again the regulation that he had established years before, that monks and nuns may eat fish or meat as long as it is not from an animal whose meat is specifically forbidden, and as long as they had no reason to believe that the animal was slaughtered specifically for them.
The Vinaya, then, is quite clear on this matter. Monks and nuns may eat meat. Even the Buddha ate meat. Unfortunately, meat eating is often seen by westerners as an indulgence on the part of the monks. Nothing could be further from the truth - I was a strict vegetarian for three years before I became a monk. In my first years as a monk in North-East Thailand, when I bravely faced many a meal of sticky rice and boiled frog (the whole body bones and all), or rubbery snails, red-ant curry or fried grasshoppers - I would have given ANYTHING to be a vegetarian again! On my first Christmas in N.E. Thailand an American came to visit the monastery a week or so before the 25th. It seemed too good to be true, he had a turkey farm and yes, he quickly understood how we lived and promised us a turkey for Christmas. He said that he would choose a nice fat one especially for us... and my heart sank. We cannot accept meat knowing it was killed especially for monks. We refused his offer. So I had to settle for part of the villager's meal - frogs again.
Monks may not exercise choice when it comes to food and that is much harder than being a vegetarian. Nonetheless, we may encourage vegetarianism and if our lay supporters brought only vegetarian food and no meat, well... monks may not complain either!

May you take the hint and be kind to animals.
References:
[1] Book of the Discipline, Vol. 4, p. 324
[2] ibid, p. 325

more on this subject-http://http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html

The Perfect Portion

2010-11-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

I am all about individual desserts, Cupcakes vs. a whole cake and single serving pies vs. a whole pie. You eat it, it's gone, and there is no temptation calling you to the kitchen later that night. My boys requested something with apples this week, so this is what I came up with.

Individual Apple Pies

filling:

5-7 whole apples, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup of light brown sugar
2 tsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of apple pie seasoning (nutmeg and cinnamon)
2 tsp flour (for thickening)
1 Tsp of Butter

Saute apples in butter, add brown sugar, lemon juice, seasoning and flour. Cook at a low temp until apples are soft. I used single serving puffed pastries (bake according to directions on package) while the pastry is still hot put in your filling. Top with a dollop of low fat or fat free whipped cream.

*not a vegan recipe

Glass vs. Plastic

2010-11-02T05:35:00.000-07:00

my water bottle, it works great

Glass Water Storage Bottles vs. Plastic

By now, a bottle of water has become such a common accessory that few of us give any thought to the impact that that bottle has on the environment once we are done with it. In an effort to make healthier beverage choices, people the whole world over purchase water packaged in plastic bottles and the market has grown larger than any beverage company�s wildest dreams. But this convenience has come at a steep price for us and our environment. Here are some numbers:

Worldwide, bottled water consumption surged to 154 billion liters (41 billion gallons) in 2004, up 57 percent from 98 billion liters in 1999.
At up to $2.50 per liter ($10 per gallon), bottled water costs more than gasoline in the United States.
Fossil fuels are used in packaging and transporting the water. Most water bottles are made with polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic derived from crude oil. Making bottles to meet Americans' demand for bottled water alone requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel some 100,000 U.S. cars for a year.
According to the Container Recycling Institute, 86 percent of plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter. We are unnecessarily adding millions of plastic bottles to our landfills each week, week after week.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) issued a report in 1999 that stated that around 40% of the bottled water sold in this country comes from the same municipal water systems that provide the tap water for our homes.

Many of us have purchased water filtration equipment for our homes in recent years to further purify the water that we get from our taps. To save money and lessen our impact on the environment, lots of us like the convenience of bringing our own home-filtered water with us in reusable plastic bottles as we run errands and go about our daily lives. But these plastic bottles may introduce some health hazards of their own.

Plastic Water Bottles

According to several recent studies, polycarbonate plastic gradually leaches a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA) into foods and liquids that are stored in containers made from this material. BPA has been identified as an endocrine disrupting chemical, or a chemical that easily mimics hormones when absorbed by the human body.
Additionally, a University of Missouri study, as reported in the July 2003 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, found that the BPA leaching problem isn�t restricted to older polycarbonate bottles. Instead, researchers found detectable levels of BPA leaching out of brand new bottles at room temperature. This new finding calls into question the safety of any kind of polycarbonate plastic container, new or used, for food or beverage use.
A study conducted by Dr. Patricia Hunt of Case Western University in Ohio on the health effects of BPA in food and beverages concluded that BPAs may impair reproductive organs and have additional adverse effects by fostering the creation of tumors, and impeding breast tissue development and prostate development by reducing sperm count.
As more and more of us become aware of the impact that plastic bottles have on our health and our environment, reusable bottles made of glass are becoming increasingly popular with folks that want to take their filtered water with them wherever they go.

The Advantages of Reusable Glass Water Bottles

Protecting the health of you and your family may the be best reason to recycle your reusable plastic water bottles and replace them with reusable glass bottles but here are a few more:

Cleaning reusable plastic bottles with detergents will cause the plastic to cloud and may increase the amount of BPAs that leach into the water. Glass bottles are much easier to clean and will retain their clarity after hundreds of washings.
Glass is made from heated sand and lime, not from crude oil derivates, which decreases our dependence on non-renewable, foreign oil sources.
Glass imparts no unpleasant plastic off-taste to water and other beverages like plastic can. Even days or weeks after filling up a glass bottle and putting it in your fridge, you can enjoy the clean, crisp taste of filtered water with no worries about BPAs and other chemicals leaching into your water.
For those that like to flavor their water with citrus fruits and other flavors, the acids in fresh oranges, limes, lemons, and other fruits often cause a plastic bottle to become cloudy and unsightly. These acids have no effect on glass so you can flavor your filtered water with whatever you�d like and your glass water bottle will remain crystal clear.

A portable glass water bottle that you bring to work, class, the gym, or wherever is a statement to everyone that you are actively taking steps to reduce your impact on the environment and sets a fine example to those who wish to reduce their contributions to landfills.

Any reason that you switch from plastic to glass is a good reason for you, your family, and the environment and with the rising popularity of reusable glass bottles, it appears that many people are making this choice. These bottles are available in many styles, sizes, and colors so you can have clean drinking water, convenience and environmental responsibility all in one!

http://www.waterfiltering.com/bottled-water/glass-water-bottles.html

Beginner Yoga with Shiva Rea

2010-11-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

Yoga

2010-11-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

So I said all along that this was going to be a lifestyle blog, I really want all of you to make this journey of self discovery with me. I am slowly learning to make healthy choices, these choices are not just limited to the food I eat they also include incorporating a fitness plan that I can live with and enjoy pursuing. I am not a gym person, I like my exercise to evolve a little more organically, more spontaneous. Walking is my favorite, I have three furry children who need exercise also, so everyday we make our way through the neighborhood. I am also a student at a local university, I have classes on the third and fourth floors of the science and math building, I reluctantly take the stairs everyday...ugh! I have recently started incorporating about a half an hour of yoga each morning. It is by far the best choice in my fitness regimen, I feel great and ready for the day. Here are some health benefits for this ancient practice.

Article taken from The Mayo Clinic

Written by: ljpasion

What most people refer to as simply "yoga" is actually Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is a system of yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a yogic sage in the 15th century in India. This particular system of yoga is the most popular one, and it is from which several other Styles of Yoga originated including Power Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, and Kundalini Yoga. The word "hatha" comes from the Sanskrit terms "ha" meaning "sun" and "tha" meaning "moon". Thus, Hatha Yoga is known as the branch of Yoga that unites pairs of opposites referring to the positive (sun) and negative (moon) currents in the system. It concentrates on the third (Asana) and fourth (Pranayama) steps in the Eight Limbs of Yoga

Hatha Yoga tries to achieve balance between body and mind, as well as attempts to free the more subtle spiritual elements of the mind through physical poses or Asanas, Breathing Techniques or Pranayama, and Meditation.

§ Asanas are various body positions designed to improve health and remove diseases in the physical, causal, and subtle bodies. The word "asana" is Sanskrit for "seat", which refers not only to the physical position of the body but also to the position of the body in relation to divinity. They were originally meant for Meditation, as the postures can make you feel relaxed for a long period of time. The regular practice of Asanas will grant the practitioner muscle flexibility and bone strength, as well as non-physical rewards such as the development of will power, concentration, and self-withdrawal.

§ Pranayama is derived from the words "prana" (life-force or energy source) and "ayama" (to control). It is the science of breath control. This is an important part of Hatha Yoga because the yogis of old times believed that the secret to controlling one's mind can be unlocked by controlling one's breath. The practice of Pranayama can also help unleash the dormant energies inside our body.

Fall Comfort Food

2010-11-01T05:06:00.000-07:00

Vegetarian Minestrone
I made a huge pot of this on Halloween and we munched on it all day. It's healthful, satisfying and extremely low fat.

start with :

2 12 oz cans of stewed tomatoes
1/2 small white onion, diced
1 small potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 can of garbanzo beans, drained
1 bag of frozen mixed veggies
1 zucchini, cubed
1 handful of Italian seasoning
2 cloves of garlic
1 can of white beans
a handful of mini pasta
2 cubes of vegetable bouillon
2 tbs of a good, fruity extra virgin olive oil
6 cups of water

Cut up the onions, slice zucchini and mince garlic.

Pour about a tablespoon or so of olive oil into a big soup pot over med-high heat. Toss in the onion, zucchini and potatoes. Saute until onion becomes almost translucent. Add the Italian seasoning with salt & pepper. Add the minced garlic and saute another few moments do not brown garlic.

Put the Vegetable Bouillon into the pot, smash it with a wooden spoon while the garlic is cooking and then pour in the 5 cups water ad vegetable bouillons. Add the stewed tomatoes bring to a low boil, then turn it down right away to a simmer.

Add the beans and let it cook on low to combine the ingredients. At least 10 minutes, but not too long, watch that the zucchini doesn't get too mushy. After the soup is finished cooking, turn off the heat and toss in the pasta, the past will cook in the hot soup, but not become mushy. top with a little oil and your choice of cheese, feta is good or parmesan.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

2010-10-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite salad, and it goes with anything. Use a couple of medium sized tomatoes and a whole cucumber, add some fresh mint, sea salt and cracked pepper, dress with whatever you like. I used olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss and enjoy!

Rotten Pumpkin

2010-10-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

Despite my best efforts to preserve "my bloody pumpkin", I'm afraid due to the heat and humidity he is in very bad shape. It's 2 days until Halloween and I hated to throw him away, so I filled him with creepy, crawly, rubber bugs!

Left Over Baked Potato Salad

2010-10-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

Potatoes have a bad rep, but the truth is, they are a low calorie, high nutrient food. So unless you have them french fried in animal fat, they are pretty good for you. We have a small baked potato once a week, I always throw a couple of extra ones in the oven to use in other recipes throughout the week. Left over baked potato salad is one of my favorites. It is easy and it makes a great side dish or you can eat it as a meal all by itself.

(2 small) left over baked potatoes
2 tsb of honey dijon mustard
juice from a whole lemon
2 Tsp of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp of dill
red, yellow or orange bell pepper
red onion
2 slices of roasted red pepper
sea salt to taste
cracked black pepper

Cube potatoes with the skin on, cut up red onion, bell pepper,and roasted red pepper. Pile all of the veggies in a bowl and make the dressing. Whisk together mustard, olive oil, lemon juice and dill, pour over veggies and toss gently. Salt and pepper to taste.

Dry Ice Recipes - Cool Halloween Science

2010-10-28T04:40:00.000-07:00

Gluten Free Halloween Recipes - Creepy Crawler Cupcakes

2010-10-28T04:36:00.000-07:00

Would you like a cup of tea?

2010-10-27T06:34:00.000-07:00

Benefits of Tea

Numerous studies have demonstrated the anti-cancer properties of antioxidant polyphenols. Some studies have suggested that tea's polyphenols may reduce the risk of gastric, esophageal and skin cancers, if one consumes 4 to 6 cups daily. Another study showed that just 2 cups of tea may lower the risk of ovarian cancer by 46 percent in women. Other studies have found that polyphenols help prevent blood clotting and lower cholesterol levels. One Japanese study found that green tea lowers death rates from heart disease.

Veggie Quesadilla

2010-10-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

Simple and healthful, you can use any combo of veggies and cheese you like. For this quesadilla I used, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, red onion, fresh cilantro and raw pepper jack cheese. Try black beans, corn, green bell pepper, red onion and cheddar soy cheese, or you could try spinach and mozzarella. Whatever you like.

I used fat free flour tortillas and grated the pepper jack cheese for each side of the tortilla, this makes the quesadilla stick together (like a grilled cheese) put your sauteed veggies on one side and put it together like a sandwich. Heat your pan with a little olive oil and when the pan smokes put in the quesadilla. When the cheese is melted and the outside of the tortillas are brown and crisp it's ready to eat. Top with vegan sour cream and fresh salsa.

Big Salad Sundays!

2010-10-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately all the good we do during the week with trying to eat right and keep our calories in check is usually undone with just a few social engagements over the weekend. We had two different outings this weekend, one with friends and another with Robs family, so I instituted "big salad Sunday". I used a ton of veggies, homemade croutons (see previous post, jalapeno croutons) and since I love cream dressings I made my own. Here is the recipe for Zinfandel Salad Dressing and a few others you may like.

Zinfandel Salad Dressing

1/3 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup red Zinfandel wine

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise

In a food processor or blender, combine onions, wine, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Process until onions and garlic are pureed. Add mayonnaise and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until very cold, and whisk dressing just before serving.

House Dressing

3 cups vegan mayonnaise

1/2 cup vegan sour cream (Tofutti's is my favorite)

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and salt together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to

Mix together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.

Jalapeno Bread Croutons

2010-10-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

I recently went to my favorite bakery, I couldn't resist getting a loaf of Jalapeno bread, sooooo good. I ended up with half a loaf that was about to go stale, so I decided to make some croutons. They are fantastic.

Super easy, cube bread and toss with olive oil, garlic salt, sea salt and cracked pepper. Place in a shallow baking dish and bake at 400 degrees until dry and crisp. Put oven on warm and dry out for a few more minutes. Store in a dry place.

Fall Comfort Foods

2010-10-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

Veggie Pot Pie

3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 an onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 tbsp earth balance vegan margarine
1/2 C flour
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 C plain silk soy milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3/4 C frozen peas
3/4 C frozen edamame

Saute celery, onions, and carrots in butter for 10 minutes.
Add the flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute
Add broth and milk to mixture while stirring constantly
Cook over medium heat until bubbly then stir in the peas, edamame, salt, and pepper.

Pour into a 2 qt casserole dish and top with crust.

Bake at 375 F for 30-45 minutes

* I use frozen puff pastry, follow directions on the package.

Check this out!

2010-10-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Made by local artisan Conchita McElwee,
I am going to wear it to the opera Halloween weekend.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/burningcorazon?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=App_Seller&utm_content=shops&utm_campaign=fb_seller_shop2

The Witches of Colonial Plaza

2010-10-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

my first witch, she is twenty years old

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE HALLOWEEN!! That is why I have dedicated the entire month of October to fun foods and decorating ideas. I have a tiny little apartment right now so all of my favorite decorations are being stored, but no matter what, I always have my witches with me. I also added 2 new little darlings to my decor this year...ZOMBIE BABIES!

*Send me some pics of your Halloween decor and I will post them on our blog!

my table scape

My bloody pumpkin

Buddha

Halloween tip # 4

2010-10-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

Keep your Jack-o-lanterns from going all mushy on you before the big day!

Just combine one part water and one part white vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake well and then spray on any cut or exposed areas of the gourd including the entire inside. This will kill away those pesky little bacteria that wreak havoc on our pumpkins.

Hot Stuff

2010-10-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

In a recent study, people who ate a pepper derived substance daily(3 Tsp Chili powder, 4 jalapenos) burned twice as many calories as those who didn't. Capsaicin, what makes the peppers have heat, then heats up the body which causes you to burn calories and use more fat as fuel. GOOD TO KNOW!

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

2 cup bell peppers (red, green, or both)
1 or 2 fresh jalepeno peppers
6 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup vinegar (5%)
2 or 3 pouches liquid pectin
few drops red or green food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Grind or chop the bell peppers and jalepenos. When handling the jalepenos, USE GLOVES to avoid burns. (I use a food processor.)

Combine with vegan sugar and vinegar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. Bring to a boil again for 2 minutes. Add pectin and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir for 5 minutes. Add coloring, if desired. Pour into hot jelly jars and seal with lids. Store in a cool dark place. Jelly may take up to 3 to 4 weeks to set.

Personal notes: I used red bell and jalepeno peppers when I added red food coloring and green bell and jalepenos when I added green food coloring. One jalepeno is quite mild and 2 is moderate. If you want hotter jelly, add 3 jalepenos. I used 2 jalepenos in my jelly.

I only used 2 pouches of pectin and the jelly I made set right away.

Also, I have seen a jalepeno jelly recipe that used apple juice as a base but can't seem to find it. I bet that would also be good.

Red Pepper/Rosemary Vinegar

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

2 large hot chili peppers (dried)
fresh rosemary 2-3 sprigs
3 cloves fresh garlic
white vinegar

Directions:

Preparation time: 10 mins.

place the 3 cloves of peeled garlic in an empty glass bottle.

add the 2 chili peppers

add the sprigs of rosemary

fill the bottle with the vinegar. Put the top on the bottle and let sit for at least one week - a longer time will add to the flavor. I use unusual old bottles and a cork and give these as gifts.

Halloween Tip # 3

2010-10-21T04:03:00.000-07:00

Creepy Cocktails:

Dracula's Kiss

is a haunting cocktail for Halloween parties. The drink creates two layers: the bottom is red with grenadine and the top is black with cola. Add spiders to the drink or hang them on the glass for a ghoulish finishing touch. Both Smirnoff and Effen make great black cherry vodkas.

Ingredients:

1 oz black cherry vodka
1/2 oz grenadine
cola
maraschino cherries for garnish

Preparation:

Coat the bottom of a highball glass with grenadine.
Add ice and vodka.
Fill with cola.
Garnish with cherries.

Ghostbuster

No ghosts in this house, at least not tonight. The Ghostbuster is a fun, simple, neat cocktail that is full of wonderful flavors. The drops of Irish cream create a ghost-like figure in the middle of the glass. A great novelty for Halloween.

Yield: 1 Drink

Ingredients:

1 oz peach schnapps
1 oz melon liqueur
3-5 drops of Irish cream liqueur

Preparation:

Pour the peach schnapps and melon liqueur into a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Add the Irish cream drop by drop into the center of the drink.

Beauty of Raw Foods

2010-10-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

I just have a few minutes today, because I have a physics test tomorrow, but I wanted to share my newest obsession. I recently started incorporating a raw food meal once a day...it is so awesome and easy! This is a great recipe I found for sorbet, are you ready for it??

Place frozen fruit in a food processor fitted with an S blade and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Serve immediately.

That's it! I have used frozen peaches and frozen mangos, I am going to do mixed berry next. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Food Inc - Official Trailer [HD]

2010-10-16T06:37:00.000-07:00

The Best Hot Sauce

2010-10-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

I make at least 3 batches of this a week, we have it on "taco tuesdays", on tofu scramble, as a snack with chips, and any other ways we can imagine. Its, fresh, healthy, and delicious. Oh and did I mention easy!

2, 12 oz cans of whole tomatoes

4 tsp of lemon or lime juice, use fresh if you have it
2 tsp of a good fruity olive oil
1/2 tsp of fajita seasoning
1 Tsp of dehydrated onion flakes
3 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp of sugar
a pinch of coarse sea salt or kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper to taste
4-6 pickel jalapeno slices (use more if you like really spicy, or use fresh, your choice)

fresh cilantro

Put all ingredients in a large food processor, including a few cilantro leaves, pulse until you get the desired texture, we like it smooth and thin, make it chunky if that's what you like. If I am serving immediately I chop some more of the cilantro to toss on top. Very fresh and healthy!

* At my house we are divided on the heat of the hot sauce so I divide the ingredients into two separate batches, one with a few more jalapenos for extra heat. I store in plastic containers, it will keep about a week.

How tofu is made

2010-10-14T04:57:00.000-07:00

Jefferson Ghost Walk

2010-10-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

this is one of the lovely Victorians, it is called the Benefield House,
it is not on the haunted tour.
http://www.benefieldhouse.com/

There is a great little town in East Texas about an hour from where I live, called Jefferson. My favorite Aunt Ro lived there, and it is where I spent many happy memories as a child. Whenever we went to visit I always felt like I was back in time It was a booming town in the 19th century and because of this it has incredible Victorian mansions. Here is a little bit of the history.

Jefferson, Texas is located on Big Cypress Bayou in the Cypress Valley of Northeast Texas. It is the County seat for Marion county. Named for Francis Marion, a Revolutionary War patriot who was known as the "Swamp Fox", Marion County was created in 1860. Jefferson was named for Thomas Jefferson, and was conceived as a port city by Allen Urquhart and Daniel Alley, who saw its potential as the head of navigation when they prepared a plan for the town site in 1841.

waiting for us at The Benefield House
http://www.benefieldhouse.com/

In 1845, when obstructions were removed from Big Cypress Bayou, steamboats could reach Jefferson from New Orleans. After the arrival of the first steamboat, Jefferson became a boom town where many pioneers to Texas first set foot on Texas soil when they disembarked from the steamboats.

Jefferson became a port of entry into the Republic of Texas and then the State of Texas. It was also a shipping port for those who wished to sell agricultural products, especially cotton. Cotton was brought to Jefferson from as far away as Dallas by ox wagon and then sold in Jefferson through receiving, forwarding, and commission merchants to markets in New Orleans and St. Louis.

Pride House, one of the haunted Victorians

Pride House

http://www.thepridehouse.com/The_Pride_House_of_Jefferson/Welcome.html

During Jefferson's Golden Era as a steamboat port from 1845 until 1875, it became a cosmopolitan town like most port cities with a confluence of cultures and businesses. The architectural styles, which developed in Jefferson during this period of prosperity, resembled those of New Orleans. The homes were primarily of Greek revival design.

When the log raft was removed by the Army Corps of Engineers in the year 1873, the water level in Big Cypress Bayou was reduced and navigation to Jefferson was threatened. Railroads were also extended during this period of time across Texas, which reduced Jefferson's commercial market area. The town ceased to be a prominent port city and commercial center. However, many of the mid-nineteenth century homes and buildings remain.

There is a wonderful haunted tour there called, The Jefferson Ghost Walk, I have been on the tour several times, and even though I have never seen a real live ghost, it is worth taking the tour for the history alone. It has wonderful resturants and hotels, I highly recommend a resturant called The Bakery and a lovely B/B called The Benefield House.

Ghost at Pride House

http://www.jefferson-texas.com/

http://www.thebakeryrestaurant.net/

http://www.jeffersonghostwalk.com/

Fall Comfort Food

2010-10-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

Vegan Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 1/2 cups water

2 cubes vegetable bouillon

2 cups corn

2 cups soy milk

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions and celery; cook until just slightly golden. Stir in carrots and garlic; cook until garlic is slightly golden. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil over high heat. Stir in bouillon, and reduce heat to medium. When bouillon cubes have dissolved, add corn and the vegetables from the skillet. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add water, if necessary. Reduce heat to low, and pour in 1 cup soy milk. Stir soup well, then stir in remaining 1 cup soy milk. Quickly whisk in flour. Stir in parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until chowder thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes.

* I will also add 1 small chopped potato, sometimes.

ReStyle: Spooky Halloween Decorations

2010-10-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

Love the chandelier!!

The tasting rule.

2010-10-12T06:10:00.000-07:00

It is hard to stay healthy during the holiday season, from Halloween candy to all of those Christmas parties we get invited to. I have managed so far, by following the "tasting rule". This rule states that I can taste something, but cannot have a whole portion. I have found that denying myself results in binge eating. I become obsessed with what I can't have, so rather than not having it at all, I just have a little taste. This seems to satisfy my cravings and relieve my compulsion for binging. This rule mostly pertains to the sweet stuff for me, but it might be a good idea for some people at say the Thanksgiving table to instill the tasting rule. Have a bite of those creamy buttery mashed potatoes, but have larger portions of the healthier choices on the table and if possible have a salad before the meal. I promise if we our mindful of what we eat, and have a little taste of the things we know we should not have whole portions of; we can certainly get through the next few months together!

Scary Halloween Pumpkins!!

2010-10-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

Halloween tip #2

2010-10-11T02:27:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite munchies during October and November are roasted pumpkin seeds, the smokey, salty flavor is great and they have just the right amount of crunch.

Raw Pumpkin seeds from your jack-o-lantern
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
cajun seasoning

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Scoop out all the seeds and "guts" from your pumpkin into a large bowl. Run some water into the bowl and start squeezing and massaging the pulp to separate the seeds from the rest. Scoop the seeds out and drain for a few minutes. Pour a swirl of oil into a large cake pan or cookie sheet. Pour in the seeds, sprinkle with sea salt and cajun seasoning, stir well. Make sure that the seeds are spread evenly across the pan, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until the seeds are golden brown and crunchy. Try not to eat them all by yourself!

Halloween tip #1

2010-10-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween, it has always been my favorite time of the year and my favorite holiday. Before my husband and I went back to school, we lived in a fairly large home and our Halloween parties were legendary! Let's share. Send me some of your favorite recipes (they don't have to be vegetarian or vegan) and decorating tips.

me, Jenny and Mindy

Witch's Cauldron

16 ounces mexican Velveeta cheese
2 cans regular or vegetarian chili with beans
1 cup salsa
1 cup diced black olives
1 round loaf black or pumpernickel bread
3 sliced pickeled jalapenos for garnish
Tortilla chips (preferably black or blue)

Melt together the cheese, chili, salsa, and olives until smooth over low heat and keep warm. Remove the center of the bread, leaving a thick shell. Tear up the center bread pieces for dipping. Pour the cheese mixture into the bread and garnish with jalapenos. Add a small ladle to the bread and serve with the bread cubes and tortilla chips.

Super Chunky Pasta Sauce

2010-10-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is a good and hearty pasta sauce, it's great in the winter or summer months, and it's super easy!

1 12 oz can of whole tomatoes and basil or Italian style tomatoes

1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

Bell peppers, any color

1/2 medium eggplant, diced

1 cup of shredded carrots

1/2 of a small white onion, diced

In a stock pot, start with about 2 Tsp of olive oil, add onion, carrots, bell pepper and eggplant, saute until tender. Coarsely chop the whole tomatoes and basil in a food processor and add to the veggies in the stock pot, let it come up to a simmer and then add the spaghetti sauce. Cook another 10 minutes and serve over your favorite pasta. I use a brown rice pasta.

What to eat? What to eat?

2010-10-08T03:18:00.000-07:00

I am quickly learning that it can be a little challenging eating out at restaurants with out having to make some compromises. In my town there are very few vegetarian options and even less vegan so my advice is do the beat you can and pick your battles. Tonight is my friend Jenny's birthday party and she has chosen Copelands Cheesecake Bistro. What to eat, what to eat? I find that most restaurants, especially if they are a large chain have their menus online, it helps knowing ahead of time what your choices are and how you can modify the meals if needed.

here are a few possible choices for salads, CB has a large variety of vinaigrette

HOUSE SALAD

Fresh mixed lettuce tossed with spicy bacon, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers and croutons with your choice of dressing. 5.49 modifications, no bacon

Fresh spinach leaves and Boston bibb lettuce, apples, spicy bacon, mushrooms, toasted walnuts all tossed with crumbled Bleu cheese and our chili salsa vinaigrette. 11.49 modifications, no bacon, for vegans leave off the blue cheese also

Fresh greens, cucumber, fried wonton strips, toasted almonds and shaved chicken on a bed of crispy rice noodles, tossed with a Chinese mustard vinaigrette, topped with a drizzle of our plum lime vinaigrette. 12.49 modifications: leave off the chicken


Honey Mustard Chili Salsa Vinaigrette Balsamic Vinaigrette Italian Citrus Vinaigrette Wasabi Vinaigrette Chinese Mustard Vinaigrette Just remember to not be afraid to ask for the changes you need, do the best you can and have a great time.

Shaynes Favorite's

2010-10-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

My son loves home cooking, he is one of those rare kids that hates fast food, as he puts it, "Mom I was over the happy meal by the time I was ten". Every week when I am planning my meals out I alway consult with him to find out what he is hungry for. This week he wanted stir fry and cream cheese wantons.

Asian stir fry

your favorite veggies, it varies with us, I usually use what I have on hand.

shredded carrots
baby corn
onion
broccoli
red, yellow and green bell peppers
your favorite mushrooms

1 tablespoon of coconut fat
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
red pepper flakes ( use as little or as much heat as you like, we like it spicy)
1 tsp of raw sugar or honey
1/2 tsp of rice vinegar
1 1/4 tsp of cornstarch
1/2 cup of vegetable broth

* add marinated tofu, or cubed chicken if you like

Start out with a good wok or stir fry pan, heat pan and add coconut fat. When the pan smokes add your tofu or chicken. Tofu should be golden brown on all sides, make sure chicken is cooked through. Next add onion, broccoli, carrots (you want to add the veggies that need longer to cook first), then toss in the rest with the garlic last. Let that cook down tossing frequently, next add soy sauce, vegetable broth, sugar or honey and rice wine vinegar. Toss all the vegetables in the mixture,crush the red pepper flakes over top and let the liquid heat through, tossing occasionally. Do not over cook you want your veggies to stay crisp. Spoon veggies and sauce over your favorite rice. We like basmati rice.

Cream Cheese Wontons

1/2 container of Tofutti's cream cheese (vegan, you can use regular cream cheese if you like)
10 wanton wrappers
1 tsp chives
1 shallot minced

Mix cream cheese, shallot and chives and stir. Fill wonton wrappers with half tsp of mixture each. Fold diagonally and then fold in the left and right corners toward center. Use cooking spray on a cookie sheet and place wontons evenly on pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350.

*note wonton wrappers contain eggs

Furry Babies

2010-10-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

Like most of my friends my pups are meat eaters, but they also enjoy a diet heavy in fresh fruit and raw veggies.

Fruits & vegetables are extremely important for your dog or puppy. Feeding them fresh, raw - non starchy vegetables and some fruit is a must. The green vegetables contain only small amounts of starch and some simple sugars.

More importantly they are full of enzymes, phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids.

Giving your dog fruits & vegetables provide much needed nutrients and essential vitamins your dogs need to grow & stay healthy.

Some fruits and veggies your dog would enjoy:

leafy green veggies like lettuce, parsley and celery
carrots
zucchini
bananas
apples
oranges
watermelon

check out this great website where I got my info : http://www.squidoo.com/fruitsvegetablesdogs

Avagurl

Chewbacca

Trouble

Don't Take My Word For It

2010-10-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

57 Health Benefits of Going Vegan

Vegans are frequently misunderstood as fringe eaters with an unnatural passion for animal rights. While many vegans do feel passionately about animals, its time for others to see that a vegan diet and lifestyle go way beyond animal rights. Following a healthy, balanced vegan diet ensures a host of health benefits as well as prevention of some of the major diseases striking people in North America. Read these blogs to find out about the health benefits or going vegan or just provide better information to your patients.

Nutrition

All of the following nutritional benefits come from a vegan diet full of foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and soy products.

Reduced saturated fats. Dairy products and meats contain a large amount of saturated fats. By reducing the amount of saturated fats from your diet, you’ll improve your health tremendously, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health.
Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide energy for your body. When you don’t have enough carbohydrates, your body will burn muscle tissue.
Fiber. A diet high in fiber (as vegan eating usually is) leads to healthier bowel movements. High fiber diets help fight against colon cancer.
Magnesium. Aiding in the absorption of calcium, magnesium is an often overlooked vitamin in importance to a healthy diet. Nuts, seeds, and dark leafy greens are an excellent source of magnesium.
Potassium. Potassium balances water and acidity in your body and stimulates the kidneys to eliminate toxins. Diets high in potassium have shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Folate. This B vitamin is an important part of a healthy diet. Folate helps with cell repair, generating red and white blood cells, and metabolizing amino acids.
Antioxidants. For protection against cell damage, antioxidants are one of the best ways to help your body. Many researchers also believe that antioxidants help protect your body against forming some types of cancer.
Vitamin C. Besides boosting your immune system, Vitamin C also helps keep your gums healthy and helps your bruises heal faster. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant.
Vitamin E. This powerful vitamin has benefits for your heart, skin, eyes, brain, and may even help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. A diet high in grains, nuts, and dark leafy greens is full of Vitamin E.
Phytochemicals. Plant-based foods provide phytochemicals, which help to prevent and heal the body from cancer, boost protective enzymes, and work with antioxidants in the body.
Protein. That protein is good for your body is no surprise. It may be a surprise to learn that most Americans eat too much protein and in forms such as red meat that are not healthy ways of getting protein. Beans, nuts, peas, lentils, and soy products are all great ways to get the right amount of protein in a vegan diet.

Disease Prevention
Eating a healthy vegan diet has shown to prevent a number of diseases. Find out from the list below what you could potentially avoid just by switching to a healthy, balanced vegan way of eating.

Cardiovascular disease. Eating nuts and whole grains, while eliminating dairy products and meat, will improve your cardiovascular health. A British study indicates that a vegan diet reduces the risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Vegan diets go far in preventing heart attack and stroke.
Cholesterol. Eliminating any food that comes from an animal and you will eliminate all dietary cholesterol from your diet. Your heart will thank you for that.
Blood pressure. A diet rich in whole grains is beneficial to your health in many ways, including lowering high blood pressure.
Type 2 diabetes. Not only is a vegan diet a weapon against Type 2 diabetes, it is also "easier to follow than the standard diet recommended by the American Diabetic Association." Read more about it here.
Prostate cancer. A major study showed that men in the early stages of prostate cancer who switched to a vegan diet either stopped the progress of the cancer or may have even reversed the illness.
Colon cancer. Eating a diet consisting of whole grains, along with fresh fruits and vegetables, can greatly reduce your chances of colon cancer.
Breast cancer. Countries where women eat very little meat and animal products have a much lower rate of breast cancer than do the women in countries that consume more animal products.
Macular degeneration. Diets with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes, can help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration.
Cataracts. Much the same way macular degeneration is headed off by a vegan diet, cataracts are also thought to be prevented through the intake of the same fruits and vegetables. Produce high in antioxidants are also believed to help prevent cataracts.
Arthritis. Eliminating dairy consumption has long been connected with alleviating arthritis symptoms, but a new study indicates that a combination of gluten-free and vegan diet is very promising for improving the health of those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoporosis. Bone health depends on a balance of neither too much or too little protein, adequate calcium intake, high potassium, and low sodium. With a healthy vegan diet, all four of these points set a perfect scenario for preventing osteoporosis.

Physical Benefits
In addition to good nutrition and disease prevention, eating vegan also provides many physical benefits. Find out how a vegan diet makes your body stronger, more attractive, and more energetic.

Body Mass Index. Several population studies show that a diet without meat leads to lower BMIs–usually an indicator of a healthy weight and lack of fat on the body.
Weight loss. A healthy weight loss is a typical result of a smart vegan diet. Eating vegan eliminates most of the unhealthy foods that tend to cause weight issues. Read more about weight loss and a vegan diet here.
Energy. When following a healthy vegan diet, you will find your energy is much higher. This blog post in Happy Healthy Long Life describes how NFL tight-end Tony Gonzalez started eating vegan and gained energy–while playing football.
Healthy skin. The nuts and vitamins A and E from vegetables play a big role in healthy skin, so vegans will usually have good skin health. Many people who switch to a vegan diet will notice a remarkable reduction in blemishes as well.
Longer life. Several studies indicate that those following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle live an average of three to six years longer than those who do not.
Body odor. Eliminating dairy and red meat from the diet significantly reduces body odor. Going vegan means smelling better.
Bad breath. Vegans frequently experience a reduction in bad breath. Imagine waking up in the morning and not having morning breath.
Hair. Many who follow vegan diets report that their hair becomes stronger, has more body, and looks healthier.
Nails. Healthy vegan diets are also responsible for much stronger, healthier nails. Nail health is said to be an indicator of overall health.
PMS. When switching to a vegan diet, many women tell how PMS symptoms become much less intense or disappear altogether. The elimination of dairy is thought to help with those suffering with PMS.
Migraines. Migraine suffers who go on vegan diets frequently discover relief from their migraines. Read more about the food-migraine connection in this article.
Allergies. Reduction in dairy, meat, and eggs is often tied to alleviation of allergy symptoms. Many vegans report much fewer runny noses and congestion problems.

Too Much in the American Diet
The typical American diet not only consists of too much food, it also relies on too much of unnecessary food products or toxins. The following list explains how a vegan diet can eliminate these problems.

Animal proteins. The average American eats twice as much protein as necessary for a healthy diet and much of that is from red meat. Getting protein from beans and grains is much healthier and reduces the risk for osteoporosis (see above).
Cow’s milk dairy. The human body is not designed to digest cow milk and cow milk dairy products, yet the idea of milk being healthy is pushed through advertising. As many as 75% of people in the world may be lactose intolerant and many people suffer from undiagnosed milk allergies or sensitivities. By eliminating cow’s milk from your diet, you are improving your overall health.
Eggs. Many nutritionists believe that the number of eggs in the American diet is too high. While sometimes disputed, it has been shown that eggs can raise cholesterol levels.
Mercury. Most of the fish and shellfish consumed has mercury in it. While some fish have less than others, it is almost impossible not to be putting mercury in your body when you eat fish.
Sugar. Most people have heard that Americans consume way too much sugar. Relying on other sweeteners that are not synthetic, processed, or derived from animal products is a healthier way to eat. Many vegans do not eat processed sugar due to the fact that most of the cane sugar is refined through activated charcoal, most of which comes from animal bones.

Other Benefits
In addition to the health benefits above, following a vegan lifestyle and diet also provides these benefits as well. From helping the environment to avoiding serious bacterial infections, learn other benefits to eating the vegan way below.

Animals. Many people begin a vegan diet out of concern for animals. Whether opposed to the conditions of animals intended for food or eating animals in general, going vegan will help your conscience rest easily.
Environment. Growing plants takes much fewer resources than growing animals. By eating vegan, you can help reduce the toll on the environment.
E. coli. E. coli comes from eating contaminated red meat and is the leading cause of bloody diarrhea. Young children, those with compromised immune systems, and elderly people can become extremely ill or die from E. coli. Eating vegan means completely avoiding the risk of E. coli infection.
Salmonella. Another gastrointestinal illness from animal products, salmonella food poisoning is closely related to E. coli. The most frequent way people contract salmonella food poisoning is through contact with raw eggs or raw chicken meat from chickens infected with salmonella. Again, going vegan means eliminating this risk altogether.
Mad cow disease. It’s safe to say that most people would want to avoid contracting a fatal, non-treatable disease. One way to ensure you don’t get Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is by not eating animals infected with mad cow disease. While the incidence of mad cow disease is not reportedly so high in North America, it does exist.
Global food supply. Feeding grain to animals meant as food sources reduces the amount of food that is available to underdeveloped nations. Many people will go hungry while that same food they could be eating is given to animals raised for slaughter. Eating vegan ensures that you have removed yourself from the participation of this imbalance.
Hormone consumption. Eating animals that have been given hormones to speed growth (a common practice in the meat industry) means those hormones go into your body. Not only can this disrupt the natural balance of your hormones, but some of the hormones given to animals have shown to cause tumor growth in humans.
Antibiotics. Antibiotics are frequently given to feed animals, which can lead to bacterial resistance. Many of the antibiotics used to treat human infections are also used in feed animals.

Healthy Eating
A vegan diet can be a much healthier way to eat. Find out how to combine the vegan diet with other ways of eating for an even more healthy way to go or discover ways to keep your vegan diet healthy but more convenient with the resources below.

Raw. A raw diet lends itself to veganism by the very nature of its design. Find out how to combine live and vegan diets with Raw Inspirations.
Organic. Eating organic and vegan is super easy to do. Use some of the recipes from this blog for help with meal ideas. The posts have slowed, but you can always search the archives for some great ideas on how to live and eat organic and vegan.
Fat-free. Vegan eating is typically pretty low in fats anyway, but the FatFree Vegan Kitchen shows you how to make some delicious vegan food that is always fat free.
Gluten-free. Due to allergies, Celiac’s Disease, or whatever your reason you avoid gluten, find out how to combine the best of gluten-free with vegan cooking in the Gluten-Free Vegan blog.
Eating out. Eating out isn’t usually associated with eating healthy, but a vegan diet ensures there will be a lot less of the bad things in the food you choose. Find eating out options around the world for vegans here.
Lunch. Maintaining a vegan diet means you are likely to take your lunch more often than most people. Vegan Lunch Box offers recipes, tools, and ideas for carrying great vegan lunches every day.
Dinner. Coming up with new dinner ideas is challenging for everyone–regardless of what type of diet you follow. Check out this amazing selection of vegan dinner recipes accompanied with mouth-watering photos of each preparation on Dinner with Dilip.
Dessert. While not all the recipes on My Sweet Vegan are for dessert, you will find a large selection of sweet vegan recipes with the most delicious-looking photos.
Wine. Pairing vegan food with wine may be challenging for those who rely on the old standard of "white with fish and red with meat." Read this article for ways to compliment your healthy vegan diet with a tasty glass of wine or this blog entry for specific pairings of wine and vegan food.

Natalie Portman, celebrity vegan

Fun. These ladies know how to kick it with vegan cooking. Post Punk Kitchen offers some great recipes with a ton of fun infused in them. Be sure to go through the archives for more yummy food ideas.

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