Breakfast Tacos

I woke up needing more than a smoothie for breakfast. I hit the Internet searching for vegan breakfast recipes. Since going vegan, I have missed breakfast sandwiches and tacos! I found a great recipe for both, but only had the ingredients for the tacos. So, here are the pics and the link to the recipe...
They were amazing!!!!

View the taco recipe by clicking HERE.

View the sandwich recipe that I have pinned for later by clicking HERE.

Veggie wrap for lunch

Yesterday, when I went to the store, I stocked up in lots of fresh veggies. So, today for lunch, I made a veggie wrap. I used whet tortillas and...
Lettuce
Green and red peppers
Banana peppers
Mushrooms
Cucumbers
Hummus

And carrot with humus on the side to satisfy my need for crunchy! It was light and deli ships! Banana peppers are my secret weapon to keep veggies from tasty too boring. They add juicy spice!

The Kind Diet Says...

I'm reading The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. I've never been a big fan of hers other than watching Clueless 50 times in the last decade and a half. ;). However, when it comes to caring for the planet and your body, she's got it right! Here are some quotes and facts thy stood out to me as I read.

"42% of fresh water available to the US is used for agriculture. It takes 441 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef. One 16-ounce steak uses the amount of water you need for 6 months of showers!"

"Rain forests used to cover 14 percent of the earth, but now it covers only 6 percent. You see, every hamburger requires a plot of land the size of a small kitchen to be cleared. Is that burger worth it?"

"Our intestines are 20 fee long; when we eat meat, it takes a full 72 hours to pass through us. That's 3 days, and your body, my friend, is 98.6 degrees inside! It's like having a steak sit out in the hot sun for 3 days straight. Eventually it'll start to rot and putrefying. And that's what's happening inside of you."

Krogering

This is a pretty typical shopping trip. Maybe a little less than normal. I do have 4 boys to feed at my house! ;)

Stir-fry dinner

Tofu
Veggies
Brown rice

Homemade Freebirds!

My husband and I absolutely love Freebirds. It's a great place to eat vegan and eat a lot!! We decided to make our own burritos at home. They were amazing!!!
We used...
Wheat tortillas
Brown rice seasoned with cayenne pepper
Peppers and onions
Guacamole
Tomatoes
Jalapeños
Black beans
Lettuce
Salsa
Green Tabasco sauce

OMG Ice Cream!

This ice cream is absolutely amazing! Who needs dairy ice cream when you can buy this!? Kroger healthy/organic section rocks.
My son loves the cookies and cream kind, but it's made with coconut milk and has a strong coconut taste that's not my favorite. But it's a kid pleaser!

Weekday Lunch

I need easy to pack and eat lunches to take with me to school. Here's an example of one day's lunch. I also bring many things I can snack on as I get hungry throughout the day so I don't get weak and make bad choices!!!! ;)

Lunch contents: hummus, blueberries, carrot sticks, cucumbers, green and re peppers, pretzel crisps, almond milk- chocolate flavor, to cover my sweet craving, and fruit juice. I often bring the frozen and microwaveable single servings of edemame, too! Yum!

After a lunch like this I feel light and not tired like most heavy meals.

Must Read: The China Study

The reasons to choose a vegan diet are so varied and obvious... at least now that my husband and I have spent time researching and honestly reflecting on the food we eat. This book, The China Study, is the scientific answer to all doubters answers. Dr. Campbell goes into great detail about how cancerous cells grow. He explains the research behind the conclusion that a high protein animal based diet can be a catalyst to cancerous cell growth while a plant based diet can prevent and even slow down or allow reversal of cancerous cells!!! If there's anything I can do to prevent cancer for myself or my family, I'm going to do it! How deep the regret would be if I didn't at least ponder these possibilities when choosing the food I feed my family. What if??? There are many other life threatening and life changing diseases that Dr. Campbell will discuss as preventable by choosing a plant based diet. This books will convince you to adamantly choose healthy foods and it'll give you the answers and statistics needed when sharing your vegan choice with others. Happy reading!

Vegan Ribs!

These meatless and dairy-free ribs are amazing!! We are having these for dinner with steamed broccoli and ranch style beans! (Watch out for animal fat in beans!)

A crunchy snacky find!

My husband and I suffer from a need for crunchy and salty foods. It's often our downfall. We found these yummy treats in the organic section of Kroger. Kroger has been good to us as far as healthier and organic options go.
Check these out.

The Vegan Society - Great Resource

The Vegan Society website says...

Why Vegan?

Do you have to choose between a healthy, fun, modern lifestyle and a fair, sustainable, compassionate lifestyle? No, you can have it all!  Have a look at the Vegan Society's film, 'Making the Connection', to explore the reasons why people choose to become and stay vegan.  

You can watch the flim in chapters on our website or straight through with Play All on our YouTube playlist. 

What is a vegan?

A vegan is someone who tries to live without exploiting animals, for the benefit of animals, people and the planet. Vegans eat a plant-based diet, with nothing coming from animals - no meat, milk, eggs or honey, for example. A vegan lifestyle also avoids leather, wool, silk and other animal products for clothing or any other purpose.

Some of the main reasons for choosing a vegan lifestyle

It’s a healthy choice

A balanced vegan diet (also referred to as a ‘plant-based diet’) meets many current healthy eating recommendations such as eating more fruit, vegetables and wholegrains and consuming less cholesterol and saturated fat. Balanced vegan diets are often rich in vitamins, antioxidants and fibre and can decrease the chances of suffering from diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Well-planned plant-based diets are suitable for all age groups and stages of life.

There are many more reasons listed on the website.  You can also join the vegan society, donate, shop, and learn.  Check it out.  

Veggie Sub

When I'm out and about or road trippin' and evil fast food temptations are everywhere, I turn to Subway. I kick the meat and cheese and ask for all the veggies! Even the pickles and jalepenos. It makes for a delicious and satisfying sandwich! And I feel better than usual after restaurant lunches, because I ate lighter and healthier. But, it keeps me full for hours!

Well, as a teacher, I don't get to eat a lot of food from the outside world. ;). You either bring your lunch or buy the yuck from the cafeteria that passes for nutrition for kids! Ah! That's a different discussion and post to come. ;)

Anyway, I wanted the satisfied feeling i get from Subway at school, so I decided to make my own veggie subs! They turned out amazing. Wrap them up well and they travel in my insulated lunchbox perfectly!

My sandwich fixin's include...
spinach leaves and any other green leaf I have available
cucumbers
red and green pepper slices
pickles
jalepenos
and...

avocado!

Meatless Meatball Subs

I have three growing boys and a busy schedule. I need quick and kid-pleasing meals! This is a quick go-to that always satisfies!

I used wheat sub bread I found at Kroger.  I carefully read the ingredients for milk and eggs.  All clear! I used marinera sauce.  Again, I carefully scanned the ingredients for milk, eggs, and too much sugar content.  The meatless meatless meatballs have changed our lives, or at least the lives of our pasta dishes.  Now, if they look and taste too good to be vegan, well that's because they aren't 100 % vegan.  They contain egg whites.  :(  Booooooo!  I know.  Why am I even teasing you with this?  Well, part of becoming vegan is finding substitutions for previously meat-heavy meals.  This is one way to break the habit of using meat, while still making delicious and satisfying meals.

The vegan mozzarella cheese came from Trader Joe's.  I love a trip to Trader Joe's!  Find one near you.

I toast the subs in the oven a little, and I use the middle part that I cut to make garlic bread sticks.  A winning touch with my boys!

In Honor of National Meatball Day

In Honor of National Meatball Day… A Veggie Patch Giveaway!

I just missed missed national meatball day, but this is the very best meatball I have ever had!  Even better than meatballs made of animal meat!