What is a Vegan?

I found some YouTube videos that seem interesting.



This interviewer asks people on the street what a Vegan is. It seems to show that Veganism is an unknown thing to a lot of people.



Now here is a Vegan who does explain what Veganism is.
Now, non-Vegans think that Vegans are undernourished in some sort if they're not getting the required nutrients such as:
Calcium, Iodine, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D

Calcium-Rich foods:
Kale
Soy-Milk
Soy products (tofu, tempeh, etc etc)
Nuts (Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Chestnuts, Hazelnuts, Macadamia Nuts, Pecans, Pine Nuts, Pistachio Nuts, Walnuts)
Almond-Milk
Seeds (Chia Seeds, Flaxseeds, Pumpkin and Squash Seeds, Safflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds)
Coconut
Legumes (Peanuts, Black Beans, Chickpeas, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Lima Beans, Pinto Beans, Soybeans, White Beans)
Sea Vegetables ( Arame, Wakame, Spirulina)
Oats
Bok Choy
Brussel Sprouts
Butternut Squash
Celery

Iodine-Rich foods:
Iodized Salt
Sea Vegetables ( Seaweed, Nori, Kelp, Arame, Kombu, Alaria, Wakame, Laver)
Strawberries
Dried Fruit
Soy products (tofu, tempeh, etc)
Chocolate

Vitamin-B12
is actually produced in our bodies anyways. It's produced in our small intestine.
Few cases of Vitamin-B12 deficiency are reported.
foods:
Fortified Sprouted Multi-grain breads
Fortified Cereals
Spirulina
Miso Soup

Vitamin-D
also created in our bodies
Sun exposure is wonderful for this vitamin to be produced in our bodies!
and even if you are not Vegan,
Not everyone gets enough of this D vitamin. No matter how much sun you get
This is actually something that must be supplemented. By EVERYONE. Vegan or Non-Vegan.
No matter how much you are out in the sun!
What I recommend as far as a Vitamin Supplement is:
Vitamin Code Raw D3 Garden of Life
http://www.beyondprobiotics.net/vcvitamind3.htm
It contains raw vegan ingredients to help build up the Vitamin D absorption from the sun!
You can probably find these Vitamins at any Health food grocery store. Or you can buy online.

Hope this helps!

WithLove,
SuzanneMarie

Moroccan Tea!

Pretty much my favorite tea ever. I'm addicted.



I was inspired by Oasis Restaurant (in San Luis Obispo) Moroccan Tea
I wanted to make it myself!

What you use:
-Jasmine Tea
-Mint Leaves
-Stevia sugar

heat up water.
in your cup, throw in the mix.
stir
done.
drink.
happiness

<3

With Love,
SuzanneMarie

Follow me on Twitter?

Just if you want.......

:)

Hope you all are having a great day today! Its Thursday! So get your party pants on for tonight!


Get it...Party Pants? haha. I couldn't resist it! :p


http://twitter.com/ohSuzanneMarie

Best Trailer Mix...everrr

I actually never really liked Trail Mixes. They always seemed so fake. The powder from the nuts covered the raisins and m&ms. The raisins tasted disgusting. And the m&ms seemed stale.

Though with this thought... I was looking around my pantry of what new creation I could think of. I saw cashews. I saw carob chips. I saw my dried fruit. Mixed them all together. Wait.....This is usually what would be in a trail mix! haha! Didn't even think of it. It makes for a great snack or breakfast to go.

again..
Ingredients:
-carob chips
-cashews or almonds
-chopped up dried fruit.
(in this picture it was figs, dried apricot and dried mango.)

Hope you have a great 13th!

With Love,
SuzanneMarie

Balls of Energy!

This makes for a great Breakfast to go or a snack!
Dates and the Goji Berries are both a great source of fiber
where as the Cacao powder is for the chocolate-y flavor!
Honey gives its sweetness and will make it all stay together
And above all, a great source of protein with the cashews and tahini!

1 large handful dates (dried or fresh medjool)
1 large handful goji berries (not soaked)
1 large handful raw cashews
1 heaped tablespoon cacao/carob/cocoa powder

Place all the above ingredients in a food processor. When ground up, add in the following:
2 tablespoons raw tahini
1 tablespoon raw honey

Mix in food processor until forms a dough. Roll into small balls with your
hands and coat in shredded coconut or leave plain!

Tofu Tacos!

this is what i just had for lunch today! it was yummmyyyy!



I used Ortega White Corn taco shells. They're parve kosher (parve means vegan pretty much) and they're also gluten-freeee

And the Tofu salad I used was from the salad bar at Lazy Acres in Santa Barbara



But anyhow, Lazy Acres may not be in your location sooo
what I put in my salad was

-lettice/mixed greens
-sprouts
-tofu
-dried cranberries
-carmelized onions

For the Taco experience!
-Daiya Chedder cheese!
-Salsa!
-Vegan Sour Cream! (Tofutti and Follow Your Heart are great brands!)
or in my case...since i had it in my refrigerator...Follow Your Heart Vegenaise is actually another good substitute?
Sounds kinda wierd....but honestly it actually taste delish! haha!

Hope you have a BEAUTIFUL 10-10-10
make a wish for me at 10:10 pm
i think it still counts.!.

With Love,
SuzanneMarie
<3

Binah Balls

So apparently, along with all the other cultures such as the Greeks, the Romans, and the Egyptians, Israelites also had mythological characters (probably before the revelation of Jesus Christ).

Binah was a Hebrew goddess of Wisdom and Understanding.

So..this Israeli dessert was named after her. And therefore probably will give you "magical memory powers." Haha.

Though...I mean...it is a raw dessert. Nothing is processed...so...it probably will anyways



My friend came over to try them out with me. He really liked them! :D

Binah Balls
2 Cups of finely chopped dried figs
2 Cups of finely chopped dates
2 Cups of finely chopped dried apricots
2 Cups of finely chopped mixed fruit
1 Cup of ground almonds
1 Cup of ground pumpkin seeds
1 Cup of ground sunflower seeds
Shredded Coconut

1. Cut up all the dried figs, dates, dried fruit
2. Throw the almonds and seeds in a blender to grind them up
3, Set aside the ground up nuts and seeds
And then throw in a blender the dates and dried figs and fruit
4. So now that you have everything ground up
mix it all up, roll into balls and roll them in the shredded coconut!

30 Day Total Body Transformation

So I do intern for a very prestigious Registered Dietician, Betsy Markle of Sunshine Wellness
And she is teaming up with Innate Body Bootcamp in Santa Barbara to help anyone who is looking to shed some pounds and become more healthier!

The program starts on October 11-November 9th
where you will be undergoing Nutrition consulting and a kick-ass body workout!

I totally recommend trying this out if you are interested!
And if you are, please fill out the form on this page!
It tells you everything about the program plus how much it will be

Check it out!
http://www.innatebodybootcamp.com/4-week-total-health-transformation/

If you want to learn about Innate Body Bootcamp and your Bootcamp instructors check out this link
http://www.innatebodybootcamp.com/

And this is the Sunshine Wellness site for Nutrition counseling!
http://www.sunshinewellnessinstitute.com/estore/home.php

Sunshine Wellness Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Barbara-CA/Sunshine-Wellness-Institute/96287077468?ref=ts

Oh Slo en Autumn.

I went up to San Luis Obispo by myself Friday to spend some time with family and some friends.

While I was there I wanted to go to a couple of my favorite restaurants! :D

Up first is Vrajas!


Vrajas is a Vegan Mediterranean Restaurant
located next to Native Lounge and right by the Mission of San Luis Obispo!
The woman, Vraja, is the owner and cook for her small business!
Everyday she creates something new, so..there really isn't any menu.
Everything is healthy , vegan and DELICIOUS :D
plus, the price isn't so bad for good food :)

I recommend to visit. Its such a cozy little atmosphere. :D




one of my best friends, Alex, came with me to eat here and we shared the BFF plate, which was a huge plate with our food!
we had
Coconut Curry Veggies, Ratatouille, and Balsamic Rice
can you say...tasty? yes. and it was.

The next day, my mother and I headed to Morro Bay to another favorite spot. Sunshine Cafe



Sunshine Cafe is a cafe/ health food market
I usually like to go for breakfast or lunch.
and then do a bit of grocery shopping after.


I ordered the Green Dragon smoothie
which was a Spirulina drink with apple juice, mango juice, almond milk, and banana


They also had vegan desserts :D
i had a peanutbutter cupcake :D it really tasted like peanutbutter :D

Since I had gotten some groceries there
one of the things I got was a ChocoGreen Smoothie pack to try out
the results
a yummy chocolate Green Smoothie! :)


this was the ChocoGreen package
and i blended this with almond milk and a banana

it contains a lot of green veggies with phytonutrients plus the cacao.

twas a splendid time. Also went to Oasis (another Mediterranean cuisine) restaurant. But i was too caught up in enjoying my food there so I barely took any pictures whatsoever. haha! I'll take pictures next time!

Back home now! Back to Study mode!

I have another recipe to try out tomorrow! Stay tuned! :)

WithLove,
SuzanneMarie