This makes for a great seasonal raw vegan ice cream that tastes like a candy I might have had prior to becoming vegan. I don't remember what candy exactly that I am reminded of, but this recipe is made from fruit: persimmons and bananas. Since bananas and persimmons are both sweet fruits, they fit well together in terms of proper food combining. Therefore, these two fruits are not only good on the taste buds and your health, but also digestion.



Ingredients

• 2-5
• Frozen Bananas
• 1-4
• Persimmons
• 2 Tbs. (for ice cream consistency) add more for smoothie
• Water

It is important for both of the fruits to be super ripe!
I can only fit a maximum of 3-6 medium-sized bananas in my blender so you can use more bananas/persimmons.


























Persimmons taste like pure sugar. They are pretty much only in season during the winter months and can be difficult to find since they aren't usually sold in grocery stores. Thus, you might have to go to either a farmers market or international food store to find it. I recently found an international farmers market that sells produce and all types of food for unbelievably great prices i.e. a full cart of fruits and vegetables (some exotic) that might last a few weeks for only 25-30 dollars. I don't think I have ever exceeded 35 dollars since I've been there even when I get items for making veggie sushi and super exotic fruits like dragon fruit.

Nearly a pound of miniature eggplants baked in a sauce of tomato paste, two tomatoes, herb seasonings, spinach, and 1.5 pots of basmati rice = a very low fat, low sodium, high nutrient, watery and fibrous cooked dinner for one vegan. And people don't believe me when I say I eat a lot. 




This pasta/rice/eggplant/tomato/spinach dish is one that is very satisfying, healthy, nutrient and water dense, low glycemic, gluten-free, oil-free- just all around a great high carbohydrate meal. This dish is a good source of Iron, Potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Magnesium, Manganses, Selenium, and many B-complex Vitamins! The nutritional information is at the bottom of this post if you're curious to see what I mean.





Ingredients

• 1 can - organic tomato paste*
• 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, or less - turbinado sugar
• Seasonings**

*tomato as only ingredient
**Used onion powder, some garlic powder, parsley, black pepper, Italian seasonings, crushed rosemary leaves

Eggplant

• I used a pound of miniature eggplant // the second time I used half a large, regular eggplant
• Add spinach and tomatoes, other veggies for toppings if you want

Pasta/Rice

• Basmati rice
• Rice pasta (I really like rice pasta in place of other types of pastas, it tastes great)
• Vegetable noodles- I recommend zucchini squash (I think zucchini makes for the best pasta subsitiute!)
• Rice, quinoa, or corn pasta - low-glycemic, gluten-free, better for digestion just like the basmati, rice pasta, and vegetable-noodle options.

Also- I used a 9x8 or 8x8 inch glass pan to bake/broil/fit everything together




Methods

Sauce
Put a can of the tomato puree/paste into saucepan, add about a 1/3 or 1/2 cup turbinado/organic sugar (because I like things sweet, if you don't like sweet pasta sauce use less turbinado sugar), and dash in the seasonings- **we used (Salt-free) Spike, parsley or basil leaves, black pepper, chopped rosemary leaves, and onion powder. Stir and let this mixture simmer in the pan for a few minutes..

Eggplant
Wash and chop Eggplant, place chopped eggplant into baking pan or any pan that will do well in the oven, and add heated sauce to the pan with the eggplant. Bake in the oven on 350 F for 20-30 minutes.

Spinach
You can add the spinach whatever way/whenever you want- in the sauce, on top of the eggplant and sauce in the pan (this is what I did) and bake or add it when you add in the tomatoes..

Tomatoes
In thick slices, cut the two-to-three tomatoes and place at the top of the half-baked baking pan and broil high for about five or ten minutes.

***The cooking time for baking and broiling all depends on how soft or tough you want the eggplant to be. I like mine soft so broiling everything until the sauce begins to boil will really soften the eggplants. Not to forget the eggplant will absorb a lot of the water and sauce -- which makes it even more delicious!

Rice
I really like Basmati rice, it is my favorite rice that I can, and do, eat plain. I do not add salt or vegan butter or anything like that anymore to my meals.
But to make the Basmati, follow cooking directions (Mahatma brand comes with a few different cooking methods for Basmati).

Instead of using rice... you could do this with rice pasta. Wheat isn't the best for health nor digestion (from what I have personally experienced and the information I have researched) so I'd recommend a nice rice pasta, it's gluten-free and low-glycemic (if you are concerned about those types of things).

After the rice is finished and the eggplant is soft, combine the two on a plate and it will look like this:


Pastas
Rice pasta is my favorite type of non-wheat pasta. I tried corn pasta for this recipe and it tasted similar to wheat. But if you like something that tastes very light and refreshing, raw veggie noodles can be made from squash, carrots, or any other vegetables. To do this, all you need is a potato peeler, grater, or spiralizer.


Corn pasta with sauce


zucchini pasta




Basmati rice with sauce




Chronometer nutritional breakdown for

Description	Amount	Unit	Calories
Eggplant, raw	454	g	113.5
Spinach, raw	1	cup	6.9
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average	1.75	medium whole (2-3/5" dia)	38.7
			0.0
Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added	1	can (6 oz)	139.4
			268.7

Vegan French Toast - a super easy and tasty recipe




INGREDIENTS

• Any bread
• Almond-coconut milk (any non-dairy, vegan milk will work)
• Bananas blended with coconut water or filtered water
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon
• Oil or non-stick pan

ICING/TOPPING

• Organic Sugar or Coconut Sugar
• Water or coconut milk

METHOD

• In a bowl, pour in nondairy milk and blend half (or whole) banana with liquid (coconut water, water, or non-dairy milk). Add this banana-coconut/almond milk mixture to the bowl of almond milk. This acts as a binder to help join everything together. Dip/cover each side of the bread in the batter for only a few seconds.
• Make sure the pan is completely heated, then add the bread. While the side is cooking, add on the cinnamon, flip and do the same to the other side. Adding the cinnamon while it is cooking really gives the toast a great taste.
• While preparing toast, melt together the org. sugar with liquid until it has a smooth, syrupy consistency similar to the cinnamon roll post. 

This colorful mixture of pineapples, strawberries, bananas, and blackberries creates a look that resembles "cotton candy", while tasting even better and sweeter. Healthy, filling, and deliciously sweet, like candy in a cup! Instead of succumbing to over-processed candy, you can easily make your own healthier and sweeter versions.






Ingredients
Frozen

• Pineapple chunks
• Strawberry
• Blackberries
• Bananas

*Not all of the fruits have to be frozen, but I find the bananas are best in smoothies when frozen.





This smoothie is high in Vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, Manganese, Magnesium, fiber, and Potassium.
And a pretty good source of Calcium, Iron, Selenium, Vitamin E, and Zinc-- among many other amino acids and naturally-occurring essential Omegas. No need for supplements when you can just blend fruits, and sometimes vegetables, into a nutrient-dense smoothie!

The smoothie that packs a punch of nutrients!

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Frozen Pineapple
1 Cup Mixed Berries (Raspberry, Strawberry, Blackberry, etc.)

1 Cup Water
A few Bananas (frozen will make a more ice cream consistency)

I know it has been quite a while since the last post, aside from being somewhat busy, enjoying the break from school, then having another semester start up soon, I'm still trying to process all the photos I've taken for recipes and in-between a few film reviews. In this post, I will discuss the recent shift regarding changes to my diet and outlook on health and nutrition.



I've been following a vegan diet for about six years, have recently gained an interest in raw foods for the past year, and continue to learn more and more about veganism, raw veganism, and other health-related information. The more I learn, the more I strive to be closer to being in a state of optimal health, something that is made out to be more difficult than it needs to be (especially in our current society). This is an issue that persists considering the never-ending expansion of fast-food and widespread health-compromising foods that cause a series of severe health problems all leading to an unfortunate downward spiral. Not to forget it is the reason for the growing rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even certain** cancers, etc. It is the reason why people cannot live healthy, happy, energized lives. 

** I recently noticed a bag of frozen fruits from New World Farms that quotes The National Cancer Center says, "Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce risk of some types of cancers and other chronic diseases." 

I'm often glad that I found veganism at a young age so that I could continue on to a path that would later lead to improving my overall health. Too often, I see people constantly struggling, frustrated, unhappy and unhealthy. I also see those constantly looking and striving for the "secret" or answer to weight/fat loss and a way out of their current situation, when the answer is extremely simple: eat healthy, eat a whole foods plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables! Cut out the meat, the dairy, the eggs. And forget the unsustainable fad diets that promote a high-fat, high-protein diet that tells people to decrease the amount of fruits and vegetables (which I think is insane).   Food is the main source and root of everything that affects the body. So when you change your diet, you are changing your life.

There are many types of vegans and variation within the vegan lifestyle. From vegans who consume a high-processed, "junk food" diet that may or may not include adequate amounts of necessary fruits and vegetables to fruitarians and raw food vegans who follow a diet that is abundant in the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Raw Vegan Vegetable-filled Rolls

In the event that I recently realized I could easily be a high-carb, low-fat vegan and incorporate the 80/10/10 philosophy as a vegan who isn't currently able to be completely raw, I started to do it. By 80/10/10 I mean, a minimum of 80% daily calories from carbohydrates, with maximum of 10% or less from protein, and 10% or less from fats- a method derived from Dr. Graham's The 80/10/10 Diet.

Over time, I have gone from the high-processed with fruits/vegetables vegan diet (junk-food vegan) to a more fulfilling diet that consists of largely raw fruits and vegetables along with carbohydrate-loaded foods such as rice, potatoes, and minimally packaged/processed foods. I feel that the high-carbohydrate, low-fat, vegan diet is the way to go! I like this way because I am someone who eats a lot, likes to eat a lot, and has always done so.

Banana Ice Cream with Coconut Sugar - Coming soon

80/10/10 is something that is often discussed and recommended in the vegan community. Following 80/10/10 on a regular vegan diet is, in my opinion, easier and more affordable to do as opposed to going completely raw vegan. Unfortunately, fruits and vegetables are more expensive especially when your diet relies on an abundant amount.


So moving on with the recipe for today..

MANGO KALE SALAD




This salad is raw vegan, super easy, simple, and loaded with Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and several other important nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 - 1 cup : Kale
• 1/2 - 1 cup : Spinach
• Carrots
• Mango
• Any other raw vegetables/fruits

With fruit as a topping, you don't really need a salad dressing.

Bridesmaids and Miss Congeniality are both funny female-dominated films but even more hilarious and insanely funny is The Heat. This brilliantly hilarious and completely outrageous buddy-cop comedy has Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy breaking female stereotypes, which is still scarce to the film industry.

Sandra Bullock. Melissa McCarthy. The Heat. Dir. Paul Feig. 20th Century Fox. 2013.

Melissa McCarthy. Sandra Bullock. The Heat. Dir. Paul Feig. 20th Century Fox. 2013.

Melissa McCarthy is the tough and outrageous local Boston city cop while Bullock portrays the uptight, always correct and labeled "arrogant" FBI agent who have to learn how to work together in order to solve an important case. Bullock and McCarthy are absolutely hilarious leads in this action-comedy as they bring something new to the film industry one joke at a time. This something that audiences don't really get to see enough is women at the focus of the film, not as mere accessories in the background told to do "pretty", but as talented and hilarious women in the forefront who work hard and are the best at their jobs.

Despite the fact that there are many, usually dramatic, films with leading actresses depicting strong and powerful women, the majority of people these days seem to go more for light comedies and action as opposed to intense, powerful dramas (depending on the names of the leading actresses/actors). And this film is exactly that; it is both an action and comedy genre. The only difference between this and the majority of action-comedy films is that the main characters are female.

Sandra Bullock said, "I’ve always wanted to do a female buddy film, the kind the guys get to do. This didn’t have anything to do with getting a guy, and it didn’t involve shoe shopping. It was about two human beings who are great at what they do..." Director of The Heat, Paul Feig has said, ''I would love to erase the term 'chick flick." While on late-show Jimmy Kimmel Live, Feig exclaimed that The Heat is a "female buddy-cop comedy with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, which you can't go wrong with!" 

This film is honestly the funniest movie or show I have seen in a long time and really does give headway to doing away with the overused and sexist term "chick flick." It has the action, comedy, a great leading cast of two hilarious women, and cannot be underestimated as that terrible sexist term "chick flick." There really should be, just as there is a need, for more films like this.


REDBAND TRAILER



I don't think the those super-short trailers on television give the film real kudos and show how funny it really is. The Heat was so good and entertaining, I can't wait to see it again.

After investing in a blender, I have been experimenting with several fruit combinations to find amazing and healthy smoothie drinks. This topical smoothie is a very easy mixture that is both incredibly healthy and provides a great topical feel for any day. This smoothie is filled with fruits that all contain B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Potassium, and are abundant in several other nutrients.




Ingredients*

Most: Oranges
Medium: Strawberries
Least: Banana
(Optional) least: Spinach or Kale

* The majority of the smoothie should be of oranges to create that tropical taste
- Any other sweet fruits or low amount of greens may also be incorporated into this



Although I may post a lot of vegan desert recipes and other sweet treats, it is definitely not the majority of my diet. I make sure to get my proper and needed nutrition by eating mostly whole plant foods. So here's a great smoothie filled with nutrients and refreshing goodness.

• Oranges are known mainly for containing high levels of Vitamin C, but also consist of Vitamin B1, Vitamin A, Potassium, and Calcium. 

• Strawberries are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Strawberries are not only high in Vitamin C, but they also contain Vitamins A, D, E, K, along with several other B-complex vitamins.

• Bananas are one of the best and super affordable fruits- one of which, I manage to eat on a daily basis. Every time I go grocery shopping, I get about 2-5 bunches of (usually organic) bananas depending on the amount I already have. Bananas are also high in Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Manganese, and Potassium. Bananas provide an abundance of benefits.

Each fruit in this smoothie contains plentiful amounts of very important nutrients and that is without listing all of them. So those non-veg people who claim vegans/vegetarians are either low in B-vitamins or have a deficiency, should know that B-vitamins have several sources most of which are from fruits/vegetables. Here's a list of vegetables that are great sources of B-vitamins, most of which I eat on a daily basis. And with the inclusion of kale or spinach, nutrients will just continue to skyrocket for better health.








Sources
WHFoods
Livestrong

For a good while I had been wanting cinnamon rolls but not just any regular cinnamon rolls, I wanted the particular cinnamon rolls from one of my favorite vegan restaurants, Dulce Vegan Bakery and Cafe. Unfortunately, I was not able to make the trip so instead I picked up a box of Chebe's cinnamon roll dough as I was walking though a natural foods store.

The mix contains a tapioca flour and cinnamon mixture for the dough. After that, the filling and icing is up you. I used bananas (to replace egg), brown sugar, and cinnamon in accordance with instructions, baked in muffin pan for a few minutes, added my own icing and the result wasn't bad. The cinnamon rolls tasted great but they are not going to have the gooey, doughy texture of a bakery cinnamon roll. They were more firm, but still moist, sweet, and sugary.


For my icing I melted together:

• Raw turbinado sugar
• Sometimes brown sugar
• Almond/coconut milk
• [Small amount] Corn starch (for caramel result) or flour (for icing consistency)*

It's best to mix flour with water before adding it into the pan with the sugar to prevent clumps of flour in the icing. Powered sugar would be much easier and faster to melt/break down than raw sugar, which is why it is most commonly used for a light glaze or icing.


Considering the fact that the list of ingredients in the product are only tapioca, cinnamon, and salt, this product is definitely not worth the price when one could probably easily make the whole rolls from scratch much cheaper.