Vegan "Cheezy" Broccoli

This was soooooo delicious! OMG!  I want more!!  I just love being a vegan, so darn much! I am on Day 36 of eating the Crazy Sexy Diet Way!

There is absolutely NO dairy whatsoever in this recipe, but it sure tastes DARN GOOD!

This is the BEST Nutritional Yeast out there.  I even like to pop some popcorn in my hot air popper and add some olive oil and nutritional yeast to it.

Cheezy Broccoli

Steam your broccoli and set aside.

For the "Cheezy" Sauce:

1 Sweet Potato cooked and mashed. (removed the skin)
1 1/2 cups of water
1/4 cup of Kale Nutritional Yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 Teaspoon Salt

Directions:
Combine the above ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth & creamy and pour over your broccoli.

 

I ate that whole plate and I might just go have some more!!!

Enjoy!!! Leave me a comment below and let me know how much you loved it!

Love you guys! 

Sherri

Sherri's Curry Veggie Soup Recipe

What is your favorite homemade go to soup? This is the Curry Veggie Soup that I made yesterday! So very easy.  I love Fall!  Soups/Chilis are my fav!!

 Just throw in whatever veggies you have. I sauteed onion, Baby Bell Mushrooms, Red Bell Pepper, Carrots, Celery, and Broccoli into a pan and water steamed them until tender...not mushy.

Then I sauteed 3 fresh garlic cloves that I had minced.

 Then I put Frozen Green Beans, edamame and zucchini in a big soup pot and added the other water steamed veggies. I added red pepper flakes, Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute, Sweet Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Cayenne Pepper, Celtic Sea Salt (my fav) and McCormick's Red Curry Powder. Add in 1 carton of broth (whatever kind you prefer) and water.

 Let it all cook with a lid until the zucchini is tender, but not mushy. Add fresh spinach and cook for a couple mins longer (I dont like the spinach super limp.)

 

Raw Apple Pie Bowl

OH MY WORD!!!  This was sooooo good.  I am totally enjoying my new Crazy, Sexy way of eating.  You will NEVER go hungry and never feel deprived by any means.  This breakfast was fit for a King!  It calls for apples, but I replaced one apple with a large organic Barlett Pear, that I needed to be used up soon.

Ingredients:

 2 large organic apples or 3 medium, diced
 2 bananas, mashed 
 Cinnamon (opt.)
 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed (opt.)

Directions:

1. Mash the bananas in a bowl.
2. Dice the apples and mix in with the apples.
3. Mix in the flax and let sit until thickens.
4. Sprinkle cinnamon on top or just serve

I totally feel like I just ate apple pie for breakfast.  And with the pear in it....it really gave it a kick!

I logged it in Cronometer to see how close I am already to my nutritional goals for the day!

 

 

Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Burger

Crazy Sexy Kitchen By Kris Carr with Chef Chad Sarno

These burgers can be eaten on a bun or I love them most on an Organic Lettuce Leaf. 

To see more from Kris Carr, check out kriscarr.com!

Ingredients

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into small 1-inch chunks
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for sautéing
pinch of salt
½ cup finely diced onion
16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 clove garlic, minced
½ Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder (optional)
½ tsp salt
3 Tbsp tamari sauce
2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)
⅛ cup cornmeal
4 whole-grain bun, toasted or Lettuce Leaf
1 tomato, sliced (optional)
1 onion, sliced (optional)
lettuce (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Place the potato, 1 tablespoon canola oil, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Spray a small baking pan with oil, and spread the sweet potato out in an even layer. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
3. Warm a small sauté pan and add remaining tablespoon of oil and the onion. Sauté until the onion is browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Pulse the next 9 ingredients together with the roasted sweet potato and onion in a food processor or stand mixer, being careful not to overmix. Taste for seasoning, then cool in the fridge. Remove after chilled and form six 6-ounce patties.
5. Warm a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan. Spray pan with canola or olive oil and spray the burgers lightly. Brown both sides.
6. Serve on toasted buns and top with your favorite veggies.

 I am going to put mine on a Romaine Lettuce Leaf and maybe pair it with some steamed broccoli or cucumber salad!  Something easy....I know that much....I like QUICK and EASY MEALS!  

Let me know how you like this recipe!
Sherri xoxo  

Raw Brownies

Raw Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups walnuts
• pinch sea salt
• 13-14 large Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (you could also use mint extract or cherry extract, or orange...)

Instructions

1. Place walnuts and salt in a food processor.
2. Process until finely ground.
3. Add remaining ingredients and process until all mixed and uniformly crumbly.
4. With the machine running, add a few drops of water at a time, just until the mass starts to stick together in a big ball. (Better to add too little that too much!)
5. Roll mixture into balls or press into a square pan and cut into squares.
6. Balls can then be rolled in dried coconut, chopped nuts, or cocoa powder if you wish.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raw Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• dash sea salt
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter (OK to leave out to make nut-free)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Put oats and salt in food processor.
2. Process until finely ground.
3. Add remaining ingredients and process until fully combined.
4. Add a few drops of water if needed to form balls.
5. Form into balls or press into a square pan and cut into squares.

Some may ask what is the difference between eating these and eating a real cookie.  Calorically, there is no difference.  Same amount of calories.  My raw cookies have a bit more nutrition, fiber, protein and healthy fats.  The fiber slows down the entry of sugar into your bloodstream.
But the big difference is that they do not cause binging the way real cookies do. I don’t know why, but I have never met anyone who binges on these after the first week of making them.  (The first few times there is sometimes an excitement binge, but then it goes away).

I can, and do, keep these cookies in my fridge at all times.  My kids eat them.  Their friends eat them. I serve them to company.  No one knows they are “healthy” or sugar-free.  And my mind is peaceful with just eating one. Maybe it is the lack of refined sugar, flour and fat?  Maybe it is something else?  Not sure, but they work.
Amen.
This post is participating in Wellness Weekend at DietDessertNDogs.com


http://triumphwellness.com/healthy-sugar-free-cookies/

Orange Mango Popsicles-no sugar added

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups chopped mango fresh or frozen
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia, Valencia Orange or even Sweetleaf lemon drop will work

Directions
Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth. Taste and see if you need to add stevia. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze.
Makes about 4 cups after blending.
Servings: 12* Calories per serving: 49* Fat: 0* Fiber: 1g* Carbs: 13g* Protein: 1g* Points+: 1*

http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/orange-mango-popsicles-dairy-freeno-sugar-added/

Sugar-Free Banana Popsicles

Ingredients

• 6-7 large, ripe organic bananas
• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries or cherries
• 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 12 Dixie cups
• 12 popsicle sticks

Preparation

• Set up 12 Dixie cups, or, if you have perfect popsicle molds, get them ready
• In a food processor, blend 5 peeled bananas
• With a spoon, fill Dixie cups 1/3 of the way with the mixture
• Add strawberries/cherries to the remaining banana mixture and blend until smooth
• With a spoon, fill Dixie cups 2/3 of the way with the mixture
• Add renaming peeled bananas and cacao powder to the renaming mixture in the food processor and blend until smooth
• Fill Dixie cups with the mixture all the way to the top, place popcicle sticks in the middle and freeze until hard–about 2-3 hours

Remove paper cups and indulge in these sugar free popsicles…

or, serve them dipped into sugar free melted chocolate syrup with crushed Macademia nuts!
Freeze leftover popcicles in a plastic bag.


http://www.vega-licious.com/vegan-recipes/its-always-time-for-sugar-free-banana-popsicles-recipe/

Homemade Choc. Almond Butter Cups

Homemade Almond Chocolate

Ingredients

¼ cup raw organic cacao powder
¼ cup organic coconut oil or coconut butter
5 mls vanilla essence
1 1/2 tbs almond butter
10-12 drops liquid stevia plus 1/2 tsp powdered stevia (sweeten to your taste with more or less stevia, do a taste test before freezing).
1 TBS shaved cacao butter (optional)
Melt cacao and coconut oil over boiling water add additional ingredients and stir until smooth

Place in a container (I used a shallow muffin pan you could use chocolate paper cups) and freeze for 30 minutes.

Blueberry-Oat Bars

If you prefer a sweeter bar, add more agave nectar, sugar, stevia, or your favorite sweetener to the blueberries as they are cooking. Or add a sugar glaze on top by mixing a little vegan powdered sugar with water until it’s the right consistency for drizzling.

Ingredients

• 1 pint blueberries
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with enough water or juice to form a smooth paste
• 3 cups oatmeal* (regular, not instant)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces unsweetened applesauce
• 6 tablespoons (3/8 cup) agave nectar
• 6 tablespoons (3/8 cup) water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

*Use gluten-free oats to make these gluten-free.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Oil an 8×8-inch baking dish.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, agave nectar, and juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, stir in the vanilla and the cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir as the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Put 1 1/2 cups of the oatmeal into a blender and grind it to a fine powder. Pour it into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the remaining oatmeal, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Stir in the apple sauce, agave nectar, water, and vanilla, and mix well.
4. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing well to cover the bottom of the pan. Spoon the blueberry filling over the batter, and cover the blueberries with the remaining batter.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s) | Cooking time: 35 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 16

Nutrition Facts

Makes 16 bars. Each contains 117 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 81mg Sodium; 2g Fiber. Weight Watchers 2 Flex Points.

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/07/blueberry-oat-bars.html 

Raw Orange Smoothie

2 medium bananas
2 medium oranges
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (or water for a less orangy-taste)
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon coconut oil

1. Get your orange zest off an orange before you peel it. The easiest way to get fresh orange zest is to simply use a clean orange peeler to shave a bit of orange peel off. Collect 1 tbsp's worth.
2. Peel your oranges well using a knife. Cut off most of the white rind so that you just have nice, glistening oranges with very little white rind left.
3. Add all ingredients to your high-speed blender.
4. Blend well.
5. Enjoy your raw orange smoothie!

Inner Goddess Detox Salad

Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 cups loosely packed fresh kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 cup shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
10 raw, unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
3 strawberries, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled & sliced
1/4 cup blueberries
1/3 cucumber, peeled, seeded & sliced
1/4 cup raspberries
Olive oil based salad dressing

Directions:
1. Massage kale in a large bowl for 1-2 minutes, or until broken down and tender. Combine with spinach and cabbage, then turn out onto a plate.
2. Top with remaining ingredients, then drizzle with a good, olive-oil based salad dressing.

Immaculate. Sweet, earthy, crunchy, chewy, and oh-so satisfying.



I debated making homemade Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette to drizzle on top, but my inner goddess was starving, so I saved time by using Marzetti Simply Dressed Pomegranate Vinaigrette instead. I’d recommend any good, olive-oil based dressing though.














 

By the way – if you’ve got a guy and his inner “god” to please, throw a grilled chicken breast on top of this salad, and serve it with a piece of broiled garlic bread on the side. They’ll both dive right in!



http://iowagirleats.com/2012/05/29/inner-goddess-detox-salad/

Raw Carrot Apple Date Bites Recipe

The Green Breakfast Challenge

Each day, we are working to incorporate GREEN into our breakfast.  Here are a bunch of possible green breakfast foods to include!

My most simple smoothie recipe is 2 cups of organic, baby spinach + 2 cups of frozen fruit in the blender with water.  Smoothies are the easiest way for us to incorporate many greens, as I can vary the greens and vary the fruit!  You can add a bit of sweetener, honey or pure maple syrup, as needed. Or use 100% juice or fresh juice for the liquid.

Often, I'll use my herbal infusions as the liquid. And I'll freeze any extra smoothie - flat in a gallon-size Ziploc. This provides a quick frozen 'mixed juice' to toss in the blender in the afternoon as a Pick-Me-Up!

 

Basic smoothie recipe:
2 cups liquid (coconut water, water, juice, kefir, nettles, milks, etc)
2 cups greens (rotate, spinach, kelp, Romaine, spring mix, asparagus, etc - use organic)
1 cup frozen fruit (berries, mango, bananas, peaches, etc - use organic)
1-2 tablespoon of fat (avocado, coconut oil, cream, ghee, nut butter, etc.)
1/4 cup protein (pastured egg, nuts, seeds, nut butter, sprouts, liver, etc.)

1/4 teaspoon herbs or spices (cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric, kelp, ginger, etc.)
(optional) sweetener (honey, maple syrup)
1/4 cup of whole food probiotics (kefir, kombucha, yogurt)

Avocados
Bell peppers
Cabbage
Celery
Collard greens
Fennel
Garlic
Green beans
Green peas
Kale
Mustard greens
Romaine lettuce
Sea vegetables
Spinach
Turnip greens
Kiwifruit
Limes
Watermelon
Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley
Peppermint
Rosemary
Sage
green tea
chives
lavender
mint
alfalfa
amaranth
chickweed
dandelion
fenugreek
nettles
oatstraw
red clover blossoms
seaweed
violet leaves

Sprouts: Alfalfa, Clover, Arugula, Cress, Radish, Fenugreek, Mizuna and Tatsoi,Garlic, Chives, Onion, Mung, Garbanzos, Peanut, Lentils, Peas, Broccoli,
wheat, barley, rye, oats, amber wave, amarath, buckwheat, corn, Kamut,
millet, quinoa, rice (billion types), Spelt, Triticale

Grasses:Wheat, Rye, Barley, Triticale, Flax and Oats, SpeltBaby sprouted greens:
buckwheat lettuce, mesclun mix, (Mustard, Radish, Mizuna, Tatsoi,
Cabbage, Cress and Arugula), pea shoots, popcorn shoots, sunflower
greens, garlic, leek, onion, red clover, Fenugreek,

Microgreens: alfalfa, clover, broccoli, arugula, cabbage, cress, radish, cabbage, chia, curly cress, flax greens

Sprouted nuts and seeds: almond, hemp, Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds (Hulled), Pumpkins (Hulled or Naked), sesame

The Sprout People: http://www.sproutpeople.com/seeds.html#Anchor-All-6041

Swiss chard
Green Leaf lettuce
Endive
Escarole
Bok Choy
broccoli
brussel sprouts
wheat grass
zucchini
beet greens
Arugula
Green apples
Green grapes
Green pears
Jalapeno
Mache
Watercress


http://heal-thyself.ning.com/group/introtosmoothies/forum/topics/green-breakfast-challenge

101 Reasons to Go Vegetarian

 

People Land Air Water Efficiency Animals Health

PEOPLE

1. Every year in the UK we feed our livestock enough food to feed 250,000,000 people while in the world 30,000,000 people die of starvation
2. 20 vegetarians can live off the land required by one meat eater
3. Every 3 seconds a child dies of starvation somewhere in the world
4. If Americans reduced their meat consumption by 10% it would free 12,000,000 tons of grain - enough to feed 60,000,000 people (the population of Great Britain)
5. If all Americans became vegetarian, it would free enough grain to feed 600,000,000 people (the population of India)
6. Intensification in animal farming has displaced 1,000,000's of people from their traditional lands - eg. indigenous people in south & central america, native americans in north america & crofters in Great Britain - this is continuing today
7. People displaced from their lands into cities succumb to dietary deficiency, diseases, parasites & opportunistic diseases
8. In third world countries 1 in 10 babies die before their first birthday
9. The UK imports �46,000,000 worth of grain from third world countries to feed our livestock
10. Due to overgrazing 850,000,000 people live on land threatened by desertification & over 230,000,000 already live on land so severely desertified that they are unable to sustain their existence & face imminent starvation
11. 1,000,000,000 people in the west gorging on meat & dairy leave 1,000,000,000 to waste away & 3,500,000,000 teeter on the brink
    

     

    LAND

12. If they continue to clear American forests to raise cattle at the present rate, in 50 years there will be none left
13. 1 acre yields 165 lbs of beef or 20,000 lbs of potatoes
14. 8/10 of cultivated land in the UK is used to grow food for animals (14,732,000 hectares)
15. It takes 16lbs of high protein soya to produce 1 lb of beef
16. Since 1945 in the UK we have lost 95% of flower meadows, 50% of ancient woodlands, 40% of heathlands, 50% of wet lands & 224,000 km of hedgerows all due to animal farming
17. Pressure on land due to meat farming leads to soil erosion 6billion tons/year in the USA
18. If everyone went vegetarian upto 90% of land used for animal farming could be taken out of production & used to replant woodlands, leisure activities etc.
19. 25% of Central america's forests have been destroyed for cattle grazing since 1960
20. Between 1966-1983 38% of the Amazon rain forest was destroyed for cattle grazing
21. 90% of cattle ranches established on cleared forest land go bankrupt in less than 8 years as the land becomes barren due to nutrient loss & overgrazing
22. Overgrazing by cattle is destroying the land & increasing desertification, nearly 430 million acres in the USA alone has suffered a 25-50% reduction in yield since first grazed
23. An inch of topsoil takes 200-1000 years to develop - yet in the USA they have lost around 1/3 of their prime topsoil in 200 years (around 7 inches) due to animal farming
24. Land will be lost due to rises in sea level due to global warming due to animal farming
    

     

    AIR

25. The destruction of the rainforest by cattle farmers is destroying the lungs of the planet & reducing the worlds capacity to replenish our oxygen supply
26. The 1,300,000,000 cattle in the world emit 60,000,000 tons of methane per year (methane is a greenhouse gas & leads to global warming)
27. Burning of forests, grasslands & agricultural waste associated with animal farming releases 50-100,000,000 tons of methane per year
28. Combining these figures, 25% of methane emissions are due to animal farming (not including the billions of sheep, pigs & poultry so the real figure is much higher)
29. Fertilizer used to grow crops to feed to animals releases nitrous oxide - thought to account for 6% of the greenhouse effect
30. Fertilizer, weedkiller & pesticides sprayed on crops enter the atmosphere creating a noxious carcinogenic cocktail
31. CFCs are released into the air from refrigeration units used to store decomposing flesh (meat), milk & butter - CFCs are destroy the ozone layer
32. Ammonia from animal urine also pollutes the atmosphere
33. CO2 is released by burning oil & petrol in lorries, ships, abattoirs, dairies, factories etc. associated with meat & dairy production
34. Emissions from large chemical plants which produce fertilizer, weedkiller & other agricultural chemicals are also poisoning our air
    

     

    WATER

35. 25 gallons of water to produce 1lb of wheat & 2500 gallons to produce 1lb of meat
36. UK farm animals produce 200,000,000 tonnes of slurry (liquid excrement) every year, the majority of which ends up in our rivers
37. Bloody waste water from abattoirs ends up in our rivers
38. In the USA every second humans produce 12,000 lbs of effluent while farmed animals produce 250,000 lbs
39. Nitrates & pesticides used on crops grown to feed livestock end up in our rivers
40. Meat & dairy farming uses 70 litres of water per day per animal in the UK or 159,250,000,000 litres per year in total
41. The water used to produce 10 lbs of steak is equivalent to the average consumption of water for an entire household for an entire year
42. Depletion of groundwater reserves to grow crops for animals & to supply abattoirs will lead to greater water shortages
43. Aquafers (stores of underground water) in the San Joaquin valley in the USA are being drained at the rate of 500,000,000,000 gallons/year to produce meat
44. 18% of all agricultural land in the world is irrigated & as global warming increases (partly due to animal farming) it will cost $200,000,000 to keep these systems going
45. The water used to produce a 1000 lb beef steer is enough to float a Destroyer battleship
46. The liquid waste from the various parts of the meat & dairy industry flow into the rivers & from there into the seas polluting them & encouraging huge algal blooms to grow
    

     

    EFFICIENCY

47. To produce 1calorie of energy from meat takes 60 calories of petrol, whereas growing grains & legumes to directly feed people produces 20 calories for each calorie of fuel used ( thats 1200 times more efficient)
48. Meat & dairy farming uses billions of gallons of oil to run tractors, fuel ships & lorries (to move animal feed & animals), pump billions of gallons of water to irrigate fields & run slaughterhouses, power refrigeration units to prevent the corpses from decomposing & to power sewage plants to clean up some of the pollution produced
49. Cattle convert only 6% of their energy intake (mainly grains & soya) into flesh, the remaining 94% is wasted as heat, movement (which is why they keep many animals in very close confinement), hair, bones, faeces etc
50. 1lb of beef takes 1 gallon of petrol to produce
51. A family of four eating beef for a year uses enough petrol to run a car for 6 months (obviously depending on how far you drive!)
52. If the full ecological cost of meat was passed onto the consumer - the price would be quadrupled (at least)
53. The EC spends �100,000,000's to subsidise animal production resulting in lakes of unwanted milk & mountains of unwanted meat & butter. This money could be better spent encouraging organic fruit, vegetable & grain production
54. In the USA in 1979 145,000,000 tons of crops were fed to cattle resulting in only 21million tons of animal bodies - the cost of the wasted crops was $20,000,000,000
55. Between 1950 & 1985 grain production in Europe & the USA increased massively but 2/3 was fed to animals
56. 70% of all grain is fed to animals
57. Eating vast quantities of animal flesh, eggs, milk & butter is a luxury that most of the planet can not afford
    

     

    ANIMALS

58. Fishing with drift (and other modern) nets weakens & destroys ecosystems by indiscriminately killing billions of sea creatures & disrupting the sea bed
59. Fishermen's nets kill 10 times as many other animals as the fish they are hoping to catch
60. Fish caught in nets die an agonising slow death of suffocation
61. Each year 15,000,000,000 land animals are slaughtered for food & an unknown but much larger number of sea creatures (including 1000's of dolphins caught accidentally)
62. Chickens are crammed into battery cages with upto 3 other birds, they are unable to even spread their wings & many can not even stand up
63. Unwanted male chicks (because they can't lay eggs) are gassed or pulped while their sisters go to the battery sheds
64. Chicks are debeaked without anaesthetic to prevent them injuring each other in the unnaturally confined conditions they are kept in - this is equivalent to having your fingernails pulled out without anaesthetic
65. Modern farming methods using growth hormones & artificial lighting mean that many chickens out grow their bones, resulting in fractured & broken legs
66. Sows are kept tethered in stalls 1.3 x 1 metre on concrete or slatted floors - they can not even turn around
67. Poultry raised for meat are kept in windowless broiler sheds, with around 20-30,000 in each shed, they live in an area of 10-20 cm square - fighting due to overcrowding is common & like battery hens they commonly suffer from supperating bed sores
68. Broilersheds are artificially lit 23 hours a day to produce rapid growth
69. Animals travel between farms & to slaughter in overcrowded transporters with no food or water - resulting in stress, injuries & deaths - legal requirements are widely ignored
70. 95% of poultry suffer injuries before being killed & 30% suffer broken bones
71. Problems with stunning practices mean that many animals have their throats slit while still conscious (around 6% of cattle or 200,000 per year) & are then dipped in tanks of scalding water (to loosen feathers, bristles etc.) again while fully conscious
72. 4000 animals die spurting their blood out every minute in a British slaughterhouse
73. Calf leather comes from animals killed at just 2 weeks old
74. Cows were fed on the ground up remains of other cows & sheep - the result is thought to be BSE (mad cow disease) in the USA cattle are fed partly on recycled plastic pellets
75. Cows only give milk for 10 months after they have a calf - so they are routinely artificially inseminated (ie. mechanically raped) to keep them pregnant & milking - their calves are taken away (usually at 12 hours old) for meat or export to veal crates
76. Cows would naturally live upto 20 years but are slaughtered after 5-7 years when their milk production begins to fall
77. In the UK animals are killed by first being stunned with electricity or a captive bolt gun (ie. a bolt is fired into their heads) before having their throats slit & being plunged into boiling water - all this happens on a production line with the animals being hung upside down from a moving conveyor belt - this is factory farming
78. "Animals are those unfortunate slaves & victims of the most brutal part of mankind" - John Stewart Mill (philosopher)
79. Veal calves are confined in stalls in the dark, unable to move & are fed on pigs blood , chocolate & dried milk (we are drinking the rich fresh milk of their mothers)
80. Cows naturally produce 5 litres of milk per day for their calves - under the intensified systems of modern farming they produce 25-40 litres per day - resulting in swollen & inflamed udders - at this rate they are soon worn out
81. Large areas of land are under monoculture to grow crops to feed to animals - these areas are wildlife deserts supporting fewer & fewer species.
    

     

    HEALTH

82. Vegetarians have a 20% lower rate of mortality from all causes (ie. they live longer & don't get sick as often)
83. Meat is full of traces of antibiotics, hormones, toxins produced by stress & pesticide residues that become concentrated from all the crops they have eaten
84. Fish contain heavy metals & other pollutants -many of which originated on farms
85. The world health organisation recommends a diet low in saturated fat, sugar, salt & with plenty of fibre - exactly what you get on a vegan/vegetarian diet
86. Farmed animals contain upto 50% saturated fat in their bodies
87. Vegetarians have 24% reduced risk of getting heart disease & Vegans a 57% reduction (heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK accounting for 50% of deaths)
88. Obesity is rare in vegetarians, obesity is related to many diseases
89. Vegans & vegetarians have lower blood pressure & cholesterol levels - high levels are associated with heart disease, strokes & kidney failure
90. Vegetarians have a 50% reduced risk of dying of diabetes
91. Vegetarians have a 40% reduced level of cancer than the general population thought to be because they have a higher intake of vitamins A,C & E
92. Vegetarians have a reduced risk of developing gall & kidney stones
93. 80% of food poisoning is due to infected meat (faeces, bacteria etc.) after all meat is decomposing flesh - most of the rest is due to salmonella in eggs
94. Osteoporosis due to calcium loss from bones is mainly due to the sulphur content in meat & casein protein in milk that cause calcium to be lost in the urine - the countries with the highest meat & dairy consumption are those with the highest levels of brittle bones
95. 50% of people do not have the enzyme to digest milk properly & milk allergy is related to asthma & eczema
96. Meat eaters have double the rate of Alzheimers disease as Vegans & Vegetarians - some people also think that Parkinsons disease is also linked to meat eating
97. Egg yolk is a dense concentration of saturated fat & the white is high in albumin protein associated with leaching calcium into your urine. Butter is 80% saturated fat, cream is 40% saturated fat & cheese is 25-40% saturated fat
98. Meat eaters are two and a half times more likely to get bowel cancer than Vegetarians
99. The cling film used to wrap meat in supermarkets & butchers contains chemicals linked to falling sperm counts in men
100. Chinese people (living mainly on a vegetarian diet) consume 20% more calories than Americans but Americans are 20% fatter
101. Of 2,100,000 deaths in the USA in 1987, 1,500,000 were related to diet (ie. meat & dairy)

 

AND I COULD GO ON !

If you've read this far, I hope that you are beginning to see that the Meat & Dairy industry is a major contributor to misery on this planet. It is destroying the health of people in rich countries, starving those in poor countries, it is torturing & killing billions of animals every year and in the meantime it is one of the major factors in the destruction of the environment - so what does the meat & dairy industry have to say in it's defence? Well their only real point is usually "Meat is tasty" - fair enough a lot of people enjoy the taste of meat - but there are plenty of delicious alternatives (just consider the huge range of vegetarian dishes in Indian cooking - one of the oldest & most sophisticated cuisines in the world) and if you really crave meat & dairy, nowadays there are plenty of healthy non animal alternatives - just look in the supermarket & health food shop. So I hope you will agree it's pretty pathetic to consider all the evidence & then say "well I know you're right about the environment & health & the animals - but I just love my meat"

http://www.flex.com/~jai/articles/101.html 

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Best Broccoli Ever

preheat the oven to 425.
Take 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli (I just got two large bunches), cut into florets (but relatively big ones.) Here’s the key that she doesn’t mention in the recipe: dry them THOROUGHLY. That is, if you wash them. I saw an episode of Julia Child cooking with Jacques Pepin once when Pepin revealed he doesn’t wash a chicken before putting it in a hot oven: “The heat kills all the germs,” he said in his French accent. “If bacteria could survive that oven, it deserves to kill me.” By that logic, then, I didn’t wash my broccoli; I wanted it to get crispy and brown. If you’re nervous, though, just wash and dry it obsessively.
Now, it’s easy. Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. (She says 5 Tbs olive oil, 1 1/2 tsps kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, but I just eyeballed it.) Now add 4 garlic cloves that are peeled and sliced and toss them in too.

Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until “crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.”
I shook the pan around a bit as it went, but not sure that’s necessary.
When it’s done, take it out of the oven–and here’s where it gets really good–zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts (I left those out), and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. She also has you add 2 Tbs julienned fresh basil, but I left that out too.

You won’t miss it: the magic combo of the crispy broccoli, the garlic, the lemon and the cheese will make this the best broccoli of your life. I guarantee it; you will go ga-ga over it. I’m so ga-ga over it that I would seriously consider a trip right now to the store just so I could make this for lunch. Broccoli for lunch? After trying this, you’ll never want to eat anything else for breakfast, lunch or dinner ever again.



http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2008/11/the_best_brocco.html

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

1/2 lb dried small red beans (presoaked over night)
1/2 lb dried black beans (presoaked over night)
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 - 3 tomatoes, chopped
1 8 oz canned crush tomatoes
1 8 oz can corn
1 12oz bag veggie crumbles (can be omitted)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 teaspoons of chili powder (I omit this since my child does not like it spicy)
5 - 8 cups of water (depending on how thick you want the chili)
Peppercorns to taste or pepper flakes
Salt to taste

Garnish

Grated cheddar
Fresh coriander leaves ( I used parsley)

Carefully sort through the beans removing any extraneous material. Rinse well. Put in a pot add 2 quarts of water, and soak overnight.


In a heavy pot at medium to high heat add oil, saute onion, peppers, and carrots for about 5 - 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn heat to low and add spices. Cook for 2 -3 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Add chopped tomatoes, presoaked beans, salt and water.

Cover the pot and cook over medium to low heat for about 60 - 90 minutes. Sometimes more depending on the size and maturity of the beans.

Keep checking chili every 15 - 20 minutes or so for tenderness of the beans. When beans are tender, add corn and veggie crumbles. Taste chili and adjust salt and heat to taste. Garnish as desired.


http://eatgood4life.blogspot.com/search/label/Soups

Vegetarian Brown Rice Sushi

If you have an Asian supermarket you will find all the ingredients to make sushi there. The Nori, sushi seasoning, sushi rice, rolling mat etc

If you venture to make this you can fill them up with whatever ingredients you may prefer. Enjoy!

Here you can see the first stages. Placing the nori sheet over the mat and placing a couple of tablespoons of rice followed by the veggies and sauce. The next step is to roll it up and cut it into pieces :-)

Not very attractive looking but nevertheless super tasty and healthy, and much more economical than going out!!

Ingredients:

4 cups of sushi brown rice
1/4 cup sushi vinegar (Make sure you get one without high fructose corn syrup if you can)
8-10 nori sheets
3-4 carrots, cut lengthwise
1 cucumber, cut lengthwise

Sauce:

3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2-4 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha

Cook the rice and add the sushi vinegar to it. Place a sheet of nori on the mat and spread about 3 tablespoons of rice on it making sure the rice sticks to the nori sheet. (I use a wooden spoon to help me spread the rice evenly)

Line a piece of carrot, cucumber and 1 tablespoon of the sauce along the middle of the rice.
Start to roll using the mat to keep the roll tight. Wet one end of the nori sheet with a little water before finishing the roll.

Using a serrated knife, slice the roll into 1-inch segments. Serve with sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, ginger or wasabi .

http://eatgood4life.blogspot.com/search/label/Vegetables

Karma Chow Veggie Burgers

• 1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 3/4 c. cooked brown rice
• 1/2 red bell pepper, deseeded & cut into chunks
• 1 c. spinach
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 red or yellow onion, cut in chunks
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1-1/2 to 2 c. gluten free bread crumbs
• 2 TBS Tomato paste
• Sea salt & ground pepper to taste

Using a food processor, blend pepper, onion, spinach & cilantro until all mixed together. Pour into a medium bowl.

In food processor, separately blend brown rice & chick peas together then add to bowl containing veggie mixture.

Add chili powder, tomato paste & sea salt and stir together to mix well. Add bread crumbs and combine until burgers stick together. If the burgers feel too wet, add more bread crumbs.

Form into patties and cook on a skillet with coconut oil on the bottom of the pan over medium heat until browned on both sides.

Serve on an Ezekial Sprouted grain roll with Avocado, Agave Ketchup, Lettuce, Onion & Tomato!