It’s the holiday season again, bringing festive good cheer, celebrations with friends and family and usually more delicious sweet treats than you can handle!

So before we launch into the negative effects of too much sugar (and, of course, give you some healthy alternatives!), we want to give some background of the sugar addictions we have in this culture.

Since the beginning of civilization, sugar has been directly linked to feelings of love, comfort, joy and celebration. The very first thing a baby tastes is their mother’s sweet milk, so we all have a very basic and immediate trigger with sugar and love as well as basic survival. Hunter gatherers didn’t come across many sweet foods; when they did, they knew it meant fat, calories and energy (i.e., survival as well).

So we’re sort of hardwired to crave sweets. We also crave sweets when we’re deficient in certain nutrients, especially chromium, carbon, phosphorus, sulfur and tryptophan. Don’t beat yourself up about sugary indulgences; the guilt and worry is way more toxic to your body (and your [...]]]>

It’s the holiday season again, bringing festive good cheer, celebrations with friends and family and usually more delicious sweet treats than you can handle!

So before we launch into the negative effects of too much sugar (and, of course, give you some healthy alternatives!), we want to give some background of the sugar addictions we have in this culture.

Since the beginning of civilization, sugar has been directly linked to feelings of love, comfort, joy and celebration. The very first thing a baby tastes is their mother’s sweet milk, so we all have a very basic and immediate trigger with sugar and love as well as basic survival. Hunter gatherers didn’t come across many sweet foods; when they did, they knew it meant fat, calories and energy (i.e., survival as well).

So we’re sort of hardwired to crave sweets. We also crave sweets when we’re deficient in certain nutrients, especially chromium, carbon, phosphorus, sulfur and tryptophan. Don’t beat yourself up about sugary indulgences; the guilt and worry is way more toxic to your body (and your mind!) than anything you’re eating. We promise. Let go, savor and enjoy every delicious mouthful, and then make sure you get your greens in to balance it out. Some other tips to follow are:

1. When a sugar craving hits, try eating whole fresh fruits, nuts, non-gluten grains, sweet potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach to balance the body and lessen the cravings.
2. Boost overall intake of protein and fats since our bodies are biologically programmed to use those as fuel first. So lots of beans, dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, coconut, olives and spirulina are all great choices to keep you nourished, satiated and energized. Your body will be able to run longer and more efficiently with these as the primary sources of fuel rather than any kind of sugar that spikes insulin and then quickly brings about a crash and interferes with fat burning.
3. Sugar also affects overall immunity by wiping out beneficial bacteria in the gut. So along with taking a strong probiotic during the holiday season (we recommend at least 40 billion organisms daily), it’s good to limit sugar intake as much as possible.
4. If you do choose to indulge in sweet things, try choosing ones that minimally spike blood sugar, like whole fresh fruit, coconut nectar and brown rice syrup, or even better, stevia, which is a natural herb that has zero effect on glycemic levels.
5. ‘Tis the season for giving, sharing, celebrating and being joyful. Offer tons of gratitude that you’re able to make choices for your most vibrant health and direct your energy toward your friends and family rather than stressing about a few sweet treats.

Life is inherently sweet on its own and you’re one of the sweetest things in it!

Happy Holidays!

Jenny Nelson is a Clean Wellness Coach and Alejandro Junger, M.D. is author of “Clean:The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself.”

Photo credit: Sharyn Morrow

As my sister, Kris, can confirm, I’ve always been a huge dork about having gratitude on Thanksgiving. For other people this holiday might be about turkey or pilgrims, but for me it’s always been about taking one day to really focus on the things I have in my life that are positive. While I incorporate gratitude exercises into my regular journaling throughout the year, each Thanksgiving I make a bigger effort to list everything that I can think of to be grateful for, including the “little” things. I also try to take the day to just generally reflect and give thanks.

The good news is that in [...]]]>
Happy Thanksgiving! If you’re reading this post today, and you’re currently in the U.S., you’re probably engaged in any number of annual rituals – from cooking to watching football, to silently (or not so silently) cursing family members who drive you crazy. Many of you might also be thinking about what you’re grateful for right now. If you are, I’m right there with you.

As my sister, Kris, can confirm, I’ve always been a huge dork about having gratitude on Thanksgiving. For other people this holiday might be about turkey or pilgrims, but for me it’s always been about taking one day to really focus on the things I have in my life that are positive. While I incorporate gratitude exercises into my regular journaling throughout the year, each Thanksgiving I make a bigger effort to list everything that I can think of to be grateful for, including the “little” things. I also try to take the day to just generally reflect and give thanks.

The good news is that in recent years, study after study has shown us that there are real, hardcore benefits to experiencing and celebrating gratitude. Research has demonstrated that people who keep daily gratitude journals (giving thanks for about five things/day) can experience as much as a 25-percent increase in day-to-day happiness in as little as a few months, and that this is even true for people who suffer from painful, life-threatening illnesses. Some studies also show that exercising gratitude can improve your health (namely by moderating stress and improving sleep quality).

The reason why this works is because the neural networks in our brains operate on the basis of habit, and you can think of this in terms of practicing a behavior. Any action that we take, or thought that we think, gets recorded in our brains by becoming imprinted in our neurons. As we repeat those actions or thoughts, grooves (effectively) get created in our brains that make us more likely to engage in that kind of thought or action again in the future. From this standpoint, by looking at things on the bright side — by having gratitude for the things that might otherwise go unnoticed — we are literally training our brains to do more of that in general.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that your problems aren’t real ones, or that there’s never a time or a place for acknowledging and accepting the things in life that are painful. On the contrary, I think that sadness, grief, and anger are all normal emotions that are part of the human experience, and we have to make room for all of it. It’s just that this post isn’t about that — it’s about taking the time to notice the things in life that we can otherwise take for granted. Think of it as an exercise – an exercise that can benefit you no matter what your personal circumstances are.

This is just anecdotal to my own experience, but I will say that it seems like the more I practice gratitude the more I have to feel grateful for. I think I’m just better able to look on the bright side than I used to be. I also notice that my frustration tolerance has improved, as I’m more able to focus on the positive in moments that would otherwise be difficult, challenging, or even just plain annoying.

Here’s what I do, and I suggest that you try something similar: My list always starts with what seems most basic or fundamental, and I work my way out. I’m grateful today, for example, for the parts of my body that work. I am blessed with the gift of sight and — despite some occasional joint pain — two hands that are capable of typing out these sentences right now. From there I can be grateful for my home and my bed, my family or my friends, my sweet little dog and his four, fuzzy paws.

If you lack one of the things I just listed, or feel emotionally triggered by a loss of some kind as you read this, can you think of something else you can feel grateful for right now? Something that might otherwise go unnoticed? The goal is to stop and give thanks for the little things that might be overlooked on a different day.

If you’re reading this and you’re still having a hard time thinking of what you have to feel grateful for, challenge yourself today by trying a little harder. To paraphrase Danielle LaPorte’s post on similar subject matter, if you’re reading this right now, you have internet access, which means that you also have electricity. That alone is something to be grateful for.

So yes, I’m giving thanks for many things this holiday season. I will also be, per my usual custom, inspiring and annoying my family members by making them talk about what they’re grateful for all day long. Please join us: What are you grateful for today?

For more information about this author, please visit, visit www.lesliecarr.com.

Photo credit: mtsofan

Fall is here, and winter is creeping around the corner. We love this time of year because the sun starts to set earlier, and the weather cools down. What does that mean to us? It’s time to get back in the kitchen and get cooking! Using your oven to cook will not only warm up your home, saving you from turning up the heater; it’ll also make your house smell amazing, and you’ll get to eat the “fruits” of your labor.

In fall, Thanksgiving and the upcoming year-end holidays are always in peoples’ minds. We appreciate this special time of year because it’s based around people sitting at a table and enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal together. Unfortunately, these aren’t always the most vegan-friendly times for people who don’t eat the bird. We’ve heard from a lot of friends that “coming out” to their families as vegetarians or vegans is always a challenge around the holidays, because it seems to require a change in some family food traditions.

Often [...]]]>

Fall is here, and winter is creeping around the corner. We love this time of year because the sun starts to set earlier, and the weather cools down. What does that mean to us? It’s time to get back in the kitchen and get cooking! Using your oven to cook will not only warm up your home, saving you from turning up the heater; it’ll also make your house smell amazing, and you’ll get to eat the “fruits” of your labor.

In fall, Thanksgiving and the upcoming year-end holidays are always in peoples’ minds. We appreciate this special time of year because it’s based around people sitting at a table and enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal together. Unfortunately, these aren’t always the most vegan-friendly times for people who don’t eat the bird. We’ve heard from a lot of friends that “coming out” to their families as vegetarians or vegans is always a challenge around the holidays, because it seems to require a change in some family food traditions.

Often our family members think most deeply and critically about the food choices of we vegetarians and vegans. We’ve taken a responsibility to show every person at the dinner table that veg. cuisine has all the flavors, textures, and colors that non-veg recipes have. The heat is on, vegans and vegetarians – and you can take it; we know you can! Plus, we’re here to help!

In our experience as vegan cooking instructors, our vegan students often tell us that if they’re invited to a dinner, they’ll feel like they have to bring along a vegan dish to share so they can actually eat, participate, and enjoy themselves. We say: Instead of just bringing a lone vegan item to someone else’s bird-fest, take control, and throw the whole dinner party yourself, providing everyone with lots of incredible vegan food!

Food is the best introduction to a cruelty-free, thoughtful way of life, and there’s no better way to open people’s eyes than by cooking for them. Nine times out of 10, if you invite someone over for dinner, they’ll accept! A home-cooked meal? Yes, please!

Some tips for making an easy-peasy dinner for friends are to do a little planning in advance. If you can prepare a dish, or prep some veggies the day before, then your work will be lighter on the day of your party. Also, don’t be afraid to improvise if an idea or recipe isn’t exactly how you expected it to be. One of the main concepts that we teach is “kitchen confidence,” which allows you to master cooking for any number of people, from two to twelve, or more.

The other tiny tip that may seem obvious is to read a recipe fully before diving in. Some recipes may sneak in a “refrigerate overnight” or “dehydrate for 12 hours,” so reading it all the way through before you get started will be a huge help!

If you’re not comfortable throwing dinner parties, make it easier on yourself by creating dishes that you know well and are familiar with. Don’t try something new and complex for your first dinner party, or this could lead to majorly overwhelmed feelings, and burning.

We just wrote our first cookbook, “Spork-Fed”, which is full of easy recipes that are sure to excite long-time vegans, part-time vegans, or anyone cooking for steadfast meat-eating friends. Use these recipes to win over any guest at your next party!

We want to share this recipe for our Crispy Brown Rice Cakes with Adzuki Beans and Scallions, from “Spork-Fed” because it’s really satisfying and super simple!

If you make this recipe for your friends or family, you’ll feel balanced and energized, and even though it’s pretty simple, it counts in the “comforting foods” category that people crave in the fall months. Another great part is that these cakes won’t add to your “winter coat,” so you can have seconds.

Crispy Brown Rice Cakes with Adzuki Beans and Scallions

Yields about 10-12 (2-inch) cakes

-2 cups water
-1 cup short grain brown rice
-3 tablespoons tamari
-2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
-2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
-1 teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil
-1/3 cup panko bread crumbs, plus 1 cup for coating patties
-4-5 scallions finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
-1 (16-ounce) can adzuki beans, (about 1 ¼ cups)
-2 tablespoons neutral tasting high-heat oil

Bring water to a boil in a large (6-quart) pot, and add rice. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook about 35-40 minutes, or according to package.

Let rice cool slightly, and place in a large bowl. Add tamari, brown rice vinegar, brown rice syrup, and sesame oil. Stir to incorporate all ingredients. Add 1/3 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup scallions and adzuki beans. Stir mixture together well, mashing some adzuki beans into mixture with a wooden spoon, until mixture holds together.

Place remaining bread crumbs in a shallow dish and set aside.

Form rice mixture into 2-inch patties.

Heat a large sauté pan, and add high-heat oil. Roll patties in bread crumbs and pat gently to remove excess crumbs.

Cook patties over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until golden. Flip, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Serve warm, and garnish with remaining scallions.

Note: Panko are Japanese-style bread crumbs, and they are a bit more coarse than standard bread crumbs.

For your smarts

Thinking about soaking your own beans? If you’ve been intimidated, just stick with this plan: Cover them with about 3 inches of water in a bowl, soak them for 8-12 hours (or overnight), rinse them, and then cook in a fresh batch of water over low-medium heat for 1-2 hours. Cooking time varies from bean to bean!

For your parts

Brown rice fights colon cancer in more ways than one! It is a concentrated form of fiber AND has a trace mineral in it called selenium, which is known to substantially reduce the risk of colon cancer.

For more delish dishes, visit SporkFoods.com

Here is the story of why and how I removed dairy products from my now 7-year-old son’s diet, and one great suggestion on how to make healthy substitutions work in your life and in the lives of your favorite peeps.

My son’s name is Riley, but this story starts with me … no shock there!

In 2007, I removed all dairy products from my personal food intake. Prior to this action, I drank a little milk here and there, and I loved cheese. Abstaining from dairy food was part of my clean eating journey following my cancer diagnosis – not that someone told me to remove it, but as I gravitated towards vegetarianism and then veganism, it naturally went by the wayside.

To my surprise, my chronic sinus and allergy issues also went by the wayside. At first, I wasn’t sure why this phenomenon occurred. Before this, I was on over-the-counter medications and prescription medications daily, and suffered excruciating headaches several days a week. Every week. And it was worse in allergy [...]]]>

Here is the story of why and how I removed dairy products from my now 7-year-old son’s diet, and one great suggestion on how to make healthy substitutions work in your life and in the lives of your favorite peeps.

My son’s name is Riley, but this story starts with me … no shock there!

In 2007, I removed all dairy products from my personal food intake. Prior to this action, I drank a little milk here and there, and I loved cheese. Abstaining from dairy food was part of my clean eating journey following my cancer diagnosis – not that someone told me to remove it, but as I gravitated towards vegetarianism and then veganism, it naturally went by the wayside.

To my surprise, my chronic sinus and allergy issues also went by the wayside. At first, I wasn’t sure why this phenomenon occurred. Before this, I was on over-the-counter medications and prescription medications daily, and suffered excruciating headaches several days a week. Every week. And it was worse in allergy season. I had also noticed over his short life, that my then 4-year-old son had seasonal allergy issues that mirrored mine. Great.

So, no dairy for me. Time moves on and I start realizing: Hey, no more headaches (I was a bit preoccupied with life and other health issues, so it was not an immediate ah-ha moment). No more sinus issues. Wow. In 2009, I started thinking, hmmm, Riley continues to have seasonal issues with allergies and sinuses, and what he still calls, “head-ecks.” So after much thought on the issue, I declared no more milk for Riley.

Big step.

Like a good mommy, I knew there needed to be a substitute for Riley, so I started making almond milk. In Riley’s mind, not a good thing. In fact, he cried, he whined, he hated it. He would eventually drink it due to the threats of no cartoons. Honestly, he didn’t mind it so much, but he would cry to me with the most scrunched up and whining face saying, “but this isn’t milk, Mommy.”

He was right. It wasn’t milk.

In his short life, he had known breast milk and he had known cow’s milk. Almond milk was by no comparison milk. Now, I make beautifully aromatic and sweet almond milk. But it was in no way milk in his world. How could I be so shortsighted?

Time for a strategy change. Quick mommy, think fast on your feet! And you know what, I did just that.

So I sat down and got eye level with my son, and said, “You know what, Riley, you are absolutely right. This isn’t milk, and I am so sorry for calling it that. Milk comes from mammals, and this sweet drink is made from almonds, so how in the world could it be milk?” He looked at me with big eyes almost doubting my blunt honesty.

I continued, “What would you like to call this drink? It is so white, kind of like snow, don’t you think? And it is not like milk at all, it is more like water, isn’t it?”

He nodded.

“What do you think we should call it then? Snow milk, snow water? How about snowflake water?” I asked with enthusiasm. His eyes lit up, and he smiled. “Yes, I like that, Mommy. It is kinda like water.”

And so it was.

It was amazing that just renaming the drink and not trying to pass it off as an exact substitute totally changed my son’s acceptance of the new drink. It was no longer a negative thing. He was also very pleased to be part of the renaming. It was as if it gave him some ownership.

Consider giving this exercise a try with yourself and with your loved ones who are rejecting some of your lifestyle changes. Don’t try to pass everything off as a one-for-one substitute. Make up new, fun names for foods, drinks or even routines so it is not viewed as a negative in anyone’s mind. Be honest, but simply change the focus!

Christmas Eve came shortly after our renaming powwow and Riley proudly put out some sweet snowflake water for Santa along with some other vegan (raw) goodies. The snowflake water was all gone the next morning – yum! Santa and his reindeer will be happy to know that they will be getting more of that tasty goodness this year too.

Ho-ho-ho!

Tina Pruitt is a healthy living expert and speaker, an International Raw and Living Foods Coach, and a two-time breast cancer survivor. She is living and sharing her passion through her soon-to-launch online healthy living coaching business.

Photo Credit: idovermani

So how to de-stress the holiday mess, as I like to call it? Every year at this time I write a post about how to create more joy and less stress during the holidays. As I evolve, so do my ideas about how to create the experience you seek with ease. So let’s hit the practical, tactical stuff first.

1. Prep for the Mess. If you exchange gifts, make a budget and stick to it. If you need to contribute a dish for parties, choose something that can be prepared the week before and freeze until needed. No shopping on Christmas Eve ever!

2. Choose Gratitude as Your Attitude. All is right in your life [...]]]>
This time of year can kick up tons of feelings for people based on past experiences. The idealized holiday scenes we are incessantly bombarded with can leave any person exhausted and feeling lack. The commercialization of the holidays with the subtext, “If you don’t give stuff, you don’t really love,” is enough to give me the bah humbugs!

So how to de-stress the holiday mess, as I like to call it? Every year at this time I write a post about how to create more joy and less stress during the holidays. As I evolve, so do my ideas about how to create the experience you seek with ease. So let’s hit the practical, tactical stuff first.

1. Prep for the Mess. If you exchange gifts, make a budget and stick to it. If you need to contribute a dish for parties, choose something that can be prepared the week before and freeze until needed. No shopping on Christmas Eve ever!

2. Choose Gratitude as Your Attitude. All is right in your life right now. Rock that feeling throughout the holidays and beyond! Be un-offendable and mean it.

3. “No” is Not a Four-Letter Word. Do not overcommit this season. Decline parties and time with people who are toxic and rob you of joy. You decide what you have to do. If you were abducted by aliens this second, their party would go on just the same … really.

4. Change Tradition. Your past does not need to dictate your future. Create new traditions, with friends and family, that are meaningful to you and bring you joy!

5. Pay It Forward. Since love is all there is, try to honor that in your actions. Teach children how to love with acts of kindness and generosity instead of things. Expand your idea of gifts to include forgiving a long-held grievance, volunteering your time for those in need and practicing profound personal self-care.

If trying to feel jolly just makes you feel bummed during the holidays, you are in good company. The statistics for holiday depression are extremely high. Even with the desire and ideas to have a happier season, the holidays can carry an emotional punch for those with negative past associations or loss. It somehow seems socially unacceptable to be sad or depressed during the holidays.

If you feel blue this holiday, make a conscious effort to drink mindfully as alcohol is a depressant. Also honor your feelings by setting aside time to write about your experience in a journal and consider attending a Blue Christmas service – all cities have them; just Google. Sometimes the best way to de-stress is to accept where you are temporarily, and give yourself permission and time without judgment to move through it. Naming, honoring and feeling feelings inspire release, making space for something better.

I am wishing you calm and a sense of well-being this holiday season and all yearlong!

Photo Credit: Myki Roventine

For years, I avoided my feelings and deep-rooted issues, but through a serious dedication to change, I resurrected my relationship with myself. How did I do it? The answer is simple: I showed up! One day at a time, I showed up, meditated longer and prayed more. I continuously added new layers of love to my miraculous relationship with myself.

If you’re ready to love yourself, you can start showing up today. Just follow these three steps:

1. Be willing to love yourself – then you’ll receive guidance to move forward. Say out loud: I am willing to love myself, today. Recite this affirmation every day for 30 days. Post it everywhere. Make the daily commitment [...]]]> One of our very own Blog Posse members has been chosen to be a Ford Influencer! Today, Gabrielle is sharing two holiday gift ideas that just might add some happiness and health to your loved ones’ lives this year. Stay tuned for another one of Gabrielle’s favorite things later this afternoon!

For years, I avoided my feelings and deep-rooted issues, but through a serious dedication to change, I resurrected my relationship with myself. How did I do it? The answer is simple: I showed up! One day at a time, I showed up, meditated longer and prayed more. I continuously added new layers of love to my miraculous relationship with myself.

If you’re ready to love yourself, you can start showing up today. Just follow these three steps:

1. Be willing to love yourself – then you’ll receive guidance to move forward. Say out loud: I am willing to love myself, today. Recite this affirmation every day for 30 days. Post it everywhere. Make the daily commitment to be willing to love yourself.

2. Get clear about how you’ve mistreated yourself. Are you overeating, drinking too much, staying in a bad relationship? Make a list and then ask: Would I treat someone I love that way? Each time you act in a self-loathing way ask yourself that question. By calling yourself out, you witness your negative behavior and stop identifying with it. When you choose love over negativity, you create a shift.

3. Spend 10 minutes a day quiet and alone. Listen to your thoughts and check in with your body. Simply be aware of what your inner guide (~ing) is saying. When I practice this, I hear awesome stuff. Today I heard my ~ing say, “Go lie down for an hour and rest.” Had I not taken the time to check in with my ~ing, I never would’ve heard what I truly needed. Slow down and listen to your inner guide.

These steps are a great start to any self-love journey. One day at a time, you’ll get closer to a rockin’ relationship with yourself.

Anyone who knows me has seen the ring I wear on my left hand. It’s the iLOVEme ring, which is made by my friend Arielle Fierman and has become a must-have among the Herfuture.com community. Arielle asked me to help name this ring, so I let my ~ing guide us through a meditation. In my meditation I felt grateful for my newfound self-love and blurted out, “I love me!” This ring is a gentle reminder to love yourself and others. You can find it at http://www.bewellwitharielle.com/

You’ll find more of my latest favorite finds here!

Photo credit: Scarleth White

The holidays are approaching fast, and the radio stations have been blasting Christmas carols for about three weeks already. The pressure is on to shop, consume and overindulge.

When you are a conscious consumer, and vegan to boot, the holidays bring out a lot of feelings. Family gatherings aren’t quite the same if you reject the Christmas ham or brisket. Vegans see the world, and the mall, in a different way than most people. When we walk into a department store to look around for gifts for friends and family, we ask crazy questions like if the products are made locally. We also sniff around in each purse, shoe or wallet to see if the item is made of leather. We may inquire at the cosmetics counter if the makeup is tested on animals. All of this work is just to buy stuff we feel good about.

The holidays are the times to show your loved ones that you care about them; culturally, people show their affections by buying gifts. [...]]]>

The holidays are approaching fast, and the radio stations have been blasting Christmas carols for about three weeks already. The pressure is on to shop, consume and overindulge.

When you are a conscious consumer, and vegan to boot, the holidays bring out a lot of feelings. Family gatherings aren’t quite the same if you reject the Christmas ham or brisket. Vegans see the world, and the mall, in a different way than most people. When we walk into a department store to look around for gifts for friends and family, we ask crazy questions like if the products are made locally. We also sniff around in each purse, shoe or wallet to see if the item is made of leather. We may inquire at the cosmetics counter if the makeup is tested on animals. All of this work is just to buy stuff we feel good about.

The holidays are the times to show your loved ones that you care about them; culturally, people show their affections by buying gifts. We love the idea of the spirit of giving, but it seems that when you actually care what your spending dollar means, you have to make a few alterations to the idea of gift giving.

This holiday season we’re encouraging people to really think about their loved ones and give them a gift made from the heart. And as the saying goes, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” It works for women too!

Here is a recipe that will win over anyone’s heart and that you can give proudly to any friend or family member for the holidays. It’s edible, which people love, and it’s better than a tin of store bought Christmas cookies that don’t expire!

Below are directions for creating your own delicious vegan cranberry cornbread in a jar. If you give this to a friend in a beautiful recycled jar, with directions to add just two or three ingredients, stir and bake … then they can enjoy this treat as a gift from you!

CRANBERRY CORNBREAD MUFFINS IN A JAR

Dry Ingredients (to include in the jar)

-1 cup organic yellow cornmeal (Arrowhead Mills preferred)
-½ cup organic all-purpose unbleached flour
-½ cup whole spelt flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-2 teaspoons egg replacer (Ener-g brand, dry)
-2 tablespoons maple crystals or evaporated cane sugar
-1 teaspoon sea salt
-½ teaspoon garlic powder
-¼ teaspoon  black pepper
-½ cup dried cranberries

Wet ingredients (to be added by the gift recipient)

-1 cup unsweetened soymilk or almond milk
-1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
-1/3 cup neutral-tasting oil (safflower or refined coconut preferred)

Layer the dry ingredients in a jar, dispersing the yellow cornmeal in rows between the other ingredients. Place the cranberries at the top.

Make a label that says to add 1 cup soymilk or almond milk, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and 1/3 cup neutral-tasting oil to the mixture. Tie with a ribbon and attach the recipe for cornbread muffins (below).

CORNBREAD MUFFINS
Servings: 12

Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

In a small bowl add soymilk or almond milk, and apple cider vinegar. Let stand until curdled for approximately 3 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients from the jar into a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture and oil, and whisk until uniform.

Grease a muffin pan. Pour batter into each cup until ¾ full. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Spork Foods is an international vegan organic gourmet food company owned and operated by sisters Heather and Jenny Goldberg. They offer live organic vegan cooking classes in Los Angeles and online.

The holidays are upon us and with them comes stress in many forms: what to buy, who to visit, what not to eat, etc. Traveling is another biggie, but this year you can do it right. Check out these tips you can use to keep healthy and sane when traveling by air this holiday travel season:

1. Pack patience. Now that the TSA has added heightened security measures and airlines have tacked on more fees, flying can be a beast. Do your best to give yourself enough time to get through the lines and know that it’s all just part of the experience.

2. Eat before you leave the house. You should always leave with a full tummy or you will be tempted to nosh on whatever is convenient.

3. Know before you go. Know which airports you will be flying in and out of, have a layover, etc. Most airports have websites that show what dining establishments can be found in each terminal. For instance, I know that the Delta terminal [...]]]>

The holidays are upon us and with them comes stress in many forms: what to buy, who to visit, what not to eat, etc. Traveling is another biggie, but this year you can do it right. Check out these tips you can use to keep healthy and sane when traveling by air this holiday travel season:

1. Pack patience. Now that the TSA has added heightened security measures and airlines have tacked on more fees, flying can be a beast. Do your best to give yourself enough time to get through the lines and know that it’s all just part of the experience.

2. Eat before you leave the house. You should always leave with a full tummy or you will be tempted to nosh on whatever is convenient.

3. Know before you go. Know which airports you will be flying in and out of, have a layover, etc. Most airports have websites that show what dining establishments can be found in each terminal. For instance, I know that the Delta terminal at LAX has a Starbucks (for my soy latte) and a CPK Express where I can grab a salad or soup for the flight. Most international hubs have chain restaurants or familiar fast-food counters where you can order a healthy meal for your in-flight pleasure. From a veggie salad or sandwich at Quiznos to a black bean burger at Chili’s To Go, there are ways to not give in to bags of pretzels and pounds of Danishes. The World Travel Guide website can lead you to each city’s airport website.

4. Stay hydrated. Seeing as how we cannot bring our own beverages from home anymore, the first purchase one should make upon entering the appropriate gate is a big bottle of water. Or better yet, pack your favorite glass or BPA-free bottle in your carry-on bag and fill it at the airport. This way you save money and you aren’t drinking unhealthy water or contributing to landfill waste. Above all else, staying hydrated during air travel is key to cutting down on fatigue and helps fight off the munchies!

5. Take your vitamins and eat your veggies. If you’re running around and not able to eat balanced meals on your travel day, be sure to pack water-soluble vitamin packets. In addition, there are many powdered veggie drinks that you can prepare and get your recommended servings of veggies to keep you immune system top notch when sucking in recycled air.

6. Stay away from caffeine. Drinking caffeinated beverages on or before a flight will keep you from relaxing on the plane. In addition, it messes with your insulin levels and can cause you to overeat.

7. Don’t drink alcohol in flight. Alcoholic beverages have double the effect in the air as they do on the ground, so you’re definitely gonna feel poor when you get to your destination. If you need to relax, grab some all-natural melatonin to help you sleep along with some soothing tunes.

8. Pack snacks. Stock up on healthy bars, nuts and even healthy sandwiches. Pack your carry-on with healthy goodies so you aren’t spending money at the terminal on expensive, unhealthy food and you are sure to have something on hand when hunger strikes.

9. Sleep well the night before travel. This is tough with the anticipation and stress that comes with flying during the holidays, but it can be done. And if not, invest in a flight pillow, eye mask, earplugs, or noise-reducing headphones and a blanket. Bring all the comforts of home with you to make sleeping in the air easier.

10. Plan ahead. Know where you are going directly after you pick up your bags at your destination: home, hotel, family’s house – wherever. Map out what is close by in case you need to pick up a snack or a full-blown meal so you can start your vacation fully nourished.

11. Don’t over pack. You don’t need to break your back (or pay extra fees) just because you had to bring a pair of shoes for each outfit. Pack smart and it will be good for you as well as your wallet. Plus it’s less to deal with when you get back home!

No matter what, air travel is a pain but hopefully the spirit of the season and these tips will help you get to and from your holiday destinations with a smile on your face!

Carolyn Scott-Hamilton is the executive producer, creator, host, and writer of The Healthy Voyager brand. Her web series, radio show, site, blog and social network show you how to live, and travel, healthy and green.

Photo Credit: Lin Pernille

We are meant to feel what we feel when we feel it, then let it go. Most people don’t know how they’re feeling, or that it’s okay to feel it. We are not taught how to have, or hold multiple feelings simultaneously, so many people choose one and cling to it. That one feeling might be described as happy or sad, but it’s not a true reflection of our complexities as humans, and results in our feelings not flowing. Instead they get stuck, or other feelings [...]]]>
The holidays are full of pressures to be glad even if you don’t feel that way. People talk about “holiday cheer,” “finding the silver lining,” “looking on the bright side,” all of which are fine when we feel those things, but can actually add to feelings of loneliness and depression when we don’t. There is also a certain kind of “holiday tyranny” where we are encouraged to hide how we’re actually feeling, for the “sake of the holidays.”

We are meant to feel what we feel when we feel it, then let it go. Most people don’t know how they’re feeling, or that it’s okay to feel it. We are not taught how to have, or hold multiple feelings simultaneously, so many people choose one and cling to it. That one feeling might be described as happy or sad, but it’s not a true reflection of our complexities as humans, and results in our feelings not flowing. Instead they get stuck, or other feelings are left untended.

For example, you might feel happy to see your mom at Christmas, sad that she’s physically declining, angry that your sister isn’t doing more, and worried about the future. If you fixate on just one of those feelings, it will not be as productive or helpful. Instead, it would be much more effective to feel all that you feel, respond lovingly to yourself, your mother and your sister, and create good systems for your family and self-care practices too.

Practical Gladness means living in the “messy middle” of all of your feelings and finding your “glad ground” underneath. From this glad ground place, you can be aware of and hold all of your feelings, notice ways to respond instead of react, and transform what’s possible to transform.

When we find our glad ground in the middle, it is possible to enjoy the holidays truly, authentically, and with grace and wisdom. Here are some practical ways you can experience more gladness this holiday season:

1. Create a new self-care plan — Think of what you need to feel good during the holidays, and provide it for yourself. Some of these things might be:
*Special foods that you know you will enjoy.
*Call a friend to share how you’re really feeling — not how you think you should be.
*Practice ways to experience less stress, like going for a walk or attending a yoga class.
*Write in a journal or book with lists of things that nourish you, and do the things.

2. Adjust and lower your expectations, or better yet — have none — Notice how your expectations bring suffering when they aren’t met.  For example, if you feel ignored or overworked at holiday times, take yourself out for champagne and ignore some things you “should” be doing. Change your expectations about what you or others “should be” doing or acting like, and practice allowing how it actually is. Focus on what’s good and working.

3. Educate others in the best ways to support you — Become clear about what actually feels supportive to you, and ask for others to contribute. For example, if you typically care for others and wish others would or could care for you, figure out what they could contribute to you that would be easy and fun. You might ask a friend to meet you for tea and laughter in the midst of a busy shopping or cleaning day or sit with you while you wrap gifts or write cards.

4. Experiment with new traditions and rituals for the holidays — Do things differently. We all tend to repeat and become habituated. For example, “We always have our meal at _______.” Some of my greatest holiday experiences have taken place at the movies, miniature golfing or serving food at a shelter instead of trying to participate in rituals or traditions that no longer represent who I am now.

5. Allow yourself to experience your holidays imperfectly — Revise your ideas of perfection and increase your capacity for spontaneous joy. For example, if you get tense and pressured about preparing a meal, buying gifts, sending cards, or trying to do it all, try:
*Doing less and feeling good about it — refuse to be a prisoner of others’ expectations.
*Doing parts of things — fix the dessert, ask others to bring the other things.
*Doing tiny amounts — consider attending a holiday party for 5-15 minutes with no explanation about why.
*Asking others to help and then don’t control or manage “how they do it.”

6. Practice transforming what hurts into what helps — Find the places that aren’t working and speak up about them. For example, you might ask a group of people in your home to talk about different subjects like what they’re loving in this moment, instead of sitting there judging how bored or dissatisfied you are feeling.
*If you’re cooking and get crabby, let others know and help you!
*If you hate shopping, ask others to create experiences or adventures for each other instead of buying gifts.
*If you keep complaining about the holidays, see if you can put your complaints on paper and resolve to have new experiences.
*If you feel ungrateful, find someone to listen to who is facing challenges that you’re not.

Being glad no matter what is not about feeling glad when you don’t — how annoying. It’s about practicing with all of your feelings and feeling glad as often as you possibly can — especially during the holidays!

Based on the book, “Glad No Matter What” © 2010 by SARK. Printed with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA. http://www.newworldlibrary.com or 800-972-6657 ext. 52.

Those of us eating a plant-based diet often find our food choices causing more questions and consternation during the Holidays than during the rest of the year. One of the perennial concerns I’ve found people have is that if everyone went vegan, what would happen to all the animals—chickens, turkeys, pigs, cows, and fish? If we stopped eating them, wouldn’t they just take over the Earth, threatening our survival?

For years this question irked me because it seemed patently ridiculous, and worse, would be used to justify the cruelty of eating animal foods. Now, though, whenever I hear this question, I am delighted to respond to it because it’s an opportunity to deliver a brief meditation on how our world can be healed.

Imagining the world gradually [...]]]> This Meatless Monday, Will Tuttle, Ph.D. discusses his thoughts on a question many vegans (or Meatless Monday warriors!) receive all the time: “What would happen if everyone stopped eating animals?” After reading today’s blog, you’ll have more knowledge to ponder as your develop your own perspective…

Those of us eating a plant-based diet often find our food choices causing more questions and consternation during the Holidays than during the rest of the year. One of the perennial concerns I’ve found people have is that if everyone went vegan, what would happen to all the animals—chickens, turkeys, pigs, cows, and fish? If we stopped eating them, wouldn’t they just take over the Earth, threatening our survival?

For years this question irked me because it seemed patently ridiculous, and worse, would be used to justify the cruelty of eating animal foods. Now, though, whenever I hear this question, I am delighted to respond to it because it’s an opportunity to deliver a brief meditation on how our world can be healed.

Imagining the world gradually going vegan is imagining the most positive possible future for our species, for the Earth, and for all living beings. First of all, as we reduce the number of animals we are eating, that will send a message to agribusiness to forcefully inseminate fewer female pigs, turkeys, cows, and other animals, so fewer animals will be hyper-confined, and there will be less mutilation, killing, violence, terror, and suffering. It also means there will be lower demand for corn, soy, and other feed grains, and thus less deforestation, monocropping, and pollution. As this continues, there will be more food to feed starving people, and also monocropped land can be returned to being critically-needed habitat for wildlife, whose populations are being decimated by the habitat loss caused by grazing livestock and growing feed grains. As the vegan trend continues, streams will come back and run cleaner, more birds, fish, and other animals will be able to thrive, there will be far less toxic pesticides and fertilizers needed, and the oceans will begin to heal. As recent studies have shown, livestock production is the main driving force behind global warming, and this also will decrease. In addition, by eating less animal-based foods, people will be healthier physically as they eliminate the toxic fat, cholesterol, and animal protein that drive obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, and drug use. People will become healthier emotionally and spiritually, also, as they cause and eat less misery, and our culture, as its level of violence decreases, will become healthier also.

As forest, rainforest, and prairie communities come back to life, along with riparian and ocean communities, the devastating mass extinction of species that is going on right now will slow down. To raise and slaughter hundreds of millions animals daily for food on this planet, we are forcing many hundreds of species of animals and plants into extinction every week. Because of our appetites for a few species of birds, mammals, and fish, we are destroying the Earth’s genetic diversity, and it seems absurd to be unconcerned about these tens of thousands of species, but to care only about the few that we’re eating. In any event, the animals we imprison today for food lived freely in nature for millions of years and could do so again. The animals that we most intensely factory-farm, such as turkeys, ducks, geese, chickens, and fish, are all doing just fine in the wild (aside from being hunted and having their habitat destroyed). They would continue to do so, and this is also true for pigs, sheep, and goats, which even today have substantial wild populations. There is no reason to think that the animals we are eating and using wouldn’t be able to return to their natural lives living freely in nature—they already are!

Cows are the only possible question—their progenitors, the aurochs, were forced into extinction in the 1600s, but it is very conceivable that cows could be reintroduced into central Asia and Africa where they lived for millions of years, and with time would return to the ecological niche they inhabited before cruel human enslavement tore them from their ancestral homelands.

So, it’s a refreshing question to ponder—uplifting and heartening—to think of “what will happen to cows, chickens, and pigs if we all stop eating meat, dairy products, and eggs?” I hope we all can discuss this question a few times during the holidays, and by doing so, pull back the curtain to reveal the positive future we can create together. There is no action more powerful that anyone can take to subvert the dominant paradigm of exploitation and inequality than to shift to a plant-based diet for ethical reasons. By going vegan, and spreading the vegan message creatively, we take the most effective action to create a world where peace, abundance, sustainability, freedom, and universal joy are not just possible but natural.