St Patricks Day Smoothie

by Maureen Shannon
from:Crazy Sexy Diet Blog by Kris Carr

Who needs green beer when you can drink this cheer in glass? Bring out your inner leprechaun with this festive St. Paddy’s day smoothie.

Let the magical powers of this delicious drink dance in your belly and make you smile with delight. Cheers!
Makes 16 - 18 oz.

-1 frozen banana
-11⁄2 cups non-dairy milk (almond, hemp or rice)
-1 tablespoon ground hemp seeds
-1⁄4 cup soaked cashews (soaked in water for 4 hours; drained and rinsed well) -Handful of fresh mint (leaves only)
-Big handful of spinach leaves
-1⁄4 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
-1 tablespoon cacao nibs

Prep and wash all produce. Blend ingredients and garnish with a few more cacao nibs and a mint leaf. Serve.

For more healthy sexy smoothies go here:
http://crazysexyjuice.com/

Another Great Reason to go Vegetarian

from: http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/03/12/pink-slime-in-70-percent-of-ground-beef/

It was only a month ago that McDonald’s came under fire for selling ‘pink slime’ chicken nuggets to their customers. When consumers found out about the process that the meat goes through to become nuggets that never deteriorate, they took to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets to showcase their displeasure at being duped.

McDonald’s, in order to please their customer base, decided that it would no longer use the ‘pink slime’ in the chicken nuggets they serve to the public. But now, meat consumers have another reason to consider going vegetarian if not all the way vegan.

According to a recent ABC News report, 70 percent of ground beef sold in supermarkets contains beef trimmings better known as ‘pink slime.’ Whistleblower and former United States Department of Agriculture scientist, Gerald Zirnstein, claims, “It’s economic fraud. It’s not fresh ground beef… It’s a cheap substitute being added in.”

Zirnstein claims that he and other USDA scientists warned against using the substitute, but that government bosses overruled their objections. ‘Pink slime’ is beef trimmings. It is made from waste trimmings that are simmered at a low heat until the fat separates from the muscle. It is run through a machine to separate the fat and muscle then it is sent through pipes where it is sprayed with ammonia before being packaged into meat bricks.

The bricks are then frozen and sent to grocery stores where it is added to most ground beef as a filler. The ABC News report claims that there are no labels on ground beef packages at the supermarket to warn consumers of the ‘pink slime’ because of USDA links to the beef industry which has labeled the product as meat.

The woman who approved of the mix, over the objections of scientists, was former undersecretary of agriculture, Joann Smith. Beef Products, Inc., the suppliers of ‘pink slime,’ made millions off of Smith’s decision.

After leaving the USDA, Smith was appointed to BPI’s Board of Directors. The USDA claims that Smith’s appointment to BPI’s board was “legal at the time,” but that under new ethics rules she would not have been able to join the board immediately. BPI told ABC News that her approval of ‘pink slime’ had nothing to do with her appointment to the board.

Difference Between Vegetarians & Vegans

from: http://m.timesofindia.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Whats-greener-Vegeta...

What is the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan diet?

Let's find out.
Vegetarian: All green
Difference: If you do not consume meat, poultry, fish or seafood, you're a vegetarian. Here you can include vegans and the various sub-categories of the vegetarian lifestyle.

Vegans can be part of the vegetarian group, but vegetarians can't be included as vegans.

Health benefits:
When it comes to heart, vegetarians - who eat well planned and healthy diets - can be assured of low blood pressure due to lower fat and cholesterol in the basic ingredients that make up a vegetarian diet. Thanks to less food cholesterol, they have lower chances of heart attacks.

Due to high fiber intake and complex carbohydrates found in plants, there are less chances of contracting diabetes. A healthy vegetarian diet assures a healthy body. But the emphasis here is on the word 'healthy.' No matter what your food preferences, a diet that lacks macro and micro nutrients while including heavy oil, sugar and salt, will not be healthy.

Deficiency:
Vitamin B12, which is mostly found in animals is a cause of concern for vegetarians. The only source of Vitamin B12 for vegetarians is milk and eggs. Additionally, animal protein contains all the necessary enzymes needed for protein production, making them complete 'protein' foods.

A plant-based diet needs to depend on combination foods or soy (the only complete plant protein) to provide the body with the necessary enzymes with each meal.

Popularity vote:
A vegetarian diet might benefit the body and environment in several ways, but it is not above the dictats of healthy eating and living. A healthy body is always a product of exercise and adequate nutrition, without unhealthy influences like deep fried foods and processed junk food.

Vegan:
Greener than green

Difference:
Veganism is a philosopy; a choice. Different people have different reasons to be vegan - some could pursue it for health, others for environmental reasons, and most for ethical treatment of animals.

Most vegans feel that their responsibility toward nature must be met with a diet that reflects it. In addition to staying away from all the foods that a regular vegetarian avoids, vegans also stay away from eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.

Health benefits:
A vegan diet requires heavy balancing, substitution and inclusion. While the 'allowed' foods might be low in fats, high in fiber and some nutrients, they are mostly low in proteins and some other essential nutrients like B12.

However, a well planned vegan diet may keep you away from cardiovascular diseases. The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada said in 2003 that properly planned vegan diets were nutritionally adequate for all stages of life, including pregnancy and lactation, and provided health benefits in the treatment and prevention of certain diseases. (Via)

Deficiency:
Iron and calcium deficiency are the common complaints that vegans should be aware of. Iron IS present in plants but when it comes to meat, iron absorbs three times faster. As for calcium, soy milk is a good option.

Popularity vote:
If you're comfortable with the philosophy follow it wholeheartedly; be a wise vegan and you will stay healthy. But remember that simply quitting some foods does not a healthy body make. You need to monitor your diet for inclusion of all important nutrients in order to truly be healthy. And since the vegan diet excludes many nutrient-rich and nutrient-dense foods, it requires careful planning.

Read more Personal Health, Diet & Fitness stories on www.healthmeup.com

New Fake Meat Factory Promising

from: http://www.gizmag.com/vegetarian-cutlet-factory/21763/

There are a number of reasons that some people choose not to eat meat - for instance, they may not want to support the slaughter of animals, they may wish to avoid the health risks associated with consuming too much animal protein, or perhaps they're not big fans of the environmental impact of raising livestock on a commercial scale.

Unfortunately, if these people still want to eat meat-like foods, a lot of the meat alternatives currently available are kind of ... yucky. Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging, however, is working on a device nicknamed the "vegetarian cutlet factory."

It produces continuous slabs of veggie-based mock meat, which is reportedly quite similar to the real thing. Fraunhofer is one of several groups involved in the European Union "LikeMeat" project, the aim of which is to develop palatable, cost-effective meat alternatives from raw vegetable materials. Some of the main plant sources being looked at include wheat, peas, lupins and soya.

Some previous attempts have involved a hot extrusion process in which plant proteins are mixed with water, heated under high pressure, then pushed into a die. Unfortunately, as soon as the mixture is extruded its temperature drops dramatically, causing it to release steam and foam up. The resulting souffle-like texture isn't exactly like that of steak.

In Fraunhofer's process, the plant protein and water are brought to a boil, but then allowed to cool back down. Since no sudden pressure release occurs, no foaming takes place. Also, however, as the paste cools, its molecules form into chains. This results in an end product with a meat-like fibrous texture.

This process is carried out within the prototype vegetarian cutlet factory machine, which is reportedly about the size of two table tennis tables. It is capable of creating "one endless piece of meat" that is about one centimeter (0.39-inch) thick, and that can be formed into shapes such as morsels, slices, or entire cutlets. It can put out 60 to 70 kilograms (132-154 lbs) of "meat" per hour, or 300 to 500 kilograms (661-1,102 lbs) a day.

While the consistency and texture of the meat substitute are said to be superb, the flavor apparently still requires a little work. Nonetheless, the Fraunhofer researchers believe that by the end of the LikeMeat project, in one year, that challenge will be overcome.

In the meantime, interested parties might also want to keep an eye on what's happening in the field of lab-grown meat - although vegetarians beware, it would technically still be meat.

The Many Varieties of Vegetarianism

Contemplating a vegetarian diet but not sure where to start? This article talks about the types of vegetarians and leads to resources to really help get you started. Here's an excerpt of the article :

Many people start off by being flexitarian which means that they forgo meat a few times a week without commiting to a full fledged vegetarian diet right away. Then you can progress to being pescetarian, meaning that you don`t eat birds or animals except for fish and seafood.

Being Lacto Ovo vegetarian is the next natural progression where you eat no animals, birds or fish but do eat dairy products and eggs. Finally, being vegan is the ultimate in being vegetarian where you eat nothing that used to have a face, plus, no product of an animal. Vegans protect animals from any abuse through their eating choices and in so doing also protect the environment and their health. So, you see, you can take this going vegetarian as gradually or as quickly as you are comfortable with.

There is no pressure to being fully vegan straight away. Any efforts on your part will make a difference in your health, the well being of animals and the health of the environment.

To read the full article and access the resources go to
http://sophiesvegetarianarmy.blogspot.com/2012/02/types-of-vegetarians-and-wh...

Complete Vegetarian Meal Plans

As if I just found out about this... Oh well, better late than never. Treehugger has weekly vegetarian meal plans online all beautifully laid out with recipes and shopping lists.

If you want an easy to follow, tasty vegetarian meal plan for this week or for upcoming weeks, you have to see these. They are lacto ovo vegetarian, Not vegan but still, a very valuable resource. Check it out here:
http://www.treehugger.com/easy-vegetarian-recipes/weeks-vegetarian-meal-plan-...

If you like cheese, this is the meal plan for you! After getting over a cold, and getting my taste buds back, I wanted simple recipes that were really comforting. Enter the grilled cheese! Enjoy.

Monday: Asparagus With Fried Egg Tuesday: Ricotta Gnocchi with Browned Butter, Sage
Wednesday: Italian Bean and Kale Soup (modified)
Thursday: Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Sandwiches + leftover kale soup
Friday: Cream of Asparagus Soup (you should still have grilled cheese fixings) Saturday: Simple Roasted Root Salad Sunday Brunch: Veggie Leftover Quiche

Follow me @jerryjamesstone or subscribe to my Facebook posts for more recipes.

Mini Veggie Potpies

from: http://www.wishfulchef.com/2012/02/vegetarian-pot-pie-recipe/
olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, diced
1 large shallot, diced
2 small leeks, sliced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 cup diced potatoes
2 cups diced crimini mushrooms
2 heaping tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
a splash of cream
2 teaspoons fresh or dried thyme
2 teaspoons fresh or dried parsley
1/2 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper, to taste
1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Toget complete instructions on how to make these delicious potpies, please go to the Wishful Chef website here: http://www.wishfulchef.com/2012/02/vegetarian-pot-pie-recipe/