Delicious Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

The Best Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes I've Ever Made - lizz delicious

How can we get Protein without Animal products?

Animal products have become a custom in our American diets, we eat meat with breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Protein!  "It's necessary, how else would we get protein in our diets?!" we say.

Well, I say to you... WE CAN get protein in our diets without the use of animal products!  And it is quite simple!  Need I also mention that we won't have that feeling of fatigue after a meal like we get when we eat a cheeseburger, or a prime rib steak!?

The truth is that we Americans take in way too much protein than what we actually need.  Some of us assume that protein gives us energy, and that my friends is incorrect!  Protein is required in our bodies for growth maintenance, repair of cells, and to helps build muscle.  However, too much protein can be bad!  When consuming protein, our body will only take in what it needs, and convert the rest of the left-over protein into FAT!

This is also the case for those individuals that drink whey protein shakes and think that is a healthier alternative to eating meat... well, no my friends, it is not healthier, it's the same thing.  Not only that, the majority of whey protein powders are milk based and when consumed in high quantities, will also turn into fat.

This is also the case in vegan and vegetarian diets, with more meat alternatives becoming available in markets, it is quite common to indulge heavily on these meat substitutes.

The key here is not to over-indulge with protein and keep a balanced diet.  On average our protein intake should be between 10-15%, and it should be the same for athletes (athletes should often increase their carbohydrate intake, not protein intake.)

With this said, I will give you a few plant based proteins that we can incorporate in our diet to substitute meats.

• Black Beans
• Tempeh
• Soybeans
• Quinoa
• Firm Tofu
• Peanut Butter on Whole Grain toast
• Lima Beans
•  Seitan (You can make this at home, watch this video)

...Among many others, you can of course eat meat alternatives such as soy ground, chick-un, pulls, and TVP.  But like I said earlier, try to keep your diet balanced.

I hope you enjoy these protein alternatives, remember to be creative and explore with new things, you might surprise yourself and discover that cooking vegan or vegetarian is really not that difficult!

Got Milk?

Well, if you are like most Americans, you probably do have milk somewhere inside your refrigerator.
Either in the form of milk or cheese, yogurt, sour cream, whipped cream or some other milk based products. The truth is that for most of us, milk is a part of our daily diets without even realizing it!

Think about this for a second. Do you know of any other mammal in the planet that drinks milk in their adulthood?

If you couldn't come up with another mammal besides "HUMAN", you are absolutely right, because there is no other mammal in this planet that drinks milk in their adulthood, only Humans!

An interesting fact here is that ALL animal products turn ACIDIC once ingested! And just like all animal products, milk also becomes ACIDIC once inside our bodies!

When the pH levels in our body change and become either too acidic or alkaline, our body finds the best possible ways to regulate the pH levels in our bodies, in the case of milk or dairy consumption, the calcium known to be found in milk is indigestible to humans, (due to the fact that often times it comes from a cow and is not designed for human consumption, but rather a calf.)  This of course causes the body to seek the most abundant neutralizing buffer in the body, which happens to be calcium.  Calcium is then taken from our bones to help neutralize this acidic liquid we know as milk.

So we are actually loosing calcium when we drink Milk?
Well, that's ironic!  This whole time I thought milk helped us build strong bones, however milk does more damage than helping! 

(So vegetarians also beware! Milk,Cheese and other dairy products are not safe to have in every single meal!)

We also need to be mindful of what is happening to the makers of milk, COWS.  The Dairy Industry is mainly concerned about profits.  This means cows making milk faster in the cheapest ways possible.  This also means that cows are being injected with growth hormones, being fed food that is cheapest (hard to digest, or sickening for them), being given antibiotics when they get sick and being packed in tight spaces where they stand in their own dung all day, all of these hormones, antibiotics, and sometimes blood from the cows end up in our milk, because the pasteurization process does not eliminate them.  Need I also mention that some of the cows are treated in the most inhumane way.  Feel free to watch the video below, it is very graphic, so please view with discretion.

 With that said, please try to be mindful of the things happening in our world and in our bodies.  We as consumers have the power to change the world, we can choose whether to continue to buy harmful products or buy healthier alternatives.  Only we can change our habits, and educating our selves is a good start!

Remember if you must buy milk or dairy products, shop ORGANIC! it is a little more expensive, but remember you are paying for quality.

However, if you are touched by all this dairy madness and want to eliminate dairy products from your life all-together, here are a few foods you should incorporate in your diet, there are of course many many more, but these are good for getting started!  Remember to shop Organic!

Vegetables: dark leafy greens, collard greens, bok choi, spinach, kale, broccoli, soybeans, and garlic.

Fruits: dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, apricots, Medjool dates), and fresh oranges are very good too

Nuts and Seeds: almonds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds are also a good source
Dried herbs are also very good!

You can also drink calcium fortified organic milk alternatives such as soy, almond, coconut or hemp milks. There are also vegan cheese options available in many markets now that carry products like soy cheeses or Daiya cheese, these taste delicious and are all dairy free!

Don't shun these alternatives, they are all very delicious, you just have to give them a chance.  Before you know it, you wont miss dairy at all. Not to mention you will feel and look great! Good Luck on your new life change and thanks for reading!

EAT ORGANIC!!

Hello Everyone, I really want to emphasize on the importance of ORGANIC foods today!

I remember when I used to go grocery shopping ready to find the cheapest deal on groceries, I would buy fruits and vegetables and meats that were low priced and I would walk by the organic food section, look at the prices and laugh! To think that I would buy such expensive groceries was a joke! Who would pay double for their groceries?
 But here I am now, telling you all to buy organic groceries! The joke's on me!

The truth is that although we might think we are eating healthy when we buy all our fruits and vegetables, we truly are not! Most inorganic fruits and vegetables have been sprayed with Pesticides and Insecticides to ensure their growth. When they are sent to the stores and put on the shelf they have not been cleansed from the pesticides and insecticides (need I also mention that most of these pesticides and insecticides are oil based--meaning they don't wash off with water). Not only that but some fruits and vegetables are even injected with preservatives to ensure a longer shelf life. Now think about it...How does that sound healthy? We are eating these chemicals and preservatives in our salad! Now don't get me started on meats!

Most cattle are fed corn, rather than hay or grass like they are supposed to. This creates digestive problems for cattle, meaning sick cows and development of illnesses such as E. Coli. Rather than switching the diet for the cows to grass, the ill cows are still slaughtered and the meat surpasses chemical cleansing (such as ammonia) and there we have it... we've got our meat! Chickens are also injected with growth hormones and go through a harsh and stressful short life, until they are killed and like red meat, are chemically cleansed. Pigs, well the poor piggies are kept in closed environments, they are also corn fed and are killed in the harshest ways. This method of food cultivating is inhumane and we should all know how it is done!

For a better look into this world of food make sure you watch "Food Inc." And remember, paying a little extra on groceries will pay off in the end, just to know that you and your family will not be eating all these harmful chemicals should be enough for you to make the right choice. Eat organic fruits, vegetables and meats and try to limit your meat consumption to a few days a week, you will notice the difference in your activity level and will feel great! Just try it for a week, don't think of it as a challenge, just try to slowly ease the transition, and before you know it, you won't want to go back to the old ways!  I'm talking from experience here!

Thanks for reading!

Delicious and Healthy Baked Salmon

 I like to keep fish in my diet because it is a very good source of protein without high levels of fat, it has all of the essential amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids and is also one of the few natural sources of vitamin D.  The alternative is taking supplements... but i prefer the real thing! (make sure to support sustainable fishing!)

So here is a delicious recipe I found on CHOW.com, hope you like it!


 Before we get started this is what you need!

• Fresh organic salmon filet
• Panko bread crumbs
• Dijon Mustard
• Olive Oil
• Basil (chopped)

You will begin by selecting a fresh salmon filet with skin on one side, make sure you check it for bones.
Place a sheet of aluminum on your baking sheet and spread some olive oil where you will place your fish.
Put your fish on the sheet and prepare your marinade sauce.
On a small dish mix 1 tbs olive oil, 3 tbs Dijon Mustard, and 1 tbs of chopped basil and mix together.
Once done, sprinkle salt and pepper on your fish and top it off with the marinade.
Once the marinade is spread on the top of your fish sprinkle Panko bread crumbs on top of your filet.

Now you put your filet in the oven (400 d.) for 15-20 minutes depending on your stove and filet size.

Once that is ready you can use a spatula to slowly remove the skin on the bottom of your filet, and serve with grilled asparagus or green beans and a wedge of lemon.

And Tah-Dah!! All done! That was easy right?

See, eating healthy doesn't have to be that difficult, and it sure doesn't have to taste bland!

Hope you all enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think! and check out CHOW for more recipes!

Eating Healthy is Easy?!

We've all been there.  Driven past a fast food joint and thought "I'm hungry...and I don't wanna go home and have to cook when I could just buy a combo real quick!" but are we really paying attention to the all the cash we're spending in the process, not to mention all the calories we're taking in.  I'm guilty of this.  Coming to you from a working full time college student, eating healthy is really hard for me.  We as a society, are constantly being bombarded by advertizement of the amazing and cheap fast food.  How do we change this cycle? How do we make eating healthy possible when we barely have enough time in our day?  How can we compete with this incredibly cheap alternative?

Well, I guess the first step, like in any situation where there is a problem... is to admit, that there is a problem and figure out a way to solve it.  I'm doing this with you guys, I'm not just preaching here!  I have been doing the fast food thing, and I have to tell you, I don't think I can keep it up.  I've lost all my energy, I have no motivation to go to the gym, I just want to eat, sleep and well, be lazy.  This is not the way a human being is supposed to feel during the day.  It's just not normal!

I've sat down and asked myself, what is the problem?  And the problem is that I eat out way too much. I just can't fight it, I can't! You just can't beat having your food hot and ready whenever you want, almost instantly at an affordable price, that just tastes so delicious!

That is the problem, you see.  I have become addicted to fast food, and can't fight against this fast food Giant! So I just give up, and give in.

I'm afraid I'm not the only one in this boat, many others find themselves in this situation every day, and it's just heart-breaking!

I hope that with this blog,We can fight this battle together, and find a way to return to our normal human state. 

So let us begin!!