Happy New Year!

Well, this is the time of year that everyone decides on a New Year Resolution.  Why not, make this the healthiest year ever?!  For me, 2011 was such a crazy year.  I started the year fresh out of surgery to have a tubal ligation reversal.  I had lost a few pounds before that, but after surgery, my body went wacko!  I started to gain a LOT of weight.  I'm talking 35lbs.  That's alot!  I felt terrible all the time.  I went to the Dr, and he told me not to even try to conceive at all because of my thyroid.  That was why I was gaining so much weight.  So, to make this an even more "fun" time, I was at my parents house, when my dad pulled out his blood sugar meter.  Like I said....just for "fun" I wanted to see what my sugar was.  He looked at the results and told me...You have diabetes.  Whoa!  What happened to me?  I had always been slim, trim, and active.  Why was my body on strike?  So again, I went to the Dr.  These guys, you need to remember are not God.  They are simply practicing medicine.  They are not the Great Physician.  They had no encouraging words for me.  Just doom.  Medicine, medicine, medicine.  Well, that scared me.  I went to my Pastor's prayer group and asked for prayer.  That was the turning point for me. 
After prayer, suddenly my thyroid numbers were balanced.  Perfect.  I wasn't immediately healed of the blood sugar, but I felt so strongly that God would provide that healing...and my part was to start being proactive in my health.  Change my eating habits.  Through much trial and error...I went from high to really low sugar.  I felt like things were so crazy, but I kept plugging on, not giving up.  I learned that my body was not responding well to meat and dairy as well, but couldn't understand the link.  Your body has a perfect way of working together and if one thing is wrong, it tends to alert you in many ways, to save and heal itself.
So, long story short...I became a mostly vegan...partly vegetarian.  I had some serious need of deliverance from my love of cheese!  Anyways, just last month, I received a call from my Tubal Reversal Dr saying they were concerned that I had not yet conceived.  I explained all of my symptoms to them....mostly my hormones just being out of control...heavy menstruation, terrible pain...they suggested endometriosis. 
I made an appointment.  But I became uneasy.  Why should I allow an unnecessary surgery to diagnose something that may not be wrong with me.  I began to pray and pray...I received this from the Lord.  # 1 Fast.  # 2  Vegan. 
Yes Lord.  I began to look up online about endometriosis.  Many said there was no cure for it...but I found several people saying a vegan diet healed them.  And bottom line, God knows exactly what I need.  I immediately cut out the cheese, eggs, and creamer in my coffee.  Would you believe...no pain.
Then I started to feel like I had the flu.  We had decided to test on Christmas morning to see if we had made it that month.  I was mostly happy I had lost 33lbs, no pain....and lo and behold...2 lines on that test!  I have a theory.  God gave me a miracle.  And also cutting out the extra hormones that are used to keep our cows lactating made the swelling and inflammation go away making the journey of little baby easier!  I thank God for this season in our life...and all the more reason to make this the healthiest year EVER!  I've said before that it's not for everyone...but regardless of what you think...God does care about your health.  That is not just a secondary issue.  It's intertwined into your spiritual condition.  Happy Healthy New Year!

Cream Sauce!

I know what you're thinking....vegans can't have cream.  And all of the substitutions are YUCK!  Well, I have created a delicious substitute this afternoon!  I wanted something fun and kinda naughty for the New Year's Eve dinner.  Well this takes the cake....and it's not so naughty!

Cream Sauce

1/2 Cup Vegan Butter ( I use Earth Balance)
1 Small Clove of Garlic
1/4 Cup White Rice Flour
1 1/2 Cup Almond Milk
Salt to taste
Dash or Two of Smoked Paprika

Melt Butter and cook in garlic.  Add the Rice Flour.  Whisk until smooth.  Add Almond milk.  Keep whisking on high heat.  Add Salt and Paprika.  If its too thin, add a little more rice flour at a time until desired thickness.  If it's too thick, add more almond milk.

Pour over veggies, vegetable pasta, or both!

Where have I been?

In a word....sleeping!  It turns out, we discovered that God has blessed us with a pregnancy!  Although, pregnancy at 32 is much different than at 19.  Whew!  I have been exhausted!  Anyways, I'll be back at the blogging soon enough, but for now...I'm going to take advantage of this vacation time to REST!  Pray for me!

The Amazing Avocado!

This chart is basically here in this blog to show you why my guacamole has one ingredient.  Why mess with this beautiful creation?  Find yourself a nice ripe one...or buy some green ones and wait for them to ripen.  It doesn't take long.  You'll want it to be an greenish/brownish/blackish color.  Slice it through the middle..either long or side ways.  I usually stab the giant seed and pull it out.  BE CAREFUL!  Then carefully scrape out everything else...yes, everything.  Especially the bright green colored stuff close to the skin (that has the MOST nutrients)!  Smash it all up until it's creamy and a little chunky...and eat it with crackers or blue corn chips.  Seriously...try it with nothing in it!  Look into all of the health benefits....and trust me, you'll be eating one of these bad boys everyday like my husband and I.

Homemade Crackers

Ok, now I know you are thinking...WHY make crackers when you can just buy them?  But trust me...these crackers + hummus = AWESOMENESS!  So without further ado:

1/2 Cup Rye Flour
1/2 Cup Wheat Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt (I used himilayan sea salt)
1 Tablespoon Raw Honey
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Caraway Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seeds
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Almond Milk (or any favorite milk)

Mix together dry ingredients, then add the liquids.  Roll into balls.  Flatten on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Poke holes with a fork to make sure they cook evenly and don't get bubbles in them.  Dust with sea salt.  Cook at 400 for about 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness.  I like mine thick!  Just pull them out when they start to brown on the outsides.
Enjoy with hummus, guacamole, or plain!

Going Out To Dinner

This is usually (in the past) where I have faltered.  There are simply no foods on the menu that are vegan.  Well, first..it's been a while since I've been out to eat, and second..it pays to look at a restaurants menu BEFORE you even go there with a game plan.  The last thing you want to do is order off the menu without knowing what sort of options you have.  And trust me, people don't like when you get all vegan on the waitress.  That's really one pet peve of mine that I've discovered...it's not like you think you're special or something...we are just concerned with our health.  Not trying to hold up the show here people!
More often than not, you will find vegetable sides...make sure they are steamed and cooked without butter!  And today, we will be going out to a place that primarily serves meat.  In fact, that's their claim to fame...best seafood in the city.  Whatever.  So, I perused the menu to find that there was a portabello burger.  I don't care if they fry that sucker in oil....as long as they can hold the butter.  It comes with onions and peppers on top.  Sounds great to me!  Most restaurants are trying to be more accommodating to the health conscience customer nowadays.  Thankfully, many places have more to offer than a portabello burger, but it'll do in a pinch.  For my side, broccoli!  This is probably a good time to interject that even though potatoes are technically a vegetable....french fries are p r o b a b l y  N O T  the best choice for your veggie. 
One more tip, and then I must get ready for church! 

*MAKE SURE YOU SIT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TABLE WHERE YOUR CONVERSATION WITH THE WAITRESS COULD POSSIBLY GO UN-NOTICED!  DO NOT SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOPS THAT YOU ARE ON A SPECIAL DIET!*

Banana Cake

Ok, I make lots of candy and desserts for people around Christmas time.  It's my favorite time of year!  But how frustrating is it that almost every cake or dessert calls for some sort of milk or egg.  Milk is an easy fix.  There are plenty of options to choose from.  My favorite is almond milk.  Now, granted...I have never just poured a tall glass of almond milk and drank it right up, but I do use it in my cereal and recipes.  For cooking, I use canned coconut milk.  Such a rich and thick milk substitute.  Anyhow, the egg factor is a tough hurdle to jump over.  I'm really not a fan of fake things...I don't do fake meats...and I just feel like there has to be a natural solution to these problems.  Thankfully, with a daughter allergic to milk, I have had plenty of years of research for almost vegan recipes.  I remembered the apple cider vinegar method!  And the Banana Cake was born!  Hallelu! 

Banana Cake

1/2 Cup Almond Milk
2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Cup Wheat Flour
1 Cup Coconut Flour
1 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1 Cup White Flour -> neccessary
*You may use any combination of flours, but I suggest at least using wheat flour (or any one of the thicker flours 3cups to 1cup of white flour...white flour is the most refined and unhealthy but needed in cakes for the most part).
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 HEAPING teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Allspice
1 Cup Applesauce
1 Cup Agave or Raw Honey
6 Ripe Bananas
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 13 X 9 pan with oil. (I use cocnut oil).  Mix Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon, and Allspice.  Set aside.

Mix almond milk with vinegar.  Let sit for a few minutes.

Mix Applesauce, agave or honey, and vanilla.  Add bananas (mash them first!)  Then, add milk/vinegar mixture.  Then stir in Flour mixture.

Bake for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. 

NOW DOESN'T THIS LOOK AMAZING?

IT TASTES AWESOME!

ENJOY!