Super Inspiring "Sexy" Chick

Recently, I read an article about Kris Carr and I was inspired, to say the least.  On Valentine's Day in 2003, she was diagnosed with a very rare, Stage 4 Cancer.  Since her diagnosis, she's changed her lifestyle and started listening to her inner voice.  She follows a completely "plant-passionate" diet and has a recipe book titled Crazy Sexy Kitchen.  I haven't checked it out yet, but I plan to ASAP. 

Chickpeas and Spicy Dandelion Greens!

It's been a little quiet on the Plant Based Happiness blog over the past month.  We've had some exciting things happening in our lives ~ we got engaged last month (YAY!) and we've been partially renovating our favorite room in the house - the kitchen!  Future pictures of recipes will proudly feature our new granite counter tops.

Eggplant Yassa with Chickpeas, Carrots & Lima Beans

Many thanks to Jainaba at Kitchens of Africa for the new recipes featuring their delicious peanut and onion simmer sauces!  I've been looking forward to making this dish because I LOVE eggplant.  It definitely lived up to my expectations - it was super delicious, chock full of veggies and the perfect amount of spicy.  

My Progress!

I'm excited to share the before and after pictures below showing my progress over the past 7 months.  Since July 2012, Josh and I have been following a plant-based diet as well as exercising three to four times each week.

Falafel Pitas - another quick plant-based meal!

I came across these frozen Falafel burgers at Weaver Street Market recently, so we made falafel pitas for lunch today. They were very YUMMY and very quick!

 

Looking for a non-dairy yogurt alternative?

We've been trying to reduce our soy intake lately, so I've been hesitant to try some of the yogurt alternatives since they usually contain soy.  I found this peach Amande Almondmilk yogurt at Weaver Street market last week.  I was pleasantly surprised - it was very tasty!  The bonus is that it's completely vegan but it still contains the beneficial parts of yogurt - the live cultures and probiotics.  So, if you're plant-based or vegan and you love yogurt - you're in luck, because this is a great alternative!

Hello Comfort Food ~ Plant-Based Pot Pie

Let me start by saying, this is not a healthy recipe. But, since the weather has turned colder, I've been craving pot pie.  This recipe is completely plant-based and my very own creation.  Josh has rated this one of the best things I have ever made!

Love Garlic?

I found a new product that I've fallen in love with ...

If you're a garlic person, this is a product you should definitely have in your cupboard!  I found it in the produce section at my local Whole Foods.  It's 100 times better than any garlic salt out there.  I've been adding it to my salads - it adds a little crunch and a LOT of flavor.  It makes a great topping for a salad with my already garlicky Red Wine Vinaigrette.  You could add it to steamed veggies, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, etc.  I love that all of the ingredients are Organic and they use extra-virgin olive oil and not some GMO vegetable oil!

White Bean Chipotle Casserole

I got this recipe from my Sister-in-Law (for all intents and purposes), Heather and it is fabulous! Heather was awesome enough to make this for our Christmas dinner, making us vegetarians very happy!

Just Leave Our Food ALONE!

Garlic & Roasted Veggies Ravioli YUM!

Tonight we tried a new "quick" meal from the Frozen foods section and we were thrilled with how it turned out!

Plant-Based on a Budget!

Thinking about a implementing a plant-based diet?  Concerned about the cost of adding all of those delicious organic veggies to your shopping cart?  Don't be!  We actually decreased our grocery bill by eliminating meat, seafood, cheese and other dairy products.  Good quality meat is much more expensive per pound than beans or vegetables.

Here are some ways to shop smart on a plant-based diet:

1. Shop the Whole Foods Bulk Section - this way you can buy as much or as little as you need of most any rice, beans, nuts, grains, legumes, dried fruit, etc.  This saves money because if you only buy what you are going to use, you won't have any waste.  In addition, I've compared pricing on many of the bulk food items to the packaged items elsewhere in the store and you really get a lot more for your money when you buy it from the bulk section.

What do you mean you don't eat meat?

I get asked this question or some variation of it pretty often... 

So, you don't you eat milk or cheese either?  Then, what do you eat?  Oh, I could never do that.

Today was no exception.  So, I thought I'd post about it tonight.

EWG's 2012 Clean Fifteen

Here's the list of the top 12 safest fruits and veggies. These are the fruits and vegetables that you don't have to worry about buying Organic, i.e. the lowest in pesticide residue.