Vegan Cookbook: The Urban Vegan

After looking through my cookbooks again last night, I decided one of my new favs is The Urban Vegan. It really has simple, delicious meals. I love any cookbook that I can pick up and make a meal without having to make a million trips to the grocery store for ingredients I can't even spell! (yes, I am being over dramatic!) Anyway, I just wanted to share and maybe get some feedback on other great books!


http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Vegan-Sumptuous-Recipes-Favorites/dp/0762752815

Get cookin good lookin!

Baking Egg Replacing Tips

I came across a list of substitute egg replacers the other day and I wanted to share it with everyone. Bookmark this page bc you know you will need to come back. I have used the flax seed replacement a million times and I can never remember the ratio off the top of my head.

Here is the list.

• 1 Tablespoon Flax seeds ground with 3 Tablespoons water
• 2 Heaping teaspoons Soy powder + 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 Tablespoon (chick pea) or soya flour and 1 Tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup apple sauce (in sweet recipes)
• 1 Tablespoon arrowroot, 1 Tablespoon soy flour and 2 Tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup soft tofu blended with the liquid portion of the recipe
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1/2 large banana, mashed
• 2 Tablespoons Potato starch (Instant mash potatoes)
• 2 Tablespoons flour, 1/2 Tablespoon shortening, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 2 teaspoons water
• Ener-G egg replacer ( http://www.ener-g.com/store/detail.aspx?section=8&cat=8&id=97

These are each Per Egg (1 egg) If your recipes calls for 2 eggs, double whichever option you picked. Example : 2 Tablespoons Flax seeds and 6 Tablespoons water = 2 eggs

Now when you want to bake but panic bc you ran out of what ever staple you use as an egg replacer , you can always find a back up laying around the kitchen!

If you know something that is not on the list, please share!

How to sharpen your garbage disposal for FREE

Hey everyone! I hope the word FREE caught your attention :) This is a little trick I learned from a maintenance man at an apartment complex I lived at. He told that when I noticed my disposal taking too long to munch everything up, sharpen the blades by dropping ice cubes in!

If your sink is smelling stinky, drop half of a lemon in it and grind away! This will sharpen the blade, kill bacteria and make the kitchen smell like citrus! So get off the computer and go sharpen some blades!

Hope this helps :)

Vegan Fruit Dip

Have you ever been to a party where they had a delicious fruit dip that tasted like candy? I used to have the dip at every party when I was a kid. It was made with Cream Cheese and Marshmallow Fluff! Well....I just veganized it! Take note:

1 container Suzanne's Ricemello
1 and 1/2 container vegan cream cheese

Mix and chill!

This will be a hit at any event! I can sit and eat it with a spoon!

Here is where you can find Ricemellow... http://www.suzannes-specialties.com/

Green money saving tip of the day: Unplug your electronics!

I know I have heard it a million times, but still up until last week had a few things laying around that were still plugged in! They give these appliances the term "Energy Vampires." My guess is because the plugs look like fangs and they drain energy and money! According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). These vampires drain about $10 billion a year!!! It accounts for 11% of all US energy use. WOW!

So if you are reading this, take it seriously! Go run and unplug your toaster. It may seem harder to unplug larger appliances such as the tv and dvd player, but to make life simple, put them both on the same power strip, then unplug that from the wall. It will be simple to plug it back in when you are ready to watch tv.

I guess being green really does save $$

Habit 3: Listen to your Language

Listen to you Language:

Your language is a very real indicator of the degree to which you see yourself as a proactive person. That is, it's better to say "I choose" rather than "I can't," or "I control my own feelings" rather than "They made me so mad."

Money Saving Tips!

Ok I am all over the place with ideas for this blog! Today will be a money saving tip that doubles as a green tip! Here we go....

Cut your sponges in HALF!

I was told once while in line at Trader Joes to cut my sponges in half to save money. I think this was one of the best tips ever! I have been cutting my sponges in half for years now and save a ton of money, not to mention create less waste!

If you haven't already, start buying plant based sponges. I sound like an advertisement for Trader Joe's over here, but they have an awesome brand that I believe is from France. They are yellow, and squished flat in the packaging. I was sticker shocked the first time I saw the price, but cutting them in half really saves on the wallet! PLUS: They don't get stinky for a long time! They lack that chemical treatment that is supposed to be antimicrobial (aka not good for the enviro!). If you notice the sponge to being yucky, throw it in the dishwasher!! Don't have one, drop it in a pot of boiling water! This kills the bacteria!

Share this idea with a friend! Or better yet, gift cut sponges to a friend to try them out! I gave my mom the pack of sponges cut in half a year ago and she is still finishing them up!

Green tip that doubles as a heath tip!

Get ready for this one!

TAKE THE STAIRS!

Wow that was easy. Do you ever stop to think about how much energy must go into riding that box up and down all day? Just think how your butt will thank you! You will burn some extra calories, get your heart beating and tone your butt just by hitting the steps when you exit the office. (or hotel, store etc).

So get to steppin!

Vegan Spiritual Retreat 8/14/10

Do you enjoy yoga, meditation, vegan food, walking in nature? If you answered yes to any of these, come to the Vegan Spiritual Retreat going on this weekend in Gladwyne, PA.

The INFO:

Date: Saturday, August 14th, 2010
Time: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: Saunders Woods, 1020 Waverly Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035
Cost: $30 adults (some scholarships available), $20 adult students/seniors, $15 youth (12-17), $10 children (6-11), free for children under 6.
To Register: contact Lisa Levinson, lisa@publiceyephilly.org, 215-620-2130

More INFO:

We invite you to discuss veganism as a spiritual practice and meet others who consciously choose a lifestyle based on compassion for all beings. Enjoy panel discussions, guided meditations, a delicious vegan lunch prepared by professional chefs, and a nature walk along the creek at Saunders Woods. We look forward to building a spiritual community and manifesting a positive vision for Vegan Spirituality. Free transportation from the nearest train station and childcare will be provided.

Hope to see you there!

Green Tips

Hello Bloggers!

I picked up a book last night at Borders for $1. I am very excited to share this with you, being it can help save the world one day at a time. (If only it were that simple!). The book is called The Green Year, by Jodi Helmer. She has some really great tips, so I will post or a day or so, and hopefully inspire you to make small changes as the days go on.

So let's get started!!!

Tip of the day:

Say "NO" to ATM receipts.

I personally use to always collect them, let them sit in my car, and never look at them again! There is no need for them! Think of how many trees can be saved if everyone you knew skipped the receipt. Pretty cool little tip!

Habit 2 Focus on your Circle of Influence

Focus on your Circle of Influence:

Proactive people focus their efforts in their Circle of Influence . They work on the things they can DO about something.

Have a great day!

Habit 1 Take responsibility for your life.

So I have a box full of cards that have The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stepehen R Covery I will share them with you as I read them myself!

Today's Habit!

Take responsibility for your life.
-Highly proactive people don't blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice.


Hope this helps!

School day 2

Ok, today is day 2 of my online education. What info have I acquired thus far you ask?? Well,I can navigate the ipod they gave me, and I can follow directions on a forum. I did however get stuck in a waiting room today where I read through the first 4 chapters of the Integrative Nutrition book. Most of it was not new to me being I have been obsessively reading about the dangers on meat, dairy, pesticides and herbicides for the past several years now. So one fact I will share today will be about ORGANICS.

The Dirty Dozen... These are the 12 fruits and veggies you should always buy organic.

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Cherries
Kale/Collard
Greens
Potatoes
Grapes (Imported)

The Clean 15... Save your $ and buy these conventional

Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mangos
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potato
Honeydew
Melon

Yes it is very important to eat organic! You will hear people tell you that you are wasting your money. The fact is, you may spend a little more money now on quality healthy food and SAVE big on health expenses in the future.

To download a pocket guide visit http://www.foodnews.org/

The entire list is below, ranking from the best to worst to buy.

Rank	Fruit or Veggie
1 (Best)	Onions
2	Avocado
3	Sweet Corn (Frozen)
4	Pineapples
5	Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6	Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7	Asparagus
8	Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9	Cabbage
10	Eggplant
11	Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12	Watermelon
13	Grapefruit
14	Sweet Potatoes
15	Honeydew Melon
16	Plums (Domestic)
17	Cranberries
18	Winter Squash
19	Broccoli
20	Bananas
21	Tomatoes
22	Cauliflower
23	Cucumbers (Domestic)
24	Cantaloupe (Imported)
25	Grapes (Domestic)
26	Oranges
27	Red Raspberries
28	Hot Peppers
29	Green Beans (Imported)
30	Cucumbers (Imported)
31	Summer Squash
32	Plums (Imported)
33	Pears
34	Green Beans (Domestic)
35	Carrots
36	Blueberries (Imported)
37	Lettuce
38	Grapes (Imported)
39	Potatoes
40	Kale / Collard Greens
41	Cherries
42	Spinach
43	Sweet Bell Peppers
44	Nectarines
45	Blueberries (Domestic)
46	Apples
47	Strawberries
48	Peaches
49 (Worst)	Celery