Tag: vegan

Vegan Challenge…Completed. Or is it?

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3 weeks have come and gone and I can’t believe I survived my personal vegan challenge. Honestly, at first I anticipated that I was going to die without cheese and yogurt. Like, come on, I’m the biggest lover of buffalo mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Snacking on yogurt and cheese was my THING!

The first week was definitely the most difficult. I was already slowly cutting down my intake of cheese. I started limiting how much cheese I would eat to once or twice a week. I admit, I felt like an addict. I felt the urge to eat cheesy, gooey, melty, salty goodness. I have always known I am sensitive to dairy. I stopped drinking cows milk in the 6th grade and swapped to soy milk. Recently I have swapped soy milk for almond/coconut milk.

After week one I started to feel lighter, less bloated and clear headed. I started to slowly find vegan versions of my favorite things and veganized my kitchen. Week one came and went. Before I knew it, my three week challenge was over. I survived!

I am now mid-week 4 and feel amazing. I am the healthiest I have ever been. I am completely comfortable with my body and am a weight I feel my best at. I truly am enjoying this decision I have made for myself. I still get odd questions, stares and even the rolling of the eyes. I am happy, content, light, free and I’m doing something for the environment.

Well readers, that’s all for now!

Peace, love, no cheese and NO beef!

Guramrit

Staying True to Your Authentic Self- Be Real

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I pondered for days about a potential blog post. It was only until today that this idea hit me as I sipped some Yerba Mate tea as I read Whole Living magazine. I had the ultimate “Aha” moment. If there is one thing I am passionate and adamant about aside from healthy, conscious eating, it is being true to yourself.  Now what exactly do I mean?  Being authentically you is essentially understanding who you are not only on a physical level but spiritually, emotionally, mentally. Knowing who you are is understanding what you need, what nourishes you, what helps build you up and empower you.

As per the usual I can essentially tie this into my current nutritional and dietary lifestyle. Though I am a lifelong vegetarian (23 years and counting), I recently took up veganism as a way to nourish my mind, body and soul. I must admit this transition has been incredibly challenging especially overcoming my mental attachment to dairy (yes, I say mental since I know I don’t physically NEED cheese). As a child, I was the odd ball. Being the only vegetarian in my elementary school at the time really singled me out as the nerdy Indian girl who eats weird non-meat things for lunch. “Where’s the turkey on your cheese sandwich?,” “How do you survive with no meat?” “Ew what kind of lunch is that?” I grew more and more uncomfortable with myself eating in the presence of others. I would often sit in silence and just eat ignoring the questions and weird stares. Ultimately I felt comfortable with being a vegetarian because when I got home, it wasn’t weird to anyone since my entire family was vegetarian.

After enduring question after question about my abnormal diet, it became second nature to explain that I was vegetarian for religious reasons (since I was raised as a Sikh) and later on, for personal reasons. It was only after I graduated college that I realized being a vegetarian was and is part of my true and authentic self. I greatly cherish my health and envision a well-nourished and long and healthy life. For me, vegetarianism completed and enhanced my being. I have had encounters with people who have found my lifestyle choice a burden or even a bother to them. Now that I have transitioned to veganism, the questions and the grunts, sighs and even rolling of the eyes began again. “What do you eat?!” “What am I supposed to feed you?” “You’re so skinny. We need to fatten you up!” (Side Note: I’m not SKINNY, I’m slim, healthy, toned and loving the skin I’m in…just an FYI)

I know of people who would have easily given in to satisfy the masses. Why compromise your authentic self to please someone else? Take for example, Friday night, you decide to go out to Happy Hour with some friends. You don’t normally drink but the thought of being left out or seeming as though you are a party pooper is unbearable.  The drinks continue to flow, as though your reputation depended on every last drop. The next morning you feel awful, hung over and filled with a sense of regret. You didn’t want to go in the first place but decided to make a decision to save yourself from being deemed as unsocial. But why agree to something that YOU know is against what you believe in?  Why drink when you don’t normally drink? Why eat what you don’t like?

I realized that my health is not a matter of pleasing others. It is an issue of taking care of myself for ME. Don’t sacrifice your health, well-being and self-nourishment. You know what you need. What are YOU going to do to attain that?  

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Cold Weather Comfort Food Veganized

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When the autumn and winter seasons approach us, I find myself strongly desiring comfort, warmth and ooey gooey cheese. The winter is when most people seem to gain weight and let’s face it, we ALL know it’s because of all the goodies that come with the season. Thanksgiving, Christmas and family gatherings full of decadent desserts, hearty meals and CHEEEEEEESE (and booze).

Moving on, I wanted to satisfy my comfort food craving for something lighter, vegan, nourishing and easy to make. This tomato basil bisque soothes the soul, warms the bones and really hits the spot. Making your own croutons (pumpernickel is what I chose) removes the suspicion of what ingredients are used to make your crunchy bites of deliciousness. Another plus? Your house smells delicious as a result. Now get cracking and write this recipe down and try it tomorrow!

Tomato-Basil Bisque with Pumpernickel Croutons (modified from Chloe’s Kitchen)
Serves: 4

What You Need:
For the Pumpernickel croutons:
4 slices of fresh pumpernickel croutons, cubed
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the soup:
1 can of whole tomatoes (unsalted and its it liquid-READ THE INGREDIENTS)
4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice (half a lemon)
1 teaspoon dried basil
Sea salt & Black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil for garnish

How You Make It:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl (or even on the baking sheet), toss bread cubes with oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. On a separate baking sheet, spread tomatoes, garlic and onions. Drizzle olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Put both baking sheets in the oven. Roast veggies for up to 30 minutes or until tomatoes are lightly browned and caramelized. Bake croutons for 25 minutes, turning with spatula every 10 minutes.

4. Transfer roasted veggies and canned tomatoes to blender. Pulse until a desired consistency is achieved. Transfer soup mixture into a large pot and add broth. Simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in brown sugar, basil and lemon juice. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve garnished with croutons and basil. Enjoy!

The Best Pesto You’ll Ever Make

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I’m on week two of my vegan challenge and I was CRAVING something creamy, comforting and delicious. I simply adore my cookbook by Chloe Coscarelli, Chloe’s Kitchen and have had a post-it on the page with Avocado Pesto for over a month now. I decided, that I just HAD to make it. No more excuses! To my surprise? This was probably the most simple and delicious pesto I have ever made.

Okay enough fooling around, here is the best pesto you’ll ever make:

What you need:

  • 1 pound linguine (or spaghetti- I don’t use white flour pasta, I opt for spinach, brown rice, or whole grain)
  • 1 bunch fresh basil, reserve some leaves for garnish
  • ½ cup pine nuts (I left this out, but that’s you’re decision!)
  • 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4 cloves garlic (3 for pesto, 1 for sauteing baby broccoli & tomatoes)
  • ½ cup olive oil (save an extra 2 tablespoons for sauteing)
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
  • 1 bunch baby broccoli or adult broccoli, chopped (whatever you can find)

How to make it:

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside. (Cook to AL DENTE- leave a little bite to it. You don’t want to over cook the pasta.)

2. Meanwhile, make the pesto by combining basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. In saute pan, add olive oil and 1 clove of chopped garlic. Let the oil get fragrant and add broccoli. Saute a couple of minutes before adding the tomatoes. Turn off heat.

4. Toss pasta with pesto and broccoli and tomatoes. Divide pasta among serving bowls and garnish each serving with a basil leaf.

[The finished product!]

The next time you crave pesto, opt for this vegan friendly and satisfying version!

Peace, love and no beef!

Guramrit

I LOVE Farmers Markets

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If there is one thing I truly adore, it has to be farmers markets. On a beautiful rainy Thursday (aka yesterday) my mother and I took a trip up to West Nyack for some Vegan Caribbean goodness at Main Essentials restaurant. If you’re into a Caribbean flavor, enjoy fresh squeezed juice and great company (and reasonably priced lunches/dinners), Main Essentials is the place to be.

After a phenomenally filling and healthy lunch, my mom and I found a farmers market right around the corner. I was in heaven. The first thing I came across was a station selling eucalyptus plants. When I feel congested or just need a pick me up, inhaling eucalyptus essential oil is a perfect solution. I needed a little green in my room so I thought getting a plant would bring me a clear head and clear the energy in my room.

I really wasn’t anticipating finding anything other than fresh local organic produce, which is not easy to come by in the first place. (Side Note: If you are looking for local organic produce there are farmers markets on 161st street on Tuesday’s in the Bronx, on Moshulu Parkway on Wednesday’s/Thursdays and in Union Square Mondays, Wednesdays, Friday & Saturdays) I didn’t find the vegetables that I really needed in that moment but I did come across an organic vegan bakery selling the most decadent yet waist friendly lemon lavender cookies. I had to hide them in my house so I can actually enjoy them (Sorry Dad).

The surprises continued to unfold when I got the opportunity to have an olive oil tasting. The last time I had an olive oil tasting was at a farmers market in Florence last year. Italian olive oil is my weakness. There is something healing about the olives they choose for their olive oil (it’s either that or I’m just obsessed with anything Italian). But to my surprise, six olive oils later, I ended up choosing an organic Palestinian olive oil with a rich, nutty, peppery flavor with a slight bitter aftertaste similar to that of radicchio. 

After my encounter with THE most delicious olive oil since Italy, I came across a station dedicated to honey. Now, if you suffer from seasonal allergies like I do, popping a Benadryl or a Claritin is dreadful. I’d rather find a way to get relief naturally then ingesting pure chemical crap. I found bee pollen, harvested by the friendly Abbott & Costello loving farmer behind the counter.  Not only does bee pollen help with allergies, it is loaded with radical fighting antioxidants, may slow cellular aging and contains 22 amino acids (read more about this good stuff here: Natural News) But of course, please consult your physician before popping a few spoonfuls into your smoothie tomorrow. Aside from my excitement for finding bee pollen, I found lavender infused honey. Yes. Absorb that thought. Picture the mouthwatering goodness that is lavender and honey. Yes. I bought that. I own that. Let the hallelujah chorus commence. Seriously?! I think my taste buds died and went to heaven and resurrected.

Farmers markets are such a crucial part of living a healthy life. Not only can you get fresh local organic produce, you can get your hands on some phenomenal goodies to keep you healthy and happy. The best part about this farmers market trip? Everything I purchased was reasonably priced. $20 for olive oil, $5 for eucalyptus plant, $5 for lemon lavender cookies, $8 for lavender infused honey and $8.75 for 100% LOCAL bee pollen. Can’t possibly get better than that!

That’s all for now readers!

Peace, love and no beef!

Guramrit