{Meatless Monday} Feeding “Baby, C”

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Happy Meatless Monday!

Okay, so the last time I did a post on {Meatless Monday} I mentioned Baby C’s diet.  Clark was exclusively breastfed up until 6 1/2 months when we introduced solids. My plan was to wait it out an entire year; but he began to show signs early on. I firmly believe it has a lot to do with having a bigger brother (2yr.old) around.

In any case, since learning about the raw foods diet the hub and I knew we wanted to introduce Clark to raw from the get go. A couple months ago we purchased the Sun-Sational Raw Baby Food ebook by Melissa Gilbert and made a few simple recipes for ourselves then tested a couple on Clark. He absolutely loves GREEN smoothies.

First Foods

Veggies! One veggie per week to test for allergic reactions. His first food was lightly steamed butternut squash, carrots, zucchini, peas, sweet potato, green beans, spinach, red chard etc.

After going through the gamut of veggies we let him try fruit. Once we rotated the weekly cycle of fruits we introduced green smoothies.

I plan to keep him mostly breast for now. He eats about twice a day…sometimes only once depending on how busy our day is. When he turns one, I will introduce nuts & grains and he will get more to eat. He’s had a little bit of grains  but not much (he naturally gets really fussy if he can’t have what were eating).  So, I’ve allowed a little table food but no dairy and no meat (and of course, no sugar!). We skipped the rice cereal all together this time too. I’ve read that it makes for a starchy eater. Rice cereal was Tristan’s first food and I was reluctant but being a first time mom I went ahead and honestly; he’s as starchy as they come.

Long Term

I discussed veganism with the peditircian last week for Clark’s 9 month appt. and his only concern was B-12. He mentioned he sees a lot of B-12 deficiencies in vegetarian/vegan kids. I was surprised he didn’t say more. I’m actually happy he did not. Makes me believe he’s not against it. We asked all the questions we needed to and feel comfortable with the decision of raising a veggie baby.

As far as a family we plan to remain meatless also. We are slowly weaning ourselves from meat and have not purchased any for a month! Most of January was meatless with a few exceptions (we still had meat in fridge…but that is no longer the case). We actually have eaten a mostly vegan/raw diet but have included some dairy. Overtime we will eventually kick meat and dairy to the curb for good.

Clark’s Favorite

Summertime Delight

from the book Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko

6 peaches (seeds taken out)

2 handfuls of spinach

2 cups of filtered water (we have reverse osmosis)

Blend and enjoy!

I freeze any of the leftovers in the So Easy Baby Food Trays.

::

He also loves  “Chocolate Milk” …

adapted from my local health food store

(juicer required)

- Handful of Red Leaf Lettuce

- 3 carrots cut in half

You can also add in a sliver of ginger if you like… we often do!

Yum!

I recently made him flax banana crackers (from ebook) but my husband is concerned about allowing him to eat whole flax seeds because he heard they can get caught up in the colon.

Can any of my raw food friends chime in on this?

And- if any of you mom’s know of any great online resources for raising vegan/raw children- do tell!

Would love to hear your thoughts!!

{Meatless Monday} Fantastic Falafel Recipe & more…

Hello dear readers!

Hope you had a great weekend. Mine was somewhat uneventful but I did manage to get some things done around the home. It seems like I’ve been decluttering a lot lately. Getting out what doesn’t fit in to my lifestyle or even my well being! I live in a small home so I declutter often.

In a sense I’ve also decluttered my eating habits. For 2010, as mentioned previously I plan to eat more raw foods and lean towards a vegan diet. I’m not going to set myself up for failure and plan to be quite flexible. I was a veggie for many years but had no idea what I know now. I definitely wasn’t getting the proper nutrition my body deserved nor was I getting the right amount of protein. Yikes!

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A very UN birthday & misc eats!

Hola everyone! I’m considering this my {Meatless Monday} post.  Hey, better late than never! LOL!

My hubby’s 31st birthday was just last week before Christmas! I wanted to celebrate in rawkstar style so I decided I would make him a RAW cheesecake.

No, it doesn’t mean I put all the standard cheesecake ingredients into a bowl and asked him to eat it. LOL!  It went a little something like that but not quite. I could not believe it only took me approximately 15-20 mins TOPS to make this! The hardest part was waiting for the no cheese cake to freeze up and harden.

I looked around for an easy recipe and found this ONE!

It had a macadamia nut crust and cashew cream as the filling.  The only thing I did differently was use maple syrup rather than agave! I haven’t been using agave since I heard it scales close with High Fructose Corn Syrup! Crazy! As you can see in the picture above I topped it with fresh organic blackberry’s from the farmer’s market.

The uncheesecake was fabulous and delish! A friend of mine who had leftovers commented that at least she could eat the entire piece over the real thing! I agree… I could of eaten the whole cake. Everyone at dinner that evening seemed to enjoy it … even my husband for his very un birthday!  Score!

We can’t wait to mix and match and play with the ingredients some. Mmm! I’m thinking strawberries whirled in next time would be oh so superb.

I also made these raw thumbprint cookies by Earth Mother… they were nutty, sweet and flavorful.

AND I want to mention, I had the opportunity to make Gena’s Carrot Falafel with Tangy Tahini Sauce a few weeks back and it was super!

The only problem… no pics were taken we gobbled em’ up so fast (actually I had quite a few Falafels leftover which was awesome)… I do believe my Nikon battery took a dive on me that night! In any case, were planning to do a remake of this yummy dish and I pinky promise to take pics.

So if you’re planning any meals that are raw/vegan- dairy free… and the like … these three recipes are kick ass!

P.S.

I was gifted a VitaMixtavegamin for X-Mas! Yahoo!!!

What have you been making in the kitchen?

Simple & All Natural: Banana Honey Facial

Hi everyone. Happy October 1! Can you believe it’s already the 10th month! I don’t even want to think about it, right?! It’s all about the now…. so guess what that means- I’m telling you to go meatless again for the day because it’s World Vegetarian Day! 

Don’t worry it won’t kill ya- it’ll make you stronger!

Celebrate the day with this banana honey facial that I made as a recommendation from @GreenGeisha on twitter!

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Meatless Monday: Raw Recipes

As you might know, I’ve been delving into the world of the raw foods diet. The more and more I read the more and more I’m eager to try out new recipes and go to the raw side of the moon. LOL! Most of the recipes are simple and easy. I don’t want to get discouraged so we do quick, easy and of course tasty meals. I’m finding that all raw meals are tasty and look amazing when put together.

Going raw is very beneficial for the planet. By only consuming a plant based diet you are leaving all the methane gas that cows produce (and plenty of more things) at the door. Not only that, but you’re supporting local farmers by eating more organic and local fresh fruits and veggies. It’s no secret that we need more greens in our diet as well as nature’s candy- fruit!

I love raw food dishes because they’re colorful and the fresh herbs add depth to dishes. It gives you a whole new perspective on texture and taste. They say variety is the spice of life!! In the raw foods diet you’re getting a variety of fresh fruits and veggies everyday for each meal. There are numerous health benefits that it’s great for: Weight loss, Diabetes, Eczema, body odor and plenty more.  I want to glow and smell like strawberries!!!

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Meatless Monday: Spanish Breakfast Scramble

It’s MEATLESS MONDAY!

That’s right kick the meat to the curb today and indulge in fresh veggies and fruits instead.

Recently, I mentioned my interest in the raw foods diet. Much of what I’ve been doing lately is fueling my brain with tons of information on becoming a raw foodie. I’m really drawn to this lifestyle of raw foods- it’s pretty fascinating to me. Not eating cook foods and getting the most nutrition out of a vegetable or fruit seems almost like a no-brainer, right? I know this diet may not be for everyone but so far from what I’ve been reading it seems like it goes right along with my who I am. I’m so hyped on the recipes- from nut cheeses to nut milks, rawasgna, to grawnola, and ice cream (dairy free) – anything is possible in the raw foods world. Pizza, mexican food- yes, that’s right tamales- and the kicker it’s HEALTHY for you!!!

It has totally made me rethink my eating habits and even having our chickens for eggs! Anyway, I’m super thrilled to share our first raw foods recipe with you. I decided to go simple and easy on our first take- I don’t want to overwhelm myself. I’ve yet to take to leap either and invest in a Vita-Mix. I really, really, really want one! Our blender just recently broke and the food processor does not do the job like the blender did. I’m not even sure when I’ll make that step but hopefully, soon. For now, I’ll borrow my mom’s blender and juice it up with our Jack Lalanne juicer. We have the one featured in the video.

I figure it can’t hurt to incorporate a few raw meals into our daily lives… so without further a do…

Spanish Breakfast Scramble an Ani Phyo recipe…

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We enjoyed this dish for dinner. This recipe is easy peasy! Most raw recipes don’t require a lot of time in the kitchen. Major plus. My husband absolutely loved it- NO JOKE. He asked for seconds and kept raving about how much he liked the textures of the spinach and nuts. He said he could just eat the “Love the Chicks” pate plain. He also kept saying it was the perfect food for the outdoors. I agree. Tonight, we’re having a Mushroom Walnut loaf- stayed tuned!

Oh, and btw- I wanted to share a book with you that inspired me to become a vegetarian years ago- I’ve recently taken it off the shelves again…

I highly recommend it.

The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and The World- by John Robbins.

Happy Meatless Monday!

National Vegetarian Week

Did you know that Methane gas is 24 times more potent than CO2 emissions (greenhouse gas)?!!?

According to the EPA, the world’s livestock are responsible for 25 percent of the world’s anthropogenic methane emissions (those that are human based)

This week is National Vegetarian Week- May 19- 25th! National Vegetarian Week is the annual awareness-raising campaign promoting inspirational vegetarian food and the benefits of a meat-free lifestyle. Celebrated by The Vegetarian Society since 1992, the week is now an established event and everyone from big corporations to primary schools, small community groups to members of the public are welcome to join. The above facts, definitely, make me reconsider my position as a meat eater! I have to admit that I don’t usually eat red meat but I do have the occassional steak every now and then. If I’m going to eat beef it’s usually in the form of tacos or meatloaf! I was once a vegetarian and had no problem substituting- using soy, black beans, lentils or tvp (textured vegetable protein) for tacos or meatloaf. To be honest, I’m not sure why I switched. We practice going meatless! Often times, I’ll cook plenty of meals without meat.  When you think of the environmental effects that raising cattle has on the planet…it’s hard to rationalize why they’re so good for you.

After reading the book The Food Revolution- How YOUR DIET Can Help Save Your Life and THE WORLD by John Robbins I was entirely convinced that we’re raising cattle for all the wrong reasons AND that a plant based diet is certainly more earth friendly! All I can say is that I highly recommend this read for anyone thinking about becoming a vegetarian or for a vegetarian who would like to know more. Robbins breaks down how meat eating contributes to the water, food, environmental and health crisis. You’ll learn a lot about animal cruelty and will also gain insight on the “you are what you eat” theory. Not only does Robbins go into great detail about a plant based diet but he also describes the importance of this place called home, Earth!

I would just like to shoot out a few more facts that I learned from the book and from the www.goveg.com

Nearly half the water consumed in this country is used for livestock;

In the U.S. animals are fed more than 70 percent of wheat, corn, and other grains we grow;

Research has shown that vegetarians are 50 percent less likely to develop heart disease, and they have 40 percent of the cancer rate of meat-eaters. Plus, meat-eaters are nine times more likely to be obese than vegans.

The consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products has also been strongly linked to osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, asthma, and male impotence. Scientists have also found that vegetarians have stronger immune systems than their meat-eating friends; this means that they are less susceptible to everyday illnesses like the flu. Vegetarians and vegans live, on average, six to 10 years longer than meat-eaters. A plant-based diet is the best diet for kids, too: Studies have shown that vegetarian kids grow taller and have higher IQs than their classmates, and they are at a reduced risk for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other diseases in the long run.  Studies have shown that even older people who switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet can prevent and even reverse many chronic ailments.

And, if you’re so inclined watch this video- Chew on This for a real eye opener-(discretion advised) go to www.meat.org

When you consider all the facts it’s really HARD to rationalize why we eat meat. Especially, with the hunger crisis, global warming and all the health issues related to eating meat. With all of this information starring at me… I decided to take the Veg pledge for 30 days- Fine by me, not sure sure what the Hubby will think! He’s usually pretty supportive…but LOVES his steak…mmrr, mmrr…

Now I turn the tables…  I challenge YOU- Why not take the VEG PLEDGE and pledge to be vegetarian for 30 days- I DID!!! 30 days too long?- How about for a week? Or one night a week- however, you choose- know that when you’re not eating meat you’re saving the planet! It’s up to us.  :) Order your FREE vegetarian starter kit, today! Have a Johnny Rocket’s in your area…(what a tease!)…they’re celebrating World Vegetarian Week by offering the Streamliner, Boca burger for FREE!! It’s only for a week…so head over to goveg.com and print out your coupon!!

Here’s a Meatless Monday recipe, to help kick start Veggie Week!

Eggplant Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 small eggplant, halved and sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (6 inch) French sandwich rolls
• 1 small tomato, sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven’s broiler. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet or broiling pan. Place the pan about 6 inches from the heat source. Cook under the broiler for 10 minutes, or until tender and toasted.

2. Split the French rolls lengthwise, and toast. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the mayo and garlic. Spread this mixture on the toasted bread. Fill the rolls wih eggplant slices, tomato, feta cheese and basil leaves (eggplant can be substituted with portobella mushrooms and you can also do this recipe capri style with mozarella instead of Feta!)

To celebrate NVW- I will post a meatless recipe each time I blog this week.

Don’t forget to get your copy of TreeHugger’s Ready, Set Green… on sale in stores- MAY 20, 2008!