Tea Spotlight: Republic of Tea: Get Clean

I wanted to start putting up quick reviews on the teas I am currently drinking. I'm going to call the series Tea Spotlight. My first review will be on The Republic of Tea's Get Clean tea. This tea's name is self-explanatory, it's main purpose is to detoxify and "clean" your body. It contains milk thistle, dandelion, and burdock root which are all know for being highly detoxifying, though it's base is rooibos with vanilla and almond. All of the herbs work in harmony to keep up healthy digestion and promote proper detoxification through the liver and kidneys.

This tea and I had a rocky start... After hearing good things about it, scratch that, GREAT things about it, I had high expectations. Sadly, I hated it at first. I thought it tasted like water infused with almonds with a strange herbal aftertaste. In my cupboard it stayed, for a couple of months at least. But I wanted to love it, so I rekindled our relationship with a new found determination to enjoy this tea. After I got accustomed to the flavor (I had never had a tea quite like it before) and perfected the amount of raw sugar I like to put in it, I do enjoy this tea. I have to be in the mood for it though. It has a nice almond-y taste( I heard that it tasted like cookies. It does not-I repeat- it does not taste like cookies-) I like to drink this tea in the morning, as opposed to at night because it has a light flavor which is great in conjunction with my morning fruit and oatmeal. While it is not my new favorite tea, I like it and will finish my container. I probably won't repurchase it, as I have plenty of teas in my cupboard that I need to finish. I would give this tea a 3.8 out of 5. Not too shabby, considering I am a bit of a tea snob.

Till next time.

Dealing With Cravings

Whether you're trying to cut out sugar, dairy, meat, gluten or all of the above, it is inevitable that you will encounter cravings at one point or another. I am lucky, and have never been one to have bad cravings. Once it's in my head that something isn't good for me, I don't want it very much. I know that's not the case for a lot of people so I have compiled a list of tips that should help to cope with cravings. Being as I am not Superman, I do have cravings sometimes. Normally for sweets, which is funny because even when I was eating all of the above food groups I never had much of a sweet tooth. For some reason my sweet tooth has intensified since I have cleaned up my diet. Weird. When that I happens I grab a banana. I'm serious, that's my first tip. When you feel a craving coming on grab a banana, it works.

1.  Discover WHY you are having a craving. Is it emotional? Is it mental? Once you discover the root of the craving it is significantly easier to get rid of it. If it's mental, grab a piece of fruit and wait a few minutes, it's literally all in your head. In the case of food cravings, you are your own worst enemy. It will pass. If it's emotional than you are going to have to do a little soul searching, to get to the bottom of it, my friend. 

2. Grab a banana. I'm telling you it works. I say banana, because they are really convenient, but any fruit would do. When you have a craving you want to nip it in the bud. When you eat something else, you're mind is focusing on that and not on how much you want a soft pretzel.

3. Reflect in on yourself. Remember why you're not eating that food, and I don't mean just because you want to lose a few pounds so you look hot in a bikini, dig deeper than that. I eat gluten free because of health reasons. I eat plant-based by CHOICE. I remind myself why I chose this lifestyle. Because eating real foods nourishes me, mind and body, because I don't have to rely on other creatures losing their lives-brutally, I might add- to sustain myself, because I deserve optimal health and the way to get that is eating whole foods. I remind myself of all those reasons and it puts in perspective how silly a craving for ice cream is. 

4. Don't DEPRIVE yourself. Eating a diet full of whole foods is by no means limited. People set those limits on themselves because they wrongfully assume that eating vegan/plantbased cannot be full of variety and flavor. Since I have made this lifestyle change I have tasted a wider variety of foods than I had in my entire life. I have experimented in the kitchen more than ever and I have a deeper appreciation for food now than I ever did before. When you live this lifestyle to the fullest, I promise cravings will be minimal, because you will be completely satisfied with your current diet.

5. Succumb to your craving. Yes, you heard me correctly. Have a little bite of that cake, or a little sip of diet coke. I'd bet money that it does not taste nearly as good as you remembered. We romanticize things in our heads. When our pallets get used to real, whole foods, we are not going to enjoy artificial, processed things like we used to. One time, I want a sip of soda SO badly. I hadn't had any in 3 years, but I let myself have ONE sip of Coke. It burnt my mouth and wasn't at all like I had imagined. I realized that soda was something that tasted much better in my imagination. Now, that's where I leave it.

6. Have a drink. I recommend water, but if you must be fancy, tea works well too. Just like eating something, drinking something distracts you from your mental struggle. Unlike food, this is good if your craving something when you're already full and don't need to overeat. 

7. Keep a food journal. Keeping a food journal is beneficial for many reasons. For one, it helps you keep track of your progress, and nothing is as motivating as seeing your progress being kept record of. When you feel discouraged or are battling with a craving, flip through your journal and it will inspire you to keep on the right path.

I hope at least one of these tips will help you cope with cravings. Don't give in, you're worth more than that. I have been on my journey to healthy living for almost two years, and I can tell you, it does get easier. So much easier. When you learn to listen to your body and not just your mind, you will be able to nourish your body to a larger extent and enjoy eating whole foods so much that you will forget to miss the foods you used to eat. 

I wish you luck on your journey to good health and hope that it is as smooth as it can be.

Till next time.

Mixed Berry Hemp Smoothie Recipe

This mixed berry hemp smoothie is filled with antioxidants, omega fatty acids, protein and delicious flavor. Let me ask you, are you a fan of delicious flavor? If so, then keeping reading and I will show you how to make a nutrient rich mixed berry smoothie with hemp.

Back in the day when I had no idea what a calorie was, I enjoyed the mixed berry smoothie from McDonald's. This tastes just like that but it lacks the refined sugar flavor. I have become quite a fan of this recipe, which came into fruition completely by chance. It was one of those times where you just threw random ingredients from the refrigerator into the blender and hoped for the best. After minor tweaks, I feel that I should share my recipe for a decadent, yet nutrient dense treat. I have really become a fan of hemp milk in the last few months. An acupuncturist told me that it was a good source of plant-based Omega-3 Fatty Acid and Omega-6 Fatty Acid; it also contains amino acids and a multitude of vitamins and minerals. Considering my body is in dire need of fatty acids(it refuses to absorb them), hemp milk is a nice, delicious way to get them into my diet. Without further ado, here is my painstakingly simple-you'll notice that's a reoccurring theme here, I love simple- mixed berry hemp smoothie. I do recommend you serve it in a nice mason jar paired with a lovely glass straw but that's just my suggestion.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of mixed frozen berries(my mix was blackberries,blueberries,strawberries, and raspberries)

1 very ripe banana, sliced

1 cup of Vanilla Hemp Milk

1/2 cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 tbs. flax meal

Hemp Hearts to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Add berries, sliced banana, and flax meal to blender. Now add milks and blend. Voila! A creamy nutritious smoothie has appeared. I either top mine off with hemp hearts, as seen here, chia seeds, or goji berries.

I love how versatile this smoothie is; I have been wanting to experiment with putting a chocolate swirl in it, because raspberries and chocolate equal perfection, but to be honest it may be a lethal combination.

I am hoping to make a smoothie series and this is my first installment. I have a ton of recipes up my sleeve that I think you will enjoy. Stay tuned :)

Vegan Chai Tea Recipe

I vividly remember losing my chai tea virginity... It was over a year ago, I was visiting my best friend for the summer and she bought a soy chai tea at Whole Foods. Naturally, I stole it and drank it all. Who would have thought that in that moment my life would change forever. No, I'm not exaggerating -though, I have been known to favor the hyperbole on occasion, this is not one of those times-. I became nothing short of addicted. I have never been an avid Starbucks goer-or any coffee shop for that matter- but now I was going everyday. This was before I was vegan, so I got it with dairy milk, last winter I switched to soy which seemed to momentarily comfort my guilty conscious. I knew that I needed to stop drinking it... To preach about a healthy lifestyle and then proceed to drink copious amounts of glorified sugar water is hypocrisy at it's finest. So I decided to take control of my sugary little problem and make my own, healthier chai tea. After much, much trial and error, I have finally found a recipe that is delicious and simple; two of my favorite adjectives. This recipe is vegan AND soy free. I try to stay away from soy because of things I have read about estrogen and soy. Anywho, you are welcome to use whatever kind of plant-based milk you desire, but I can't promise you anything. I have tried rice, hemp, and almond mil. The hemp milk kind of curdled, the rice was just gross, and the almond milk was just right. 

Okay. You will need three ingredients. That's it. It's so simple I feel almost criminal writing this post.

You will need...

  1.  Celestial Seasonings Chai Tea-Decaffienated

  2. Raw Sugar 

  3. Unsweetened Almond Milk

DIRECTIONS

The first step is the most crucial... Add your milk to your cup-preferably a really beautiful, huge one like the one I have got- I don't know why but putting the milk in before the tea makes it taste delicious, if I put it in after the tea, it turns out horribly. I don't understand the science behind it, but just trust me. 

Next, make your tea.

I use my Keurig and the little reusable K-Cup insert to put my tea bags in- I ALWAYS use two teabags, I know it's wasteful but I cannot stand my tea with just one-, and in less than 30 seconds I have a lovely mug of tea.

The final step is to add your sweetener. Ta da! I know this is offensively simple, but I hope it helps people looking for a vegan, soy free recipe. The brand of chai tea in conjunction with the milk trick is  the key to success, my friends.

Are there other ridiculously simple chai recipes I am missing out on? How do you make your favorite comfort drink? Am I crazy for thinking that the order in which I put the milk actually makes a difference?

Till next time

Plant-Based vs. Vegan

What is the difference between plant-based and vegan? Some may say they are one and the same, others disagree. Plant-based is a very relative term, you see. For me, I call myself plant-based rather than vegan for two reasons:

1. Because I consume honey and wear leather ( I do not buy it new) I am not strictly vegan, because vegans do not consume/use ANY animal products. I will call myself vegan to people who do not know the difference between these lifestyles, because vegan is amore mainstream term.

2. When I hear the word vegan I normally think of a person who has adopted the lifestyle for social/ethical reasons rather than dietary, and when I hear plant-based I think of someone who chose not to consume animal products for dietary reasons, which is what I did.

There are a lot of people who choose to abstain from animal products for BOTH reasons. I am not trying to label everyone and say that one label is better than the other. In fact, I don't even like to label my own diet let alone other people's. It is easier to label your diet because people are fascinated with what and how other people eat. I don't parade around with a flag saying "I'm plant-based", no more so than any omnivore would, but seeing as I do eat a "specialized" diet, people are curious as to what I do and do not eat.

I first abstained from meat/dairy because of health reasons. Not only do I have Celiac Disease, but a dairy intolerance as well. As for the meat, I have never liked it and had been vegetarian for a few broken up periods of my life. Because of a lack of family support and health issues, I never stuck to it. Now that I have been diagnosed and am much more educated in all things diet/health it was a no brainer to become vegetarian. I digress, long story short, it was easy for me to give up meat. When I did it in conjunction with no gluten or dairy I felt more vibrant and more alert than I have in my life. So, I started being "vegan" for myself; as I became more educated on the subject and the treatment of animals in the food industry I realized that I will never eat meat again. Not only for my physical well-being, but my mental as well. Now as I have stated, you can synonymously be plant-based AND vegan but I think the major difference between the diets is that vegans can eat processed junk all of the time and that is considered VEGAN, but it is definitely not plant-based.

However, processed soy-based products are not ideal for a PLANT-BASED diet. Plant-based means eating real, whole foods; whole grains and fresh produce, not pre-packaged "health" food. However you eat, you need to eat to nourish your mind and soul to the best of your ability; whether you are vegan/vegetarian/raw/omnivore/plant-based( how many dietary labels are there?!) eat to nourish your body. That is what food is for. For me, eating a diet void of animal products has been a miracle for my body and I want to share my "secret" with everybody. No one should be denied the gift of good health.

Plant-based Kitchen Essentials

People are often overwhelmed at changing their diet because they are under the impression that it's difficult and expensive. While it definitely can be, I have compiled a few "essentials" that I think are a great place to start. To be honest I don't have many fancy kitchen gadgets nor do I use many exotic ingredients myself. I'm a college student who lives with my parents. I have to make do with a 30 dollar blender and that's okay. What I am trying to say is while it is important to invest in your health, it's not necessary to spend hundreds of dollars on a Vitamix- though I do dream of the day I can finally get my hands on one-. I'll split this into two posts, the first will be my essential kitchen tools and the second will be my essential ingredients.

My Kitchen Tools

1. A blender- I use this one

I use my blender everyday. I have for over a year and it still works great, while it's not going to pulverize strawberry seeds anytime soon it does make really nice, creamy smoothies. I also juice with it. I add my ingredients, blend, and then I strain it through a mesh strainer a couple of times. It's much more time consuming than a juicer, but I work with what I have.

2. A food processor- I use this one

If you are vegan, plant-based, fully raw, whatever. A food processor will be your best friend. I use mine AT LEAST once a day. Whether I am making nut butters, pasta sauce, or am pureeing veggies, it's amazing. I have had mine for a year and I don't know what I would do without it.

3. A big cutting board

I recently got a large bamboo cutting board for my birthday. I was so excited. I had been using small plastic ones which made me nervous because I try to stay away from plastic as much as possible. A cutting board is essential considering the amount of fruits and veggies I chop in a day.

4.A large pot

5. Frying pans

I recommend a large one for stir fry and sauces and a small one for when preparing garnishes and such.

6. A cookie sheet

It's good to keep parchment paper around to line it or you could use a Silmat.

7. Mason jars

Mason jars are everywhere on the internet, I know, but before you roll your eyes let me tell you... They are good for everything. I drink out of them all day, I keep onions in them because it keeps my refrigerator from smelling gross and onion-y, I make salad dressing in them and I eat my cereal and oatmeal out of them on the way to school. Do recommend.

8. Knives

I do think people should invest in knives. That being said, I am a hypocrite who uses knives that are as sharp as a pair of safety scissors. No bueno. I am planning on investing in a nice set as soon as i save up enough money.

Well, that's a shorter list than I thought it would be... It goes to show you that eating this way can be very simple. It's just very easy to overcomplicate it. Don't.

I will post the second part - My Pantry Essentials- in the next couple weeks.

Hope I helped a bit!