"Happy Christmas" (War is Over)

So this is Christmas

And what have you done

Another year over

And a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear

And so this is Christmas

For weak and for strong

For rich and the poor ones

The world is so wrong

And so happy Christmas

For black and for white

For yellow and red ones

Let's stop all the fight

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear

And so this is Christmas

And what have we done

Another year over

And a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear

War is over over

If you want it

War is over

Now......

John Lennon & Yoko Ono, October 1971

Until Next Time.......

Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Good Health to All!!!

Christmas Date Pudding with Kentucky Bourbon Sauce

Do you want something with an off the hook “YUM-O factor?” Something VERY sweet... VERY sinful and decadent? Something special with a VERY HIGH “WOW-factor” to impress the family or friends Christmas Eve or for Christmas dinner? Well... this is it! Let me warn you... IT IS SWEET...SWEET..SWEET! Yummy Sweet!!

I took this traditional bread pudding that my Mom used to make and modified it for us Vegans and Vegetarians..... But let me warn all you meat eaters... this will rock your world, too!!

Traditionally this pudding, as well as other bread puddings, is made with eggs, butter, cream and white sugar. So, with a few changes here and there......tah dah..... I came up with this little holiday delight. I did manage to keep the most important ingredient..... the Kentucky Bourbon... there is NO sub for that!

Ok..ok... had some emails regarding my use of "fake" eggs... and if you have followed my blog or if you know me... I don't favor anything fake or processed.... including tofu, but, for this.... egg sub was the best thing that I came up with that would work.

As Always... I DO Organic as much as possible.

I hope you enjoy it!

CHRISTMAS DATE PUDDING
3/4 c. Agave or Brown Molasses
3/4 c. Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 c. Oat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. Mexican cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped dates
½ c. dried cranberries
3/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 c. brown sugar
1 T.Coconut Oil
1 T. Mexican vanilla
1 c. boiling water

Mix flour, baking powder & cinnamon with Agave or molasses and milk. Add dates, dried cranberries and nuts. Pour this mixture into either a greased 9" square pan or into little individual pudding dishes....Ok, just thought of the name for these little guys...Ramekins. Then combine brown sugar, coconut oil, vanilla and boiling water and carefully pour over batter mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. A little less time for the individual pans. Keep an eye on them and test for doneness with toothpick Turn off heat and leave in oven for 8 to 15 more minutes.

Dip out bread onto dessert dish and drizzle with Kentucky Bourbon sauce. Or, if baking in dessert bowls, drizzle sauce over each bowl.


KENTUCKY BOURBON SAUCE
¼ cup Coconut Oil (preferably flavored)
1 c. Agave
1/4 c. water
¼ c. Egg substitute
2 T. to 1/4 c. Kentucky bourbon whiskey
In a medium-size saucepan over LOW heat add coconut oil, agave and egg substitute whisking to blend well. Cook, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, until mixture thickens.

Until Next Time......

Wishing You a Very Peaceful, Safe and Healthy Christmas Eve!

Bless the Beasts and the Children Event... A Success!

Saturday the 12th of December the Vision Voice Veg*n’z for the Brazos Valley hosted the 1st annual Bless the Beasts and the Children holiday donation drive thru. The event was held in the parking lot of VILLAGE FOODS. JIM LEWIS, owner, so graciously allowed us to utilize a perfect spot for this drive thru endeavor.

The spot may have been perfect, but that is not the word to describe the horrible, rainy, misty, foggy, windy, cloudy, cold day. When I awoke at 4am that Saturday morning and heard the rain.... I knew it was going to be a very tough day. Hubby Bear and I arrived around 6:30am to start setting up. We had 3 tents donated for use and I cannot tell you how very, very grateful I was for those tents. They sheltered the dedicated volunteers from the weather and kept the donated goods dry while waiting to load into the trucks.

To read all about the fun we all had, the great food we ate, and all the wonderful donations.... check out the blogsite.

Until Next Time.....

GOOD HEALTH TO ALL!!!

Soups....ON!!

Hello first day of winter!!! I welcome you because the Texas summer of 2009 was HOT AS HELL!!!! 60 plus days of triple digit temps and 90 days of NO rain!!!

Cold weather always makes me want HOT soup, HOT oatmeal and HOT tea. This is the only reason I could never go 100% raw...... I gotta have HOT in the winter!

I just finished up a weekend of cooking up two of my favorite soups, Off the Hook Split Pea and Sweet Potato AND Humble Vegan Clam Chowder. Then I cooked up one of my favorite soup stocks, Garlic and Leek, to use as the base for future soups. And to finish all this off... I “crocked up” a big batch of garbanzo beans and saved the stock from the beans to use for future hot soups. All in all, I froze up 9 quarts to help get me thru December and January.

Check out my recipes for Off the Hook Split Pea and Sweet Potato soup and Humble Vegan Clam Chowder on my blogsite. I changed up the Split Pea and Sweet ‘Tator soup a little. Instead of the fresh dill and oregano, I added LOTS of curry and a "good size dash,” remember, I dig things HOT n SPICY, of cayenne. YUM-O!!!

The Garlic n Leek stock is just a change to my Humble Veggie Stock, in that I used a ton of leeks, you know those veggies that look like green onions on steroids! And I used a ton of garlic and no other vegetables, kept the thyme and added fresh rosemary. Another flavor-town winner for sure!!! Great for all soups, and to cook rice, beans, quinoa or pasta in.

Hope you are enjoying this first day of winter and can have some of your favorite soups to help keep you warm and comfy!

Until Next Time.....

GOOD HEALTH TO ALL!!

Holiday Dinners

FINALLY! This part of Texas is seeing some sunshine after endless days of none. YAY!!!

I know it has been a whole week since my last post. I have been buried, swamped, overwhelmed, and over extended..... as all of us are this time of year.... with holiday parties & dinners, decorating, cooking and preparing for house guests during the next couple of weeks.

I finally have all of the pictures gathered up that were snapped from last Saturday’s Bless the Beasts and the Children event. I am working to put that blog together and will post it soon.

We are in full swing of holiday celebrations and gatherings......all complete with glorious buffets and settings of fabulous food and drink. In some ways, those buffets are easier to maneuver (see my blogs on Making it Thru the Holiday.... and Oh Those Holiday Parties that can be helpful) then the holiday family dinners that you may be facing over the next week or so. A lot can be useful in my past 2 blogs about making it thru the holidays and applied to the holiday dinners.

The thing about these dinners..... they are usually sit down, formal or not. Where food is passed from person to person.... and you may not have a lot of choices. Everything will be delicious, fattening, and overwhelming. So, in addition to taking a few dishes of your own that you know are healthful and will make less of an impact on your caloric bank, taking your own teaspoon for little bite servings, and not showing up to these dinners hungry... here are a few more helpful hints on how to make it thru those holiday dinners without increasing your pudge factor!

TWO STRATEGIES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS

A. Toss all sanity aside & just pig out. Not a wise choice. You WILL be sorry & feel nothing but regret, bloating, enormous guilt, & tighter pants

B. The smartest choice: One hour before your party/meal, eat a large vegetable salad or a peanut butter and banana sandwich, bowl of soup or a piece of fruit.

When seated and ready to start passing the food, try and start out by filling your plate with raw veggies. Then steamed or baked or grilled or roasted veggies. Then beans and or rice if served. Add 2 to 3 oz serving of animal flesh. (If not veg*n ...i.e vegan or vegetarian,) then a small serving (teaspoon size) of traditional foods (dressing, yams, gravy, cranberry salad, mashed potatoes..etc…)These foods will have TONS of sugar, fat, sodium and calories… so go easy. Try and limit your serving to one.

Dessert is next on the agenda. Be careful: don’t inhale everything in site. At this point, you should feel full & satisfied, so choose ONE medium sized serving of ONE dessert (about the size of a ½ deck of cards) …or use your teaspoon and choose a very small bite of each favorite dessert.

As a personal fitness trainer for many.. many years... I have seen tons of clients suffer thru each holiday season. This is the hardest and most difficult time of year for them... more so then any other time of year. One of the reasons? WE ALL LOVE TO EAT! And boy the food choices during the holidays are endless and have a very high “YUM-O” factor, for sure!!! Very hard to resist.


If you follow these guidelines, you won’t see that belly pudge the next day and regret what you ate today. And... you’ll be ready to hit the gym, the park, or the track that next morning!





Until Next Time.....


GOOD HEALTH TO ALL!!!

Bless the Beasts and the Children Today, Saturday the 12th 2009

VISION VOICE VEG*N’z for the Brazos Valley is hosting Bless the Beasts and the Children holiday donation drive thru in the parking lot of Village Foods, 1716 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan, around the corner from Bryan High School. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Today, the 12th of December. You can drop off donated items and people will be there to unload them.

Bless the Beasts and the Children benefits these great organizations:

BRAZOS FERAL CAT ALLIES

GOD’S LITTLE CREATURES

GREAT PYRENEES RESCUE SOCIETY

IMPACT ANIMAL FOUNDATION

SCOTTY’S HOUSE

Here is a wish list for each organization:

* Brazos Feral Cat Allies -- Wet and dry cat food and kitten food, kitty litter and money for medical supplies and care for the foster and feral cats.

* God's Little Creatures -- Stainless steel feeding and water bowls, puppy feed pans, new or gently used blankets and towels, dog food and money for a new bath house.

* Great Pyrenees Rescue Society -- extra-large wire crates and dog beds; dog treats; adjustable collars and leashes; a portable, retractable tent; and money for vaccinations, spaying and neutering, medicine and surgeries for sick Pyrenees.

* Impact Animal Foundation -- New or used crates and kennels in good condition, cat and dog treats and toys, kitty litter, carpet cleaner, paper towels, cat "trees" and scratching posts, and leashes.

* Scotty's House -- individual juice drinks; snacks; coloring books; tempera and finger paints; bandages; alcohol swabs; basic office supplies such as folders, pens and pencils; socks and underwear for boys and girls; action figures; Play Station games; and money for medical supplies.

Our AWESOME Sponsors for this event:

VILLAGE FOODS

COPY STOP PRINT AND POSTAL

LITTLE CAESERS PIZZA

VILLAGE CAFE

GOBBLE GREEN

BRAZOS NATURAL FOODS

Thank you for helping children and animals in need.

Until Next Time....

GOOD HEALTH TO ALL!!!

Oh.. Those Christmas Parties

Dips, chips, Hors d'œuvres, queso, salsa, Swedish meatballs, wings, cheese and crackers, cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, Christmas cookies, pastries, pies and cakes....... and beer, wine, cocktails, soda... and on and on and on..... The selections are endless!! And so is the F A T that you can gain during this holiday season.

Ah... the office holiday party...and those cozy, warm holiday evening cocktail parties... a chance to kick back and dive right into that buffet and open bar...pork down several plates of food and guzzle down too many drinks. It's like you give yourself a license to just let it all go. Just the stress and rush and crunch of the season can make you want to take solace in food and drink. Be careful.. you can do more damage then you want to spend time, energy and sweat trying to undo.

Between Halloween and January 2nd... a person can gain up to 15 to 18 pounds! You know how it goes... buying candy for the kids or the trick or theaters or for the office and you just happen to have bought a few more bags then needed..... And where were they? At home... very handy to get to. So you finished off all the candy and before you know it..... it’s Thanksgiving holidays. Food.. and more food... and now, here we are in the midst of the start of Christmas holiday season. A cup of good cheer....deck the halls....fa la la..la..AaaH!

Ok, so here’s some hints on how to survive those parties. The best thing I’ve found to do is... bring a couple of dishes that YOU like and that you know are healthy and won’t break your caloric bank! Yesterday, I posted about surviving the holidays and not increasing your pudge factor. Ya might want to take a look at that before you read further.

When I go to these parties, if I think there might be some food there that I could eat (as a strict Vegan, usually there is not so much for me,) but just in case, I always take my own teaspoon with me. And this is what I use as a portion size.... literally.....”just a taste.” I use the salad plate for my food and I eat very slowly.

Remembering that alcohol is VERY high in sugar and calories.... a glass of wine or beer anywhere from 85 to 150 calories per serving. A cocktail from 100 up depending on what you put in it. A frozen rita.... well that will cost you as much as 150 to 250. And watch out for those creamy dreamy drinks... a whopping 365 per drink! YIKES!!!!

The best way to drink alcohol and avoid more calories then you need... is to spread your drinking out over the evening. Have one regular drink... then, for your drinks there after..have some seltzer or club soda (tonic water has high fructose corn syrup.. not a wise choice!) with lime or lemon and a sprig of mint. This looks festive and gives you the feeling that you are enjoying “a drink” with everyone else. You can also, have a wine spritzer. This is a shot of your fave wine with seltzer, garnish with a cherry or lemon or lime.

Try these easy to fix dishes to bring to any party:

*Garbanzo-Garlic Hummus with crackers

*Black Bean-Corn-Jalapeño Pico with Blue Corn Chips

3 cups of black beans (no salt or fat added)

1 cup frozen or fresh corn

Chopped Jalapeno to your taste

1 cup fresh chopped mango or pineapple

1/2 cup chopped red bell

chopped red onion is great... but maybe not for the party scene LOL!

Mix all together and chill for a couple of hours

*Horseradish Hummus/Tabouli Tortilla Roll ups

Use my Garbanzo-garlic hummus and add REAL horseradish (NOT horseradish cream) in place of the garlic. Use your own taste discretion!

Use my Tabouli recipe

Ok, now take flour tortillas and spread them with the hummus. Spread the Tabouli on top of the hummus. Roll up the tortillas and slice rolls into 1/2 inch slices. Serve chilled This is really good and tickles the taste buds with the hot spicy horseradish, the sour from the lemon in the tabouli and the fresh mint flavor from the tabouli.

Ya better make up extra... cuz these 3 items are always a big hit at parties!

Now you know how to drink and eat at these social gatherings. Enjoy them, knowing you can keep your pudge factor under control!

Until Next time....When I'll get you thru the family holiday dinners.....

GOOD HEALTH TO ALL!!