"School lunches are a social justice issue!"

Uploaded by 7117morris

    School lunches will shape your child's healthy future! 

"renegade lunch lady" Ann Cooper talks about the coming revolution in the way kids eat at school -- local, sustainable, seasonal and even educational food.

- A great 20 minute lecture that you need to see, especially if you have children in school!

- How do you incorporate healthier foods into your child's daily diet or pack their lunches?

- Among other things, I home school because I am able to teach my daughter about food, and she is able to prepare her own food at home! 

Do you let your children in the kitchen at home?

~ Peace and Love ~

U.S. Road Trip Frugal Vegan Tips: Food - Part One

Hi - Everybody!

Well, it is getting near the end of Summer now, and most people are finished with their road trips and heading towards the 'back to school' schedule! 

But, I am leaving today on a road trip from Southern California to Western Kentucky, then back to Kansas (to pick my daughter, Sarah, up from her Grandparent's), then back to Southern California - all in one week!

 Since it is NOT exactly budget friendly or convenient to eat  out or even find any vegan or vegetarian cafe's/restaurants for every meal...

Here are my tips for eating Vegan, and on a budget while traveling across the Midwest: 

1. Buy organic food/ travel snacks at the grocery store before you leave!

List of Easy Travel Food/Snack Options:

- Fresh Organic Fruit of choice = Bananas, Apples, Grapes, ect. ($6-10 for several lbs.- Bring a small cooler with ice $2)

-  Buy Bulk Nuts/Seeds/Dried Fruit = Mixed Raw Nuts, Almonds, Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds, Walnuts, Chia Seeds, Raw Coconut Flakes ($5/lb)

- Celery with Almond Butter and Raisins stored in Ziploc Bags ($3-4 for 30 servings or more)

- Make your own Bean Burrito's..Tortillas and canned Organic Black Beans ($3-4)

(bring a can opener and a couple paper plates)

- Organic Green Juice Mixes such as Raw Green Super Food (.95/per Serving): 

(I Bring Coconut Water- $3, Ice and this BPA-Free Cup with a screw on lid, to mix it in): 

- One Case of Spring Water: ($4)

TOTAL FOOD COST: 

** $40-45 ** 

to feed 2-3 people for up to 7 days!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

~ Easy Clean-up and Disposal Tips ~

1. Tote Bags (in back seat area) - Use for depositing Recyclables, then recycling, in an available bin.

2. Large Paper Bag (In back seat area)-  

Use for non-recyclable waste, food waste.

3. When stopping at gas stations, stores, rest areas, or eating establishments - Throw away any garbage.

4. Bring some citrus essential oils to place on an unscented hanging air freshener - to relieve stress, and give positive energy for the journey!

~ PEACE and LOVE ~

Part 2-Coming Next...

Are these tips helpful? 

Let me know in the comments below!

All-Natural Outdoor Musings and Appreciation

*The 'edited' video is still processing, and it looks better*

but for now (since it's 1pm here) I'll post it as is and update the video later...Thanks for reading/watching!

                                                        

       ~ Peace and Love ~

               

     What did you do outside today? 

   Comment Below:

Documentaries I Recommend

1.

Food, INC.

Food, Inc. lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing how our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. 

Food, Inc. reveals surprising and often shocking truths about what we eat, how it's produced and who we have become as a nation.

Directed by: Robert Kenner

*all rights to this film go to it's respective owners

2. 

Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

Synopsis:

"100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well— with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health.

With doctors and conventional medicines unable to help long- term, Joe turns to the only option left, the body's ability to heal itself. He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days. Across 3,000 miles Joe has one goal in mind: To get off his pills and achieve a balanced lifestyle."

                               excerpt from: Fat Sick and Nearly Dead

Movie Trailer:

A Joe Cross Film

starring: Joe Cross

(Video from YT user: FlighttotheLight)

 Check out more information or buy the film here!

3.

Forks Over Knives

Examines the claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods.

*I Highly recommend this one!! :)

Trailer:

Video uploaded by: Trailers

Click here for more information or to buy/stream the film

4.

The World According to Monsanto

Directed by: Marie-Monique Robin

The result of a remarkable three-year-long investigation that took award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin across four continents (North and South America, Europe, and Asia), The World According to Monsanto tells the little-known yet shocking story of this agribusiness giant--the world's leading producer of GMOs (genetically modified organisms)--and how its new "green" face is no less malign than its PCB- and Agent Orange-soaked past.

Robin reports that, following its long history of manufacturing hazardous chemicals and lethal herbicides, Monsanto is now marketing itself as a "life sciences" company, seemingly convinced about the virtues of sustainable development. However, Monsanto now controls the majority of the yield of the world's genetically modified corn and soy--ingredients found in more than 95 percent of American households--and its alarming legal and political tactics to maintain this monopoly are the subject of worldwide concern.

Released to great acclaim and controversy in France, throughout Europe, and in Latin America alongside the documentary film of the same name, The World According to Monsanto is sure to change the way we think about food safety and the corporate control of our food supply.

Film Available to view in full here or on YouTube: 

TRAILER:

Video uploaded by: MuckFilmFestival

FULL FILM:

Video uploaded by: WeAreChangeBirmingham

~ Peace and Love ~

How to Grow Your Own Sprouts

Join me on Facebook!

"I'm always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it." 

~ Pablo Picasso

Growing your own sprouts is a great way to save money, get an amazing amount of nutritional value and protein for such little time and money investment, and saves on packaging and shipping's negative impact on the Earth! 

Best of all, they taste great, and are amazingly versatile for cooking into dishes or served raw!

What you will Need:

• Sprouting Jar - You can buy the Jar you see above HERE

• Beans for Sprouting - You can find sprouting beans at your local Health Food Store.

• A cool, dry space for the Jar while sprouting- I used a shelf in my kitchen, where it wouldn't be disturbed, but I could see it and remember to rinse it daily.

DAY 1

  1.  Place two tablespoons of seeds or 1/2 cup of legumes/grains in a sprouting jar with three times as much water as seeds.  Soak overnight.  For many small seeds, five hours of soaking is sufficient.

(I did not get a photo of this step)

2.  Drain the water from the jar.  Rinse seeds in fresh, lukewarm water and drain again.  For well drained seeds/sprouts, lay jar at an angle in a warm (70°F), dark place.

DAY 2

3.  Rinse and drain seeds twice a day.  In hot and dry weather, you may need to rinse the seeds three times a day.  In very humid weather, the seeds should be kept in a dry place.  

NOTE: Turn jar over gently. Overturning the jar rapidly will cause shifting in the sprouting seeds.  This can break the tender shoots and kill the sprout.  This breakage causes the sprout to spoil.  

4. Sprouts should be ready to eat in 3-5 days, depending on the seed used.  Put in sunlight during the last day to add chlorophyll.

DAY 3

Look at all of those beautiful sprouts!!

Just continue step 3 for one more day

DAY 4

Amazing!

Carefully remove from jar, minding breakage.

Place in strainer, rinse, and eat! 

This can feed a family of 6 or more for one meal!

 COST: 

$6 for Jar

$1 or less for 1/2 cup of beans

_______________________

$7 Investment

The rest of the Sprouts are virtually FREE after that!

Compare that to your local store where organic sprouts are $2-3 for a tiny handful of sprouts, that only feed one person!

ENJOY!

~Peace and Love~

Subscribe below with your email for more health tips!

Let me know how this worked for you in the comments:

Dachshund Puppy Scarlett's Debut

 

(Photo taken April 2012)

 

Join me on FB here

 

Hello my friends! 

Today I am debuting my darling puppy, Scarlett, who is a miniature dachshund and a rescue. When I first adopted Scarlett (April 2012) through a local Rescue Agency, she was very skittish, timid, and scared! As you can see in this photo (taken about a week after I had rescued her, she is 4 mos. old here) she was still kind of thin from being under fed when they got her, and mistreated. 

Well, three months later she is doing great, is very spunky, inquisitive, protective, happy, well fed, and is still a bit jumpy when others are around that she doesn't know. But considering her state when I got her, she is doing much better showing love, accepting affection from me, and getting used to the other people in the house. She still will bark at 'intruders' (haha!) and growl at strangers. But, I know in time, she will gain trust in other people, through being loved and treated with gentleness.

 (Photo taken 8-1-12)

Yesterday I was working in the backyard garden and I let both of my puppies (Emma is my other puppy who is 9 mos, old from the Humane Society) play in the back. I was a shooting a video of something I had discovered in our Cherry Tomatoes plants...Well, suffice to say, Scarlett ended up starring in my video. 

Thanks for watching!

Now, Scarlett, take it away!

Follow me and join my email list below for updates!

 

What did you think of Scarlett? 

 

Leave a comment below.

~ Peace and Love ~

Chia Seed Recipes I enjoy!

Join me on Facebook here! 

Chia seeds are packed full of beneficial nutrients, vitamins and minerals, fiber, and protein - which puts this little seed on the rankings of a "Super Food"! 

WHAT IS A SUPER FOOD?

Super foods are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. They are minimally processed foods, such as fresh fruits or vegetables, that provide your body with the maximum amount of nutrition. These foods are full of flavor and are versatile in many recipes. You can eat super foods each day to to provide your body with multiple nutrients, without consuming too many calories.

Identification

Super foods are nutrient dense, which means they offer multiple nutrients while providing minimal calories. Nutrient-dense super foods are the colors of the rainbow. They are red, orange, pink, yellow, purple and green. These are the colors of super foods such as blueberries, bell peppers, spinach, salmon, kidney beans and grapefruit.

Source: http://www.livestrong.com

WHERE CAN I BUY THEM?

They are a small virtually tasteless seed, that you can find at most health food stores, and Organic Markets. There are also many low priced options and markets online to purchase them through. Here are a few I found through Google Shopping. 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recipes: 

Vegan Zucchini Bread

4.9 from 7 reviews

Print

Source: Hell Yea It's Vegan

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp ground flax seeds or chia seeds - or mix the two.
• ½ c warm water
• 2 c turbinado sugar (or light brown sugar)
• ½ c oil
• ½ c applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 to 2½ c grated zucchini (~3 medium-sized ones)
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 c chocolate chips or raisins, optional

Instructions

1. Grease two loaf pans.
2. Mix together flax seeds and warm water.
3. Add sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add grated zucchini; stir til combined.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together remaining dry ingredients.
6. Add dry mixture to wet and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened and everything is incorporated evenly; some lumps are fine. If adding additional mix-ins, fold them in now. Divide batter between prepared pans.
7. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Let cool a few minutes before slicing.

Raw Chocolate-Chia Energy Bars

Source: Vegetarian Times

Makes 8 bars

30 minutes or fewer

Whole chia seeds add nutritional punch and crunch to these chocolate treats.

• 1 ½ cups pitted dates
• ⅓ cup raw unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup whole chia seeds, such as ReNew Life Ultimate ChiaLife
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract, optional
• ¼ tsp. almond extract, optional
• 1 cup raw slivered almonds or raw shelled pistachios
• Oat flour for dusting, optional

1. Place dates in bowl of food processor; purée until thick paste forms. Add cocoa powder, chia seeds, and vanilla and almond extracts, if using. Pulse until all ingredients are combined. Add almonds; pulse until nuts are finely chopped and well distributed through date mixture.
2. Spread large sheet of wax paper on work surface, and dust with oat flour, if using. Transfer date mixture to wax paper, and use paper to press mixture into ı/2-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap tightly, and chill overnight.
3. Unwrap block, and cut into 8 bars. Dust edges and sides with oat flour, if using, to prevent sticking. Rewrap each bar in wax paper.

nutritional information

Per Bar:

• Calories: 195
• Protein: 5 g
• Total Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: <1 g
• Carbohydrates: 31 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 2 mg
• Fiber: 7 g
• Sugar: 22 g

Power packed Chia Pudding FOR KIDS!

Source: Raw Crave

Power Protein Smoothie

Source:  Naomi's Nutrition Nook (Me)

Hope you enjoy these tasty recipes, and try one out today - Or, better yet, try them all! 

Please comment below with any other way's you like to incorporate chia seeds into your food - Add a video, too, if you have one.

You can also FOLLOW MY BLOG by entering your email below, or by joining on the right! 

Thank You!

~Peace and Love always~