Vegan Thai Tropical Tapioca Pudding

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Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 40-45 Mins.

~ Serves 8-10 ~

Ingredients:

2 Cups Dairy Free Milk (I used Coconut)

1 Can Thai Coconut Milk (in place of cream)

1/2 Cup Tapioca Pearls 

(Pre-soak for 45 mins. in 1.5 qt. {large} pan of water)

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

3/4 Cup Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3 Tbs. Arrowroot Powder or Organic Corn Starch mixed with 3 Tbs. cold water 

*(Mix with fork in small bowl until well mixed)

Directions:

1. In a Large pot soak Tapioca Pearls for 45 minutes in water (as directed in the ingredients) Do not drain.

2. Combine Coconut Milk, Thai Coconut Milk, Sugar, and Sea Salt into soaking tapioca pearls. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat (Whisking consistently). Continue stirring, once a full boil has been reached, reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes while stirring.

3. Add the corn starch or arrowroot powder mixture once the pearls are translucent. Turn heat back up to medium, add the vanilla, stirring consistently until pudding consistency is reached.

4. Turn off heat and let pudding cool before serving. 

~ Serves 6-8 ~

Serve chilled or warm with tropical fruits such as Papaya, Mango, Coconut, Durian, Asian Pear, ect. I also garnished mine with Cinnamon and Ginger Sugar!

Try different combinations of spices and fruits (even chocolate) and enjoy this delicious vegan tapioca dessert with friends!

~ Enjoy ~

*If serving cold cover top of pudding with plastic wrap as to prevent a skin forming on top.

Leave me a recipe review in the comments below by clicking "comments" - Thanks!

{Recipe modified from a vegan tapioca pudding recipe by Ashley Adams}

Raw Vegan Blueberry Detox Tart

This easy, quick tart is great for enjoying with a detox or as a delicious treat anytime!

 Enjoy with fresh and organic or wild blueberries.

Raw Vegan Blueberry Detox Tart

Serves 4

Recipe:

In a blender place

2 cups Blueberries

2 Ripe Bananas

6 Dates (remove seeds)

4 Tbs. Shredded Coconut

1 cup Baby Spinach

1/2 cup Dandelion Greens

4 Chlorella tablets 

1 Tbs. Alfalfa Powder

2 Tbs. Hemp Powder

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

1 Tbs. Chia Seeds

1 tsp. Kelp Powder

4 Tbs. Flax Seeds

1 Tbs. Flax Oil

2 Cups Filtered Water

Blend for 3 minutes on high until smooth - Pour into medium sized bowl 

and garnish with Blueberries, Fresh Mint leaves, and Shredded Coconut 

~ Serve Chilled

Try it today! 

Let me know how you liked the recipe in the comments below!

How To Stay Motivated To Reach Your Goals - (Part 2)

{To review PART 1 click here}

There are two types of motivation INTRINSIC and EXTRINSIC 

Today we are going to discuss EXTRINSIC motivational factors, and how you can utilize them to stay motivated to reach your goal.

#3

Remove negative people and opinions from your world - negativity kills motivation!

I can't emphasize this point enough. Negative people, negative opinions, negative friends, negative thoughts - just plain negativity in general - will drag you down and keep you down (in life, and in creating and reaching your goals). It's time to build your life around different people and make NEW friends, if you have to!

You don't need time to waste on negativity, "Debby Downer's", and un-inspiring situations, friends, or people that you can control, and keep or remove from you life. 

(Make sure YOU are not guilty of being one of these people, too!)

Surround yourself with confident, successful, positive, motivational, and genuinely helpful, and kind people! They are going or are already were you want to be, and they know how to help you get there.

#4

Tap into a positive support system

Find at least 2 friends or family members whom you know would be helpful in encouraging you, and will be a positive accountability partner for you. 

They will be there for you when you need someone to talk with, or call, and when you need a motivational boost to keep yourself on the right track!

1. Write down 2 people whom you would like to be part of your support system! 

2. Now call them, email them, or message them saying something like this:

"Hey, _______, I've just started on this new path to meet a goal that I am wanting to achieve, and would like to have some friends I can trust by my side. They will help keep me on track and be there for me when I need some tips or advice, or just a listening ear during this journey. It shouldn't take too much of your time - even if you are just available once a week for a few minutes to chat about my progress.

You are one of my closest friends, and I trust you, and really appreciate all of your positive support you have shown me thus far in life. Would you be willing to be one of my 'support'

 friends during this time? I would love to be able to also help support YOU with a goal you are interested in achieving over the next few weeks, too! I really appreciate your friendship! 

Thank you for being there for me - no matter what!

Talk to you soon - 

Warmly, _________"

"Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there." 

~ Will Rogers

"A true friend freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably."

~ William Penn (1644-1718)
Founder of Pennsylvania

How To Stay Motivated To Reach Your Goals - Part One

Now that we are almost to end of our Bikini Abs Challenge (Ends beginning of Summer 2013) and also right in the middle of the new 100 Squats A Day 30 Day Challenge (Ends first week of June 2013) - I wanted to touch on the subject of motivation - because, when it comes down to it, if you aren't motivated enough, you won't continue toward your goal nor reach your full potential. 

Which can happen all to often and I'm going to tell you MY personal strategies for sticking to completing my goals - in this case, a fitness goal.

#1

Define your reason for creating this goal -

We all have different reasons for WHY we are setting these goals for ourselves. Clearly defining those reasons, writing them down, posting them up around your desk or work space, with pictures and motivational quotes - are a great start to building your momentum toward meeting your goals!

*Tip: When defining your goals - also define a distinct time-line for each goal to be met and mark it on your calendar and follow up each day with your progress - one great idea to stay on track is a "post-it-note weekly goal chart"! You can find more tutorials about this idea here.

#2

Recognize Self-defeating habits or thoughts and ANNIHILATE them.

Self-defeating habits can range from reaching for that fatty Snickers bar when you're in a hurry and hungry (physical self-defeating habits), to 'just not feeling like working out today' (mental self-defeating habits).

We all have them and we all struggle with them - but, once you have identified what those habits are - write them down, remind yourself that it's very normal to have these thoughts or urges, then re-direct your attention with a mental exercise that you repeat 5 times - such as, "I WILL meet my GOAL, I WILL NOT sabotage my efforts ANY MORE, I am WORTH it, and I am pumped to see the RESULTS. I'm STRONG and CAPABLE, I CAN do this, I WILL do this!!" 

Then remove yourself and your mind from the distraction and change what you are doing...Get UP, move, Go take a walk, go outside and breath the fresh air for 3 full minutes remind yourself WHY you created this goal, listen to the birds chirping, do 20 jumping jacks, ect.

When those moments of normal 'weakness' creep into our minds and bodies, we just plain 'don't got time for that' and need to redirect our attentions, and keep ourselves accountable to our own goals! 

Because, we will all have struggles as we are going through the process of meeting our goals, the difference is, reminding yourself of that FACT - and to stop beating yourself up for having small set-backs. Just get right back onto that horse and ride it all the way to the end - gritting your teeth with determination and perseverance, and feeling exhilarating victory of a goal completed to the end with amazing results!

Today 

1. Set 2 attainable goals for yourself with a defined time-line, write them down. It can be anything from deciding to walk for 20 minutes per day, to deciding to change the kind of people you surround yourself with because they are not lifting you up, but pulling you down into a negative thought spiral...More about this in PART 2).

2. Make a mental note of when you are starting to do something, or not doing something which is contributing to your own self-sabotage and keeping you from attaining your daily goal.

-What are your biggest struggles when setting a goal for yourself? 

-What negative habits do you run into when trying to complete a goal? 

Do you have any other questions?

Share with me in the comments below.

I'm here to help keep you motivated! 

Join my FB page and follow my blog for daily motivation!

- PART 2 - 

Support Systems, Recognizing Sabotage Sources outside of yourself, Positive Role Models.

Vegan Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

 One of my favorite memories when I was growing up was having tater tot casserole for dinner! I am excited to introduce my own spin on a traditional, all-American, family favorite dish.

My vegan version is hands-down delicious AND nutritious- happily, I received nothing but smiles and compliments from my daughter, as she cleaned her plate - and asked for more!

Tater Tot Casserole:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Bake for 20 minutes

You will need the following -

1 - 8x5 Baking Dish

1 bag frozen Tater Tots

1 can Black Beans (drained/rinsed)

1 cup Daiya Cheese

1 cup Baby Spinach 

1 small bag frozen (organic) mixed veggies

3/4 cup chopped Baby Bella Mushrooms

1 Tbs. Sea Salt

3 tbs. Olive Oil
(coat the bottom of the pan and drizzle a bit over the top)

Directions:

1. Drizzle bottom of pan with 2 tbs olive oil, spread all around coating the bottom.

2. Evenly layer the tater tots along the bottom of the pan.

3. Sprinkle some cheese over the tater tots.

4. Layer cut-up Baby Spinach over tater tots.

5. Spread mixed veggies evenly over top the Baby Spinach

6. Spread about 1/2 can Black Beans over Veggies.

7. Layer sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms over Beans.

8. Sprinkle an even layer of cheese over the mushrooms.

9. Dash sea salt over top - then drizzle remaining Olive Oil over top, to prevent drying during baking.

10. Bake for 20 Minutes - Let cool about 5 minutes - Serve hot!

*Tip: 

I served mine with some sliced up fruits to have a well balanced vegan meal!

My daughter really was excited to try it!!

She ended up cleaning her plate - and asking for second's :)

Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and suggestions for other great family- friendly dishes that you would like me to transform into a delicious vegan version!

I look forward to your suggestions.  

~ Enjoy ~

30 Day 100 Squats Challenge

Here's my new challenge!

I just discovered this challenge - which was started by Ted Carr - and he has even started a FB page that you can follow and join to 

get in on the Squatting action!

I am also in the middle of continuing my Bikini Abs Challenge, which will end right before Summer - getting myself body BEACH ready! I started in February - Are you in on THAT too??

How are you doing on following through with eating clean, making good choices that are low stress, and staying positive, all while working-out and keeping up with life?

Let me know more on my FB page or in the comments below. 

Do you have any questions?

I know life gets busy, and we all are in the midst of living our lives. But, don't forget about taking care of yourself - because it's really hard to take care of others, if you haven't been taking care of yourself first!

Have an amazing week - keep up the great work!

And if you are interested in joining these challenges with me - come follow me on my FB page, if you haven't already, and you will see daily posts about them and my progress, plus other great health and fitness tips! 

I want to see your progress and would love to have you share your results on my page and in the comments below. Thanks!

~ Peace and Love ~