Energizing Acai Protein Smoothie Recipe (VIDEO)

This hearty and icy deliciousness is my go-to smoothie recipe right now. It's full of protein from peanut butter + medjool dates, and has tons of antioxidants from the acai. The chia seeds and cacao nibs give it a bit of a crunch and make this a magical superfood breakfast that you must try out! I made it in my new Vitamix Ascent 2300. Check out the video below! Also, make sure your volume is turned up cause I'm a huge fan of the song it's edited to, haha.

ENERGIZING ACAI PROTEIN SMOOTHIE:

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe, spotty bananas
• 2 packages of frozen acai berry (I used Sambazon)
• 3-4 pitted, soft medjool dates
• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon coconut flakes
• 1 tablespoon cacao nibs
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons fresh ground peanut butter
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup almond milk (or any non-dairy milk) - just add it as you go and add more if needed.
• Add cacao nibs and coconut flakes on top

Method:

This is a pretty simple recipe! As you can see in the video, you literally just pour everything into the blender and blend as long as you like to get your preferred consistency! I prefer my smoothies to be thicker in texture, but if you like yours to be more creamy all you have to do is blend longer and increase your settings to go faster. (Which is a super nice perk!) This  drink can easily be made into a bowl as well, just simply use less almond milk and top with fresh fruit and granola.

Using the Vitamix blender was SO easy. I've never owned one and can honestly say I'll probably never live without it again. As a plant-based mom, it is so convenient for almond/cashew milks, nut butters, smoothies and bowls, and I use it as a food processor. I've even used this thing to grind up oats for oat flour in my banana bread. I am officially in love, you guys.

I'd love to know what you think of the smoothie recipe! Let me know if you try it out!

*Vitamix provided me with this product to review. All opinions are 100% authentic and my own.

xo. L

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Mini Apple Pie Crescents | Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Dessert Recipe

*I have been compensated by Immaculate Baking and Whole Foods for this post; however, I am sharing my own thoughts. As always, all opinions are my own. 

I am elated to be partnering with Whole Foods to bring you this holiday baking recipe. Apple pie is a staple during the holidays, but I wanted to share a bit of an unconventional take on it! As you probably know, everything I make is both dairy and egg free, so you don't have to worry about those with this recipe!

This deliciously festive dessert is so incredibly easy and only took me about a half hour to make from start to finish! It's also very easy on the wallet, making these a great option for holiday parties! You can make these in bulk without worrying about spending a fortune - I guarantee they'll be a hit!

MINI APPLE PIE CRESCENTS

Ingredients:

• 3 granny smith apples sliced
• 1 package of Immaculate Baking Organic Crescent Rolls
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup pecans chopped (but you can forego them to make it nut-free)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

This is a pretty simple recipe! 

1. As you can see in the video, you start by mixing everything in a bowl except for the crescent rolls and pecans. (Oh and make sure you pre-heat the oven to 375 F).

2. Lay out the crescent rolls onto a cookie sheet.

3. Spread the pecans on first, then follow with the apple mixture.

4. Roll them up to make little bite size apple pies.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes and enjoy! They taste best when they're fresh out of the oven!

Let me know if you decide to try out this recipe! I'd to know what you think in the comments below!

Be sure to visit your local Whole Foods store for Immaculate Baking Products! Right now if you buy $10 worth you save $3 on your purchase!

xo. L

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Vegan Lifestyle | What I Eat In A Week [Breastfeeding Mom + Toddler] + Video

As most of you know, I'm vegan and have been for almost a full year. It's been one of the most rewarding and gratifying experiences in my life so far. I have a huge passion for sharing my meals and recipes with you because although I've been vegan for almost ten months, I can actually count on one hand how many times I've eaten a salad. We don't just eat fruits and veggies in the raw, contrary to what  the masses may have been told or believe.

There is a huge misconception about the vegan lifestyle; I eat delicious, nutrient and protein rich, plant-based foods (and lots of baked goods free of refined sugar) so when people ask me what the heck I eat, and what the heck I feed my vegan 17-month-old baby, I always chuckle and then bombard them with my favorite recipes. This video and post is my way of organizing my thoughts and sharing my favorite recipes with those who are interested in a plant-based lifestyle and what we eat on a daily basis. 

I am so excited to share this video and post with you! It's been in the works for about a month. I filmed for one week, then had to edit it all together and write out this post so let me know if you have any questions in the comments below and I'll answer them.

Note: I DO NOT AND WILL NOT judge you for not being vegan. This is a safe, accepting place for anyone - vegan or non-vegan, so please do not feel as though I am shaming anyone who does consume meat or dairy. I am not shaming - all I'm doing is sharing my experience with you, so please view it as just that! I love you always and forever, vegan or not. 

HOW AND WHY I TRANSITIONED TO VEGANISM:

So, many of you were wanting to know how I transitioned to eating a plant-based diet. It's been about ten months since I switched, but I'll start from the beginning! I was vegetarian for 4 years in high school into college, and loved it, but dorm room food didn't lend itself to being super healthy, so I ended up eating meat, however I had never been fully vegan.

When I got pregnant I was started worrying about the products I was putting in and on my body. It all began with an awareness of pesticides on my fruit and vegetables. I started researching the benefits of an organic or non-organic diet and decided that, although it would be a little pricier, I would just eat organic food while pregnant so that I didn't have any potential harm to my baby. Then I heard about GMO's. GMO's and pesticides are two totally different things. GMO's are genetically modified organisms that they use to genetically engineer foods to be bigger, more colorful, stay riper and fresher longer. So far most fruits and vegetables are GMO, and pretty much 90 percent of our corn crop in the U.S. is genetically modified corn. Same with cane sugar. As I did more digging, I learned that GMO's were not only in our fruits and veggies, but in almost all processed foods because corn syrup (or HFCS) and cane sugar are in EVERYTHING. It's so frustrating.

I watched the documentary OMG, GMO's and it really helped open my eyes to the horrific state of our country. We are at the mercy of Monsanto.. and so this sent me into a funk... I decided "okay, only organic foods from now on." Fruits and veggies, meats, dairy, everything had to be organic because that's the only way it was safe. (Or so I thought.) I also read The Unhealthy Truth, a book by a Robyn O'Brien and I loved it so much! It was super eye opening and helped tip me off into further research of the food we ate. (Side note: interestingly enough, both resources I mentioned above were written/filmed by parents who started researching their food after they had traumatic experiences with their own children).

Okay so fast forward to my delivery, newborn life, and breastfeeding exclusively then my babe being around 6 months old. I decided that I felt good about my eating (I've always been a pretty healthy eater - I love sweets here and there, but I'm a total veggies all the time person), but still felt weird about my little one eating dairy or meat, so I didn't give her any of that and stuck with fruits and veggies. Gracie didn't really get into eating solids until she got her first teeth around nine months so it was all breastmilk from birth to that point!

So when I finally made the decision to go 100% vegan, G was nine months old and showing interest in solid foods now that she finally had some teeth! At this point, I was already not drinking milk and pretty much didn't eat meat because I hated it my whole pregnancy and always tried to cook veggie-based dishes for G because I felt like it was healthier than animal products. So I already didn't mind not having meat in my food; it was cheaper! Then I watched two documentaries that sent me over the edge....

Cowspiracy and Forks Over Knives. 

Forks Over Knives is the one that really resonated with me. I consider myself a health-conscious person, and after being presented with the possibility that eating animal-based products may increase the likeliness of cancer, I was honestly stunned. In short, the documentary explores how eating a plant-based diet could possibly keep you from getting cancer because you aren't consuming casein protein - something they've found in lab rats that had tumors. They link casein protein with foods like meat, dairy and eggs, and that did it for me. I guess I look at it this way: I am a parent - my number one duty in life is to take care of, protect my daughter, and teach her the healthiest way of life. To me, that is eating a plant-based diet. (I try to use those terms more so than "vegan" as it sounds less snobby). 

I won't say it isn't hard. I cook almost every day and going out to eat is a huge hassle because animal products are hiding everywhere... but I honestly am SO much happier since. I feel better, I've lost a ton of weight... literally the pounds have shed off of me, and I feel amazing when I cook - although I have to do it often, I am OBSESSED with foods. I love watching G eat healthy foods and enjoy things that nourish her body and mind.

I also really enjoyed watching Cowspiracy. I recycle, cloth diaper, and try to live as sustainably as I can. Cowspiracy sheds light on the issue of sustainability and the insane amount of resources we have to use to support the meat and dairy industry. Water is a huge one, especially for those living in California where they suffer from a drought. I believe that we need to care of our Earth, and eating a vegan diet (growing crops/plants) instead of mass raising, multiplying and producing cows, chickens, etc. for our own human consumption has proven to be significantly better for our environment.

Side note, and honestly not 100% the reason I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle, but I am SO much happier with myself as a person too. I am happy that I don't contribute to the deterioration or mistreatment of animals, and happy that I can teach G about that too. I am vegan for the health reasons mostly, but the fact that animals are not harmed because of my food choices is a total bonus, as I am an animal lover and always have been! 

In a recent podcast I listened to by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau she talks about the idea of humanizing animals. Some startling information I learned in the specific episode are that pigs are slaughtered at 6 months for meat, beef cattle are slaughtered at 18 months all for our disposal. I also learned in a separate podcast of hers that cows are actually given calcium supplements, since they don't eat grass like nature intended them to (they eat GMO corn feed) so they have to supplement the cows with calcium before taking their milk for human consumption. Why can't we, as humans, just eat the calcium straight from the "grass" itself?! Plants! 

A WORD ABOUT PROTEIN:

I get so excited and totally nerdy after I tell someone I'm vegan and they ask me whether I get enough protein! It gives me the opportunity to share information like this with them:

The idea that your diet has to be protein-packed is glorified by the meat and dairy industry. But don't take my word for it. Just see what the USDA Dept. of Agriculture has to say about veganism!

"This concern about protein is misplaced. Although protein is certainly an essential nutrient which plays many key roles in the way our bodies function, we do not need huge quantities of it. We recommend eating a variety of unrefined grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and vegetables throughout the day, so that if one food is low in a particular essential amino acid, another food will make up this deficit." (source)

Did you know that there's protein in broccoli and carrots? I'll bet you didn't - because you were led to believe that only meat can provide protein and only cow's milk can provide calcium. It's simply not the truth!

  (SEE VIDEO CAPTION FOR LINKS TO RECIPES I USED)

A FEW RESOURCES:

-Film: OMG, GMO's

-Film: Cowspiracy

-Film: Forks Over Knives

-Book: The Unhealthy Truth by Robyn O'Brien

-Podcast: Food For Thought

-Activist: Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
-USDA on veganism

-Try being vegan for 30 days!

"You can change the world; you must change the world."

Try being vegan for 30 days!

xo. L

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10 Second No Bake Vegan Granola Recipe + Video

*This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BetterWithCraisins #CollectiveBias

I am so excited to share this vegan granola recipe with you today! This is my 10-second, raw, no bake granola that I share on Snapchat almost every week! I make a big batch in the beginning of the week so that G and I get to enjoy the soft and chewy goodness. This Autumn-inspired recipe is infused with naturally sweetened medjool dates, and deliciously tangy Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries, you are seriously going to "Fall" in love with this recipe!

I used to grab Craisins® Dried Cranberries when I shopped at Sam's, but haven't seen them there in awhile. I snagged this bag at Target, though! They have both the 12 ounce and 24 ounce bags! 

Ingredients:

• 1 spotty, ripe banana
• 5 pitted medjool dates
• 1 cup organic rolled oats
• 1/2 cup Craisins® Dried Cranberries
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
• 1/2 teaspoon non-alcoholic vanilla extract

Method:

This is a pretty simple recipe! As you can see in the video, you literally just pour everything into the food processor and pulse until the dates and dried cranberries bind with the other ingredients, creating a soft, chewy, and crumbly bite!

I use Craisins® Dried Cranberries in sooo many things like salads, banana breads, muffins, and even our delicious vegan meatloaf! Did you know that 1/4 cup of cranberries is actually a serving of 1/2 cup of fruit? You can visit this link here to more recipe ideas and where to find this product near you.

xo. L

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