The Big C

I'm sure most of you have noticed, but the blog has been pretty....well....blank lately. I do apologize, but there have been a great many things that have been keeping me from keeping it updated. So, here goes...

My mom has cancer. Not just any cancer either. She has been diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, which is one of the rarest forms of cancer, only affecting around 150 people a year WORLDWIDE. Of that small group of people, only 1-3 people diagnosed with it are over the age of 12, so her being an adult makes it that much more rare. Because of how rare it is, it was very difficult for the doctors to figure out what was wrong with her, but as her body continued to grow tumor after tumor, they knew it was SOMETHING. Now, my mother has been fighting this thing like a true champion, and really taking it head-on. But she's only fought the first few battles in this epic war against her body's attackers, so there's still a long way to go.

My mother is my best friend. When life goes awry, she's the one person who has always had my back...even when I have made that hard, haha. She's even written a guest blog on my blog, which you can read here. She is the most important person in the world to me.

Anyway, I'm telling you all this because I'd love your help! One of my mothers' friends entered her photo on the "Stand Up to Cancer" fan page on Facebook. Every time someone clicks "like" on her photo, $1 is donated to aid in Cancer research. That's it! You don't even have to "like" the page, just the photo. I mean, how hard is that?! I'm asking all you wonderful readers to just click the link, and like the photo...five seconds...for my mom, and for the millions of other brave, strong people out there fighting this awful battle.

Thank you so much for reading, and I promise, when things get better (and they will, I know it), I'll be back to blogging more frequently.

Here's the link! https://www.facebook.com/su2c?sk=app_161440573924257&app_data=location_view,id_1131

Here's the link! https://www.facebook.com/su2c?sk=app_161440573924257&app_data=location_view,id_1131

Here's the link! https://www.facebook.com/su2c?sk=app_161440573924257&app_data=location_view,id_1131

Here's the link! https://www.facebook.com/su2c?sk=app_161440573924257&app_data=location_view,id_1131

Here's the link! https://www.facebook.com/su2c?sk=app_161440573924257&app_data=location_view,id_1131

My 3-Day Kaeng Raeng Raw Vegan Cleanse!

If you're a reader of Alicia Silverstone's website, The Kind Life, then I'm sure you've seen her rave about the Kaeng Raeng system numerous times. Well, I am happy to say that, I was the winner of the last giveaway on her site, so I got to try the 3-Day Cleanse for free! Now, I'd been wanting to try this for a long time, but I'm wary of cleanses, mainly because so many of them are terribly unhealthy and very hard on your body. Upon receiving my system in the mail, I read all of the nutritional info, and was SHOCKED at how absolutely full of vitamins and nutrients this program was....to be honest, it was probably more nutritionally "full" than my daily diet is!

The packets were clearly labelled and you drank 3 a day, and could incorporate raw fruits and veggies into it as well. You could also mix the packets with non-dairy milks or juices for different tastes and such, which made this not feel like a "fast" or any other "cleanse" I'd ever been on. So, I stocked up on fruits and veggies, got my juicer ready to make some pure orange and apple juices to blend my mixes with.




Day 1:
I started my morning in a bit of a rush, so I wasn't able to juice. I mixed my first packet, which was the blueberry one, with ice and water and a banana and tossed it in the blender quick. Maybe it's my slight aversion to blueberries, but I was not a fan...HOWEVER, it did keep me extremely full...in fact, by the time lunchtime rolled around, I still had about a quarter of it left and I was STUFFED!

Lunchtime, I had the Mango Peach Pineapple pack, once again just mixed with ice and water. Now this one, I could get into! As full as I was from breakfast, I wanted the full effect of this so I really guzzled my 32 ounces down. I loved the fact that there were chunks of real fruit floating in my drink...it made it feel much more wholesome!

Dinner: For dinner, I had the raspberry and strawberry pack, and I blended it with some fresh strawberries, ice and water for a delicious, almost dessert-like, dinner. I went to bed completely full and not feeling like I was lacking a thing, and I didn't even have to supplement with additional foods, aside from the banana and strawberries!

Day 2:
I got through the blueberry smoothie much easier this morning after blending it with fresh orange juice. It is still my least favorite, which is why I continued to drink it in the morning, so I could "get it over with" essentially! I blended my lunch drink with orange juice as well for something a little different as well.

This day, I did get the munchies between lunch and dinner...probably more out of the need to "chew" on something, so I snacked on an apple and some carrots in between.

Dinner, I threw a banana into the mix and it was super delicious as well.

Day 3:
Day 3 was the hardest, as it was the day before my birthday, and I started dreaming of birthday cake...hahaha. But, I successfully made it through, with a banana, apple and carrot snack in between each "meal" and all blended with homemade OJ.

I woke up on day four feeling so much...cleaner, clear-headed, and rested...and the 4.6 pounds lost wasn't bad either! The great thing about it was the weight lost wasn't just "water weight" but it was all the toxic junk that was stored up in my body, because once I started eating again I didn't gain it back like you do with water weight. It stayed off and really did help me jump-start my weight loss!

Overall, I give the Kaeng Raeng 3-Day cleanse an A-, and the minus is only for the fact that I'm picky and didn't really care for the blueberry drink mix! I HIGHLY suggest this cleanse to anybody out there looking for something to detox their system with...so jump over to their website *here* and give it a shot!

Easy Cream Cheese Banana Bread!

Alright, so I've definitely been having my share of fun with this next recipe...using it to make bread....muffins...adding chocolate...glazes...you get the picture!

So the other day, I had a terrible craving for pancakes, but I wasn't feeling too well and didn't feel like whipping them up from scratch, so it was off to the grocery store for me to track down a vegan pancake mix. I stumbled across Aunt Jemima's Whole Wheat Blend mix, saw that it was vegan and brought it home. Well, by the time I got home, this Gemini mind of mind had changed and didn't want pancakes anymore! So now I have this box of pancake mix that, unless I do SOMETHING with it, will sit in my pantry from now until eternity. So, I started rummaging around the kitchen looking for something to do with it, and let me tell you, not only did I have major success, but everyone I work with was absolutely salivating over these muffins they were so delicious! So without further blabbing from me, here's the super-easy recipe!

Danielle's Cream Cheese Banana Bread (or Muffins, your choice!)

2-3 bananas, ripe
8 oz. (1 container) Galaxy Cream Cheese Alternative
2 egg replacers (I use Orgran Gluten-Free No-Egg but I know lots of people like Ener-G too)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. vegan white sugar
2 c. Aunt Jemima's Whole Wheat Blend Pancake Mix
1 tblsp. Cinnamon
Chocolate Chips (Optional)

Preheat Oven to 350.

Soften the cream cheese and mix with the sugars until smooth and creamy. Add in your bananas and your "eggs" and mix until smooth and well incorporated. Add in pancake mix, cinnamon, and anything else you care to add (walnuts, chocolate, etc.) and mix well.



Pour into breadpan or muffin pan. For one loaf of bread, bake for 45-50 minutes. For muffins, bake for 18-20 minutes.

Enjoy!


(For the glaze that I made on the muffins, I used 1 c. vegan confectioners sugar (I find it at Whole Foods) and mixed it with 3 tablespoons of organic apple juice....delish!)




Nutrition Facts Per Serving (surprisingly low-cal!)

Calories: 186
Sodium: 415 mg
Fat: 6g
Protein: 3g
Fiber: 3g
Carbs: 29g

Cream Cheese Mexican Pizza!

(Sorry for the crummy photo, had to take it on my crummy phone because my crummy camera didn't feel like turning on :-()

So I was rummaging through Whole Foods the other day, and noticed that they sold vegan pizza dough made in-store! Obviously, being the pizza fiend that I am, I HAD to pick some up! I decided to make a Mexican-style pizza with a cream "cheese" base instead of sauce and it was to...die...for! So, here's what's included:

Cheesy, Creamy Mexicali Pizza
Whole Foods Vegan Pizza Dough
Galaxy Cream Cheese Alternative - 1 Container
Taco Seasoning (many have milk products, so make sure it's vegan!)
Black Beans (I used canned this time, because I found some canned with jalapenos!)
Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles - 1 Can
Lightlife Mexican Style Grounds - 1/2 package
Galaxy Rice Vegan Cheddar block
Chipotle-Style Tabasco Sauce

Preheat your oven to 425.
Roll out your pizza dough into whatever shape you can get it (I can't make mine round for some reason, so I mold it into a baking sheet!).
Mix about half the packet of taco seasoning with the container of cream cheese until incorporated. Spread evenly on pizza crust.
Spread the beans, tomatoes and green chiles on the pizza.
Mix the remaining half of the taco seasoning with half a block of the Smart Grounds. Toss onto the pizza.
Shred about half a block of Galaxy Rice Vegan Cheddar and sprinkle on your pizza. Drizzle with some Chipotle-Style Tabasco sauce and toss a few sliced olives on there, if that's your flavor.
Throw in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown.

Throw down some tequila and enjoy!

Easy, Cheesy, Low Cal Caulipots!

Hello Blogosphere! I know it's been a while, but I've taken on a new task in my baking and cooking, and have had to test numerous recipes trying to make them perfect for my readers. My newest task has been to reduce, reduce, reduce! I'm trying to make ALL of my dishes either low/no-fat or low-cal or BOTH! While this may seem easy, because people have an impression that vegans only eat grass and carrots, it's actually been quite a task! But, I made some DELICIOUS Caulipots last night that I am so excited to share with you! At only 142 calories per serving and less than 1 gram of fat, these are the perfect addition to any meal. Hell, you can have them FOR your meal if you choose to! I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Easy, Cheesy Mashed Caulipots (Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes)

3-4 Medium sized Russet Potatoes, sliced into 3/4 inch slices
1 Medium head of Cauliflower, broken into florets

NEW Low-Cal/Low-Fat Cheese Sauce! (Modified from Happy Herbivore)
1-1/4 cup unsweetened rice milk
1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons yellow miso paste

Place the potatoes in cold water, with about 4 inches of water on top of them in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the cauliflower florets and bring down to a simmer. Let simmer about 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Drain and bring back to the pot to mash with a potato masher.

Cheese Sauce: Whisk together all ingredients over medium heat, until boiling. Reduce to a simmer and stir continuously until sauce thickens. Incorporate into the Caulipot mixture, add some chives and parsley, and enjoy!

ShoeDazzle Cares! Vegan Shoes for Lupus!

Shoedazzle is my favorite shoe company. They sell vegan shoes, both casual and dressy...from sneakers to sky-high pumps and stilettos, you can find your vegan dream-shoe at Shoedazzle. Now, after me and various other ShoeDazzle fans with Lupus bombarded their PR department for a couple of months, Shoedazzle is donating to a cause that is VERY close to my heart, and featuring two shoes in my favorite color!







Shoedazzle Cares, folks! For every new person who signs up with this link and makes a purchase, if you enter the code "BUTTERFLY" at checkout, Shoedazzle will donate $5 to the Lupus Foundation of America! This cause is close to my heart, as my Grandmother died very young of Lupus complications and I have it as well. Since it's Lupus Awareness Month, I thought this was perfect....you can get a hot new pair of shoes for summer AND donate to a good cause! Does it really get any better than that?! http://www.shoedazzle.com/invite/1b66m166mp

A Personal Victory, Thanks to Veganism

May is finally here!

Now, my birthday aside, May is a very special month to me. Flowers bloom, farmer's markets have beautiful foods, there's an energy in the air that is happily contagious. May is also Lupus Awareness Month, and I want to share why that is special to me...

I have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or SLE Lupus. Basically, a "healthy" body creates antibodies, which are like little armies of cells that attack the bad things that enter your body, such as disease and illness and such. Well, my body's antibodies can't tell good from bad, so not only do they attack the bad things, but they also attack my healthy tissue, in my muscles, joints, and certain organs. It causes me to be exhausted all the time, my brain functions like someone who is legally intoxicated most of the time, causing me to slur my words often, be constantly dizzy and such. I have to have bi-annual kidney biopsy's to make sure that my body hasn't attacked my kidneys to the point of needing dialysis or chemotherapy. I get terrible swelling in my joints, much like someone with severe arthritis, and I get these super awesome (/sarcasm/) rashes on my face and shoulders any time the sun makes contact with my skin. In a nutshell, this is my every day life.

Now, before you go feeling sorry for me or anything, I want to share with you what a POSITIVE impact my VEGAN diet has had fighting my Lupus!
First off, my Rheumatologist firmly believes that the ONLY reason that my Lupus has not attacked my GI system is 100% because of my dietary choices I have made. He also believes that, of the inflammation that I have, people who have lupus as severe as mine tend to have about triple my inflammation, which is largely due to a poor diet consisting of red meats and dairy products. Basically, if it weren't for my vegan diet, I could be unable to work, I could be in MORE pain, and I could even be on permanent dialysis to keep my kidneys functioning. My VEGAN diet has kept all this from happening!

Secondly, there are MANY studies that show how a vegan diet is beneficialhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif to those with Lupus. Beef and dairy products are rich in phenylalanine and tyrosine, which are not only unhealthy for anybody, but are chemicals that wreak havoc on somebody who has Lupus, causing severe damage to organs like your liver and heart. It has also been proven that a vegan diet that is at least 80% vegetable-based has had a profound effect on causing skin rashes and lesions that occur due to Lupus to disappear. I know that every time I get a rash, I try to make my diet as vegetable-based as possible, and my rashes not only stop itching and burning, but they tend to go away within days, as opposed to the weeks to months that they typically last!

Dr. McDougall's http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giflow-http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giffat vegan diet has also had such success stories that Lupus has actually gone into full blown remission from switching to his diet from the Standard American Diet....seriously, how cool is that?!

So in honor of Lupus Awareness Month, which also happens to be one of my favorite months of the year, I encourage you, if you don't already, to give veganism a shot. Even if it's one day a week for the month of May, or maybe do some research on what a Vegan Diet can do for you in your life! Give some of Dr. McDougall's literature a read, or check out Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet, to see what a profound effect her diet had on her health.

Happy May, and here's to good health!