Healthy Tips for the Busy Vegan

If you are balancing a busy life, with a side dose of stress, it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The balance factor is multiplied when you are vegan and you need to make sure the foods you are eating contain the essential vitamins and minerals you need for looking and feeling your best. It is easy to reach for processed foods or to order take out. However, it is not so easy to stay healthy with that lifestyle.

Below are a few tips that can help relieve the stress and pressure of eating well while maintaining balance.

Plan Ahead!

Take a couple hours on a weekend to prep a few meals for the coming week. I’m in love with mason jar meals. All the salad makings you need stuffed into a jar.

Produce with Amy has some great mason jar salad recipes. Here is a link to 30 different salad recipes – click on the first link and she has a great Q & A and basic information on prepping and storing your jars.

You can do the same thing with chopping veggies for a stir fry or putting together all of the main ingredients needed for a full meal later in the week.

Double Your Recipe

Make a staple item – and make it a double batch. Try things like a big pot of soup, tomato sauce or chili. All of these items freeze really well.  You then have instant thaw and prepare items that are not packaged and processed.

Vegan Slow Cooker

Slow cooker meals can be started in the morning, or on your lunch break. Throw the ingredients in, turn on the pot and go! Traditionally, the slow cooker meals are meat based. There is finally a couple of good Vegan Slow Cooker books out there that are well worth the investment. A few suggestions below can get you started, but there are a ton of options out there now that you can find with a simple Amazon search.

Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker, by Robin Robertson

The Vegan Slow Cooker: Simply Set It and Go, by Kathy Hester

Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just for You, by Kate Lewis

 

Meal Plans

Prepared meal plans are one of the very best modern conveniences. Whether they are from a local business like Four Square Meals Iowa, or an online food service like Hello Fresh, meal plans are amazing.

Hello Fresh meal, Stuffed Portabello Mushroom with Balsamic Glaze

When I lived in Iowa City, I used Four Square Meals Iowa. Delicious, wholesome and healthy, I really miss this vegan food service! Owner, Chef David Burt, is a former owner of the renowned vegan restaurant, Red Avocado. They offer a weekly pick-up for a meal plan providing four full meals for the week. With a little demand - maybe you can get him to extend and offer delivery/pick up outside of the Iowa City area! Four meals for one person $40 a week or a meal plan for two for around $70.

Another option, Hello Fresh, offers quick healthy vegetarian meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Order online and the meals are delivered in a “Cold Box” fresh to your door. You can order meals prepped for 2 people or in a larger family sized quantity for 4 or more. It is not quite as convenient as having someone prepare everything for you like Four Square Meals - but if you don't have time to shop or plan out your meals, it is a great option.

Each meal comes with everything you need pre-measured and ready to cook. The vegetarian meals are made with fresh vegetables and grains and provide a great balance of nutrients for a healthy vegan diet. There are few “non-vegan” ingredients that are easily subbed or omitted from a couple meals. The meals for 2 people actually prepare enough for 3 good healthy servings. So for single folks, the meal plans can actually spread much further. A couple of the meals I received use cheese as a garnish and I have subbed Daiya dairy free shredded cheese or left it off completely.

If you would like to try Hello Fresh - use this code for a $20 discount on your first order: XFX7GQ

Stay Active!

Modern conveniences like some of the ones listed above have helped us to balance some of the stress that comes with a busy lifestyle. It is still important to find a way to stay active and decompr

ess. If 20 minutes at the gym is not your thing, try pulling a yoga mat in front of your TV. My yoga mat does not get put away unless company arrives. It reminds me to get up off the couch and do something. There are tons of links you can find with a simple internet search that will provide floor exercises and easy yoga or Pilate moves that can work your core. Whatever it is you do – take good care of yourself!

Links

Produce with Amy: http://producewithamy.com/salads/

Four Square Meals Iowa: http://foursquaremealsiowa.com/

Hello Fresh:  www.hellofresh.com  $20 Discount code: XFX7GQ

Stuffed Noodles

I’ve been making this recipe for years and years and realized recently that I had not shared it on my blog. When I was a kid ricotta stuffed noodles was one of my favorite dishes that my mom made. Of course, with all of the ways out there to make vegan cheeses, there is a vegan ricotta recipe and this meal is a staple in my kitchen.

Filling:

1 package firm or extra firm Tofu

½ - ¾ Cup Cashews

2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

1 Tbsp Lemon

½ tsp Onion Powder

½ tsp Garlic Powder

½ tsp salt

Optional: 1 Cup Daiya Cheese or 1 cup frozen spinach

½ box of large shell noodles

2 Cups of prepared marinara sauce

Instructions:

First bring 4-6 cups of water to boil and cook ½ box of large shell noodles (20-22 noodles). Store the remaining noodles for a later date. I like to store my food in mason jars, and find that the other half box of noodles (20-22 large shells) fits perfectly in a large mason jar.

While your noodles are cooking, prepare the filling. Add all of the ingredients to your food processor and pulse until it forms into a thick and creamy cheese. If you like the recipe and want to add some fun you can mix in 1 Cup of Daiya cheese or 1 cup frozen spinach that has been thawed and well drained.

Drain noodles and rinse with cold water to help them cool faster. Make sure noodles are not sticking together.

Spread two tablespoons of marinara sauce on the bottom of an 8” glass-baking dish.

Fill each noodle with a scoop of ricotta mixture. Place each noodle open face up in the

baking dish. Once the dish is filled, spread the remaining marinara evenly over noodles. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of Daiya cheese over the top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

These are extremely filling and just a couple tend to fill you up!

 **If you are making a meal for one or two - this is the perfect freezer meal! Prepare half the noodles ready to bake and then freeze the other half, leaving out the marinara in the freezer dish.**

Makes 20-22 Large stuffed shells or 5-6 servings

Serving Size: 3-4 Shells

Creamy Potato Soup

I’ve seen a few potato soup recipes out there and I was looking to make a creamy soup that delivered without dairy as a base. The nutritional yeast and liquid smoke gives this soup a smoky cheese flavor

 

3-4 cups of water or vegetarian broth

1 cup of chopped cauliflower

3-4 medium potatoes

1 small onion finely chopped

1 cup red lentils

½ Cup Nutritional Yeast

1-2 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

½ tsp pepper

Add all ingredients together. Bring water/broth to a boil then turn down heat and let simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Take 2-3 cups of the soup and blend on low until smooth. Make sure to cover and hold down the top of the blender with a towel. Depending on your preference for thickness and smoothness, you can blend more or less of the soup or add more water. I actually prefer to keep my chunky instead of smooth and just use a potato masher to thicken this up.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 7-8 servings

Change is in the Air!

UPDATE 5/22/204: We have a couple of people who are interested in guest blogging and keeping updates for vegan news in Iowa. Please contact us if you are interested in contributing! veganiowa@gmail.com
____________________________________________

Vegan Iowa has been my “baby” so to speak for a very long time. After many excited brainstorms with friends, the Vegan Iowa blog emerged. Over the last four years, this blog, and now the Facebook page, have grown to be exactly what I wanted it to be, a resource for the Iowa Community and anyone visiting the state looking for veg friendly businesses, classes etc.

Now, I’ve moved to South Dakota - accepted a dream job – the only job that would have pulled me back home to the Dakotas. I am not far from Iowa though, Vermillion, SD is just 30 minutes from Sioux City. Iowa will always be home in my heart. Iowa welcomed me with open arms and I stayed for 12 years thanks to the great friends I made.

My dilemma becomes do I hand over the blog and Facebook page to someone else to manage and continue growing? Or should we change the page a bit and make it a Midwest vegan resource?

As soon as I crossed over the South Dakota border everything became more rural and resources are even more sparse than I expected. The Hy-Vee in town doesn’t even have a full health food section, it has one-half of one aisle. The resources aren’t all around me like I have been used to. I am sure this is the same way many of the rural Iowan’s feel.

I want to explore and share resources in my new home of South Dakota. But before I look to change this resource started for my Iowa friends or start a new one – I need your input.

Pancake Perfection

Vegan Pancakes

My obsession with pancakes is well known among my family and friends.

Ask me what I want for breakfast on any given day and PANCAKES! is the first thing that pops into my mind. There are even days when whipping up a batch of pancakes sounds like the perfect gourmet dinner menu.

Of course my pancakes are not your average lightly browned breakfast cake. Instead, they are filled with gobs of goodies both healthy and unhealthy, to round out whatever mood I’m in.

My favorite pancake is reminiscent of an Almond Joy, a candy bar this vegan misses dearly. This addition is simple, sprinkle in some chocolate chips and coconut into your pancake batter. Then, pour onto the griddle and cook to perfection. When you flip the pancake onto your plate, immediately slather on fresh almond butter to create a decadent dessert worthy breakfast. (or lunch, or dinner…)

There was an old waffle recipe I found online 10-12 years ago. I’ve adjusted added to this and made it more my own. Now, I share and encourage you to explore and create your own perfect pancakes.

Vegan Pancakes

1 ¼     Cup Flour

¼        Cup Sugar

¼        Cup Earth Balance (or vegan margarine)

2 tsp   Baking Powder

½ tsp  Vanilla

½ tsp  Cinnamon

1-2     Cups Water

 

Instructions

It helps to get out all of the ingredients and have everything within arms reach as you begin. Turn on your griddle or flat pan to medium heat and allow your cooking surface to get hot while you are preparing the pancake batter.

Fill a large measuring cup with water and set aside for a few minutes. Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir with a fork to distribute everything evenly. Create a nice hole in the middle of your dry ingredients.

Next, melt the earth balance (margarine) in a small cup or prep bowl in a microwave for about 15-30 seconds. Add the vanilla to the earth balance bowl.

Add the margarine/vanilla mixture into the center of your dry ingredients. Begin stirring slowly, and then immediately begin adding water into the mixture. Slowly mix, from the center so you are getting out lumps as you go. Don’t let the batter get really thick and goopy, keep enough water so that it is the consistency of a thick brownie batter. Add more water until the dry ingredients are mixed in well. You may not need all of your water, so do not just dump it all in. You don’t want your batter super thin, it should be just a little thicker than an average cake batter.

If it looks too watery, slowly add a touch more flour, a tablespoon at a time (to make sure you don’t make it too thick again!)

If you are new to making pancakes, read the instructions below for preparing your cooking surface and knowing when to flip.

Instructions for Pancake Perfection

Making pancakes is as easy as child’s play. This past summer I taught my 11 year old nephew how to make pancakes, flipping them at just the right moment. He thoroughly enjoyed himself. The key to making pancakes without creating a gigantic mess is perfecting the heat of your griddle, and then timing the flip just right.

Heat: Turn on your burner to medium heat. Choose a large non-stick skillet with a flat bottom. If you have a griddle that covers more than one burner – even better! Allow the burner to heat up for a few minutes.

Test your cooking surface by pouring a teaspoon of batter into the middle. Within a few moments, you should see little bubbles appear all over the surface of the mini cake and the edges will harden. If it takes more than a few seconds for this process, then your griddle is not hot enough. Following the instructions at the beginning, if you turned your stove on before making your batter and your cooking surface is not hot enough yet, you may need to turn it up just a touch. Not a lot, just one notch. Too much heat and you burn your pancakes! Wait a minute for the extra heat to distribute and try your test cake again.

When you have a surface of bubbles and the edges have stopped moving, swiftly slide your large flat spatula beneath the pancake and flip! A swift movement helps to make sure that the batter does not run off the sides and create a mess.

Allow the other side to cook for a few moments. If your first side was not brown enough, go ahead and flip back over and give it a bit more time.

Serve immediately with your favorite garnishments!

Trumpet Blossom Cafe - YUM!

Dinner with a friend is always good for the soul.

When dinner with a friend is at a fabulous vegan restaurant like Trumpet Blossom Cafe, your soul gets to lean back and smile. At least that is what mine did.

My friend and I met up at Trumpet Blossom for food and conversation this past Thursday evening and were pleasantly surprised at the great atmosphere and steady flow of patrons arriving for dinner, drinks, or just to visit and catch up over appetizers. It always makes me happy to see people enjoying great vegan food.

Everything on the menu looked tasty and tempting with gluten free options marked clearly. We took quite a bit of time choosing our dinner selection. I finally decided on the classic, Tempeh Reuben and my friend went for the Sesame Shiitake Mushrooms and Potato Cakes. We were both wholeheartedly happy with our selections.

My favorite test of a vegan restaurant is to bring along a non-vegan to get their opinion. And the mushroom dish definitely passed the carnivore test. In fact, my friend attempted to eat every last morsel on her plate! The mushrooms were marinated and then sauteed to perfection. Locally sourced carrots and turnips garnished the dish adding a surprisingly complementary flavor (I am not usually a huge turnip fan.) Yes, I nibbled off of my friends plate just a little and am glad I did!

The Tempeh Reuben was served on fresh baked bread and was perfectly flavored. Crisp homemade sauerkraut and a tasty thousand island style dressing provided the perfect balance. I chose the sweet potato fries for my side and happily dipped them in the special sauce. Of course, I couldn't eat something like a reuben without making a mess, and I did finally give up eating it like a sandwich and just ate the second half with my fork. My appetite was fully sated, but I could not resist indulging in dessert.

We chose to split a piece of the chocolate cake with chocolate ganache drizzled with an orange sauce. I love the taste of orange and chocolate together. And the subtle citrus flavor made this dessert divine.

Trumpet Blossom boasts a full service bar with a great list of classic drinks that have a vegan twist. For example the White Russian has a splash of vanilla soy creamer. I went for a classic blended strawberry margarita. My drink was a little bit too strong, and not quite blended all of the way. It tasted to me like iced tequila. The waitress kindly added a little extra strawberry, but did not blend the drink anymore. So I had chunks of ice and strawberry. I know, you are probably rolling your eyes thinking, why didn't she just tip the drink back and smile? Well, sorry, I am a little bit picky and like my smooth blended margaritas.

However, next time, I am going to try the coffee martini. I can't remember the name of it, but it had coffee liqueur, chocolate and chocolate covered espresso beans in it. It sounded like the perfect drink for a Sunday Brunch to me! (By the way Trumpet Blossom is open for Brunch on the weekends!)

At the end of our meal, we got to chat with chef and owner, Katy Meyer. As one of the former owners of the Red Avocado Restaurant, Meyer has carried over some of the same strong ethical values from the former restaurant. You will find that meals are made from locally sourced organic foods whenever possible. Staff are paid fairly, with servers making minimum wage plus tips (practically unheard of in the restaurant industry!)

Trumpet Blossom Celebrates their one year anniversary open for business on April 20! Congrats on a year of great food Trumpet Blossom!!

Visit Trumpet Blossom at:
310 E Prentiss St, Iowa City, IA 52240
(319) 248-0077

Check out the menu online: www.trumpetblossom.com/
Like Trumpet Blossom on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TrumpetBlossomCafe

Vegan Girl Scout Cookies

Thin Mints are now Vegan!

No, this is not a dream.

Go ahead, pick up a sleeve of those melt in your mouth, chocolate mint delights and eat them until they are gone...

Yes, I know you are smiling recalling the pre-vegan days of doing just this.


If you live in Iowa and are buying Girl Scout cookies from an Iowa Girl Scout, not only do you have vegan choices, but you are also purchasing an Iowa made product. As a bonus, you are helping a girl reach goals while gaining courage, confidence and character. What could be better?

Of course, having spent most of my professional career working for Girl Scouts here in Iowa, I have known which cookies are vegan friendly for years. However, ABC Bakers located in Sioux City, Iowa has finally decided to market this little known fact right on the cookie order form. Peanut Butter Patties, Thanks A-Lots, Thin Mints and Lemonades are all vegan!

ABC has gone one step further and changed the chocolate used in Thin Mints, making these best selling cookies even more accessible to people with food allergies! Last year there were only 3 vegan cookies, this year there are four. After all, that is what girls asked for. And, in an organization dedicated to girls, a girls voice goes a long way.

Following the Girl Scout cookie sale last year, a troop of girls wrote into the office and asked the cookie company to make Girl Scout cookies more accessible for people with food allergies. A co-worker and I cheered on the the girls who sent the letter and forwarded on the girls' request directly to ABC.

There is also a little bit of differentiation and competitive marketing happening here as well. You see, there are two bakeries nationwide producing those delectable chocolate covered pieces of heaven. (Did you know that Thin Mints are the #2 best selling cookie in the nation right behind Oreos? AND they are only sold for a month or two each year in each region of the country!!!) They are also competing for the business of the 110 Girl Scout councils, and looking for ways to make a stronger business proposal. Little Brownie Bakers, a subsidiary of Keebler, has ZERO vegan cookies on their cookie list.  Zero.

How do you know if you are buying the vegan version of cookies? Well if a Girl Scout comes to your doorstep with Tagalongs or Samoas, then your Girl Scout council does not have the vegan friendly Girl Scout cookie company.

ABC Bakers has slightly different names for the five primary Girl Scout cookies that are sold by both bakers. They also have slightly different recipes for those same cookies. Obviously, ABC Bakery has the right idea. The Iowa Girl Scout councils also have the right idea by buying directly from an Iowa based business. It is the best of both worlds.

So when those girls come knocking at your door order away! But first, remember that the Girl Scout cookie program is first and foremost a program. Girls are gaining skills like goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills and business ethics. Ask that Girl Scout what her cookie goal is and how far along she is towards that goal.

Need to find a Girl Scout cookie booth near you?  Here are links to Iowa's two Girl Scout council websites:
www.girlscoutstoday.org - Girl Scouts Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois
www.girlscoutsiowa.org - Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa (central and western Iowa)

Did you know that 80% of women business owners were Girl Scouts? This isn’t just a national statistic. Girl Scout staff spoke at a Des Moines Chamber event last year and mentioned this statistic. A curious chamber staff person called every woman business owner on the Chamber list, and sure enough, 90% of the local women business owners were Girl Scouts! The number one leadership development organization in the nation has a strong 100 year history of breaking down barriers and helping girls grow to successful women.

Oh, and while you are supporting Girls and the future they have in their hands, don’t forget to check out this fabulous website dedicated to creating a better future for our daughters: www.togetherthere.org

Want to learn more about ABC Bakers? Here is their website: www.abcsmartcookies.com

Vegan Super Bowl Menu

Football madness will enter my home in approximately 7 days. As a lifelong San Francisco 49ers fan, I am pumped to throw a Super Bowl Party – vegan style of course!

Just because it is vegan, does not mean you take out all of the tasty fun! I’ve been trying to decide the menu and thought I would share some ideas and resources I found.

I'm leaning towards making a big pot of chili and setting out my mason jars with a tray full of toppings like daiya cheese, vegan sour cream, olives, onions, crackers, etc. as a "Chili Bar" With some munchies and sweets on the side, I think this sounds simple enough to prepare in advance without a lot of day of energy.

Mexi-themed Super Bowl Menu:

Chips  & Salsa – Duh!
Chili Bar – with all of the fun toppings!
Southwest Rolls
Fruit Tray
Taco Bites
Football Themed Dessert Dip! (see link below)

Other Simple Ideas for Snacks

Croissants
Yes… those original Pillsbury treats are *gasp* vegan! You can roll anything up in these tasty babies… chocolate chips are my favorite of course, or add a little jam and make them jelly rolls. Get creative!

Veggie Tray & Hummus
This has been a staple at my weekly football parties, I guarantee it makes everyone smile.

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
Peel, season and roast those magic orange potatoes and wha-la an instant delicious snack.

Links & Resources:

Since it is not quite Super Bowl Sunday, I have not tested out every one of these recipes. However, I thought I would include some links for vegan or easily veganized football foods!

Football Themed Dessert Dip!
Crazy For Crust has a fun recipe you can make dairy free, using some vegan cream cheese and Earth Balance instead of butter.
http://www.crazyforcrust.com/2012/02/peanut-butter-football-dip/

Southwest Rolls
Emily Bites has a great recipe that can easily be changed up to use won ton wrappers or tortillas instead of eggrolls!
http://www.emilybites.com/2012/06/southwestern-egg-rolls.html

Traditional Appetizers
Check out these Super Bowl Party suggestions from Green Apple Baby’s Blog including: Vegan Buffalo Bites, Spinach Artichoke Dip and Cheezy Mashed Potato Quesidillas. YUM!
http://www.greenapplebaby.com/2012/02/3-ultimate-vegan-super-bowl-party.html

The Mercy for Animals Blog has some fun Super Bowl suggestions and links as well!
http://www.mfablog.org/2012/02/kick-off-your-super-bowl-party-vegan-style.html

Vegan Jalapeno Poppers – yummy!
http://theveeword.blogspot.com/2011/03/extreme-vegan-makeover-jalapeno-poppers.html

This is another great list of Super Bowl Party food!
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=4139&catId=2

New Years Resolution Challenge: Recycle More

Recycling is a passion of mine. 
It always has been, and always will be.

Over the holidays I was going crazy watching the things that were being thrown away as everyday trash. I spoke up a couple of times, and was told to just throw it away. As a disclaimer: I love my brother and his family to the moon and back. However, watching all of the recyclable items that the family was throwing away made me want to scream. They tossed the glass bottles, paper packaging, plastic molds for toys, and wrapping paper away like they were dirty diapers (another pet peeve). There are plenty of things for me to argue with my family about, so standing on my recycling soapbox in their kitchen didn’t quite seem right. After all, they do recycle some things. It is just not quite as much as I would recycle in my own home.

On my drive back to Iowa I made a totally different kind of New Year’s resolution.  
I’m going to challenge those around me to recycle more.

There are a few ways I can take action, and hey why not blog and encourage others to do the same? If you are already the king or queen of recycling, there is always more work to be done. So I thought I would share some ideas, and examples of ways you may be able to inspire others. If you have more ideas, please share them!

Recycling takes time, space, and energy. That's all, just a little bit of your time and energy and a little bit of space around you. Do you know everything that can be recycled?  If not click here for a little recycling 101.

Everything starts in our own home. 

Do you have a space dedicated to recycling? In my home, I have a large cupboard next to the sink where I installed two bins on sliders. The front bin is for trash, the back one for recycling. Check it out here. Often times my recycling fills up 4X faster than my trash and I can go a couple of weeks without having to pay for trash tags.

One of the most common excuses I have heard from people who do not recycle is that their apartment or town does not offer recycling pick up services. This is no excuse at all. This is where an individuals time and energy come into play. Almost every small town in Iowa has a community recycling space. Huge containers where you can drop off papers, plastics, aluminum and glass for free. Make a decision to put aside the time each week or month to take care of your recycling.

Here are some ideas to increase your at-home recycling habits:

• Be picky and buy items from the store that are minimally packaged. I love how Apple uses minimal packaging for their computers. But you buy just about any other computer and it comes in a gigantic box, four times larger than the actual CPU and filled with Styrofoam. There are companies that are attempting to lessen their carbon footprint.

Bulk foods in Mason Jars provides instant kitchen decor!

• Buy grocery items from the bulk bins. There are bulk bins at Hy-Vee and at the Co-Ops, try it out! I love buying organic spices in bulk. Once you have the little glass jar, the spices themselves are just pennies!

• Bring your own bulk containers to the grocery store. When you arrive, have your jars weighed at register, and then fill them up! (Yes, this takes some time and effort, as mentioned above.)

• Compost your food waste. The City of Iowa City has great free programs to educate the community on composting (you can attend even if you are not an Iowa City resident. In the summer, they offer deals on purchasing compost bins.  Hey - why not take action and encourage your town to offer some community education on composting?

 

Next, look at your life on the go, starting with your car. 

I have been known to drive around with a car full of items that can be recycled because I forget to empty it at home, and I don’t want to throw away a perfectly recyclable bottle! (I know in a perfect world, I would not be buying plastic bottled anything.) 

• Get a reusable hot and cold cup. My Starbucks Venti sized plastic cup with a reusable straw goes everywhere with me. If you bring in your own cup when eating fast food, then you save a cup from the landfills! Panera is great, they only charge you something like thirty-cents for your beverage when you bring in your own cup! (and they have great black bean soup).

• Bring your own doggy bag. Yes, I know it sounds weird, but that is one less plastic container or Styrofoam carton that will be sitting in a landfill the next day.

• I’m the conservationist that picks up trash and recyclables while walking through parks. There is no excuse to litter.

• If there is no container for recycling at an event, start one! Throw a couple plastic bottles in there to show people what it is for and wha-la instant recycle bin. I’ve also been known to walk out of places with empty plastic bottles, so I could recycle them at home. 

 

Take action at work! 

Do you recycle paper? Is there a place to recycle in the lunch room? Make sure the recycling is being used. I have been known to stick my hand in the garbage and pull out plastic bottles, paper bags, cups, etc. and throw them into the recycling that is literally sitting RIGHT NEXT TO THE GARBAGE. Eventually, I hope others will catch on and notice the type of items that are filling the recycling and follow suit.

I started a new job a few months ago and made a joke about being the recycling nazi that throws everyone else's recycling into the containers. Our property manager looked at me and said that he had noticed there was a lot more recycling since I started working there.

Well good! I am glad to hear it! One person CAN make a difference.

 

You can take the same kind of action on your job.

• If there isn’t a place to put recycling, ask if you can start one.

• Recycle within your own desk space. Make the space underneath to put a container, and take the time on Friday to carry your recycling out with you. I have friends who work at large corporate offices like Alliant Energy and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics that do this. They haven’t been able to take on the administration, but they make a difference in their own space.

 

Schools are the perfect place to Recycle

Are you a student? What about your school or your child’s school? Educating people about the importance of recycling is one of the simple ways to get others to take action.

In fifth grade a couple classmates and I took on the school administration and convinced them to stop using Styrofoam lunch trays. Every day we would walk through the lunchroom. There were shiny metal shelves lining the back wall, filled with colorful hard-plastic reusable lunch trays. Somewhere along the line a lazy lunch lady thought it would be easier to just throw the trays away and do away with dishes. So our school began creating tons of waste that would never biodegrade instead of continuing to take the time and effort to respect the environment. The plastic trays just sat on the shelf collecting dust. Getting the school to do away with those Styrofoam trays was a huge victory for a ten year old.

 

Take action in your community!

A few years ago when I worked as Executive Director for Summer of the Arts, I learned that the Iowa Arts Festival and Iowa City Jazz Festival each created over a ton of waste in a single weekend. Meaning over the course of two weekends each summer, four thousand pounds of waste was added to the landfill. This did not sit well with me.

With a little creative thinking I changed the festival policies. Food vendors would be required to use compostable food ware and water stations would sell refillable water bottles and we would add in water machines. The first summer this was a highly encouraged option for vendors, the second year it was required. Compost bins were added to the festivals, advertising, signs and education items were added for the community. And just like that a new green tradition was created!

There was a lot of hard work that went in on the back end of things. The Operations Manager helped to coordinate a bulk order and distribution of compostable food ware because there was no place local to order what they needed. Not every food vendor jumped right on board with the new policy either. It was a learning lesson for everyone involved. But there was a lot of support. The City of Iowa City helped us to get containers and then gave ideas on how to improve the process. By the second summer we had diverted nearly a ton of trash by composting.

Today, the compost program has received grant money for better sorting containers and education programs. The festivals are called upon by other organizations across the country looking to start their own composting program. The program has also helped to establish a new small business. One of the food vendors now has a business selling compostable food ware. Many of the food vendors that own restaurants use the compostable containers as their every day to-go containers instead of Styrofoam.


Okay, so now the challenge is back to you.

What will you do to go green this year? How can you make a difference in your home, place of work, school or community? Are you up for the challenge?

Share your success stories and ideas!

Most importantly, have a fabulous new year filled with positive energy and momentum for creating change.

The GMO Fight is Still in Full Force!

California’s Proposition 37 did not pass this week. At first I was disappointed, and now I am motivated to do more. My best friend and I decided we are going to collect seeds for a time capsule to pass onto our grandchildren to be able to plant wholesome food in the future. We were just joking on Facebook, and then I learned there are people who are actually hoarding Non-GMO seeds in deep freezers across the country!! It made me smile to know we are not the only ones thinking about what it will take to assure whole foods for future generations (and I do have a deep freeze that is in need of being filled…)

Then, another friend posted a comment on my Facebook page asking what the big deal was with GMO or Non-GMO labels? 

Well, the big deal is our health!

This is where the motivation comes in… Let the positive education begin!

Seed hoarding should not be the way we pass on healthy food to the future. The great thing about California and the masses heading to the polls with this hot issue is that there are now more educational tools, resources, and advocacy groups available for people everywhere to learn more about GMO’s.

Just in case you don’t know, GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. Scientists have discovered ways to make a seed durable enough to grow after pesticides are applied. So the insects and weeds die, but not the actual crop. National Geographic has a great little online article (Link #1 below) defining organic and GMO crops, and explaining the differences.

GMO’s are in everything. You name it, cereal, crackers, breads, and yes - even meats.

For years I have avoided GMO foods, mostly because there was no research on either side explaining what effects genetically modified foods may have on our body or our environment. 

People have made fun of me and called uppity, a hippie, and well…I just say I have been healthy! There is finally research on the effect of GMO’s. Sadly, it doesn’t look good for the human body. A group of scientists in France did a study on the long-term effects of GMO consumption. Natural news published some of the outcomes and the findings are overwhelmingly negative:

• Up to 50% of males and 70% of females suffered premature death.

• Rats that drank trace amounts of Roundup (at levels legally allowed in the water supply) had a 200% to 300% increase in large tumors.

• Rats fed GM corn and traces of Roundup suffered severe organ damage including liver damage and kidney damage.

• The study fed these rats NK603, the Monsanto variety of GM corn that's grown across North America and widely fed to animals and humans. This is the same corn that's in your corn-based breakfast cereal, corn tortillas and corn snack chips.

The study is entitled, "A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health." The pictures of the rats are horrible, and not ones I want to publish. It tears my heart and then makes me think of all of the sickness, disease and the high rate of cancer that we have right here at home. Eating organic just became even more important to me than ever before. 

I’ve daydreamed about winning the lottery and what I would do with millions of dollars. The funny thing is that I have been in non-profit way too long and I don’t imagine spending all of that money on myself. Instead, I would create and fund a nonprofit designed to advocate, support, expand and sustain organic farming. Not because I am a huger farmer, or come from a farming family. Rather, I see this as one of the ways to make the largest impact on so many of the issues facing the world today including environmental, hunger, and sustainability. 

Daydreaming is best in fields full of flowers

I would love to be able see farmland that goes up for auction purchased and put in the hands of an organic farmer (a lot of money would be invested in this). I know that some of the barriers facing young people (well people of any age) who would like to farm are the costs. The cost of land, equipment and for an organic farmer the licensing, training, and legal fees is exorbitant. Legal fees is one area where I have read organic farmers have the most trouble, especially when going up against corporate giants like Monsanto. 

My lottery-funded program would loan organic farmers acreages and provide monetary loans for equipment in exchange for supporting the other parts of the program. In exchange, farmers participating would help to train and support other young people interested in organic farming methods. After so many years the land is theirs, with the stipulation they donate back to the program with their time, talent, and wholesome food to help feed those in need. It is a daydream, but any time you want to buy me a lottery ticket, I promise the winnings would be put to good use!  

((And for people that know me really well, yes this is my secret plot to feed the hungry and change the world. This program would provide wholesome, healthy food, directly from farmers to those in need. Low-income families say that the price of fresh fruit and vegetables are too high and this program would go right to the source to provide these items to those people who need it most… Wouldn’t it be great to see crates of fresh vegetables shipped to the food bank in the poorest counties in the US? …Yeah, I think this program would rock!!!))

Back to reality from my millionaire daydream world….

While researching, I found the organization Cornucopia, which is already providing resources and support to organic farmers! Hooray!

Cornucopia is advocating and helping to educate the public on organic foods, the effects of genetically modified crops, etc. They are also helping to raise dollars to support organic farmers in large lawsuits!

I wholeheartedly recommend a nice long visit to the Cornucopia website. Become a member, donate, get involved, and make a difference. The only way we as Americans are going to be able to stand up to corporate lobbyists is through education and lobbying efforts for what is good and wholesome

And - Good news Iowa!! According to a USDA study, Iowa ranks #5 in the number of certified organic farms in the USA. That is a start, Go Iowa!! 

Now, the big question is: What do we do? What steps can we take to get regulations in place to label our food and help preserve natural farming methods?

How can we make a difference so the next time a vote comes up to label food, it is done?

Learn more:

National Geographic Link

http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/organic-vs-gmo-2436.html

Abstract of French Study, "A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health." : http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm

Natural News – with review of GMO Study

http://www.naturalnews.com/037249_GMO_study_cancer_tumors_organ_damage.html#ixzz2BpYVi8pY

Cornucopia Website

www.cornucopia.org

Iowa Dept. of Agriculture Release on Organic Farming

http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2012press/press10312012.asp

Vegan 101 - Part 3

Connect to Other Vegans!!

Breathe a sigh of relief now, because you are not alone on the journey to eating and living a healthy lifestyle! Iowans are resourceful with great groups of people coordinating potlucks, teaching raw and vegan food preparation, meeting regularly, and communicating tips and ideas to each other via social media groups. Hooray!

The third installment of Vegan 101 brings together all of the resources currently out there - Yes, I will update this as more are found! If you spot another great resource, give me a shout out and I will make sure this list gets updated.

Vegan/Vegetarian Organizations and Groups
Vegetarian Community of Iowa - http://www.vegetarianiowa.org/

Raw Food Meet Up - Fork in the Road - http://www.meetup.com/RawFoodDSM/

Facebook Groups

Fork in the Road - Raw food nutritionist Sheree Clark has a huge group on Facebook!

 Vegetarian Community of Iowa - Monthly meet ups and other activities are often shared online through the facebook group page

Des Veg Life - A Des Moines area group of vegetarian and vegan friendly people, lots of idea sharing and tips on here!

Vegan Meating Club - Another great group online for Iowans!

Vegan Diners of Central Iowa - I think the name of this group says it all!

Iowa Raw Vegan Foodies - Raw Vegans unite! Great resource if you are raw or thinking of going raw with your vegan diet.

Recipe Resources

www.vegweb.com

This is a website full of vegan recipes posted by people from around the world. I like to sort by 5 star reviews and look at the comment suggestions for other options. It is constantly being updated and has recently undergone a redesign and facelift. Near holidays, they have a special section with dishes for the season. I admit to having spent hours perusing recipes, using the shopping list tool and marking my favorites on this website! If you do nothing else with any of the suggestions on this blog – at least visit this website.

Vegan Iowa Recommended Websites

Okay, I know there are TONS of vegan websites out there but these are just a few of my own personal favorites. (Beyond VeganIowa of course!)

www.happycow.net

Traveling? Visit Happy Cow before you hit the road, and download the travel app onto your phone. Happy Cow has community listings around the world with traveler reviews on vegan and vegetarian hot spots and grocery stores. Make sure you add your own personal favorites to the lists!

http://www.vegacommunity.com/

Brendan Brazier, author and founder of the Vega product line, has a great website! Blogs, communities for support (recipes, adrenal fatigue recovery, etc.), training advice for athletes, you name it! Highly recommend bookmarking this page. There are recipes for cooked and raw vegan dishes, smoothies, energy bars, etc.

www.veggywood.com        

Vegan fashion, recipes, animal activism, this site has it all ~ Features a “Vegan Shoe of the Day” LOVE!

http://chicvegan.com/

For the compassion based shopper – you will find the latest trends, make-up, accessories, new clothing lines, seasonal recommendations, etc.

www.fatfreevegan.com 

Great recipes and fun ideas!

http://www.veganlovlie.com/

Musings, recipes and lots more.

http://veganmenu.blogspot.com/

What the hell does a vegan eat anyway? Ha, ha, I love the title of this blog, it is one of my favorites!!

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/

If you are active and vegan/raw then this fabulous resource is for you!

http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/ - This is one of the very first vegan blogs I began following seven years ago. The amazing recipes she produces, and then packs up to send her son to school with, are fantastic. 

Looking for more information? Did you check out the first two parts of the Vegan 101 guide?

Vegan 101 - Part 1

Vegan 101 - Part 2