The eight-legged vegetarian, called Bagheera kiplingi, lives in Central America, and is now considered a rarity among the world's 40,000 or so spider species, most of which are strictly predators, feeding on insects and other animals. B. kiplingi is about the size of a person's pinky nail.
"This is really the first spider known to specifically 'hunt' plants; it is also the first known to go after plants as a primary food source," said study researcher Christopher Meehan of Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
Roughly 20 million Americans are vegetarians, from partial vegetarians who limit the amount of animal flesh they eat, to vegans, who eat only plant foods—no meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, or eggs.
A vegetarian diet may take a little extra planning—especially at first—but it is easy to learn how to ensure your diet is healthy. As with any diet, you have to make the right choices. Here are some myths surrounding vegetarian diets. Myth: Vegetarian diets are always healthy. Fact: People who follow a vegetarian diet are relatively healthier than those who don't. Vegetarians tend to have a lower incidence of obesity and fewer chronic health problems, including some cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
It's difficult to determine, however, whether the vegetarian diet or the overall lifestyle deserves the credit for better health. Vegetarians tend to exercise regularly and not smoke or drink. Moreover, if you make the wrong food choices, a vegetarian diet can be downright unhealthy. A steady diet of ice cream sundaes and french fries, which technically are vegetarian, won't lead to good health. Teenage girls who are vegetarians often are deficient in iron and may get too little calcium as well. Teenage girls and women who are vegans may be deficient in vitamin B12.
Your best bet: Daily, eat a variety of plant-based foods, including: fortified whole grains, fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, beans and legumes, tofu, and fortified soy milk or low-fat dairy products. Myth: You shouldn't follow a vegetarian diet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Fact: You can meet the nutrient needs of pregnancy and breastfeeding through a plant-based diet if you choose wisely. Your health care provider may advise you to take an iron, B12, or folic acid supplement. Myth: It isn't safe for infants, children, and teens to be vegetarians.
Fact: Infants, children, and teens can meet their nutritional needs through vegetarian diets, although meeting those needs is more difficult than with a standard diet.
To ensure a child receives all the necessary nutrients, a parent must plan and follow the child's diet carefully. In addition, a health care provider or a dietitian can provide additional assistance.
Myth: A vegetarian diet is always low in fat.
Fact: If your vegetarian diet contains dairy products, you can still get plenty of saturated fat from whole milk, cream, and cheese. If you're a vegan, you won't consume as much, if any, animal-derived saturated fat, but you can still overdo it on unsaturated vegetable fat, such as olive oil and canola oil. Although unsaturated fat tends to be heart healthy, it still contains as many calories per tablespoon as butter and can lead to weight gain if you consume too much.
Myth: Eating a vegetarian diet always reduces your risk for heart disease.
Fact: Although vegetarians tend to have a lower risk for heart disease than meat-eaters, simply following a vegetarian diet might not be enough.
Because of the genetic factors associated with heart disease, a person may be predisposed to high cholesterol or high blood pressure. These risk factors may require medication—no matter how heart-healthy the diet. Courtesy of the University of Rochester Medical Center
So today, I discovered that a group of girls I know are doing their part to contribute to developing countries. They are sewing up a batch of sundresses for a charity that sends them to girls in Africa. Little Dresses for Africa are the non-profit, Christian organization, that delivers these sundresses to Africa. These sun dresses are made from gently used pillow cases which are easy and simple to make into a little dress.
WHY PILLOWCASES? The pillowcase pattern has been around since the pioneer days and is easy enough for even a novice seamstress. Pillowcases are available in so many colors and patterns. They already have the hem and sides in them and are often sitting unused on shelves in closets all across the country. With just a little help they can be turned into bright little sundresses, perfectly suited for the African climate. Pillowcase dresses are only a suggestion. Any simple pattern is great to use.
To date over 1.5 million dresses have been donated.
“We’re not just sending dresses, we’re sending HOPE!”
I took some pictures in hopes of inspiring others!
Here is a Vegan survival guide I received from Love-Vegan. She has a lot of vegan recipes, articles and advice. Go check her out for more information!
1.Read ingredient labels – You will find that you buy foods time after time. You will obviously know what’s what in these foods. When you buy new foods however, ALWAYS check! You often get an allergy warning too. That won’t always tell you, if it contains meat, but will usually tell you about dairy and eggs. Once you have checked for the obvious things – like meat, fish, dairy and eggs don’t forget – honey and gelatin I usually stay away from “Natural Colourings / Flavourings Natural can mean anything including cochineal which is crushed bugs (YUK). But the “Natural Flavorings” could be meat of fish. Don’t risk it!
2.If in doubt ask! – I recently asked at my local supermarket about an in-store baked loaf of bread which had what looked like butter and garlic on the top. I asked if it had egg or dairy in it. They checked all the ingredients and I found out that not only could I eat this loaf but the entire in store baked breads were dairy and egg free! Bonus! When you go to a restaurant, ask if the “fries” are fried in the same oil as fish or chicken are fried. However, if you are not bothered about this then don’t worry!
3.Show compassion! – I believe we shouldn’t preach to people about their food. Unfortunately Vegans are given a bad rap because we can be quite militant in our beliefs. I believe there is a time and a place for this and out for a nice relaxed meal with your friends, family or colleagues is probably not it. People may find it difficult to respect your diet but make sure you rise above it and show compassion for them! Kill them with compassion! 4.Eating Out – When I’m planning to eat out, I usually research the restaurant well so that I know what I can and can’t eat. It’s also a good idea to call the restaurant and let them know before you go that you are Vegan and confirm what that means. A few days before is great and that way the chef will have chance to order any extra ingredients in. However, I’ve called an hour earlier to pre-warn the restaurant and they were still able to accommodate. If you are off to a movie or show you may find yourself hungry afterwards so it means popping into the local restaurant. This can be a total worry for us wonderful vegans. I’ve taken a great tip from the great Kris Carr of Crazy Sexy Cancer. Order a huge salad and then take either the rice, cous cous or lentils from this dish or the sweet potato fries, pasta or broccoli from that dish, burger without the meat even!? There is always something you will be able to find – just think outside the box
5.Bring your own! – If you’ve been invited to a BBQ or a party, make a dish to bring. Prepare yourself if it’s incredibly vegan, your friends might not eat it but hey more for you!
6.Answer questions – This is a fine line of being informative without preaching. People are often interested in how you can take on a Vegan diet. The cries of “I could never do that!” forever ring in my ears. From my experience I have found it is easier to avoid confrontation by just saying I am doing this for health reasons. People can understand a diet change for health (Many have done more difficult diets than a vegan one!) My advice is start people slowly you can then move on to other parts of being vegan. My favourite question is “Where do you get your protein!?” Ever heard the expression – STRONG LIKE BULL! Bulls are Vegan you know!
7.Substitute, substitute, substitute – Butter – Olive Oil or Dairy free Margarine Eggs in baking – banana or applesauce, baking powder or you can get egg re-placer Chicken or Beef Flavor – Onion, Garlic or vegetable stock cubes Milk – Soya milk, Almond milk, Oat milk, Rice milk, hemp milk and even Hazelnut milk – There are loads just try and pick a favourite Cheese – There are many different types of non dairy cheeses. Nut cheeses and even soya. Some of the Soya ones melt too – great for vegan pizzas. Meat and Fish – You can buy so many different fake meats and fish.
8.Snacks – Take snacks everywhere you go!
A Bottle of filtered water (essential) A Herbal teabag A piece of fruit Some nuts Chopped veggies (carrots, celery) with hummus. 9.Vitamin B12 – I usually have fortified rice milk with B12 in or marmite but, you can also have supplements.
10.Eat your greens! – Leafy greens are natures intended food they have loads of protein, iron, vitamins, minerals and chlorophyll. All essential for a healthy diet!
11.Soya – It can cause health problems. Its great in moderation just don’t rely on it as your main food. I have it 2 or 3 times a week but you should decide how much you want it. Err on the side of caution.
12.Ignore negative criticism – Always do that, which you know to be right. You will get negative criticism here and there but, you will become a great judge of what you can and cannot say in the right situation. Quietly lead by example.
13.Find like minded vegans – You can Twitter other Vegans; join forums or even a local Vegan society. You can find out about it on the Internet.
14.Don’t make it more difficult than it is! – Take it 1 meal at a time! This is an evolving process. However, don’t kid yourself that it’s the most difficult thing that you will ever do because it’s not. The more you tell yourself how difficult it is, the more difficult it will be! This is what stops people from giving up smoking and giving up meat for just 1 meal!
15.Plan, Plan, Plan! – Again another obvious one but so worthwhile! In the beginning its really essential. Fail to plan – Plan to fail! – Winston Churchill
16.Try Everything! – As long as its Vegan! If you don’t you may miss out on a delicious morsel! If you hate it, don’t eat it again.
17.Whoops! – If you have an accidental mistake, don’t beat yourself up! Just pay attention, learn from it and move on! Its unlikely you’ll be caught out by meat but you may have the odd occasion of dairy or egg.
18.Research – Research everything! The Internet is an amazing tool and if you are equipped with lots of knowledge you will find your journey a lot easier!
Bagels are a hard food to bring for lunch because the contents get so messy and squished. I came across this picture and it's amazing because it's recycling and super convenient. Take a CD storage container, clean it and TAD-DA you have a perfect size bagel holder. No more squished bagels and messy eating!
A great snackand easy to do! INGREDIENTS: 3 large Granny Smith apples 1 large lemon 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tbs butter 2 tbs light corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
ACTION:Cut your apples in half and use a melon baller to scoop out the insides, leaving the walls intact at about 1/2 inch thickness.(NOTE: the more you apple you remove, the more caramel you will end up with)
Squeeze the juice from the lemon onto the apples and allow to set. This will keep them from turning brown right away.
In a sauce pan over high heat, add the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and corn syrup. Stir until the brown sugar has dissolved. Allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 230 degrees, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, stir continually until it stops bubbling. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
Using a paper towel, wipe your apples down, removing the lemon juice as much as possible. If the inside of your apple is too wet, the caramel wont stick.
Pour the caramel into the hollowed out apples until just below the top.
Sprinkle with pecans. (if desired)
Chill in the refrigerator until the caramel has set, about 20 minutes.
9 reasons why you should incorporate dandelions into your diet
#1. High in Calcium: Dandelion greens are loaded with calcium. Just one cup of chopped dandelion greens has 103 milligrams (10% of the recommended daily value) of calcium! That’s slightly more than kale!
#2. Rich in Iron: Next to fresh parsley, dandelion greens have a high iron content. One cup contains 1.7 milligrams of iron.
#3. Low Calories: Like all leafy greens, dandelions are low in calories. One cup of chopped dandelion greens has only 25 calories.
#4. Loaded With Antioxidants: Dandelion greens are high in vitamin A in the form of antioxidant carotenoid (beta-carotene) and vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps facilitate iron absorption.
#5. The Ultimate Detox & Cleansing Green: If your goal is detoxification and cleansing, dandelion greens should be the ones you use! They are said to help cleanse the liver and many detox recipes call for them.
#6. Lots Of Minerals: Dandelion greens are rich in minerals. Besides calcium and iron, they are a good source of copper (10% RDA), manganese (8% RDA), phosphorus (5% RDA), potassium (5% RDA) and magnesium (5% RDA).
#7. 14% Protein: Dandelion greens have more protein per serving than spinach. The greens themselves are 14% protein and contain all essential amino acids so it’s a complete protein. One chopped cup contains 1.5 grams of protein.
#8. Multivitamin Green: Besides vitamin A as beta-carotene (186% RDA) and vitamin C (21% RDA), each cup of chopped dandelion greens are also good sources of vitamins B1 (9% RDA), B2 (11% RDA) and B6 (11% RDA), vitamin E (13% RDA) and especially abundant in vitamin K (357% RDA).
#9. Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens: The nutrients in dandelion greens may help reduce the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and stroke. Dandelion contains anti-inflammatory properties which may provide benefit to those with asthma and other inflammatory diseases.
How To Select And Store Dandelion Greens While dandelion greens can be found at health food stores, co-ops and farmers markets, they are probably widely available during the spring and early summer months in your own backyard.
Select unblemished, dark green leaves or bunches when purchasing them in the store. When foraging, young greens that are harvested before the flower head appears will be less bitter.
Commercially cultivated dandelion greens may have whitish/green or red stems. The leaves are highly perishable. I store them in the fridge in a large plastic tub with a piece of paper towel to absorb excess moisture and condensation. They will keep for 2-4 days this way. If you store wet leaves in a produce bag, they will likely only last a couple days.
The dandelion greens that you find in the store are typically organic. If you forage for dandelion, be sure to harvest them from land that has not been treated with pesticides, herbicides or other contaminants. Avoid harvesting dandelion greens from urban or industrial waste lots as heavy metals (lead, mercury) and other pollutants in the soil might be absorbed into the plant.
How To Use Dandelion Greens In A Green SmoothieDandelions are bitter, so it makes sense to blend them with fruit to mask the flavor. Blend the dandelion greens with sweet, flavorful fruit like banana, strawberries, mango, citrus and pineapple. If you are trying dandelion for the first time, start with a small handful or 1 cup of chopped leaves.
“It’s not about the lives you can’t save, it’s about the
one’s you can” -Katrina Haining This is quote that I stand by in my day to day life. I
worked at a Pet Store for 5 years of my life and many people would leave
animals outside our building hoping we could find them a home. In reality, we
weren’t allowed to take strays and sell them. It was against company policy. When
we found these poor animals (cats mostly) we would have to take them to the
shelter where they may or may not find a home. This was not okay with me. I
could not take a cat and leave it without knowing what would happen to it. Instead,
I would take the cat home with me until I could find it a new, permanent, home.
Luckily, I knew a lot of people that lived on acreages that were always happy
to have a new furry friend.
Here is my cute and eccentric best friend, Razzle. I rescued
her almost 4 years ago from the parking lot I described earlier. She was probably
5 weeks old and was lucky we found her. She was in the loading dock of another
building in the same shopping center. It took 4 of us to catch her and she was terrified.
I knew that our store couldn’t keep her, and they told me that she was now my responsibility.I called my mom and asked to keep her. She
said no. I was torn with what to do because I just knew that she was meant to
be my cat. So I brought her home anyways. I put her in the basement and waited
for the wrath of my parents. They came home and I took them to meet her. I was
just hoping they would fall for her charm the way I did. My dad’s exact words
were “she has certain enduring qualities.” It was that moment that she became
my cat. 4 years later we have now moved out into our own apartment and she
remains to be a constant joy in my life.
We shouldn’t lose sleep over trying to save every animal. Instead, we should think about how we can try to make a difference to the life of one.
This is Maple she is the puppy I helped my parents adopt from the SPCA a few months ago.
Whose life have you had a positive impact on? Comment here or
post pictures on Herbivore's facebook page!
With summer at our door its time to enjoy the heat and cool off with a nice treat. What better snack than a healthy popsicle made entirely of fruit!
Ingredients: 3 cups watermelon puree (seedless if possible) 1/2 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced 1 peach or nectarine, diced small handful fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
Cut the watermelon into chunks and then puree it in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
Set out about 1 dozen popsicle molds (amount needed will vary depending on size of molds). Fill each one with the chopped fresh fruit. Then pour in the watermelon puree until each mold is full to the top. Place a popsicle stick into each one. Place into your freezer and freeze for about 6 to 8 hours.
When ready to serve, run the popsicle molds under warm water for a few seconds and then pull each one out.
Here is a truly inspirational story of three unlikely best friends that reside at Noah’s Ark, a wild-animal rescue center in Georgia. Together they make an nontraditional “BLT.”
In a small pen, Baloo (an American black bear), Leo (the lion) and Shere Kahn (a Bengal tiger) cuddle, play ball, chase each other around, eat cookies daily and seem to have forged a friendship for life.
The three predators were rescued as cubs 12 years ago from drug dealers who’d abused and neglected them.
“All of them had issues,” Hedgecoth said. “Leo, the lion, had a big raw spot on his nose. Baloo, the bear, had an ingrown harness where his owners hadn’t lengthened it as he grew, so it actually grew into the skin and it had to be surgically removed. … They have recovered more than 100 percent.”
Trainers tried separating them at first but they acted out. They waited for fights to break out between them but there was nothing.
There are 3 main reasons as to why there is no aggression between them:
1.They have all been neutered. 2.They have never had to compete for food. 3.They have never had to compete for females.
Check out this video to see more about their story and to watch them interact together. This is definitely a very special and unique situation that is extraordinary to see.
This is a cool recycling and gardening project that is fun and easy to do. Take a pallet and turn it into a organized garden for growing herbs or flowers.
Supplies •Heat treated •2 large bags of potting soil •16 six packs of annual flowers (one six pack per opening on the face of the pallet, and two six packs per opening on the top of the completed pallet garden), •A small roll of landscape fabric •A staple gun •Staples •Sand paper (to smooth rough edges)
Finding a Pallet Try looking behind dumpsters at the supermarket, at hardware stores or online. Don’t just take the first pallet you find. You’re looking for one with all the boards in good condition, no nails sticking out, no rotting, etc. If you intend to put edibles in your pallet, be sure to find one that was heat treated as opposed to fumigated with pesticides. It will be labelled as HT. Instructions With the pallet laying flat, start stapling the cloth landscape fabric to it, to cover the back, both sides, and bottom of the pallet. Double the landscape fabric up, this will make it sturdier.
Pour a bunch of dirt on the pallet and start filling in the spaces with it. Start at the bottom and worked my way to the top. Don’t make it too tight, you want room for the flowers/herb plants.
When you get to the top, plant those plants first. This will help hold the other plants and dirt in the pallet. Then work your way down, planting your plants in each row. Make sure the dirt is firmly packed and added more where it was needed.
Leave your pallet garden flat for at least 2 weeks, longer if you can handle the wait! This helps everything mold together and not come a part when you stand it up. The planter will be very heavy when it is time to stand it up, so make sure you make it near where you plan to put it. Also, watering can be a little tricky. Put the hose on the top “shelf” and let the water trickle its way down to the bottom. It takes a little bit of time to do it this way, but probably works best.
Tip#1: Plan in advance Plan your garden today to ensure summer success. Decide what you’d like to grow. How much space can you devote to the project? How much time are you willing to spend? Answering these questions will help you to determine your priorities.
For those with small spaces (or small ambitions), a container garden is an excellent choice. Containers can also supplement a traditional garden, providing a handy pot of herbs just outside the kitchen door, an experimental area for kids to grow their own produce, and allowing tender plants to be moved according to the season.
Others might consider building a raised bed to use for square-foot gardening. Square-foot gardening allows you to maximize food production in a minimum of space.
Tip#2: Start small When planning your garden, it’s better to start too small than to start too large. In order to enjoy your garden, you must be able to control it. Don’t get too ambitious. It’s better to start small and to expand a little every year.
Tip#3: Choose productive plants Some plants are more productive than others. If you want a rewarding, productive garden, do some research to find out what grows well in your area.
Tip #4: Share with others When you buy a packet of seeds, you generally receive more than you need. It’s fun (and frugal) to split the costs with others.
Also, share equipment with the neighbours. Careful borrowing and lending helps keep everybody’s costs down.
Tip #5: Buy quality tools When you buy tools, it pays to purchase quality. Remember: thrift and frugality are about obtaining value for your dollar — not just paying the cheapest price.
Keep your eyes open at garage sales. Sometimes you can get great deals on quality stuff.
Tip #6: Read up on the subject Your public library will have many books on the subject, some tailored to your location. There are also many excellent web sites that can help you get started. Here are some useful resources:
Tip #7: Have fun! Most importantly, have fun. Don’t make gardening into more work than it needs to be. Your garden doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s great if you’re able to achieve a substantial return on your investment, but it’s also okay if you lose a little money. (You don’t want to lose a lot of money, though) Pick a favourite fruit or vegetable, plant a few seeds, and have fun watching them grow to maturity. Make it a family thing.
I came across a neat little trick for cooking lots of corn perfect and efficiently. This works great for a family get together, holidays or a camping trip.
Take a (Coleman) cooler, wipe it clean, then fill it with the shucked ears. Next, pour two kettles-full of boiling water over the corn and close the lid. Wait for about 30 minutes and you will have perfectly cooked corn. Apparently the corn will remain at the perfect level of doneness for a couple of hours.
Turns out, this trick for Cooler Corn is pretty well known among the outdoorsy set but for those of us who avoid tents as much as possible, it's perfect for large barbecues and way less of mess than grilling.
Here is an easy, eco-friendly and inexpensive method of cleaning your mattress. CLEAN YOUR MATTRESS: Pour about 1 cup of baking soda into a jar & add 4 drops of lavender essential oil. Put on the lid & shake the jar. Using a kitchen strainer, sprinkle the baking soda mixture all over the mattress & let it sit for an hour or more. Thoroughly vacuum the mattress.
Say goodbye to dust mites, & other nasty things. The baking soda helps draw up any moisture & deep dirtiness. It deodorizes & leaves the mattress smelling fresh & clean.
Lavender Benefits: BODY: Gentle, versatile & balancing. A natural antibiotic. MIND: Lavender has anti-depressant qualities and can be used for anxiety, irritability and melancholia. Brings a feeling of calm and can help insomnia. Avoid in first trimester of pregnancy and with low blood pressure.
Here is a recipe for frosted brownies that are gluten-free, raw, and soy-free. You can feel good about munching on these raw brownies, made with nuts and dates... and don't pass on making the frosting, it's what makes these brownies especially delicious.
INGREDIENTS: Base: 1 cup raw almonds (see note) 1/4 cup raw cashews 1/2 cup raw walnuts 1 3/4 cups (packed) pitted medjool dates (see note) 1/4 cup dried organic pitted cherries (OR more dates, ie can use 2 cups dates in whole - omit almond extract if not using cherries) 1/3 cup raw cocoa powder (or regular cocoa if you prefer) 1 vanilla bean (see note) 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
Frosting: 1/2 cup coconut butter (not coconut oil) Artisana coconut butter 1/4 cup raw agave nectar (or can use pure maple syrup if raw not essential) 2 tbsp raw cocoa powder (or regular if you prefer) pinch sea salt
ACTION: In a food processor, first add almonds and cashews and process until very fine (the almonds are the hardest, and need to be worked until crumbly). Let them process for a minute or two until quite fine. Then add walnuts, dates and cherries and pulse/process until mixture is quite crumbly, but not yet coming together. Then, add cocoa powder, salt, and almond extract, and pulse through. With a sharp tip knife, slice the vanilla bean down the outer side to open up the bean. Using a blunt (butter) knife, scrape out all the tiny seeds from the bean on both sides, and add them to the processor (or add vanilla extract). Process again, along with the almond extract if using. Process until the mixture comes together. The mixture should be sticky and hold together when pressed with your fingers. You don’t want to over mix (to prevent the nuts from releasing their oils, see note), but the mixture does need to hold and be sticky. If it’s not doing so, add a few drops of water, as your dates might be dry. Once you have a good, sticky mixture that will hold together, remove it from the processor and press into a brownie pan (8” x 8”) lined with parchment paper. Use a small piece of the parchment to help press and flatten the mixture evenly into the pan. Press it firmly to ensure the mixture holds. For the frosting, in a mini-food processor, first combine the coconut butter and agave nectar until smooth. Then add the cocoa powder and salt, and pulse through again until just combined. Do not over process or the frosting will begin to separate with the heat of the churning and become oily. (If you don’t have a mini-processor, you can follow the same steps stirring by hand in a bowl). Smooth frosting over base, and refrigerate for an hour or more until set. Cut into squares and serve! You can also freeze the squares after cutting, and enjoy them out of the freezer!
NOTE:
A combination of ¾ cup almonds and ½ cup cashews also works well.
You can substitute 1 – 1 ½ tsp of pure vanilla extract for the vanilla bean seeds.
If your dates are on the dry side, you can add 1-2 tbsp of water to the mixture to help assist the pureeing and the mixture easily coming together.
If you process the mixture too long, the heat generated by the food processor will bring the oils out of the nuts. If this happens, the brownies won’t be ruined necessarily, but they will have an oily appearance and be oily to the touch. So, process minimally to begin, rather than over processing the nuts at the outset.
Flat Belly Smoothie Makes 1 serving: Ingredients 3 ounces of vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt 1tbsp of almond butter ½ cup frozen blueberries ½ cup frozen pineapples 1 cup of kale ¾ cup of water
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately.
It’s time to make food fun and enjoyable for kids and yourself. Fruits and veggies are colorful but it’s all in how you arrange them that create the interest to get people, particularly kids, to actually enjoy them. Here are some great inspirational pictures to get you enthused to make healthy food fun!
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fibre. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
DEPRESSION: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
ANEMIA: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
BLOOD PRESSURE: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
BRAIN POWER: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
CONSTIPATION: High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
HANGOVERS: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
HEARTBURN: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
MORNING SICKNESS: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
MOSQUITO BITES: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
NERVES: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
ULCERS: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.
Personally, I have never been a huge supporter of PETA. They are fighting for a good cause but I don’t like how they approach things. They spend too much time and money creating artsy, satirical and sometimes horrid advertisements. Unfortunately PETA does not spend enough time working on and advertising some of the bigger issues in society today. PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. New information has been released about just how ethical they really are. They run a shelter at their Norfolk headquarters that has a shocking amount of animals that aren’t leaving there alive. PETA claims that they only euthanize the animals that are too sick or too dangerous to be placed into homes. They also state that it is unrealistic to expect them to find homes for all the animals that come into their shelter because of the excessive overpopulation of homeless animals. It seems, however, that “PETA has no adoption hours, does no adoption promotion, (and) has no adoption floor.” PETA spends all the money that they could be spending on finding these dogs and cats homes on using scare tactics and publicity stunts to get people to join their cause. This is just so hypocritical and wrong. I believe in the ethical treatment of animals and this does not seem ethical to me.
As for the overpopulation of homeless animals; I ask you all to please spay/neuter all your pets. It actually helps with behavioural problems, gives them a better quality of life and helps prevent overpopulation.
So I found this breakfast recipe for my Ovo-Vegetarians out there. It was originally made with meat but I decided that it didn’t need it. It makes 2 sweet potato crust breakfast omelets.
Omelet mixture:
8 whisked eggs
1.5 tbs salt
1 finely chopped sautéed onion
1 finely chopped sautéed red pepper
2 cloves of minced sautéed garlic
2 cups of lightly steamed broccoli
½ cup of sundried tomatoes
1.Lightly greases 2 pies dishes. Thinly slice 1 large (or 2 small) sweet potatoes and arrange around the bottom of the pie dishes. 2.Sprinkle sweet potatoes with sea salt and pepper. 3.Pour the omelet mixture over top. 4.Bake at 150 for about 40 minutes.
Being a vegetarian, you have probably been to quite a few
events where you feel a bit awkward when the appetizers come out. Most of the
time people serve common things like shrimp rings, wings or crab cakes. (They
might have a veggie platter if you are lucky.) You then have to decline and
make the host/hostess feel bad because they weren’t aware of your lifestyle
choice. Well this won’t erase those awkward moments but maybe, just maybe,
they will like these appies so much that they will ask for a recipe at your
next party. Or you could always just show up with one of these dishes in hand
as a surprise.This is a list I found on
Martha Stewart’s website. There are over 60 delicious looking appetizers to
choose from. I pulled the pictures of the ones I would really like to try which
include the guacamole hummus, stuffed jalapenos and spinach dip. I will try
these and let you know how they turned out and if it was a success.
So you want to be a vegetarian? There are a few different categories of vegetarian diet that you can choose to fit your lifestyle and beliefs.
Semi Vegetarian: eggs and dairy are accepted. Red meat, poultry and fish are occasional. Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarian: eggs and dairy are accepted. Ovo-Vegetarian: eggs are accepted. Lacto-Vegetarian: dairy is accepted. Vegan: A person who does not eat or use animal products. Macrobiotic: fish is occasional. No red meat, poultry, eggs or dairy. Pescatarians: eggs, dairy and fish are accepted. Fruititarian: eat fruit, nuts and Rawism: consisting of uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic or wild foods.
The most common form of vegetarianism is an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet. This is probably the easiest and simplest form of cutting meat from your diet. What type are you?
