Veg Vivaciously

9/19/2011

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: NOT-cho's!!! (a vegan alternative to nachos)

NOT-cho's!

So it's game season and we're all looking for healthy snacks to munch on while watching the game. One of my favorite snacks are nacho's. I love to eat them watching movies and the games. It's an oldy but goody. I remember when I first started implementing a plant based foods into my diet, I really thought about all the foods I loved, and thought that I wouldn't be able to maintain a consistent plant based diet because that would mean I'd have to give up cheese (For more on my cheese addiction click here). Ironically, all of the foods that I love contain cheese. Until finally, it hit me! Why couldn't I have the same foods? I mean, why couldn't I make the same things, except veganize it! So that's exactly what I started doing with a lot of things. Not-cho cheese being one of many...Let me tell you this cheese recipe tastes like the real thing. I promise you when I made it Angels came down from heaven and sang to me!

Not-cho Ingredients:

Chips of your choice. (the chips I used in this pic are red bean and rice chips.)
1-15 oz can of organic red beans
1-15 oz can of organic black beans
1-15 oz can of organic corn
1/3 finely chopped onion or 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
1/3 finely chopped bell pepper
1-2 tbs cumin
1/2 tsp himilayan salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 curry powder
Not-cho cheese (see below for detailed recipe)

*If you're anti-can goods, feel free to use frozen. But, for intents and purposes of this blog, I'm going for simplicity---something both female and male friendly (that's right fella's this is so simple even you can prepare it) and I actually used cans---see pic below.

Organic can goods

First we're going to make the cheese...*drum roll please*...

NOT-cho Cheese

Not-cho Cheese Ingredients:

1 cup raw organic cashews (pre-soaked)
1/4 cup braggs amino acid
1/4 - 1/2 cup water (depending on how thick or thin you want your cheese)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup roasted red pepper
1 garlic clove
1 tsp crushed red peppers or jalapeno peppers (optional)

Making the Not-cho cheese

Throw all of the ingredients into your blender. (Because we're trying to liquify nuts, its best to use your blender. If you have a hightec blender, it'll take you about 1 min.) Blend, then put the cheese into a bowl and let it sit to the side until you're ready to top your not-cho's off.

Note(s): Makes about 15 oz of cheese. To make more double entire recipe. To make your cheese hot, just keep the blender running for a while, it will automatically heat the cheese up.


Beans and Corn Mix with Bell Pepper, Onion and Seasonings

Making the corn & bean mixture for the Notcho's

Rinse and drain your corn and beans. Once drained put into a bowl, add your seasonings the bell pepper and the onion. Let it sit to the side until you're ready to top your chips.

NOT-cho close up

Making your Not-cho platter

Place your chips on your plate.
Place the corn and bean mixture on top of the notchos.
Drizzle with as much not-cho cheese as you like.
Eat!

NOT-Cho Close Up

For those of you who are really watching your weight...here's a little something just for you! If you feel this is just way too "junk food" like for you...throw some lettuce, tomatoes and avocado on it and turn it into a taco salad! Either way enjoy the movies and the games in a healthy way!

Taco Salad

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9/16/2011

WEEKLY FITNESS TIP: I Think I Plateaued!

So you've come to a point in your lifestyle change where you feel you're doing everything right and you just don't understand why you're not losing the weight? We've all been there, the best thing I can say (and I realize this is nothing you've never heard before) is to be patient with yourself. We've all been there. I've literally gone through the pity parties because my body is not looking like a female body builder's when I know I work out and eat right...and have often worked out like a body builder. Again, we've all been there. Here's some things I've learned along the way, hope it helps you, as it helps me.

Love who you are. You've come a long way. Rome wasn't built in a day. I realize this may sound harsh but think about how long it took you to get your body to the point where you felt you needed to get fit. That didn't happen overnight, so we shouldn't expect to lose it all overnight. Appreciate where you are at. While it may not be where you want it to be, it's better than where you once were.

Evaluate Yourself. Think about why you haven't lost any additional pounds. I mean are you eating oreo's, fried foods and potato chips and thinking you're going to just shed the pounds? True story: When I first started working out, I would literally be at the gym every day for an hour or two. Then come home and have high fat foods. Why? Cause I just worked out and I EARNED IT! How silly of me to think I can continue to eat unhealthy foods and burn fat. When really, all I was doing was canceling out my entire work out! I'm not saying starve yourself, but get creative, find a healthier option of the foods you like. For me, I had to learn to reward myself in other ways...cause obviously food just wasn't going to cut it.

Mix up your routine. You may be doing everything fine and your body may be adapting well. If this is the case, it might just be time to mix up your exercise routine. Studies show that if you mix up your routine doing low to high to medium to low to high impact exercises (mixed up routines), you tend to burn more fat and keep it off! Or at least that's what Shaun T say's...Umm...I'll let you know in 60 days...

Take a break. I actually take a frequent break from the high impact work out routines and just walk or do yoga. Its still exercising and its good for me. But it gives my body a break while also allowing me to get use to doing "something" (working out) every day. Please Note: Taking a break does not mean veg out in front of the tv...it means do something relaxing, where you're still getting exercise. But its something that doesn't stress your body out.

Sleep. Are you getting enough sleep? Many don't realize how important sleep is. Aside from the obvious reasons: Harvard researchers indicate, "Several studies have linked insufficient sleep and weight gain. For example, studies have shown that people who habitually sleep less than six hours per night are much more likely to have a higher than average body mass index (BMI) and that people who sleep eight hours have the lowest BMI. Sleep is now being seen as a potential risk factor for obesity along with the two most commonly identified risk factors: lack of exercise and overeating. Research into the mechanisms involved in regulating metabolism and appetite are beginning to explain what the connection between sleep and obesity might be."

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Reference: Harvard Healthy Sleep Research