Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 114

Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

According to EcoSalon, the marriage of sweet potato and nutritional yeast works great in this recipe. Sounds like a nice option for those of you who prefer not to eat soy.

Try the recipe and tell me what you think!

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Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

Ingredients  

1 cup of cooked noodles (according to package instructions)
1/2 baked sweet potato
1/4 tsp mustard
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Dash of salt
Dash of freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp of nutritional yeast and 1/2 tbsp of olive oil for crust

For instructions, hop over to EcoSalon.

Alternatively, this is my absolute favorite Mac n Cheese recipe from Seedling Catering.

What’s your favorite vegan mac & cheese recipe?
Share it in the comments below or add it to your profile so I can test it out!

Photo source: ecosalon.com / Aylin Erman

Have You Tried the Kaeng Raeng Cleanse?

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Hey Kind Lifers! Your response has been so overwhelming this month for Kaeng Raeng that we're continuing to offer the cleanse at 20% off with promo code KINDLIFE20. If you haven’t tried it yet, then don’t miss this healthy and delicious way to jumpstart your healthier year.

 

In case you haven't heard, Kaeng Raeng is an all natural meal replacement cleanse program designed to rid your body of harmful toxins, jumpstart weight loss, improve digestion, bolster immunity, and give you that natural vegan glow. It's super simple: just drink one meal replacement pouch 3 times per day for 3-6 days in addition to snacking on raw fruits and vegetables. Kaeng Raeng contains no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives, and no harsh chemicals.

 

Want to know more about this vegan product and company? Here’s what the founder and CEO, Lindsay Reinsmith, had to say on creating Kaeng Raeng:

 

When we were finishing the formula for Kaeng Raeng, we wanted to maintain the principles of a raw vegan diet, but in a form that was convenient and easy for everyone. We had some serious criteria for Kaeng Raeng, and we think you'll love the finished product.

 

We needed it to be FILLING. So many detox programs are fasts that can leave you starving and cranky. That's why we include 13g of fiber, 15g of non-gmo protein, and 100%of your daily vitamin needs per serving so you can have the fullness and energy you need to live your normal daily life.

 

We needed it to be SUSTAINABLE. It was a no-brainer that Kaeng Raeng would be vegan and have a low carbon footprint. We use local ingredients, buy our fruit directly from farmers in Northern California, and we vet each of our suppliers for eco-friendly practices.

 

We needed it to be ACCESSIBLE. That means it's suitable for most people's dietary restrictions AND it’s affordable. Kaeng Raeng contains no gluten, nuts, dairy or lactose. It's also in your price range. Other luxury cleanses can cost $100 per day. Kaeng Raeng starts at just $16 per day!

 

We needed it to be GENTLE. With no stimulants or laxatives, you can go about your normal daily life without interruption.

  

 

 

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Don't miss it!

Use promo code KINDLIFE20 to save 20% off at kaengraeng.com. Hurry! This offer expires on January 30, 2013 at 11:59pm PST.

Have you already tried the Kaeng Raeng cleanse? Leave a comment below on your experience!

 

Today’s post is proudly sponsored by

Vegan Shoes from Performers

I got to try some super cute vegan shoes during my costume fitting for The Performers! I didn’t end up wearing these (I wore a simple vegan black pair), but they were so cute I wanted to share. You can find these styles and similar vegan footwear at Zappos, Amazon, Modcloth and Lulu. I’ve also listed the labels below.

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1. Melissa – peep toe pumps
2. C Label – pumps with a bow
3. Not Rated – lace up loafers

What are your favorite vegan shoes? Share in the comments below!

Kind Cure: Second Time’s The Charm!

 

Kind Lifer Linda recently shared how she recommitted to a vegan lifestyle. Check it out:

 

“The first time I went vegan was after reading John Robbins' riveting book Diet for a New America. It was around 2003, when the soy-based mock meats were finally tasty and convincing. I had already been cooking with soymilk and tofu, so adding the processed soybean ‘meat’ added to our load of phytoestrogen and chemicals. My husband started to feel bad and then to feel worse.

"After reading up on soy, we stopped eating it. My husband started to feel more energetic in days and was back up to full strength in several months. During this period, we switched back to eating vegetarian, including eggs and dairy in our diets.

"I went vegan for the second time in early December, just before holiday baking season. I'd been a vegetarian cooking teacher and author, gradually reducing the dairy and eggs from my recipes, when two events made me take the all-plant plunge: 

"I saw Bill McKibben of 350.org speak at a small church crowded with environmentalists. He described our planet as being so changed that it isn't recognizable.

"Still shaken from McKibben's talk, I went to my first holiday party of the season, where my vegan friend Denny gave me a hard, hard time about writing another cookbook that included eggs and dairy. He'd gone vegan about 15 months ago, after his fifth heart attack, and was certain doing so had saved his life.

"Denny and his wife were so convincing, so glowing with health, that I re-read The China Study that weekend, cleaned out my fridge, and started cooking the kind way. My husband and I expected it to be hard. We'd tried living vegan before, but hadn't had the support from books like The Kind Diet and vegan websites like The Kind Life.

"This time, it's been a breeze and we both feel great. The difference? We're eating only real, unprocessed food. I eat tofu or have soy about once a month, but my husband never does. And finding great food to eat is so much easier now. In just a few years, good vegan food is available at restaurants, in grocery stores, and in recipes.

"It's so easy to eat an all-plant diet! I feel terrific; much lighter and more energetic. I lost a few pounds over Christmas instead of gaining them like most Americans do. And it's downright thrilling to see how welcoming people are in my cooking classes and elsewhere, especially when I phrase my diet as ‘heart-healthy’ or ‘cholesterol-free.’

"Reworking recipes has been easier than I would have thought. I've learned to love dishes like dairy-free pizza with hummus and roasted butternut squash. For special occasions, I bake rich desserts like my Sweet Heart, Strong Heart Chocolate Cake. But more often, I simply reduce the sugar and oil in treats like my Sweet Sixteen Oatmeal-Raisin Bars. It's a pleasure to have my food and my philosophy in line. Thanks for the inspiration, Alicia!”

 

Yay, Linda! I’m so happy you’re sharing your kind cooking with your family, friends and students. Congrats!! Also, for all you Kind Lifers who are wondering about soy, please read my blog about soy here. It will answer a lot of your questions, including what types of soy are healthiest, how often you should eat it, and the overall benefits of including soy in your diet. It also lists some alternatives for those of you who are allergic to soy.

Kind lifers, private message me with your success stories and I may feature you on the site!

Why I’m Not Down With Down

 

We know about the cruelty involved in the fur trade, but not as many people talk about down. Check out these PSAs I did with PETA.



WARNING: This first video is really sad and might be hard to watch, but if you still purchase down, please watch it.

 

 
 
My favorite alternatives, plus, a little more about my next project:
 

 

Please share this video to Facebook, Twitter and your other social networks and add your thoughts about this issue to the comments below. 

VIDEO: Magical Healing Soup

I posted a video from the Eco Vegan Gal before and when she sent this over, I thought I’d share it too. She is adorable! Her boyfriend was sick so she has decided to make a batch of my Magical Healing Soup from The Kind Diet (page 251) to help heal their bodies and fight off illness.

 

If you want to be extra superhero, go easy on the shoyu - it’s not as healing when you incorporate too much salt; also the miso flavor can get lost if you add too much shoyu. Mix light and dark miso to add complexity to the flavor of your soup. When adding the miso, follow these tips to ensure the healthy enzymes in the miso stay intact:

1.  Dilute 2-3 teaspoons of miso with a little bit of soup broth
2.  Add the miso mixture to the soup at the end of cooking
3.  Let simmer for 2-3 minutes

Remember, we get sick because of an imbalance in our bodies: too much sugar, or too much complicated food out in the world. When it’s time to heal, you want to go super clean, simple, not too spicy. Just have rice and greens steamed with light sauce, or a nourishing miso soup. Sometimes it’s hard to get used to plain and natural flavors when the tongue is used to complicated flavors…I get happy in my mouth when I've been naughty, and then when I need to go clean and simple…this soup is just what the doctor ordered!

What do you like to eat when you need to heal your body?

Win my Juice Beauty Makeup Collection!

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One of the things that I love about my Juice Beauty collection is that you don’t have to sacrifice your kind principles to look snazzy! 

Most days I don’t wear makeup. But if I’m going to meetings, I definitely need to step it up. Especially after the holidays when sugar might have gotten the best us and the result is a tired face.

My Simply Flawless Pressed Powder is sheer and lightweight with a matte finish and covers evenly, making your skin look really great. It works for all skin types!

The Irresistible Glow Facial Highlighter adds just a little sexy flush of peachy-pink color. I put it on my cheeks to give me that nice glow-y shimmery blush. It’s so easy to use and feels so good.

Purely Kissable Lip Color looks great on everyone—my mother-in-law loves it so much that she just asked for two more!

I promise you will love them all.

 

Want all three? Enter to win!

I’m giving the powder, facial highlighter, and lip color to one lucky Kind Lifer! 

TO ENTER:

1. If you’re not already, follow me on twitter @AliciaSilv
2. Tweet this message:

“ I want to win @AliciaSilv’s @JuiceBeauty makeup collection! http://bit.ly/asjbmakeup #OrganicallyGorgeous "

You can tweet once per day for additional entries to the contest! Contest ends Tuesday, January 22nd at Midnight.

• This contest is open to residents of the USA only. 
• The winner will ONLY be contacted via Twitter. If our team does not hear back within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected in their place. 
• Limit one entry per person per day. Multiple entries per day will not be considered. 
• This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on January 22, 2013. 

Win my Juice Beauty Make-up Collection!

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One of the things that I love about my Juice Beauty collection is that you don’t have to sacrifice your kind principles to look snazzy! 

Most days I don’t wear makeup. But if I’m going to meetings, I definitely need to step it up. Especially after the holidays when sugar might have gotten the best us and the result is a tired face.

My Simply Flawless Pressed Powder is sheer and lightweight with a matte finish and covers evenly, making your skin look really great. It works for all skin types!

The Irresistible Glow Facial Highlighter adds just a little sexy flush of peachy-pink color. I put it on my cheeks to give me that nice glow-y shimmery blush. It’s so easy to use and feels so good.

Purely Kissable Lip Color looks great on everyone—my mother-in-law loves it so much that she just asked for two more!

I promise you will love them all.

 

Want all three? Enter to win!

I’m giving the powder, facial highlighter, and lip color to one lucky Kind Lifer! 

TO ENTER:

1. If you’re not already, follow me on twitter @AliciaSilv
2. Tweet this message:

“ I want to win @AliciaSilv’s @JuiceBeauty make-up collection! #OrganicallyGorgeous http://bit.ly/asjbmakeup "

You can tweet once per day for additional entries to the contest!

Top 10 Recipes of 2012

Now that 2012 is over, I’m counting down the top ten most popular recipes from 2012. If you haven’t given them a try yet, now is the time!

10 – Superhero Savory Pan-Fried Mochi

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If you’re looking for an easy, delicious snack that travels well, try it. It’s so great, and you can make it quickly at home. It’s Bear’s favorite food! This is recipe is a twist on the version in my book (pg. 237). Get the recipe for savory pan-fried mochi.

9 – Vegan S’Mores

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Of course the s’mores you may have had around the campfire as kids weren’t vegan, but it’s pretty easy to make a kind version of this treat. Get the recipe for vegan s’mores.

8 – Apple Pie Pancakes

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This recipe came from Isa Chandra of Post Punk Kitchen. They look like a nice treat for brunch! Get the recipe for apple pie pancakes

7 – Seaweed Salad

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I forgot about this salad, but I used to make it all the time and I made it again recently. It's so delicious and ridiculously simple. Get my recipe for seaweed salad.

6 – BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches Topped With Multi-Colored Slaw

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I got this BBQ sandwich recipe from PETA. Steph from The Kind Life Web Team team tried it and said it was amazing. Get the recipe for BBQ tempeh sandwiches here.

5 – Black Bean Fritters

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This recipe came to us from Kind Lifer FoodnFriends. Bread crumbs, black beans and yummy fried goodness! Get the recipe for black bean fritters.

4 – Sweet Potato Tempeh Burgers

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This burger recipe was from the sweet kind lifers Lindsay and Steven’s blog Kiss Me I’m Vegan and it looks like a great one to try for a casual Sunday dinner. Get the recipe for sweet potato tempeh burgers.

3 – Sweet Potato Tater Tots With Chipotle Aioli

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This dish came from the blog Vegan Yack Attack. You could make these as a snack or bring them to your next potluck. I haven't tried them yet, but they look interesting and tasty! Get the recipe for sweet potato tater tots.

2 – Frozen Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake

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Kind lifer Stephanie posted this recipe for a frozen strawberry lemon cheesecake and it looks delicious...so pretty and fresh-looking! The original recipe called for raw honey, but I've substituted agave in this version. Get the recipe for frozen strawberry lemon cheesecake.

1 – Naughty, Flirty Cookie Dough Truffles

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Ok these cookie dough truffles by Chef Chloe look pretty insane. I want one right now! Super naughty flirty treat. Get the recipe for naughty, flirty cookie dough truffles.

If you’ve tried any of these recipes, tell me how they turned out!

What was your favorite new recipe you tried in 2012?
Tell me in the comments below.

Why Prop 37 Failed and What We Can Do

 

California’s Prop 37 is the ballot initiative that would have made it mandatory to label foods containing GMOs. Unfortunately, 53% of California voters voted against it.

Prop 37’s failure is likely a result of the giant marketing campaign against the measure led by Monsanto. To give you a sense of what this ballot initiative was up against, Monsanto and big agriculture spent $46 million on advertisements knocking Prop 37, compared to the $8 million spent by proponents of the bill. Monsanto and other big ad companies outright lied to voters to beat Prop 37.

Monsanto used a carefully crafted marketing campaign to trick voters. They illegally used the FDA logo in their Prop 37 mailings and used the Stanford University logo to imply that the FDA and Stanford University supported their position. Monsanto also paid a PR firm to conduct a “study” demonstrating that food prices would inflate if Prop 37 passed. These aren’t the only election offenses Monsanto committed. Ocean Robbins exposes their anti-Prop 37 strategy in an article published on The Huffington Post.

Monsanto’s strategy worked this time, but the fight isn’t over. While we continue to lobby for GMO labeling, buy organic as much as you can.

We have a right to know what is in our food.

How can we get laws like Prop 37 passed nationwide?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Photo source: kcet.org