Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 178

lindsays transition from vegetarian to vegan

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Kind Lifer Lindsay recently shared how great she feels after just six months of eating a kind diet! Check out her story:
 
"Even though I've been a vegetarian for about 16 years now I'm only 24 I've been a vegan for just the last 6 months and I've never felt better! It's amazing what it has done for me."
 
"I feel like I knew that going vegan was the right thing for my body because I was dealing with a lot of stomach and digestive issues but I never took the real step of committing to a vegan diet until six months ago. I want to thank you for motivating me to do it! I have never felt better and other people are noticing as well! I lost 15 pounds completely unintentional but very welcome! my skin looks better I have much more energy and I just generally feel lighter and happier. On top of all those fabulously selfish reasons I feel great knowing that I am no longer participating in such a destructive and abusive industry. It's been a fantastic change and I know that it's the best thing I've ever done for my body!"
 
Lindsay recently shared this update with me:
 
"I am still going strong as a vegan and almost at 9 months now! The shift from veggie to vegan wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be especially after I started to see the benefits. I'm also lucky because in DC where I live there are quite a few vegan-friendly restaurants and grocery stores. I'm having a lot of fun finding new recipes and restaurants!"
 
"I am certain that I've never been this healthy before and as lots of people around me have been getting sick this winter I haven't had a cold or flu yet. My stomach issues are completely gone which has been the biggest relief for me. My entire life is easier because of that! I also used to be tired a lot even when I was getting enough sleep but now that I've changed the foods I eat I'm only tired when I should be - after a long day or a hard workout! Being a vegan has definitely helped me feel happier lighter and more energetic throughout the day. Right now I'm trying to incorporate even more superhero meals into my week and I'm sure that will make me feel even better."
 
"I definitely get some questions from people about how I eat and I try my best to steer the conversations into non-threatening and encouraging directions. I love to bake vegan goodies for friends so they see that you don't have to deprive yourself in order to feel better in your body and be happier with how you're living!"
 
Yay Lindsay! I'm so glad you decided to commit to a kinder diet!
 
If anyone else has a great success story to share private message me or post your story in the forum and "like" it. You may be featured on the homepage of The Kind Life!

i found some cool luggage tags!

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I've always felt bad about filling out a new luggage tag at the airport and wasting a new piece of paper. Plus it's annoying to fill out the same info over and over again. So I finally ordered some real grown up luggage tags!
 
I searched online and found these great ones on Etsy made by Marmaline. She is great! She uses all handmade recycled upcycled found and vintage materials. Yay!
 
I got two sets and when they arrived they came wrapped in the cutest eco packages. It was such a treat to open them – so fun and special! Great work lady! Maybe she has other great stuff too – you can check out her shop here.
 
Have you found any great items on Etsy lately?

Win A Kaeng Raeng Detox Cleanse! - Sponsored Post

Hey Kind Lifers! Your response to our last Kaeng Raeng giveaway was so overwhelming that we decided to do it again! 

As you may remember Kaeng Raeng is a 100 vegan all-natural meal replacement detox program sustainably made in Palo Alto CA with only local ingredients. That means no artificial colors flavors sweeteners or preservatives and no harsh chemicals or impossible-to-pronounce ingredients. Plus each shake is packed with a full serving of fruit and fiber lean protein probiotic replenishment and daily vitamins. Yum! Kaeng Raeng creator and Stanford University alumna Lindsay shares how Kaeng Raeng began:

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!

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 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 DELICIOUS. Talk about difficult to stick with – so many cleanse products taste like grass or dirt. Gross! We include more than a full serving of real fruit in each pouch so you can get a great taste without too much sugar.
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 use low-impact packaging and encourage reusable bottles.
We needed it to be CONVENIENT. Having the product freeze dried means being able to take it on-the-go: in the car on the plane to work to the gym to school anywhere!   
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 safe for Celiac Disease no nuts of any kind and of course no animal products so it's safe for those with lactose intolerance. It's also in your price range; other luxury cleanses can cost 100/day. Kaeng Raeng starts at just 14/day!
We needed it to be GENTLE. Who wants to be tied to a bathroom all day or feel the awful side effects of harsh stimulants and laxatives? Not us! We created a smooth cleansing experience so you can feel comfortable going about your day without interruption.

We're offering Kind Life readers 15 off a KR detox program with coupon code KINDLIFE15 exp 11:59 pst on March 4 at www.kaengraeng.com. Want to try it first? Individual trial packets make 32 fl oz and cost 7.

Best of all we're giving away one 3-day detox cleanse beginner program to one lucky Kind Lifer! To enter to win all you have to do is comment on this post!

yummy tempeh tacos

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Janah and I made these delicious tacos the other day! We used teriyaki-flavored tempeh from Rhapsody Natural Foods. You have to order it and it's a bit pricey because of shipping. But if you get a few people to go in on a big order and keep it in the fridge then share the shipping cost it ends up being very affordable! Rhapsody also makes yummy cookies and good amazake a mildly sweet rice beverage.
 
Anywho here's the recipe for the tempeh tacos!
 
Tempeh Tacos
 
Serves 2
 
Ingredients

1 carrot cut into ¼" diagonals
1 celery stalk cut into ¼" diagonals
½ an onion cut into half moons
2 T sesame oil
1 t fresh minced ginger
2 T brown rice vinegar
1 T shoyu
1 T mirin
1 T brown rice syrup or maple syrup
3/4 block of Tempeh I like teriyaki flavor from Rhapsody cut into little cubes
½ green cabbage cut in ½" thick pieces
½ cup snap peas cut in half
2-3 scallions chopped and blanched
Cilantro for garnish
Toasted sesame seeds

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Steps

Cut the tempeh into 1/2" thick slices
Lightly fry the tempeh in 1 T sesame oil and set aside
Saute carrot celery and onion in remaining sesame oil until almost tender
Add ginger brown rice vinegar shoyu mirin and brown rice syrup
Add tempeh to carrot celery and onion mixture
Add cabbage snap peas and toasted sesame seeds
Saute altogether covering if you want to cook faster
Use a Napa cabbage leaf or Swiss chard leaf as your taco shell for a nice fresh crunch! 
Top with cilantro and scallions

What's your favorite kind of taco?

announcing the kind book club!

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The Kind Book Club! There have been so many veg & eco books written recently and in the past and I know we're all trying to stay up to date on the best info. I thought a book club would be a great opportunity for us to learn together and have some fun!
 
We'll feature a book and discuss it in the forum – then I'll publish a post on the homepage with your comments and opinions about the book!  This month I've chosen a book more on that in a second but in the future I want you to choose!
 
So check out this month's book and write your suggestions for future books in the comments below!

Meat Is For Pussies
By John Joseph

This month I want to highlight a book called Meat Is For Pussies. At first I wasn't sure about it from the title - but I couldn't really put it down! It's a very engaging read and it was written by one of the cute vegans I feature in The Kind Diet punk rocker John Joseph p. 88. This is a great book for guys. It's all man energy! Get your boyfriends and husbands to read this so they can tell us what they think of this manly book!
 
Happy reading - don't forget to post your comments and questions in this forum thread as you read!
 
What books would you like to read next?  

mario batali mastering more vegetarian dishes

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PETA recently reported that Mario Batali's New Year's resolution is to master more vegetarian dishes. Pretty exciting news considering that Batali is one of the most recognized chefs on TV and in American cuisine! His restaurants already participate in Meatless Monday thanks to Sir Paul McCartney.
 
What dishes should Batali master first?

grocery shopping and budgeting for superhero moms

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I recently saw a great thread in The Kind Life forum about grocery shopping strategies and budgeting for superhero moms! It makes me so happy to see moms sharing veg recipes and superhero ingredients with their families! Here are some great tips that two of our members shared:
 
Kind Lifer Lorna advises shopping at different stores to get the best deals on certain products and planning meals each week – she also avoids packaged foods as much as possible:
 
"Normally we spend 600 a month on groceries this includes everything t.p. diapers wipes cleaning supplies light bulbs batteries food etc…A few budget tips...maple syrup I buy at Costco nearly same price as Whole Foods only I get a lot more for my money. Nori buy a package from Whole Foods for about 6-7 or go to an Asian grocery store and pay 10 for 50 sheets. I do plan out our meals for the week…when I go shopping tomorrow I'll be crossing my fingers that I spend under 150. I'm pretty sure I can do it! P.S. To keep on budget stay away from the packaged stuff as much as you can."
 
Great job Lorna! With planning you can usually stay on or under budget. Kind Lifer Debbie offered these additional tips:
 
"I buy a case of soy milk and rice milk organic each at Costco. Then when I pour milk in my little one's sippy cup or for cereal I mix the two! It's much cheaper than Eden's brand for the soy/rice combo milk. I plan a menu and try to stick to it when I'm shopping! I plan out M-Th with simple meals like brown rice and beans a soup night a wrap or pizza night and one night is just oatmeal or cereals. Friday/Saturday I pull out the fancy stuff with a stew maybe a tofu or tempeh salad fancy veggies and a dessert. Sunday I won't cook. It's either leftovers or whatever I can put together…for snacks I got a big tub of whole grain pretzels and a box of "natural" fruit leathers from Costco…Like all of you I cook three meals a day 7 days a week! I really don't mind it's best for me and the family. But I do get a little moody at times if I'm just too tired."
 
Debbie it's so awesome that you cook almost every day of the week for your family! Remember if you wear yourself out leftovers are always an option – not just on Sundays! Be sure to take care of yourself!
 
Cooking compassionately brings families together like nothing else! Do you have any additional cooking or budgeting tips for busy moms?

check out yogamint!

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Yogamint is a website all about the yogi lifestyle. It includes info about yoga food and general wellbeing and covers topics from astrology to natural childbirth. Check out the food section or watch one of their short videos. The kale dish they make looks yum maybe over rice or quinoa!

Are you into yoga? Would you call it a lifestyle or just a way to stay fit? I'm curious what you all think! Christopher and I took a prenatal partner yoga class on Valentine's Day that was so sweet - I highly recommend trying it with your partner if you're pregnant!

martha rose shulman cooks with quinoa

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PETA reports that NYT columnist Martha Rose Shulman wants to incorporate more quinoa into her cooking. As a high-protein grain that contains all eight essential amino acids quinoa is a vegan's best friend!

Martha looks so friendly - I hope she continues to explore different kind foods! What other chefs or food writers would you like to see experimenting with veg cooking?

deer visits cat every morning!

A friend sent me this adorable series of photos with this quote:
 
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace"
                                                            - Jimi Hendrix
 
A cat in Harrisburg has a friend that visits every morning and the cat's owner finally took pics. Check out this adorable duo:

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Do you have any cute animal stories to share?