Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 30

My Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just around the corner—and I have mixed emotions about it. I love this truly American tradition of family, the celebration of the seasons changing, and getting all warm and cozy while sharing our love and gratitude (and eating some seriously yummy food). But why do we have to do all that with a big, dead animal in the middle of the table?! For me, that’s a total love-and-gratitude buzz kill.

Back in the day, all those pilgrims were giving it up for the incredible abundance from the earth that nourished them back to health. Sure, that included the whole dead-bird thing. It also included other inexcusable behaviors like the pillaging of Native lands and the slaughter of Indigenous peoples.

Today, of course, we’re living in different times. We aren’t just killing a bird once a year for necessity and nourishment; we’re killing 660,000 animals an hour in this country alone, every single day. Let’s be honest, we’re not those starving pilgrims any more.

I say we still channel some of that Mayflower love of discovery—those pilgrims were seeking new ways, after all. What if we do this celebration in a more pure, responsible way?

The best way to give our most heartfelt acknowledgments to Mother Earth is by being good to her! It takes 3 times as much fossil fuel (the primary cause of emissions) to produce a meat-centered diet than a meat-free one, and more than half of the water we use in the United States goes towards livestock production. Is that really how you want to show your appreciation? And is taking one life to say thanks for another really doing your Golden Rule best? I say we give back, instead of just taking.

So what’s the solution? I say a big, true, compassionate, and beautiful Thanksgiving. I want Bear to grow up in a loving environment that’s conscious of and kind to all. That’s why we try to host a pre-Thanksgiving dinner at our house a few weeks before the actual day. Because most of our friends will be with their families on the actual holiday, this way we can gather as much of our tribe as possible—sometimes as many as 28 people! My goal is always to serve the most delicious, decadent dishes that have everyone—including meat-eaters—wondering why they even bother with the foods that don’t serve their bodies well (I’m looking at you, meat and dairy!) and leave them feeling sluggish, bloated, and gross after their usual feast. The best is when people say they would eat this way all the time if they could eat like what they just ate. And I say you can!

It can definitely be a tricky time for a veggie around Thanksgiving, especially if you’re going home to see your non-veggie family. My tip is to call ahead and say, “Hi there, I’m not sure if you know, but I’m trying really hard to be vegan and would love to know if I can help prepare the side dishes so that they are okay for me to eat. I promise you will love them and won’t even know the difference.” Alternatively, you could bring a dish you know you’ll be able to eat, with enough to share with others. Or you could invite everyone to your place and make a great meal. Sure, the turkey won’t make an appearance, but no one will care once they’ve tasted your other amazing dishes.

For more Thanksgiving thoughts and recipes reference:

My 2012 Thanksgiving in NY

My 2010 Thanksgiving menu

Entree to dessert recipes

Side dishes

Vegan wine and beers

Adopt a Turkey!

Ideas on Thanksgiving take out

More ideas on Thanksgiving kind style

Pecan pie!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Amazing Pumpkin Pie

Quick & Easy Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving Pizza

 

Photo Credit: Indulgy

Deliciously Easy Root Vegetable Cassoulet

I mentioned this dish in the book when I talked about my big Thanksgiving bash a few years ago, and some of you have asked for the recipe. I asked the team at FoodInk Catering to send me the recipe, so here it is! A perfect dish for your Thanksgiving!

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

6 minikins (miniature pumpkins) roasted until tender
.25 pound dried white beans (soaked and cooked
1 tsp tomato paste
1 1/2 inch diced sweet potato
1 parsnip, 1/2 inch diced
.5 celeriac, 1/2 inch diced
.5 rutabaga, 1/2 inch diced
.5 pound baby carrots (left whole if small)
1 small onion, finely diced
2 finely diced cloves garlic
1 pint vegetable stock
1.5 cups pumpkin puree
6 ounce silky tofu
4 tbsp ground nuts
4 tbsp vegan breadcrumbs
4 tsp chopped parsley
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil for sautéing

Directions

In a large, wide pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil on medium heat until translucent.

Add in all the vegetables and sauté till browning on edges, then stir in the tomato paste.,Cook for 2 minutes.

Add vegetable stock in 3 increments, allowing to boil and slightly thicken between each addition.

By hand, chop and mash with a knife 1/3 of the beans to form a paste, add whole beans and mashed to vegetable mix.

Cook until vegetables are tender.

Add 1 cup of the pumpkin puree, parsley, and season to taste.

Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat, then allow to cool.

Cut the top of the minikin and scoop out the seeds, being careful not to tear the pumpkin flesh or skin.

Then, fill the cavity with the cassoulet mix.

In a blender, mix together tofu and remaining pumpkin, then fold in nuts.

Spoon mix onto the top of each minikin, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Bake for 10-15 minutes in a 375 degree oven, and serve!

Photo: Syd Wachs

7 Vegan Halloween Recipes for a Sweet, Cruelty-Free Celebration

Halloween is approaching! There are many many ways to take this commercial holiday and celebrate the fall occasion kind style with loved ones. Since there’s so many festivities around this time of year, with the emphasis on treats… I’m listing some insane-looking sweets from various vegan blogs. For some eco ideas and background info on how this holiday came to be,  check out How to Have a Green Halloween.

Vegan Halloween Treats

1. Kitty Cat Halloween Cupcakes from Growing Up Veg

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Raw “Witches Fingers” from Fork and Beans

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2. Pumpkin Seed Bonbons from The Misfit Baker

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3. Halloween Whoopie Pies from Ricki Heller

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4. Chocolate Pumpkin Cups from The Glowing Fridge

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5. Gingerbread Skeleton Cookies from Sarah Bakes

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6. DIY Vegan Candy Corn from Earth Balance

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7. Pumpkin Bread, with chocolate chips! From The Kind Diet

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Lead photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash

This Is What It's Really Like Being a Mom

Being a mom is absolutely the best. It’s my life’s greatest joy and the love I feel for my son is off the charts. 
That said, motherhood is, of course, a balancing act. I have never had a nanny or night nurse. Bear has only been with a babysitter infrequently. I can’t even remember the last time, honestly! His Dad and I share time and care for Bear ourselves. I know that may seem strange compared to other celebrity families, but this was important to me. Likewise, our home is media-free the majority of the time, and since I’m a single mom, that means no TV babysitter. So when Bear is not with his dad, it’s just me and my kid. And it’s full-on.
There were times when Bear was younger when he wasn’t in school, or, most recently, when schools shut down, where it felt overwhelming at times. I couldn’t think or take a pee without being needed! A sip of water? Hell no. I know these difficult moments pass, but there were times when it felt like just hearing my son’s stories and voice made me cringe—even when I also love him so much. 
But then, after I’d sleep well, I’d notice that everything would change. I would feel more present, centered, and relaxed. Brushing his hair or teeth and all the sweet care—the simplest things become so joyful, caring for our dogs together. Feeding him, hearing his stories, picking out clothes for the next day, it’s all pure joy when I’m rested.

Being a good mama requires every ounce of my being. What I know for sure is getting quality sleep is so critical to being the most loving, available mama. And eating a healthy Kind Diet is instrumental in getting that quality sleep. When I eat well, I sleep well! When my diet and sleep are in alignment, every moment with Bear feels like the greatest thing on earth. But if I break from this, it’s so easy to slip into feeling drained, impatient, not present, and overwhelmed. The moment I reprioritize nourishing food and commit myself to good sleep, my world changes. I can savor every moment with my son. And holy moly is it magical. 
Most days, taking care of him and making his food, hearing his stories, and, of course, snuggling with him is the most divine, delicious thing ever. I feel so empowered and deeply fulfilled. Even My mom admin work is fulfilling because I know I’m doing the best I can for him, whether that’s researching and meeting with 3 orthodontists before I find the one that feels right, finding the best organic underwear, or the non-flame-retardant organic PJs. Being his mom is an irreplaceable high–the ultimate love.
But sometimes a Mama needs to pee without a plus one.
It becomes so clear that those school days or play dates allow us mamas to live in our bodies for some hours, with nobody clawing (lovingly!) at our breasts or legs or arms. It’s there in those moments we can recharge and attend to our passion projects. In my case, I have so much work to do. So many things I care so much about that make me ME. 
During lockdown, this was the work–for all of us mamas–finding space to be our own women selves, but without respites from the needs of our families. At times, it was challenging.
As much as I want to prioritize getting to sleep, I all too often stay up and catch up on the hours of emails and texts I haven’t touched throughout the day.
This is not healthy!

The recharge that happens when I turn off the lights and noise is integral to who I wake up as the next morning. And when I do get to turn the computer and phone off at 9 or even 9:30 and just piddle, take a bath, read, omg, I feel amazing! It’s crazy silly how much that simple act feels so good. That self-care. 
So, why can’t I do it every night? 
Because I would never get anything done at all. But I keep trying. I see it as a huge success when I do it just even one day a week. And if it happens more than that, I’m really impressed with myself.
Before Bear could read or spell what helped me a lot was keeping a list in the kitchen while cooking, and if he started telling me stories or had questions that required focus on my part, I would say I’m adding this to our bath list. So when I was done focusing on dinner we could discuss it at dinner or at bath time. 
I have found that having an inner monologue of pre-set responses for Bear when I’m tapped out is tremendously useful, too. I can redirect him to write me a story, draw me a picture, chop the herbs, fold some tee-shirts, play with the dogs, practice a silly dance, or call a friend when I have my work to do.
I’m a highly sensitive person, and sometimes that means I can’t fully take Bear’s needs in while I’m cooking and starving. I’ve learned that saying; “Hey Bear—You do your work, and I’ll do my work!” in a loving voice is something he can hear and absorb.
When we come back together—I can savor every morsel of being with him and be truly present.

I realize this may not work for families with more than one child, since someone always wants something! I have learned from my kind parenting Mama friends that having a loose daily schedule of activity options helps. For example, one of my friends with three children writes up a list of daily “challenges” for her boys in the context of a schedule that includes things like: Teach your brothers a skill, build every puzzle in the house, do a creative LEGO challenge, write a graphic novel, build a pillow fort, crafting hour, etc. She finds these schedules allow some structure to an otherwise unstructured time in parenting history.
These are some media-free family activities that have been pure gold for us, and may work for your family, too:

        Jumping on a trampoline (even on a mini one since that is what we have!)         Walking the dogs         Hiking          Cooking together         Doing puzzles         Having a jump rope contest         Making housekeeping activities fun (chores can be cool: vacuuming, cleaning the counters and organizing/getting rid of stuff to donate)         Having dance parties!         Reading together: Bear reads to me and I read to him.         Snuggling and cuddles 

Try keeping your own list of suggestions for when you need a break so that you don’t default to exasperation. Remember, kind mamas must put on their oxygen masks first.
In sisterhood,
Alicia
P.S. Check out my books the Kind Diet and Kind Mama books for more info on parenting and health.

This Is What It’s Really Like Being a Mom

Being a mom is absolutely the best. It’s my life’s greatest joy and the love I feel for my son is off the charts. 

That said, motherhood is, of course, a balancing act. I have never had a nanny or night nurse. Bear has only been with a babysitter infrequently. I can’t even remember the last time, honestly! His Dad and I share time and care for Bear ourselves. I know that may seem strange compared to other celebrity families, but this was important to me. Likewise, our home is media-free the majority of the time, and since I’m a single mom, that means no TV babysitter. So when Bear is not with his dad, it’s just me and my kid. And it’s full-on.

There were times when Bear was younger when he wasn’t in school, or, most recently, when schools shut down, where it felt overwhelming at times. I couldn’t think or take a pee without being needed! A sip of water? Hell no. I know these difficult moments pass, but there were times when it felt like just hearing my son’s stories and voice made me cringe—even when I also love him so much. 

But then, after I’d sleep well, I’d notice that everything would change. I would feel more present, centered, and relaxed. Brushing his hair or teeth and all the sweet care—the simplest things become so joyful, caring for our dogs together. Feeding him, hearing his stories, picking out clothes for the next day, it’s all pure joy when I’m rested.

Being a good mama requires every ounce of my being. What I know for sure is getting quality sleep is so critical to being the most loving, available mama. And eating a healthy Kind Diet is instrumental in getting that quality sleep. When I eat well, I sleep well! When my diet and sleep are in alignment, every moment with Bear feels like the greatest thing on earth. But if I break from this, it’s so easy to slip into feeling drained, impatient, not present, and overwhelmed. The moment I reprioritize nourishing food and commit myself to good sleep, my world changes. I can savor every moment with my son. And holy moly is it magical. 

Most days, taking care of him and making his food, hearing his stories, and, of course, snuggling with him is the most divine, delicious thing ever. I feel so empowered and deeply fulfilled. Even My mom admin work is fulfilling because I know I’m doing the best I can for him, whether that’s researching and meeting with 3 orthodontists before I find the one that feels right, finding the best organic underwear, or the non-flame-retardant organic PJs. Being his mom is an irreplaceable high–the ultimate love.

But sometimes a Mama needs to pee without a plus one.

It becomes so clear that those school days or play dates allow us mamas to live in our bodies for some hours, with nobody clawing (lovingly!) at our breasts or legs or arms. It’s there in those moments we can recharge and attend to our passion projects. In my case, I have so much work to do. So many things I care so much about that make me ME. 

During lockdown, this was the work–for all of us mamas–finding space to be our own women selves, but without respites from the needs of our families. At times, it was challenging.

As much as I want to prioritize getting to sleep, I all too often stay up and catch up on the hours of emails and texts I haven’t touched throughout the day.

This is not healthy!

The recharge that happens when I turn off the lights and noise is integral to who I wake up as the next morning. And when I do get to turn the computer and phone off at 9 or even 9:30 and just piddle, take a bath, read, omg, I feel amazing! It’s crazy silly how much that simple act feels so good. That self-care. 

So, why can’t I do it every night? 

Because I would never get anything done at all. But I keep trying. I see it as a huge success when I do it just even one day a week. And if it happens more than that, I’m really impressed with myself.

Before Bear could read or spell what helped me a lot was keeping a list in the kitchen while cooking, and if he started telling me stories or had questions that required focus on my part, I would say I’m adding this to our bath list. So when I was done focusing on dinner we could discuss it at dinner or at bath time. 

I have found that having an inner monologue of pre-set responses for Bear when I’m tapped out is tremendously useful, too. I can redirect him to write me a story, draw me a picture, chop the herbs, fold some tee-shirts, play with the dogs, practice a silly dance, or call a friend when I have my work to do.

I’m a highly sensitive person, and sometimes that means I can’t fully take Bear’s needs in while I’m cooking and starving. I’ve learned that saying; “Hey Bear—You do your work, and I’ll do my work!” in a loving voice is something he can hear and absorb.

When we come back together—I can savor every morsel of being with him and be truly present.

I realize this may not work for families with more than one child, since someone always wants something! I have learned from my kind parenting Mama friends that having a loose daily schedule of activity options helps. For example, one of my friends with three children writes up a list of daily “challenges” for her boys in the context of a schedule that includes things like: Teach your brothers a skill, build every puzzle in the house, do a creative LEGO challenge, write a graphic novel, build a pillow fort, crafting hour, etc. She finds these schedules allow some structure to an otherwise unstructured time in parenting history.

These are some media-free family activities that have been pure gold for us, and may work for your family, too:

        Jumping on a trampoline (even on a mini one since that is what we have!)         Walking the dogs         Hiking          Cooking together         Doing puzzles         Having a jump rope contest         Making housekeeping activities fun (chores can be cool: vacuuming, cleaning the counters and organizing/getting rid of stuff to donate)         Having dance parties!         Reading together: Bear reads to me and I read to him.         Snuggling and cuddles 

Try keeping your own list of suggestions for when you need a break so that you don’t default to exasperation. Remember, kind mamas must put on their oxygen masks first.

In sisterhood,

Alicia

P.S. Check out my books the Kind Diet and Kind Mama books for more info on parenting and health.

Can Dogs Be Vegan? Everything You Need To Know To Do It Right

I’ve made it no secret that I keep my glorious mutts on a plant-based diet.

In my book The Kind Life I wrote;

“First things first: God didn’t create some special, different, dried food just for animals to be dropped down from Heaven in big bags. Conventional pet food is basically junk food, only worse: It’s chock full of animal byproducts (intestines, bones, brains, and other lovelies), preservatives, chemicals, and fillers. Is it any wonder pets these days routinely die of nasty conditions like cancer and kidney failure? The only thing sadder than that collection of ingredients is the fact that your furry friend can’t yell, “Stop!” Your animals deserve real and fresh vittles—just like you—so please consider giving them a kinder diet. You guessed it: grains, beans, and vegetables! You see, a vegan diet works really well because pet dogs don’t live in the wild; let’s face it, they’re sorta couch potatoes. They take a walk every day, maybe follow their humans around a little, and not a lot more, so a plant-based diet is just fine for most dogs’ energy requirements. My dogs favorite snacks? Carrots and corn cobs. Since starting to eat this way, they’ve stopped getting fleas, hot spots, and their coats look great. People always think they’re younger than they are, so they’re getting a little vain!”

Not much has changed since I wrote this, especially the propagation of the (incorrect) concept of people food being bad for dogs. What’s bad for dogs is most conventional dog food. But people’s food – if not full of sugar and too salty or fatty – is as excellent for dogs as it is for us!

No foods go unused in my home. Broccoli stalks and kale stalks are blended and added to the doggy dinner deliciousness. Then – to make it irresistible – I sometimes add peanut butter, molasses, seaweed, and chia seeds. I even add a supplement on occasion to make sure they are getting all that’s needed, and when I truly don’t have time – I give them my favorite commercial dry dog food which is currently Gather.

I saw a lot of discussion in my Instagram comments on a photo of my dog Pinto Bean in front of a plate of carrots, which was just a cute photo opp, not his actual dinner!  I started giving my dogs a vegan diet about 20 years ago. I lived with 7 dogs before this new bunch, and they were all huge dogs. I’m talking 50 pounds and bigger, and each of them died around the average age of 16 (it’s very unusual for big dogs to live that long given mainstream diets.)

Not only is it healthy and okay for my dogs to be vegan, (hence the huge vegan dog food market.. google vegan dog food – there are endless brands) but my dogs thrive on it.

You can call me crazy, or say I’m evil, but I rest in confidence knowing I have the healthiest dogs on the block. Seriously! My last batch of 7 dogs outlived all the dogs I have ever known and they had perfect blood work.

But let’s get to that. In terms of scientific data, according to this article, Dr. Andrew Knight does a great job of documenting all of the current evidence on his website. One of the most notable studies done on sprint racing Huskies showed that those fed a meat-free diet fared just as well as those on an animal based one over the course of 16 weeks. The study focused on red blood cell counts, but the dogs received regular vet checkups throughout.

Ethically, I just can’t justify killing one animal to save or feed another.  I’m not god – so deciding that one life is more worthy than the other doesn’t sit well with me.

Also some dog parents, like the one in this article, almost lost their pets to e-coli outbreaks from animal-based pet food, and then choose a vegan diet for their furry loved ones. Some may say feeding their pets a non-vegan diet is the dangerous choice – not the other way around.

And YES, I know that some animals in the wild eat other animals, but these domesticated dogs are dependent on our feeding them…and if it isn’t necessary, why do it? If it causes less harm to animals, and helps them thrive, it’s a no-brainer for me! I’ll stick to a vegan diet for my doggies. You do you, and I’ll do me.

V-dog brand dog food has an exceptional wealth of answers on vegan dog food on their website, as well as vegan dog bones and more!

Here’s my recipe – I don’t always include every one of the supplements in my puppers bowls daily – but they all make the rounds every few days.

Alicia’s Vegan Dog Food Recipe

ALWAYS:

Beans (lentil, garbanzo, mung, etc)Grains (oats, quinoa, millet, brown rice, barley, farrow)A nice mixture of about 3 different kinds of raw vegetables (carrots, beets, broccoli, kale, cabbage, green beans)Leftovers!Hemp Oil (1t-1tpsn in each meal)Spirulina (1t-1spn in the big mixture itself, not per meal)

SOMETIMES:

Kelp or dulseSupplement Veg-e dog Veg soup or miso brothHemp seedsChia Seeds

BONUSES:

 1 tbsp peanut butter1 tbsp molasses1 tbsp coconut oil½ cup canned or fresh pumpkinmisc. ground seedsnuts seed milk

Make sure what you use is organic and non gmo!

Also: Carrots makes a nice snack for a teething puppy – it soothes his teeth, keeps him busy munching, and nourished with vitamins!

Love,

Alicia

How to Eat Macrobiotic for a Healthy, Delicious Autumn

Fall is such a wonderful time of year. The changing leaves (even here in Los Angeles!), the smell of cooler weather in the air, warming soups, seasonal veggies, and those special family gatherings.  And who doesn’t love a fashion season of forgiving oversized coats and sweater dresses? Yes, please. But how do you prepare for the cooler season? Can a macrobiotic diet help?

Before you go nuts over pumpkin spice lattes (but not at Starbucks!)  and holiday cocktails this year, these are some of my favorite macrobiotic tips to help prepare yourself for a happy, healthy autumn and winter.

What is a macrobiotic diet?

First things first: I talk a lot about eating a ‘superhero’ AKA macrobiotic diet—it’s a way of life for me. It may sound complicated, but it’s actually a fairly simple concept: eating with the seasons to keep things in balance. 

The diet—which isn’t a diet in the fad weight-loss sense—(“diet” back in the day meant a way of life) is built around whole grains, local fresh veggies, sea vegetables like nori, kelp, and dusle, and legumes and  beans. You can also eat seasonal fruits, nuts, seeds, in moderation. 

There are more nuances to eating macrobiotic, but that’s the gist of it. Avoid the processed stuff, let whole foods fill up your plate, and see if you don’t feel better than ever. Of course, it’s also okay to have a veggie burger or pizza every once in a while, too. But when you keep your body in balance with the seasons for the most part, everything seems to just work better.

Benefits of a macrobiotic diet 

When our bodies are healthy and in harmony with the seasons, this can mean a stronger immune system. No diet can make us germ-proof, but our immune system thrives in a healthy body.  

Eating a macrobiotic diet may also help improve and speed recovery time should you find yourself sick with any seasonal virus. Because a macrobiotic diet is aimed at bringing balance to the body, it may help you sleep better and more soundly, which is important if you’re fending off a virus, too. It can also help to regulate mood, especially if you struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder.

And I can speak personally about the glow-up macrobiotic eating has given to my skin. Antioxidant-rich foods with high water content help keep your skin hydrated and looking good, even in the dull, dry winter weather. And when you reduce the processed, over-salted, over-sugared junk most of us love to eat, your skin will thank you, too.

The Kind Diet is a great guide for how to eat for your healthiest, most vibrant self. And my ‘superhero’ section is essentially the Cliff Notes version of the macrobiotic diet so you can access it easily and deliciously! I think it’s a great entry point and there are lots of fun dishes to try, especially this time of year.

How to eat Macrobiotic for autumn

Ready to get started? Here are some of my favorite tips for eating macrobiotic in the autumn season.

1. Eat warming things: When the weather is cooler we need to get the warmth from the inside out. This means warm liquids packed with healthy nutrients. My favorite warming go-to soups include miso, lentil, squash, and veggie soups. You can also do creamy-based soups made with nondairy bases like soy, oat, or nut milk. For extra superhero credit, make creamy soups by puree. You don’t even need to add milk, which makes it yummy but tiny less healing.

2. Load up on the seasonal vegetables: Truth be told, this is simple to do in Los Angeles where so much is grown locally in California. But this time of year I look for all manner of squash—there are so many!—, my favorite sweet potatoes and other root vegetables like carrots and turnips. Most important though: greens. Lots and lots of dark leafy greens like collards, bok choy, and cabbage. (check out my favorite kale dish here).

3. Embrace grains: Ready to ditch the carbs-are-bad myth once and for all? Carb-rich whole grains support gut and heart health and boast vitamins and minerals crucial to keeping your immune system working properly. This time of year it’s great to eat short grain brown rice, whole grains like millet, barley, and oats.

4. Beans, beans!: Legumes and beans are so good for our bodies and the planet. Lentils, for example, are heart-healthy for us—and the soil as they’re nitrogen fixers. Make hearty lentil soups, a lentil loaf or burger, or serve alongside steamed greens and rice for a deliciously warming meal. And be sure to check out all of the other great beans. Make delicious hummus from garbanzo beans, pintos for refried in tacos or burritos or quesadillas.

5. Seaweed: Seaweed is some of the most nutrient-dense food available. It is loaded with minerals from the ocean and brings so much flavor and umami to any meal. This time of year I love to sprinkle toasted nori on soup and rice, add dulse to stews, or make a kanten pudding. (You can try mine here. It’s made with late summer strawberries but you can swap to autumn fruits like apples or pears.)

6. Eat for your mood: Is the coming chill of winter causing anxiety? Are you feeling sad or stressed? There are some foods that may help. Try millet with garbanzo or aduki beans, carrots and squash or a kuzu recipe (try my kuzu tea here) to help calm and soothe stress and anxiety. For a seasonal mood boost, try miso soup, brown rice, lentil, tofu, steamed greens, toasted seeds, ginger, onion, or cooked seasonal fruits like stewed apples.

Want to learn more about macrobiotic eating? Check out the Kind Diet for more info.

Let’s Beat Breast Cancer: A Four-Pronged Approach to Protect Breast Health

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and renowned breast cancer surgeon Kristi Funk, MD are behind Let’s Beat Breast Cancer, a campaign backed by dozens of health care professionals, cancer survivors, and other advocates, including me!

Last year, I lent my support to the campaign by appearing in a breast cancer public service announcement that also features Jasmine C. Leyva (director of The Invisible Vegan), Mary Steenburgen,  Ted Danson, and Dr. Kristi Funk. This short video will help the Physicians Committee and Dr. Funk reach millions with an empowering, lifesaving message—we can protect our health and reduce our risk for breast cancer with a four-pronged approach:

Choosing plant-based foods

Exercising regularly

Limiting alcohol

Maintaining a healthy weight

Here’s how it works:

Plant-based foods are typically lower in calories and higher in fiber. That means they can help you feel full and nourished without causing weight gain. High-fiber plant foods can also help reduce estrogen levels, which can lower breast cancer risk.

Physical activity may help reduce risk in a number of ways, including strengthening your body’s immune defenses, which may help your body kill any cancer cells that do form.

Research also shows that drinking alcohol can increase breast cancer risk—even just one drink a day. Why? Alcohol can raise estrogen levels and damage DNA, the first step in the development of cancer.

Finally, research has shown that excess body weight is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer after menopause and can make cancer more likely to progress when it arises at any age. But no matter your shape or size, remember to be kind to yourself and your beautiful, powerful body!

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, what better time to build breast-healthy habits and re-commit to protecting your health? Join us and inspire others by pledging to follow these simple lifestyle steps for one month at LetsBeatBreastCancer.org. By taking the pledge, you’ll also be automatically entered to win prizes from Let’s Beat Breast Cancer partners, like Vitamix, Amy’s, Tofurky, and more.

Be sure to check out Dr. Funk’s website, Pink Lotus Power Up, too. It’s a free online social community focused on breast cancer. Members can access resources, create events and fundraisers, publish blog posts, partner with a “breast buddy,” buy and sell breast cancer-related goods, and join an exclusive community for women with breast cancer, and more.

Easy, Vegan Lentil Loaf Recipe

This vegan lentil loaf actually tastes better to me than the meatloaf that I grew up with. If you serve up this recipe with some mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, you’re all set for a meaty, plant-based meal. It’s a perfect autumn or winter dinner.

To save time, cook the rice while you are cooking the lentils. I cook my rice in a rice cooker to make things easier.

Prep Time: 90 minutes | Cook Time: 60 minutes | Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

1.5 cup lentils (rinsed, drained and cooked)
3.5 cup water
2 diced onions
3 minced cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups pre-cooked rice
0.5 tsp salt
.25 cup organic ketchup or bbq sauce
.5 tsp sage
.5 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions

In a large stockpot cook lentils according to directions which is usually 30 minutes. Drain them, then mash them in a large bowl.

Sauté the garlic and onions in olive oil for about 3 to 5 min. or until soft.

Combine the onions, garlic, and olive oil with the mashed lentils and add the rice, salt, ketchup or barbecue sauce, sage, and Italian seasoning.

Gently press the mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan. Drizzle a bit of extra ketchup on top if desired.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Allow to cool slightly before serving, as this will help the lentil loaf to firm up.

5 Simple Cleaning Hacks That Make a Clean House Easy and Fun

Keeping a home clean and picked up can get overwhelming fast. Especially if you have kids, pets, a busy job, a side hustle or you just don’t love cleaning all that much—we get it! Given what we know about how a cleaner home impacts our health and the health of our little ones, we make it a priority. However, it took us some time to figure out how to get it all done, which is why we’re so thrilled to share our five favorite cleaning hacks that can restore your sense of sanity, peace, and order… no matter how crazy life gets!

1. We learned how to habit-stack

If you haven’t heard of habit stacking before, we’re about to rock your world. This simple practice makes keeping the house cleaner near-automatic, plus it can be applied to every other area of your life. Bonus: it’s a great skill to teach your kids!

In a nutshell, habit stacking is a form of implementation intention that lets you piggyback new habits on old habits to make getting stuff done a no-brainer. It works by taking advantage of the strong neural networks your brain builds around existing habits or established skills. Instead of going through the time, effort, and brain training required to create a neural pathway that supports a new habit, you simply tack on your desired new habit to an established one.

How is this accomplished? By creating a phrase, or list that goes something like this:

When I do this, I… fill-in-the-blank.

Here are a few examples of how you can use this to get more cleaning/tidying done without a lot of extra effort:

“When I blow dry my hair, I clean the bathroom mirror, sink or counter.”“When I get a glass of water before bed, I also rinse out the sink to prevent impurities from building up.”“When I start the dishwasher, I scald the dishcloth and sponge to prevent the build up of germs.”“When I empty the trashes for trash day, I also clean out the fridge.”“When I go to get the mail, I sweep and tidy the front porch.”

How much simpler can this get?! Try it and you’ll be amazed how it decreases the amount of cleaning chores that pile up while increasing your productivity across the board.

2. We use vacuuming as a form of self-care

Since vacuuming is one of the more time-consuming (and boring) cleaning chores, we schedule it during a time we can also indulge in a podcast, audiobook or music. That way, we get some stress-relief and self care out of the deal whilst ridding our homes of dust and other toxins.

3. We’ve found ways to reduce dust

Dust is one of those things that we just can’t get away from. That’s because most of it comes from our own bodies via excrement of dust mites and skin, and from our household items. It may also harbor a variety of toxins including heavy metals, VOCs, SVOCs, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Although we can’t eliminate dust completely, there are ways to reduce it so you don’t have to dust and vacuum as much.

Declutter – the less stuff you have the less dust you’ll have. There are many different ways to go about this, but we love Marie Kondo’s tried-and-true method.Use microfiber cloths – their tightly-woven fibers trap the tiniest dust particles that cotton cloths or paper towels missUse a HEPA vacuum, which will completely remove dirt and dust instead of re-exhausting it back into the air.Wash your sheets at least once a week, otherwise they become a hotbed for dust mites.Change your air filters regularly. Experiment with changing them every 1-3 months, and consider using Filtrete filters which are not treated with antibacterial chemicals.Open your windows daily, this keeps fresh air flowing through the house which discourages the build-up of dust.Invest in a high-quality air purifier. This is especially important in bedrooms and high-traffic areas. (Get our brand recommendations here.)Don’t neglect your ceiling fans! They can rain down a ton of dust if not cleaned every couple of weeks.4. We get rid of boxes as soon as we unpack them (or at least by the end of the day)

Thanks to the explosion of online ordering, receiving packages isn’t quite as euphoric as it used to be. Sure, we’re excited to get what we ordered… but it also means we have to deal with yet another cardboard box. You could put off dealing with it by chucking it into the basement or garage. But cardboard boxes can harbor a variety of mold 2 chemicals, germs, bacteria, pesticides, insect eggs, and other toxins 3 you do not want in your home. Plus if they hang around they’ll increase dust.

The solution? Deal with them right away using your handy habit stacking tip from above: “When I receive a package I… unpack, break down, recycle it and wash my hands promptly.”

Note: If you’re mold-sensitive, you may wish to do this all outside.

5. We keep our cleaning caddies and tools clean and simple

When kids come into the picture, you realize your old routine of tackling all cleaning on the weekends wasn’t going to work anymore. Thus, we must adopt more of a family-friendly clean-as-you-go approach. This only works well if you keep your cleaning supplies and tools organized and clean! For example, there’s no point in vacuuming your sofa with a dirty attachment or trying to mop the floor with last week’s used microfiber mop. The same goes if your cleaning supplies are all disorganized or strewn throughout the house.

To avoid these hurdles, we take a few minutes to wipe down and replace our cleaning tools when we’re finished so they’re ready for us next time. We also keep a centralized cleaning caddy in the laundry room with all our Branch Basics cleaning products and extra bottles of Bathroom and Streak Free in each of our bathrooms, for easy access while bathing the kids or doing hair. A little organization on the front side makes all the difference to busy parents.

The Branch Basics cleaning system was designed with this in mind: one non-toxic concentrate to replace all the toxic cleaners in your home, bottles and instructions provided, just add water. To learn how to clean your cleaning tools with Branch Basics, check out our User Guide.

Need more real-life non-toxic cleaning hacks?

There’s an old myth that says: if you don’t clean with chemicals you’ll have to clean more often. That is simply not true. The reality is, when you commit to creating a healthier home by using non-toxic products and #TossingTheToxins, you should need to clean less because your home will harbor less dust, germs, pathogens and indoor air pollutants.

To learn more about our low-stress, non-toxic cleaning tips check out our Cleaning Tips and Tricks page and How To Set A Stress-free Cleaning Schedule You Can Live With.