TRY VEGAN FOR A MONTH

Hello Dreamers! Happy New Year!

As I stated last week, I am not making any resolutions this year, but will aspire to live by the Reiki Principles daily. However, that doesn’t mean that I

won’t strive to improve myself by getting organized.

As a matter of fact, I am celebrating my one year anniversary of being vegan. It hasn’t been hard either. Yes, I did cheat, but I don’t consider myself a failure for it. I just look at it as a setback, as far as I’m concerned, any true attempt at refraining from animal products should be rewarded as a step in the right direction.

Unfortunately the leap from vegetarian to vegan is usually eliminating dairy products and namely cheese from the diet - which means PIZZA. This makes me really sad because if there is one area where animals are exploited, the dairy industry is it. The reputation of the dairy industry is misleading, commercials glamorize the life of a dairy cow, there is even a campaign now for chocolate milk as a recovery drink for athletes - GIVE ME A BREAK!

Of course there are vegan cheeses, veggie pizzas, and some really good recipes for awesome pizzas that will make you forget about cheese altogether. The problem is that you need to be prepared, because it’s not real easy to find a vegan frozen pizza when the mood strikes. I have no problem drinking almond or soy milk and have never really cared for ice cream, REALLY. So my downfall is that I need to get organized and learn to create recipes from scratch to avoid cardboard frozen pizzas and other processed foods. But I digress here, if you would like to do your own research on the cruelty of the diary industry, check out: http://dairyharvest.com/dairy-farming/the-dairy-industry-is-more-cruel-than-the-beef-industry

You have probably figured out by now that my focus this month is on Veganuary. By joining Veganuary 2017https://veganuary.com/ and this facebook group: Veganuary US 2017, you can become part of the movement to reduce suffering of animals. It’s great to have a tribe that holds the same interest and goals as you.

My gift to you today is my Morning Smoothie recipe. Matt Frazier from No Meat Athlete http://www.nomeatathlete.com once said that if you have a smoothie and a salad everyday, you can eat anything else you want for the rest of the day. This smoothie is so filling that sometimes I hardly have room for a salad later in the day.

MY MORNING SMOOTHIE

1 frozen banana (or 1 banana and 1 cup ice)

1 cup almond or soy milk

1 splash of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 sprinkle of Chia seeds

1 single pkt. Folgers Instant Coffee

1 scoop Super Greens - buy it here:

https://www.amazon.com/Country-Farms-Super-Green

½ Haas avocado (or ¼ Florida avocado)

½ TBSP Maca Powder (start with 1 tsp. And build up to this amount) buy it here: http://www.znaturalfoods.

Blend well, and enjoy.

Sometimes I add any of the following: 1 whole kiwi fruit, aloe vera (from my garden), pomegranate powder, dates, cacao, peanut butter.

If the banana and avocados are too much fat for you, then alternate them daily.

The Maca powder is amazing. I have increased my running times since I have used this Inca Superfood. As with any supplement,

only use it for a few weeks, then take a few weeks off. You will really notice the results that way too.

MY SMOOTHIE CABINET

When I first started my daily smoothie, I would get lazy and if all the tools and ingredients were not in the same spot, I would opt out of searching and not make it. So I created my own Smoothie Cabinet and it takes practically no effort each morning to whip up my Smoothie. You will notice that I put instant coffee in mine, and of course this is optional. Since I no longer drink coffee, I add this to give me that caffeine boost in the morning (another runners strategy). So claim your cabinet space in the kitchen and start your smoothie tradition today. You will be amazed when you experience less cravings during the day and how healthy you feel.

NEXT WEEK: VEGAN READING AND BOOK REVIEWS

Keep Dreaming!

Coleen