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Picnic blankets, pillows, barbecue, popcorn balls, family gathered around in my grandpa's yard so we could watch the fireworks go off. This is my favorite childhood memory of the 4th of July. Each year the family would gather and celebrate independence day together. There's just something about that holiday that makes one proud to be in this country. What is your favorite memory of Independence Day? It's not about the fireworks, it's not about the barbecues, or the delicious desserts. It's about what it all represents and the reason we celebrate. The delightfully moist cake is a great way to celebrate though! Here are some fun facts about Independence Day: Did you know the declaration of independence was actually voted upon by the Continental Congress on July 2? It wasn't until July 4th that the Declaration of Independence was printed up and signed. Also the liberty bell didn't ring until July 8 when the declaration was read aloud. Canons were used to celebrate independence day until around 1890 when they were no longer used as much. That's when fireworks started to come about. We have many traditions when it comes to how we celebrate Independence Day, but let's not forget why we celebrate it today. It was a day we the United States became independent of Great Britain. We gained our independence and freedom to believe and worship how our consciences dictates. Let's never forget. But let's celebrate with this delectable dessert! Easy and beautiful to the eyes. Recipe: 1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup canola oil 2 tsp vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar) 3/4 cup soy milk Frosting: 3 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (regular, and chilled in fridge) Directions: First pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl, and mix the wet ingredients into a separate bowl. Combine the two, and then place in a cake pan. I use parchment paper on the bottom so it is easier for the cake to come out. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Frost and add whatever fruits you would like. Happy Independence Day!

So here it is, next week I'll be posting videos during the weekday, showing you what it looks like to eat vegan. I'll be showing you what it looks like to eat vegan for 5 days. Hopefully this will give you more meal ideas, or just to realize that I eat pretty simple. You'll realize why I like quick and simple recipes. I hope you all subscribe to my youtube channel so you can see when the videos come out! Let me set something straight about the videos. Portion sizes may vary. I wasn't think ahead to show the quantity of the food I was eating, instead I was just wanting you to see the foods I was eating. So keep that in mind as you watch the videos. Explaining the 5 days: DAY 1: So it begins. I'll be showing 5 days of how I typically eat being a vegan. I like simple and quick meals, because I always seem to be on the road. I hope during this week you get some ideas on how you can incorporate some of these recipes or foods into your weekly schedule. I'm not asking everyone to be vegan, but what would it hurt to give up meat, and possible dairy, for one day during the week. Day 2: Most of these recipes should look familiar if you've seen my other blogs or videos. It's not to do it on purpose, but I have made these recipes for blogs and videos because they are the typical foods that I eat. Simple, quick and delicious is my motto. You should be able to see that after this week of videos. So I hope you enjoy! Day 3: I've been getting comments from people about the amount, or lack there of, of food on the videos. My point in these videos wasn't to show how much food to eat, but rather give ideas on basic vegan eating on a daily basis. Portion sizes will vary depending on the person, so it would be impossible for me to point out how much of each to eat. (Unless we have a one-on-one consultation). :) Day 4: Being vegan doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming, and these videos help to prove that. My week schedule is as busy as anyones. I leave around 7am and don't get home until 5:30pm. That doesn't give me much time to spend cooking or preparing food. It's still important to make time for good food. Typically I will make dinner and then pack some for lunch the next day. This helps to save time. Also in the evening I will think about what I can make for breakfast. I'll make it the night before, if possible, or at least know by morning what I can grab. Day 5: My goal is for you to realize you don't need a lot of time to prepare foods to be vegan. Some foods may take longer to make, but it's all worth it in the end. Enjoy it! This is the last day of showing you what I eat during the week. I hope it's been helpful in some way to you. My main point was for you to see that being vegan does not have to be complicated or time consuming. I'm busy just like you, so I need quick health meals.

You either love or hate Valentine's Day. But let's just make it a day to show others we care about them. So whether it's your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband, parents, siblings, friends, or strangers, let's share the love. These cookies are the vegan side of me coming out, and for sure not the dietitian side. The base is basically like sugar cookies, but let's be honest, jam just makes it all better, so we're adding jam. Recipe: 3 cups of all-purpose flour 2/3 cup sugar 1 cup almonds, ground 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 6 Tbsp water 2 Tbsp flaxseed, ground 1 cup vegan butter, room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 Tbsp jam, flavor of your choice Directions: In a medium bowl add flour, baking powder, ground almonds and salt. In another bowl mix the butter and sugar together. In a small bowl mix the water and flaxseed together, then add it to the butter mixture, along with the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, slowly. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, and wrap them in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and refridgerate them for 2 hours. You can also stick them in the freezer for 30-60 minutes, to speed up the process. On a floured surface roll out one of the doughs. Use your larger cookie cutter, and cut out as many as possible from the first dough. Roll out the second piece of dough and cut out as many cookies with the larger cookie cutter, as well. Take your smaller cookie cutter and cut out the center of the cookies from the second dough. Place your cookies on a lined baking sheet and place them in the oven at 350 degrees ferenheit for 9 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool off for about five minute. Take the cookies from the first batch and add the jam. On the top cookies, from the second batch of dough, sprinkle them with powdered sugar, to give it a special touch. Softly sandwich the cookies togethr and let sit for an hour before serving.

I know, I know. Carbs? Aren't we supposed to avoid those? NO! Carbohyrdates are what help to fuel our brains. The body breaksdown carbohydrates into glucose, which is then used to help fuel brain activity. Proteins can also be used to help fuel the brain, since they are broken down into glycogen, but they are not as efficient as the glucose. Some studies have shown that people who were on a low-carb restricted diet performed significantly worse on memory tests than those who were on a low calorie, high-carb diet. Personally, I was on the low-to no-carb diet when I was in high school. I did experience the weight loss, however, I do remember not being able to think as clearly. Not only that, but since it is typically so high in fat and protein, I also remember experiencing heart palpitations. At the time I was not a vegan/vegetarian, so I was eating quite a bit of meat and eggs. With this comes another problem; my cholesterol intake was too high. Also, once I started eating carbs again, the weight came back on. Trust me, I wasn't gorging myself with carbs either. It's because a low carb diet is not a sustainable way to live. With most yo-yo diets once you go off them, because they're not sustainable, you typically gain the weight back, if not more. So please, be aware of the issues that come with a low to no carb diet. It may lead to momentary weight loss, but there are so many issues that come with it. You're body is being starved of a very important nutrient. You just want to make sure you're eating the right carbs. Complex carbs! Whole grains, legumes, cereal, and starchy vegetables are great sources of complex carbohydrates. Keep in mind, complex carbs are typically good sources of fiber. Have you ever had homemade bread? It starts with an amazing aroma spreading throughout the whole house, and is so desireous you can hardly stand to wait for it to finish baking. Then finally when the bread is finished baking, you have to do all you can to restrain yourself and wait until it's cooled down. This bread is no exception. Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Recipe: 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 3/4 cup white flour (regular or bread flour) 1 1/2 cups warm water 3/4 Tbsp fast acting yeast (1 packet) 2 Tbsp sugar or agave 1/2 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed Instructions: 1. Combine the warm water with yeast and sugar. Stir and let it sit for around 5 minutes. Add in the salt and flaxseed. In a large bowl place your whole wheat flour in it and add the liquid mixture. Stir with a spoon until it is mostly combined and slowly add in the white flour. Stir until it is well combined. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. 2. Add a little oil or oil spray to the bottom of the bowl and the top of the dough. Place the dough in the greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature. Punch dough down, and knead for 1 minute. Place the dough in a lightly greased bread pan, cover, and let it rise for 1 more hour. 3. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 21-25 minutes, or until it is a golden brown. 4. Remove from the oven and remove the bread from the pan, and place it on a cooling rack. The bread will store for 3-5 days. Place the leftovers in a plastic bag at room temperature. Slice and enjoy!

I am the type of person who loves being outside, so when springtime rolls around, I can't help but get outside. This brings me joy and misery. Joy from the outdoors and sunshine, and misery from seasonal allergies! Seasonal allergies sure get me down. Sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and misery. Mint is a food that helps to relieve some of those seasonal allergies. Benefits of Mint: Mint is helpful with soothing and relieving the stomach in cases of indigestion and inflammation. It helps to promote digestion. It has been shown to help relieve seasonal allergies. Benefits of Pineapple: Since it is rich in fiber it helps to bulk up the stool, which is helpful with diarrhea and IBS. It's a good source of Vitamin C, which helps to boost the immune system. Recipe: 1/2 a fresh pineapple handful of mint leaves, fresh juice of 1 lemon 1 cup of ice 1 Tbsp agave, if needed Directions: Place all the ingredients into the blender, and blend for about 3-5 minutes, until it is smooth. You can drink it this way, which is more like a smoothie, or wait an hour until it is more juice-like.

Let me tell you a quick story of how much I love walnuts. During my college years, some of us nutrition students went to a vegetarian conference in California, with some of our professors. At this vegetarian conference there were booths with lots of free things they were giving away. The California Walnuts company had a booth and were giving out 1 oz. bags of walnuts. FREE FOOD! At these booths they want you to take their products right? So I did. Over and over and over. Over the course of time at the conference I had gathered about 75 of those little bags of walnuts. I was eating and cooking with walnuts the rest of that year. The last day of the conference they were trying to give all the samples away to us. Which is probably why I ended up with so many in the end. With that being said, walnuts are delicious and are packed with nutrition. Walnuts are severely underrated. They have so many great health benefits to them. Benefits of Walnuts: Walnuts are recommended for people with heart disease. They help to reduce cholesterol levels, helps to balance the nervous system, and improves sexual performance. Heart health: For those suffering with heart failure, angina, or are at risk for heart attacks, it is recommended to eat walnuts regularly in their diet. A study in California was conducted on 25,000 Seventh-day Adventists, the study is known as the Adventist Health Study. Adventists are recognized for their healthy lifestyles. Among those 25,000 Adventist their risk of heart attack was lower than the general population. Those in the study who at walnuts 5+ times a week, their risk of heart attack was even lower. Around half of the Adventist in the study at walnuts at least one time per week. Since walnuts are a good source of B vitamins, and since vitamin B1, thiamin, is needed for the heart to function properly, walnuts are a heart healthy food. Reduces Cholesterol: The less cholesterol in the blood, the lower the risk of obstructions in the arteries. Walnuts help to inhibit obstructive buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. Although walnuts are high in fat, this does not effect the bloods levels in a bad way, but rather a good way. In another study it was found that eating about 2.5 oz a day of walnuts, it helped to lower the bad cholesterol levels, LDL, by about 16%. That was only eating 2.5 oz daily for 2 months. This is not simply by adding walnuts to the diet, but rather replacing them with other fatty foods, like meats, butters or margarines. That way you're replacing good fats with bad fats. Balances nervous system: They are rich in essential fatty acids, which are involved in the metabolism of the neurons. Vitamin B1 is necessary for the function of the nervous system, and walnuts are a good source of vitamin B1. Improves sexual performance: Semen is quite rich in prostaglandins, and prostaglandins need linoleum and linolenic acids to generate, which walnuts are a good source of. Eating walnuts has a positive effect on sexual performance, because it helps to increase a man's potency, and they help improve a woman's sexual response. Manganese is also significant in walnuts, which helps the sperm count to increase, which then helps improve reproduction. Maple Walnut Scones Recipe: 2 cups flour 1 tbsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ¾ cup Silk Unsweetened Almond ½ cup maple syrup ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup walnuts, chopped Glaze: 1 Tbsp vegan butter, room temperature 1 Tbsp maple syrup Directions: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until it’s well combined. Add to it, soy milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract, stirring only as much as you need to to make sure it is combined well. Fold in chopped walnuts. Form dough into a round ball and flatten it out into a circle, that is about 1/2 tall. Cut the dough into pizza shapes, making between 8-12 scones. Place the scones on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes, then add the glaze to the top of the scones, and continue to bake for about 2-3 more minutes, until the scones have a slight golden color. Allow scones to cool. They will last for about 5-7 days in the refrigerator in a tupperware or zip lock bag.

If you've ever been to an Indian restuarant then you may be aware of this glass of deliciousness. If you've never tried one, now's the time. I don't know about you, but Mangos are one of my all time favorite fruits. I'm certain they will be on the Tree of Life. So to me, anything with Mango is worth trying. This recipe is just too yummy not to share with you all. It's even better since it takes less than 5 minutes to make it. Even if you're not a fan of Indian food, there's still a great chance you will love this Indian drink. It's pretty much just a delicious Mango smoothie. Health Benefits of Mangos: 1. Helps to prevent cancer: Mangos are loaded with antioxidants that have been found to protect against prostate, colon, leukemia, and breast cancers. These include astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid, isoquercitrin, methlgallat, quercetin, and many enzymes. 2. Benefits the Eyes: Think about the color of mangos. Now think about the color of carrots. What do we know carrots help with? The eyes! Why? Because of the vitamin A they contain. Mangos are a great source of vitamin A, which helps to promote good eyesight. In 1 cup of mango it contains 25% of daily value of vitamin A. 3. Helps to lower cholesterol: They're a great source of fiber,vitamin C, and pectin, which helps to lower serum cholesterol levels (LDL), the bad kind. 4. Helps with Digestion: They contain enzymes that help break down protein. The fiber they contain also helps digestion and elimination. Recipe: 1/2 cup soy milk (or other milk alternative) 1/2 cup mango puree (or 1 mango) 5 oz vanilla vegan yogurt 1 Tbsp agave (only needed if using a plain yogurt) Directions: Place all ingredients into a blender, and blend for about 1-2 minutes. Serve and enjoy! It's just that simple.

Popcorn can be expensive and very unhealthy when we get the ready-made or microwavable kind. So I wanted to give you all an option to make your own popcorn at home, without having to have a popcorn machine. If you have a machine, great! But if you don't, don't sweat it. Watch the video for full instructions and demonstration on how to make popcorn without a machine. Plus I'm giving you 3 amazing popcorn recipes to enjoy! Peanutbutter Caramel 1/2 cup un-popped popcorn kernels 1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts, optional 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter pinch of salt Directions: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. Pop 1/2 cup of popcorn and pour it into a large bowl. Toss in the peanuts. Set aside. Over medium heat, warm the agave and sugar together in a medium sized saucepan. Stir occasionally. Once it begins to bubble, allow it to boil for about 3 minutes. Add the salt and peanut butter and stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the popcorn/nuts. Toss gently to coat well. The popcorn will form large clusters. Spread the popcorn onto prepared baking sheet and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Makes 5-10 cups. Popcorn remains fresh for up to 10 days covered at room temperature. If storing in a tight container, be sure to break up the popcorn as you serve it because it will form large clusters. Cheesy Rosemary 1/2 cup un-popped popcorn kernels 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes 1-2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped water salt Directions: In a spray bottle add 1 cup of water with 1 Tbsp of water, and mix well. Place your popped popcorn on a flat surface, and spray with the salt water. Spray just enough to salt water to wet the popcorn, then add your nutritional yeast flakes and rosemary. Mix around until the popcorn is well coated. Add more salt water if necessary. You will not use the full cup of salt water. Caramel Chocolate 1/2 cup un-popped popcorn kernels 1/4 cup agave nectar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 oz. crushed vegan chocolate Directions: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. Pop 1/2 cup of popcorn and pour it into a large bowl. Toss in the chocolate. Set aside. Over medium heat, warm the agave and sugar together in a medium sized saucepan. Stir occasionally. Once it begins to bubble, allow it to boil for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour the sauce mixture over the popcorn/chocolate. Toss gently to coat well. The popcorn will form large clusters. Spread the popcorn onto prepared baking sheet and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

How about something sweet that you don't need too feel guilty about? These cupcakes are sweetened with agave nectar rather than sugar, which makes it a guilt-free dessert. The cream cheese frosting does contain a small amount of sugar, just to sweeten it up a bit. You could always try adding agave nectar to the cream cheese frosting, and adding less of the soy milk, and see if that works out for you instead. That way you can make it a sugar-free dessert. Recipe: 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour + 1 Tbsp 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup soy, salmon,d or rice milk 3/4 cup agave nectar 1/2 cup canola oil 1 Tablespoon apple-cider vinegar or white vinegar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 1 cup raspberries Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl add all of the dry ingredients, 1 3/4 cup flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Do not add the 1 tablespoon of flour, reserve this to add to the raspberries. In a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients; milk, agave, canola oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Pour the wet mixture in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir together until just combined. Do not over mix the batter. Mix together the raspberries with the 1 tablespoon of flour until the raspberries are covered in the flour. Gently fold the raspberries into the batter. Fill your cupcake wrappers about 3/4 of the way with the batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out dry. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them. Cream Cheese Frosting: 8 ounces of vegan Cream Cheese 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (if desired) 1-2 Tablespoons soy, almond, or rice milk Directions: Place the cream cheese into a bowl or electric mixer, and mix until it is whipped, usually about 1-2 minutes. Place the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and stir until will mixed. If needed add extra soy milk to thin out the frosting, or add more powdered sugar to thicken it. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled off, then frost them. Mix together all ingredients until it is well combined and the consistency desired.

Whether you agree with juicing or not, these are some pretty amazing juices that I'm going to share with you. My husband and I decided to juice for a couple of days. We wanted to give our digestive systems and bodies a little bit of a break. It was a little rough, mentally. Physically we were fine, but it was the mental aspect that is always the hardest. I've heard the controversy with fasting, whether it's juice or water fasting. Truth is, I've seen how it has helped my health and I only have good things to say about it, when it is done properly. While fasting does cut down on your calorie intake, it does so much more than just that. In studies it has been show that mice tend to live longer when their calories were restricted. Fasting has been shown to help increase the bodies responsiveness to insulin. Insulin helps to regulate the blood sugar in the body. I've personally witnessed diabetics who were put on a period of fasting, by their doctors, who monitored them. I've see how the fasting actually helped regulate their blood sugars and help them to get off some of their medications. If you want to know more about this you can contact me. But I only would recommend a diabetic to fast under the supervision of a medical person who is familiar with this type of practice. Recipes: The Green Juice 1 bunch of greens, I used collard 2 apples 2 lemons Peel the lemon, and juice all ingredients in a juicer. The Orange Juice 3 oranges 10 carrots Remove the orange peel from the oranges. If you are using organic carrots you can juice them as they are, or you can peel them. Juice all ingredients in a juicer. The Pineapple Refresher 1/2 fresh pineapple 2 lemons or limes 5-7 leaves of mint Remove the peel of the pineapple and limes. Place all ingredients into your blender. The One with the Plum 1 cucumber 2 apple 1 plum 1 orange 1 lemon 1/4-1/2 inch ginger Remove the peel of the orange, lemon and ginger. Juice all ingredients in your juicer. The Red Juice 1 beet 2 pears 2 apples 1 lemon 1/4 inch piece of ginger Remove the outer skin of the beet, lemon and ginger. Juice all ingredients in your juicer.

We're kicking off this series of Brazilian food with a Brazilian potato salad! I'm sure we've all had potato salad before. It's a classic picnic item. But we are knocking this up a notch by making this Brazilian potato salad. The texture is just amazing because it is between regular potato salad and mashed potatoes. Plus the ingredients are a bit different than our traditional potato salad. So go ahead and give this recipe a try. Recently, I made this recipe for my parents and my dad could not stop raving about it. He was so impressed with how simple and delicious it was. I'm sure you'll feel the same. Recipe: 1 pound potatoes of choice 1 cup vegan mayonnaise 1/2 cup corn kernels 1/2 cup peas 1/2 teaspoon salt 8-10 green olives sliced Directions: Dice potatoes into pieces about 1/4 inch, or bite size. Place potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of boiling water. Boil for about 7-10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork or knife. Drain the potatoes in a strainer, then place them in a bowl. Add 1 cup of vegan mayonnaise and begin to smash them until the texture is a between mashed potatoes and potato salad. Add the peas, corn, salt and green olives and stir until it is all mixed well together. Place in fridge and let it cool down for about 1 hour or more. If you are using frozen peas and carrots the cool process will take less time. Once it is cooled then you're ready to serve. For a quick homemade vegan mayonnaise here is a recipe: Vegan Mayonnaise 1 package of medium tofu 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp agave 1/2 tsp salt 2 TBSP vegetable oil (you can use canola or grape seed oil) Place all of the ingredients into a blender and puree it until it is a smooth consistency. Place the vegan mayonnaise into your bowl and place it in the fridge until it is cooled to the temperature you want. This will last up between 5-7 days in your refrigerator.

There's not much better than the taste of passion fruit, and that's why we need a passionfruit cake! This has been so fun sharing these Brazilian recipes with you all this entire month. There are so many more wonderful recipes to share. But I must admit that this Passion Fruit Cake is one of my favorites. Recipe: 3 cups flour 3 tablespoon baking powder 1 1/2 cups organic sugar or sugar in the raw 1/2 cup agave nectar 2/3 cup soy milk, or other milk alternative 1 cup vegetable oil pinch of salt 2 Tablespoons of egg replacer + 8 tablespoons of water (substituting 4 eggs) 2/3 cup passion fruit concentrate Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. In a bowl add all of your dry ingredients and mix together. Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. For the egg replacer add the egg replacer powder and water in a small bowl and mix together, then add it to the main bowl. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until it is well combined. In 2 pie pans place parchment paper on the bottom, and divide the batter evenly between the two pie pans. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 60-75 minutes. Place a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean then you know it's done baking. Once you remove the cakes from the oven allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes before removing them from the pan. Allow the cakes to cool completely on a bake rack before frosting. Frosting: 1/4 cup vegan butter, (I used Earth Balance) 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons passion fruit concentrate In a bowl add the butter and whip it up a bit, then slowly add the powdered sugar. Mix until it is whipped together, then add the passion fruit concentration. Continue to mix and add the powdered sugar until the frosting is light, fluffy and the texture you want. How to use passion fruit: Scoop out all of the delicious flesh and seeds from the passion fruit, give it a quick spin in your food processor. And strain over a fine mesh sieve.