Sari Foods Superfoods!

I'm all about superfood powders and supplements for my morning smoothies! I drink 2 or 3 smoothies for breakfast every week, and when I do, I love to up the nutrition factor by adding things like spirulina, maca, acai powder, superfood-enhanced protein powders, and more.

Of course, there are all manner of brands of these powdered supplements, but I've just discovered Sari Foods after the company offered to ship me a few of their products to review. What sets Sari Foods apart is their commitment to avoiding additives. They don't fortify their products with extra nutrients that aren't naturally in that food. In other words, they let their individual superfood supplements do what nature intended.

They sent me three items to try, two of which are perfect for smoothie add-ins. There was the Organic Spirulina Powder. If nature were to create a multivitamin, spirulina would be it! (Okay, I actually stole that line from the Sari Foods website, but it's good!). It naturally contains protein, iron, magnesium, beta-carotine, B12, chlorophyll, phytonutrients, antioxidants and essential amino acids. It offers an energy boost, promotes skin health, supports the heart and nervous system, and boosts brain power!

They also sent over their Natural Vitamin C Powder from Organic Acerola Cherries. We all know vitamin C is really great at warding off sickness and supporting the immune system, but since this vitamin C comes from cherries, it also helps with inflammation and promotes anti-aging. So many Vitamin C supplements are made with a synthetic version of C, and why would you want that when you can get your vitamins from whole food sources, like cherries?

I used both of these in a quick 'n' easy green smoothie — 1 cup almond milk, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 tsp. spirulina, and 1 tsp. vitamin c powder.

The other superfood Sari Foods sent wasn't something you'd put in a smoothie, but it was something every vegan LOVES — Nutritional Yeast! As you may know, many brands of nooch are fortified with Vitamin B12 (and other things), which is the only vitamin vegans can't get naturally through diet. But since Sari Foods doesn't fortify, this nooch is B12-free. However, it does contain some B vitamins that are naturally occurring in nooch, and those B vitamins help with sleep, balance hormones, increase energy, and improve brain function and mental clarity.

Now real talk — I don't really know how I feel about B12-free nooch. I do take a B12 supplement daily, so it's not like I need to get my B12 from nutritional yeast. But I always think of fortified nutritional yeast as a sort of insurance in case I forget my supplement for a few days. I eat these nutty, yeasty flakes on EVERYTHING, and I like that, often, I'm getting extra B12 just in case. But according to Sari Foods, most nutritional yeast is so over-fortified with synthetics that it forces the kidneys to work overtime.

But no matter where you stand on non-fortified nutritional yeast, we can all agree that Sari Foods' nooch is damn tasty. I sprinkled some over some mashed potatoes a couple weeks back and remembered to snap a pic. It's fantastic over popcorn, pasta, salads, you name it. Sometimes, I even pour a little in my hand and eat it straight-up. No shame.

The Chubby Vegetarian Cookbook

My friends Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence of The Chubby Vegetarian blog just put out a new cookbook filled with recipes that make vegetables the star of the plate. The book is aptly named The Chubby Vegetarian: 100 Inspired Vegetable Recipes for the Modern Table. 

I'm lucky enough to friends with Justin and Amy in real life! They live in Memphis, and for years, Justin and I worked together at The Memphis Flyer where I was a reporter/editor, and he was (and still is) a freelance photographer. Amy is a teacher by day. But the pair also happen to share some serious skills in the kitchen. Justin does the cooking, food styling, and photography, and Amy does the baking and most of the writing. They're a great team, and they're lots of fun.

Justin and Amy are really into vegetables, and they excel at turning an ordinary eggplant or portabella mushroom into a culinary masterpiece. I'm typically more drawn to protein-heavy dishes with seitan or tempeh or even plant meat, so the dishes in this book are a little different than how I'm used to cooking and eating. But Justin and Amy are SO GOOD at making veggies taste great that when I make one of their dishes, I don't even miss the vegan chicken. If I had these guys cooking for me every day, I'd probably eat more veggies!

The Chubby Vegetarian isn't a totally vegan cookbook, but it's all vegetarian. Some of the recipes are vegan though, and any of the recipes are easily veganized with a few swap outs. The chapters are divided into the typical categories — breakfast, apps/snacks, sandwiches, mains, salads/sides, desserts, and sauces. And of course, the book is loaded with Justin's gorgeous full-color food photos!

Last week, I tried their Vegetarian Eggplant Tajine over couscous. Perfectly lovely! This is a simple dish of baked eggplant, tomatoes (from a can), chickpeas, bell peppers, and a Moroccan spice blend called ras el hanout. It's topped with Greek yogurt in their book, so I subbed a little unsweetened So Delicious coconut yogurt.

I didn't have any ras el hanout, and the international market that would probably carry that is pretty far from my house. So I just googled it and realized I had all of the spices to make the blend at home. It's just cumin, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice, cloves, and salt. My house smelled WONDERFUL while this casserole was in the oven!

I also made a couple dishes from the appetizers and snacks chapter last weekend for a potluck. These Veggie-Packed Napa Cabbage Wraps with Peanut Sauce were a hit! The filling was made from chopped cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, tofu, and peanuts, and the sauce was peanut butter blended with vinegar, srircaha, mirin, ginger, and sesame oil.

I'd actually had the Bagna Cauda Smashed Chickpea Dip before at my friend Susan's dinner party. She hosted an entire meal using only recipes from this book, and this was the app she chose. I loved it so much that I just had to make it again! It looks deceptively like hummus, but the ingredients are totally different. There's no tahini or lemon but instead white wine, capers, garlic, and rosemary. Really great with crunchy bagel chips!

There are so many more recipes I want to try! The Vegan Breakfast Sausages (made with a base of mushrooms, carrot, and celery!), the Pepper Jelly Rangoons (with spicy jelly and cream cheese — vegan, of course), the Mexican pizza (with beans and avocado), the Stuffed Spaghetti Squash (with beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery, and vegan provolone), and the Nashville Hot Chicken-Style Hen of the Woods Mushrooms (fried!!!). Also, I was excited to see the recipe for the Chubby Vegetarian Debris Po Boy in the book! This is a sandwich that's served here in Memphis at a restaurant called The Second Line, and it's so freakin' good. Now I can make it at home!

I haven't tried making anything from the dessert chapter yet, but I know Amy's baked goods never disappoint. The Avocado Walnut Brownies could be easily veganized with some egg replacer, as could the Pine Nut Cookies (YUM!). And there are a few naturally vegan dessert recipes too, like Spicy Banana & Almond Date Bites (these are like date balls!) and the Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pie, which I had the pleasure of trying at Susan's dinner party.

If you love vegetables (or if you're me and would like to love veggies a little more), then you need to check out this book, y'all. You can get it on Amazon right here. And while you're at it, check out their first book, The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook, which is packed with meat-free Southern classics.

Reset & Restore in January!

If you've been following my blog (or Instagram) for any length of time, you probably know that I do a reset/healthy eating challenge every January. I've done Crazy Sexy Diet a few times, the Abundance Diet last year, the Thrive Forward challenge, and a few more.

Back in the day, I referred to these challenges as "cleanses" or "detoxes," but I've started to shy away from that since I don't actually believe I'm clearing out toxins or anything magical. It's more of a commitment to eating healthier, whole foods to start out the year, a way to reset my eating habits after the indulgence of the holiday season. And there is NOTHING wrong with indulgence either. It's what you're supposed to do during the holidays, and damn straight I'll be eating all of the cookies, cakes, pies, and casseroles over the next couple weeks. I'll also be drinking all of the wine, Christmas ale, and holiday cocktails that I can get hands on. But after January 1st, I'm sure I'll be ready for a good dose of vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and other whole foods.

This is the image Lacy and Jessica are using to promo the reset. Looks delicious, right?!

And that's why, in January 2017, I'm embarking on Lacy Davis and Jessica Wilkins' Reset and Restore plan! Lacy is a badass, body positive fitness warrior who co-hosts the Rise & Resist podcast (my very favorite podcast!) and is getting ready to open her own queer-friendly, body posi, feminist lifting gym in Portland called Liberation Barbell. She used to run a blog called Super Strength Health, and though she's no longer updating it, you can still read old posts there. She talks a lot about overcoming eating disorders and staying strong in the face of a negative fitness culture that promotes dieting and weight loss over strength and healthy eating habits. Jessica of Mighty Steady Coaching is a competitive vegan powerlifter, as well as a health coach, nutritional counselor, and certified personal trainer.

Meet Lacy (and Albert!)

Lacy is a badass and can lift very heavy things!

The Reset and Restore plan isn't just a whole foods-based meal plan. It's a 3-week personal journey packed with intention-setting and meditation. There are (body-shaming-free!) workout videos by Lacy and Jessica of Mighty Steady Coaching and weekly guided meditations with yogi and Reiki practitioner Lauren Head. There's a private message board for those participating to connect and talk about how things are going. And yes, there is a meal plan and recipes! There is a cost — $150 — but you're getting a lot for that, and you're supporting badass vegan ladies who've put a lot of time and effort into making this happen.

Here's Jessica! She'll be leading Reset & Restore one-on-one coaching sessions!

Jessica is also a badass who lifts heavy things!!

Lacy took a few minutes to talk with me about the Reset and Restore. Here's what she has to say. I hope you'll join me in doing it this January!

VEGAN CRUNK: You're calling this a "reset" and not a "cleanse" or "detox." What's the difference, and why did you choose "reset"? 

LACY DAVIS: I hate the terms "detox" and "cleanse," because, honestly, they imply you have to eat perfectly to get rid of toxicity in the body. Real talk —we have biological processes that eliminate toxins in the body (woooo kidneys!), and juice cleanses just can't beat that. A reset is more of a moment to pause and consider your food and how it feels. I know we all get so busy during holiday times, and I think slowing down and paying attention to your body is a great idea. There's no point in restricting foods that feel good or calories in order to cleanse yourself though. That is simply coded talk for dieting, which I generally am not a fan of. 

Over the past year, you've gotten into intuitive eating. What does that mean to you, and how does that factor into the reset? Will people be encouraged to go off the meal plan if it feels right? 

The reset started as a vegan, gluten-free, processed food-free group class. I had the realization that that maybe this is the way *I* feel best eating, but for others, maybe not. I will continue to provide the meal plans for a few reasons: 1) People love them; 2) I do think part of finding out what feels good is experimentation and; 3) All the food I make tastes great, and I want to share it. But if people find the meal plans are out of alignment with what works best for them, that's totally fine! The point is to tap into your bio-individuality, meaning what works best for you. 

Besides meal plans/recipes, there are also meditations and workouts. What format will that take? 

Workouts will be videos, and the meditations will be audio recordings. 

And the plan offers support too! Will there be a secret Facebook group (or some other type of social media group)? How does the one-on-one coaching session work? 

There is a secret Facebook group, and nutrition consultation sessions are optional and to be scheduled during the three weeks with my fellow program facilitator, Jessica of Mighty Steady Coaching. 

Are the meal plans sent weekly in advance to plan for shopping time? 

All the meal plans will be sent before Day One so people can prepare! 

I know you're really into lifting. Will the workouts be lifting workouts, and if so, are they beginner-friendly? 

The workouts are home strength programs that mostly use body weight. You can go at your own pace, so yes, super beginner-friendly.

Alright y'all! I hope you'll join me. You know I'll be posting daily updates during the reset when that time begins. Until then, cheers! And pass me the cookies.

Goddess Provisions Boxes!

I subscribe to the monthly Goddess Provisions box — a curated package of crystals, teas, chocolates, candles, vegan beauty products, and more. Each month, I do an "unpacking" post to talk about all the goodies in that month's box. But in December, I got not one, but THREE BOXES from Goddess Provisions! And all on the same day! What a treat!

One of those boxes was my regular December box — the same one everyone who subscribes got this month. And the other two were special edition Goddess Provisions boxes that I paid extra for. One was a curated crystal collection, and the other was a Winter Solstice box.

We'll start with the regular December offering — the "Sacred Celebration" box. 

It contained a box of Addictive Wellness raw Love chocolate, an all-natural vegan deodorant stick by Meow Meow Tweet, a nag champa oil roller by Lola's Handcrafted, Uplift 100% pure essential oil blend by Plantlife, a green aventurine pyramid, a Rawxies Cranberry Pecan bar, and a large cloth crystal grid by The7Directions.

My favorite item is always the crystal, and the green aventurine pyramid is beautiful. It's for supercharging the heart chakra to radiate compassion and kindness. Also, that nag champa roller is probably the best roll-on scent ever. It's so strong. I put some on this morning, and at the end of the day, I still smell like a stick of incense. I haven't needed to refresh once.

I've been burning the Uplift oil — a blend of bergamot, lemongrass, and citrus oils — every morning in my oil burner as I get ready for work. It's a happy blend that boosts the mood and wakes you up!

The deodorant actually works! Or at least I think it does. You see, I always use the Thai crystal stick (nothing works quite like it!), and I occasionally put a scented, natural product over it. That's what I've been doing with this. My pits still smell like heavenly lavender, but I honestly don't know how well it would work when not coupled with the crystal. I really don't trust anything like I trust the crystal.

I had that cranberry pecan bar this morning before my workout class at the gym. I've had these Rawxies before, and they're always fantastic. They're completely raw, but they taste like dessert. And the texture is just the right level of chewy and soft.

The raw chocolates by Addictive Wellness contain love-stimulating mushrooms, like mesquite, lucuma, maca, mucuna, he shou wu, and reishi. It's also said to help calm nerves and invigorate the senses. Plus, it's stevia-sweetened!

This is the second time Goddess Provisions has included a crystal grid, but this one is cloth and much larger than the last small wooden one. I'd like to think they'll both play an important role in my crystal work. I immediately set out some stones for love, compassion, and opening the heart chakra — something we can all use in this post-election/nearly Christmas time.

Okay — next box! Goddess Provisions is offering a special edition Winter Solstice box, and I just had to have it too!

It contains a House of Good Juju solstice candle, a Dark Exact cleansing kit, some Moon Souls Solar Soak, ZenBunni Moonjuice Chocolate, and a Frisky Fish Winter Solstice Kit with a frankincense oil blend and a stick of palo santo. That Frisky Fish kit was also supposed to contain a citrine charm, but mine was missing. I've messaged Goddess Provisions, and Frisky Fish sending me one! Excellent, quick customer service!

I plan to use most of this stuff on the actual solstice — December 21st. But I have been burning the House of Good Juju candle. It's so pretty with it's little cedar sprig, juniper berries, and jasper and quartz stones. I'm burning it for a little while daily to get me into the solstice spirit.

Here's a close-up of that Dark Exact cleansing kit. It's for clearing out negative energy and welcoming the positive stuff in. It's a tiny little matchbox-sized spell with a teensy candle, a little crystal charm, a match, and some salts. Super cute!

Finally, I also received my Curated Crystal Collection box from Goddess Provisions! This was another special edition box that I opted to pay extra for. It contains five gorgeous crystals!

On the far left is a Candle Quartz, which is for use on soothing and balancing the heart chakra. Then there's a shiny Pyrite Cluster for tapping into personal power and harnessing creative potential (I put that one on my desk at work). The Citrine Cluster (middle stone with orange on top) is a joyful crystal for a self-esteem boost and positive vibes. The Kyanite Blade helps eliminate self-destructive habits, helps you speak your truth, and enhances psychic abilities. And finally, that GORGEOUS Sprit Quartz calls in harmony and positivity for your sacred space. I put that next to the front door!

Vegetarian Plus Vegan Meats!

An embarrassingly long time ago — maybe three months ago!!  — Vegetarian Plus shipped me three packages of their frozen, seasoned vegan meats to sample and review. I've no idea why it's taken me so long to review them, but here goes!

The meats are wheat gluten/soy protein-based and frozen in tasty sauces, so they're basically ready to eat. All you have to do is pair them with a healthy veggie side, and dinner is on the table. Each box contains four servings, at least according to the package, but that makes for a very small portion. I'd say two to three servings (when paired with a hearty side) is more accurate. You simply thaw and saute with veggies or grains or whatever you wish!

The sauces are amazing! And the meats are perfectly textured. I like my plant meats on the meatier side with a good, realistic chew. If you're not into vegan meat that tastes like real meat, these might be too much for you. But as long as no animals have died, I much prefer that toothsome chew. My favorite of the Vegetarian Plus meats was the Vegan Black Pepper Steaks. These were bite-sized morsels coated in a spicy-sweet-savory sauce. The black pepper flavor really stood out!

Perfect served with a side of caulipots from Appetite for Reduction (that's cauliflower mashed potatoes!) and steamed Brussels sprouts. I love how the sauce had a fair amount of oil in it, adding to the complex and rich flavor.

I loved the Kung Pao Chicken. These were chicken-like chunks coated in a spicy Asian-style sauce with hot red chiles. I sauteed them with a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies and some roasted peanuts and served over brown rice. Dinner was on the table in minutes since I cooked that rice the night before!

They also sent me the Vegan Citrus Sparerib Cutlets! With a name like "cutlets," I expected larger pieces, but these were actually more like sparerib chunks, much the same size as the Kung Pao Chicken. They were coated in a sweet 'n' sour sauce and had a great texture!

The box suggested serving these with grilled pineapple, steamed veggies, and a salad. I didn't feel like breaking out the indoor grill, so I simply sauteed the pineapple chunks with the "cutlets," and served with steamed carrots and broccoli and a light green salad. This was actually way back in September when it was still summer outside, and what a perfect, seasonal meal!

Moral to the story — LOVED these Vegetarian Plus meats! These are fantastic for those nights when you really want something delicious and don't have time to marinate tofu or make your own seitan from scratch. They also make all kinds of crazy vegan products, like chicken drumsticks and fish fillets, a ham roll, and even a vegan half chicken!

Vegan Drinks "Too Much Red Wine" Holiday Party!

Our friends Jennifer and Simon offered to host a holiday party in lieu of a regular Vegan Drinks December restaurant meetup. Jennifer said they had "too much red wine" (as if there's such a thing!) and needed help drinking it. The rest of us said we'd be glad to help with that problem.

So on Saturday night, Jennifer and Simon invited us all over for glass after glass of red wine and good company. All the rest of us had to do was bring a vegan dish to share. Here's Simon discussing a few of the wine choices.

He poured my wine into this GIANT glass. Fancy!

A kitchen shot with Don, Sheila (Vaughan's drag alter-ego), Cassi, Shay, Nicole, and co-host Jennifer.

Jennifer made the Kalamata Olive Dip from Veganomicon. It had a silken tofu base and blended kalamatas. I LOVE olives and couldn't get enough of this. We all stood around the kitchen snacking on dip for quite awhile before we fixed real plates.

I brought a couple of dishes from my friends Justin and Amy's new cookbook, The Chubby Vegetarian Cookbook. Justin and Amy live in Memphis and run the blog of the same name. Their new book is awesome, and I'll be posting a full review soon! Here's their Smashed Chickpea Dip, which looks like hummus but is actually nothing like hummus. It's smashed chickpeas cooked with white wine, capers, and garlic.

I also made their Vegetable-Packed Napa Cabbage Wraps with Peanut Sauce. The filling is made with tofu, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and spices. So good! More on this in that future post.

Shay brought her famous Homemade Pizza! She makes this for a lot of potlucks, and it's always a hit. Homemade crust, homemade sauce, vegan cheese, veggies.

Nathan and Paul brought Spinach-Artichoke Dip from Thug Kitchen. Very garlicky and delicious!

Cassi whipped up this yummy Chopped Salad with baked tofu, dried cranberries, mushrooms, cabbage, and a raspberry-pomegranate dressing.

Steven made Spaghetti with Mushrooms. Perfect with wine!

Another wine shot!

By the end of the night, Jennifer said we'd finished off 12.5 bottles of red wine, and they STILL had lots left! Such a good time! Thanks Jennifer and Simon for hosting and providing all that amazing wine.

Tandoori Tofu Kabobs with Cucumber Raita

So Delicious — makers of the best coconut yogurt!! — sent me some samples of their vegan yogurts to use in developing some new recipes. As you probably know (if you're vegan), finding an unsweetened yogurt used to be next to impossible. Thankfully, So Delicious' unsweetened coconut yogurts are now widely available, and they come in both large tubs (for recipe-making) or single-serving containers (for personal breakfasts and snacks).

Last week, I posted a recipe for a sweet fall-inspired yogurt breakfast using So Delicious' sweetened vanilla coconut yogurt (you can find that recipe here). And tonight, I'm giving you a savory dish using the So Delicious Unsweetened Plain Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternative.

This is a super-simple recipe for Tandoori Tofu Kabobs with Cucumber Raita. It's perfect for serving with naan and a side salad.

The tofu is generously coated in Indian spices, like garam masala, cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Then it's staked onto kabob sticks and grilled. The yogurt comes into play in the cooling cucumber sauce, which is created with coconutmilk yogurt, diced cucumber, and cilantro.

By the way, that naan recipe also uses coconut yogurt! I made the recipe for Yogurt Naan Griddle Bread from Vegan Eats World by Terry Hope Romero. It calls for 3/4th cup of the coconutmilk yogurt, and that makes for a very soft, pillowy flatbread that's perfect for scooping up curries, dals, or in this case, cubes of spicy tofu and cucumber sauce.

Okay, without further ado, here's the recipe for the kabobs and sauce!

Tandoori Tofu Kabobs with Cucumber Raita

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Yields 4 servings

For the kabobs:

1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. garam masala

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

Juice of one lemon

2 tsp. olive oil

For the raita:

3/4 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Plain Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternative

1/2 cup minced cucumber

2 tbsp. minced cilantro

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. salt

For the kabobs:

In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, spices, lemon juice, and olive oil until it forms a thick paste. 

Cut the tofu into 16 cubes and place onto a plate. Using a basting brush, baste the tofu in the spices, coating all sides. Cover the plate and marinate in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Heat an indoor or outdoor grill (I prefer to cover my grill grates with foil for this). Spray the grill grates or foil with non-stick cooking spray. 

Stake the tofu onto wooden kabob sticks, using four cubes per stick. Place the sticks onto the grill and grill on each side for 4-5 minutes or until the tofu begins to brown.

For the raita:

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, cilantro, cumin, and salt.

Serve kabobs with yogurt sauce and bread.