Nature's Candy

Now this is a candy store!  You can have as much as you want!

Hold on a minute..... What if you're a diabetic? Fruit is a no-no!

You can still have fruit. It's so much better for you than sugar-free (artificially sweetened) products like cake, cookies and candy.  Enjoy a few pieces of fruit daily but eat it with protein like nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios) or a of piece cheese or yogurt (vegan or otherwise). Just check the labels for the amount of added sugar to the yogurt and skip the artificially sweetened, lo-cal kinds. Plain is best. You can doctor up plain soy or regular yogurt with real vanilla extract and mix in the fruit for sweetness. No added sugar needed. If you eat dairy, plain Greek yogurt is great because it contains more protein than regular varieties.

Why eat protein with fruit? Your body will begin breaking down the protein first which causes the sugar in the fruit to release at slower pace. Just don't go too crazy with fruit (don't consume an entire watermelon in one sitting or a whole pound of cherries while watching TV) and always consult your doctor if you notice any changes in your blood sugar levels.

The Italians have it right. Big fruit, nut and cheese platters. Fresh melon wrapped in prosciutto, sliced home grown tomatoes (tomatoes are a fruit) served with fresh mozzarella......

No sugar comas here, just good food! Choose your protein and make it work!

Yes, I am a Vegan. I don't eat meat or dairy products but I work with all different kinds of people. My main focus is a plant-based diet for optimal health and wellness but that doesn't work for everyone. My goal is to teach you how to make the best, healthiest choices possible when it comes to food whether you choose to be a Vegetarian, Vegan, or a hard-core Carnivore. This is why my plan works! Because it really isn't my plan- it's yours- personalized to fit your needs and your lifestyle.

Sound interesting? Contact me and let's chat!

Healthy Eating in any Restaurant

I did something very silly this past Saturday.  A girlfriend called and invited me to a concert. I was tired, I'd worked all day, but I just can't say no to an opportunity to dance the night away to some good, live music. I raced home from work, quickly showered, applied a bit of concealer and lipstick,  and off we went.

That's not so silly. The band was great, great place, great crowd. I had an awesome time. The silly part was that in my haste to get ready, I forgot to eat dinner. Now you might be wondering how on earth does anyone forget to eat? Trust me, it happens. I don't intentionally skip meals, I just get so busy with work and all my little projects that I don't even think about food sometimes.  To be perfectly honest,  I had every intention of eating; I simply didn't have time. My girlfriend was pounding at my front door and it was time to go.

The last meal I'd eaten was lunch around noon (it was now 10PM) so I limited myself to just a couple of beers at the show. Honest. Anything more than that on an empty stomach would have spelled disaster. I danced, I sang, I mingled and when we finally we left the bar around 3AM, I was starving. There was only one choice- Burger King-  open 24 hours. JACKPOT! I ordered french fries and scarfed them down in seconds flat. Two hours later, I was as sick as a dog.

I never eat fast food. NEVER.  I can't remember the last time I had french fries and as God is my witness, I will never eat them again unless I make them myself.  What on earth was in those fries?

Well, aside from the fact they are immersed and fried in big vats of oil, Burger King fries also contain chicken flavoring. HELLO! I am a Vegan. I don't eat anything from a chicken, cow, pig, or fish. My body is no longer able to digest foods cooked or flavored with anything from animals. If I do happen to eat anything with animal fat, animal flavoring, or any kind of animal by-product,  forgive me for being so blunt, my head is in the toilet. For hours.

I learned two big lessons:
1. Never, ever skip a meal
2. Before I eat anything, I need to know what's in it.

In my quest to discover exactly what was in those Burger King fries, I stumbled upon the most invaluable source of information known to mankind: A guide to healthy eating at any restaurant. It's really geared toward vegetarians and vegans but anyone interested in making wise meal choices will find this very handy.  Included in this guide are all the fast food joints and other eating establishments you know and love. Hopefully, you don't actually love them and don't often frequent any of those types of places, but hey, stuff happens. Who would've thought I'd be eating fast food fries in the wee hours of the morning?

In a perfect world, you would always cook at home, from scratch, and know exactly what's in your food. Unfortunately, this not a perfect world and every once in awhile you have no choice but to dine in places like Burger King, McDonald's, and Olive Garden. You work hard, you don't feel like cooking, you've been on the road for hours and there's nothing else around for miles, or you do something silly like skipping dinner and find yourself shoving handfuls of greasy fries down your throat at 3 o'clock in the morning. My advice? Print this guide and memorize it.

Here's the Guide:

Healthy Eating in any Restaurant

Skinny Down Fat Tuesday!

Today is Fat Tuesday, the climactic ending to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  Mardi Gras is the extravagant carnival prior to Lent: a time of fasting, penance and prayer right before Easter. I'm not Catholic, but when I was young, my friends always gave up something for Lent: candy, cake, cookies, chewing gum, soda.  The really good Catholic girls and boys gave up TV- for forty whole days!  It was out of love for Christ they made such sacrifices. I thought this was very noble so one year I decided to follow suit and gave up candy. My somber season of sacrifice lasted two days.

I would never make a good Catholic but I can certainly celebrate Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday like no body's business!  I love a good party and simply adore New Orleans' cuisine but it can be very fattening and unhealthy. All that cream, eggs and butter and cheese. So every year I celebrate Skinny Down Fat Tuesday. It's still a party- just healthier. And without meat and animal products, of course.  :)

Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Smothered Cajun Spiced Squash

Quick Vegetarian Gumbo

Red Beans and Rice Soup

Southern Mixed Greens

Tabasco Cheddar Biscuits 
(for this recipe, replace the cheddar cheese and butter with your favorite Vegan alternatives, if desired)

Louisiana Greens and Sausage


So get your family and friends together for an amazing Skinny Down Fat Tuesday!

One more thing: if you choose to embibe, please don't drive.

Always drink responsibly.