Ok, so this is really cool...

You know how in my last blog post I was gushing and going on and on about how cool my school is and how you should totally check it out? Yea, well I'm not done! I just found out something today that is just…well…it's just friken awesome.

But first, let me tell you a little story…

I found out about IIN (the school I just graduated from) through a blog post by a fellow Kind Lifer on Alicia Silverstone's website. She posted a link and advertised that if you attended a call that was occurring in a few days, you would save up to $1,000 on tuition. After checking out the website and realizing that this was an amazing opportunity, I jumped at the offer! I emailed Coach Blair and I was contacted almost immediately. Though I only had to attend one of three live calls, I ended up attending all 3 because they were so exciting and inspiring. Fast forward to a year later, and I can't believe I am already done with school and have had such an amazing education!

So here's the really cool thing. Are you ready? Seriously, can you handle what I'm about to tell you? Oh boy, here it goes.

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition is allowing me to give YOU the same opportunity I had!

AAAAH!

You may think I am overreacting, but I promise…this is such an amazing opportunity. IIN presents its student's with such wonderful tools and lessons. Not only do they provide great education on health and nutrition, but they also give their students business lessons! How many programs include business planning/structuring WITH their health program?! The thing is, you don't have to become a Health Coach. There are so many things you can do with the given education.

So here's how it all works. It's simple, I promise.
Attend at least one of these special live calls

Why My Healthy Isn't Your Healthy

Is Health Coaching Right For You? 7/23

What I Wish I'd Known About IIN Before I Started 7/24

As I said before, I ended up attending all 3 calls because they were so fantastic, but you just have to attend one. Also, contact Coach Blair at coachblair@integrativenutrition.com and let her know that I (Tommy Oaks) sent you! Or you can call (877) 733-1520, mention my name, and they'll take care of you! And THAT is how you save up to $1,000 on enrollment.  Honestly, enrollment could not be any easier. If a highly sensitive introvert can do it, you can do it too.

Be Kind. Be Curious. Be an IINer!

Now Is Your Chance!

I'm so thrilled to be able to share with you the opportunity to enroll in the school I just recently graduated from, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It has been such a life changing and rewarding year. I want you to have the same opportunities and more.

Just a little over a year ago, I was in a pretty bad place. I was at a job I didn't like, working for a company I couldn't stand, I was dealing with realizing I'm an HSP. You can read about all of that HERE. Once I started school, it felt like everything just started falling into place. I always loved health and healthy foods and focusing on the great things in life. IIN helped me do just that. I finally felt like I was surrounded by likeminded people and was given such great information on how to not only change my life, but to help make a difference in the world and change the lives of others. If you feel stuck and know you need to change, to make a difference in yourself and/or others, just click on the banner below and start the journey to a new you. And mention that I, Tommy Oaks, sent you! The scariest part about starting a new beginning is, well, the very beginning! Trust me, I was terrified! But I quickly learned that I didn't have anything to worry about. Change can be difficult, but it is often just what we need!

Also, check out, like and share my Facebook page for some healthy tips, recipes and every day inspiration!




Be kind. Be curious. Be courageous. 

I'm not a certified dog whisperer...

It has been 5 months since my last post.
Oops. 

As of yesterday, I am officially a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition! I am now a certified Holistic Health Coach! Woohoo! You should definitely go "like" my Facebook page. I offer great tips, recipes, guidance and more! It's something I am incredibly passionate about. Helping others reach their full potential is something I am driven to do. Contact me for a free consultation and we can set it up through Skype, or if you're in the area where I live, in person! I specialize with people between the ages of 18 and 30, but I'm willing to take on clients with anyone around that age group, as well.

So, what's new in my life that isn't business related?
Not a whole lot.
Summer is in full swing. It's about 834 degrees here. Just looking outside makes me want to whimper and throw myself in front of the air vent. Just like my dog is doing.
Wait.
Maybe that's why it's so stuff in here.
Stay tuned for my next post on how to convince a slightly overweight Golden Doodle to move away from the air vent on your living room floor.

Be kind. Be curious. Be cool. Be a great person and "like" and share my Facebook page.

Amazing Vegan Mac N' Cheese

For years now, I've been wanting to make vegan mac n' cheese. I've attempted the box versions.
You know what I'm talking about. The JUST ADD WATER! versions. Oh boy, were they gross. I'm not a huge fan of using vegan "cheese" in recipes. Anytime I have melted vegan cheese, it just got way too gooey and rubbery.

I've collected many recipes to make my own, but I've been too intimidated. Turning cashews into a powder? What kind of wizardry is this?! I was always convinced I would somehow screw something up. But then, on a cold winter's night, it hit. A craving. An insane craving for macaroni and cheeseless cheese. So I took to the web and found a simple and delicious looking recipe on ohsheglows.com and new I had found the recipe that I was brave enough to try. Yes, it called for turning cashews into a powder, but I figured I had to give it a shot. What did I have to lose? Except maybe a food processor that is probably older than I am. An interesting ingredient in this version is roasted butternut squash. I was a little skeptical, afraid that it might make it stringy or super mushy. But alas, I gave it a go.

I cheated a bit and purchased pre-chopped butternut squash. I just couldn't see myself attempting to hack open a squash. I've done it several times before, but I lack nice, sharp knives. Have you ever tried cutting a squash with dull knives? Let's just say that it shot off the counter more and once. And I got the blade stuck a few times. I'm pretty sure that if I even walked into the kitchen with a whole squash, the knives would just crumble under the pressure.

Anyway. The ingredient list was short and the prep time was even shorter. The longest part of the whole process was roasting the squash. While that was roasting, I threw all of the other ingredients into a bowl, except for the cashews. Those little suckers went right into the food processor. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when trying to powderize the nuts, but it took a little longer that I thought it would. Again, my food processor is ancient. I think I heard it swearing at me after a few minutes. Once I had the cashew into powder form, I threw the remaining ingredients into the food processor, including the squash. It didn't take much blending at all to see the "cheese" sauce come into being. This is about the time I started to do a happy dance. What gave it the cheesy flavor is the nutritional yeast. It is the go-to ingredient for giving things a cheesy flavor.

I dumped the cheesy sauciness into a bot of cooked, drained pasta and cried tears of joy. I actually just did another happy dance, but I was close to crying tears of joy. A few stirs and a minute or two of heating…and I had a delicious, vegan mac n' cheese.  I was a little bummed to see that it didn't take very long for it to start getting thick and a little clumpy, but in my warped little head….that just meant EAT IT ALL! The recipe also gave the option to make it into a casserole, which will be my next attempt. The only thing I would maybe change would be to omit the garlic and add more mustard. I love garlic, but it just seemed like a bit of an odd flavor to throw into the mix. Give the recipe a shot and let me know what you think!

Also, don't forget to head over to my Facebook page True North Guide, like and share!

Be kind. Be curious. Be cheesy ;-)

Ingredients

• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (yields: 3.5 cups raw)
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened + unflavoured soy milk), or more to thin out
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 6-7 tbsp Nutritional yeast (provides the cheesy consistency)
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp or a bit more of dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Tumeric powder, optional (gives the orangey colour)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Paprika + more to season
• Your pasta of choice (I used ~450 grams/4.5 cups dry penne for the casserole) + mix-ins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet. In a bowl, season chopped squash with some oil (~1 tsp) and kosher salt (couple pinches) and stir. Add to baking sheet and roast in oven for 40 minutes, flipping once half way through baking.
2. If making the baked casserole: Process 1 slice of bread + 1 tbsp Earth balance until crumbs form in a food processor. Set aside. If you plan on enjoying it straight from the pot you can skip this step.
3. Assemble your cheeze sauce ingredients (cashews, non-dairy milk, garlic, lemon, salt, nutritional yeast, pepper, mustard, seasonings) and add just the cashews to food processor. Process until a fine crumb forms similar to corn meal. Now add in the rest of the cheese sauce ingredients and process until smooth. Leave the sauce in the processor as you will be adding the squash.
4. Cook your pasta according to package directions. When squash is finished roasting, add it to the food processor and blend it with the cheese sauce until smooth. Adjust to taste. The sauce will thicken up with time. If at any point the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a bit of milk to thin it out.
5. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Now add the pasta back into the same pot and add your desired amount of cheeze sauce on top. Stir well. Add in any desired mix-ins like peas or broccoli. You can either heat this up in the pot, or pour it into a casserole dish (I used a 4 cup dish), sprinkle on breadcrumbs + paprika, and bake it at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. The casserole will serve about 4 people if you use 450 grams dry macaroni or penne. Store any leftover sauce in the fridge and use within a few days.

2013 Recap and 2014 Resolutions

Well, another year is over.
Another chapter has closed.

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year. Can you believe how fast 2013 went?! It's insane!
I was lucky enough to bring in the New Year with the stomach flu. I haven't even had a cold in two years, but this was how I was christened for 2014.
2013 was one huge roller coaster ride of a year.

I hit a point where I hated my job so much, I became seriously depressed every day I worked.
I discovered that I'm not a total freak ( bite your tongue)
I realized my doctor did NOT have my best interest in mind
I had a slight meltdown
I had a not so slight meltdown
I had Titanic sized meltdown
I quit my job
I found an amazing school and enrolled
I started a new job that I love
I've made amazing friends that I know will be around for a very long time

Take a gander at the above list, again. Do you notice something? For a while, I have a lot of really crappy things happening to me. It got to the point where it was all just too much to handle, and I cracked.
I cracked WIDE open.
And then the light finally came in.
Once I let some light in, everything started falling into place.

Am I always walking on sunshine and thinking "Golly, life is perfect!"
Yea-NO.
Of course not. But I now see that when bad things happen, it doesn't mean that they are necessarily bad. They're experiences. They are occurring because we need to learn from them. Something is coming our way that we may not be prepared for or may not have the correct tools to deal with, so we have to get through the tough stuff first.

What does this have to do with you?
Have you given yourself any New Years resolutions? Think about that. I, personally, think New Years resolutions are dangerous. You're giving yourself a specific start date for change to happen. So in 2 months when you aren't where you wanted to be at that time, then what? Throw in the towel? Figure out what isn't working and change that? Most people go with the first option.

So, do me a favor. For the new year, please don't be so hard on yourself.
You'll get discouraged, absolutely.
You'll get knocked down, brush yourself off.
You'll hit some road blocks, accept them.
They are there for a reason. And if need be, hit back even harder.

Focus on your health. Both mental and physical. Don't torture yourself with excruciating diets. I'll soon have my health coaching business up and running. Give me a call. I'm here to cheer you on and help you be as happy and healthy as you can be.
Meanwhile, head over to my Facebook page and give it a "like" for updates and tips.
https://www.facebook.com/TrueNorthGuide

Be kind. Be curious. Be determined.

Have A Great Meal Without Wanting Your Stomach Pumped Afterwards. aka The Holiday Prep Post

Can you believe we are almost through November?
Almost through 2013?!
Oy vey!

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and while I don't support why we celebrate, it's an excuse to make lots of food and a chance to surround yourself with people you love. Two of my favorite things!

Being the only non meat eater (let alone vegan) in my family, food based gatherings came become a little frustrating. Though I have been veggie for 4 years now, my family still just doesn't get it.  I now acknowledge that they just don't want to. Every vegetable dish gets smothered in butter, that's just the kind of eaters they are. So, when I am heading to a family food gathering, I know it will solely be up to me to provide food I can eat.

Last year, I made a HUGE Thanksgiving meal. I may have gone overboard. I'm pretty sure at one point in the day, Martha Stewart was trying to contact me to make sure I wasn't going off the deep end. This year, because of budget, I have to reel it in quite a bit. This year, my menu consists of (so far…and is subject, and likely, to change…)
Potato, Spinach, Parsnip Casserole topped with roasted Mushrooms
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
a warm Quinoa Salad (a work in progress)
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Baked Apples

 I usually prepare a faux meat dish, along with some sides. Over the past year, I've really been rethinking the whole faux meat thing. I think that it's great for someone who is transitioning, or for special occasions like holidays. I just ask that you make sure you know what is in your faux meat. Just because it isn't animal, doesn't mean that it's necessarily good for you. I recommend Googling some brands and figuring out what you feel comfortable with. Make sure you understand the ingredients!

Most people feel that since it is the holiday season, they get a free pass to eat whatever they want and however much they want. Then when the new year rolls around, they head to the gym because they've gained so much weight. Don't let yourself be one of those people. You can eat a variety, without eating large amounts! Try to focus on hearty, filling dishes.

EAT SLOWLY. Are you competing in an eating competition? Probably not. The more you focus on actually chewing your food, we're talking chewing until there is nothing left to chew, the more nutrients you will get from your food and the more full you will feel…faster. Ever wonder why you feel fine while downing your two or three plates of food…then suddenly you feel like Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? You're not giving your body enough time to recognize the mass amounts of food you're eating.

This doesn't mean, however, that you should make yourself miserable. If you want that extra slice of pie…have it. Just don't make the extra slice 3 times the size of an average slice. You'll be amazed at how these few simple tips can leave you feeling satisfied and not like you need to be rolled to the bathroom.

Be kind. Be curious. Be thankful.

Life Update

Oh, the changes that have occurred!

Greetings blog readers! It sure has been a crazy summer! It began in April with a mini breakdown of sorts, I started school in July and a new job at the beginning of this month!

WHOA!!!

It seems that after feeling that life had become pretty stagnant for a few years, it just took a little emotional/spiritual/mental breakthrough (or breakdown) to get the ball rolling. I am a firm believer that, no matter how hard you try, the right things will not come to you until you are ready for them. And no amount of my kicking and screaming was going to change that.

As I mentioned, I started school in July. I am taking a one year course at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It's an online course that has a kind of go at your own pace way of teaching. Part of the stagnancy I experienced over the past few years was largely because I just didn't know what to do with my life. I have never really been one to go with what everyone else is doing, and I knew that going thousands of dollars in debt for a degree I likely wouldn't use just wasn't an option. Nor was it an option to get a full time job working in a warehouse (pretty much the only two options around here for a twenty-something year old). I want to help and educate people, save the planet, not neglect myself for my job (a BIG no no for an HSP).

One day I was browsing the discussion forums on TheKindLife.com and found a lot of people talking about IIN. I figured it sounded too good to be true and was probably a scam. So I Nancy Drew'd the hell out of it. While there are the occasional disgruntled students, it seemed like the perfect thing for me.  Within 2 weeks, I was signed up and within another two weeks classes began! Once again, thanks to Alicia and great, fellow Kind-Lifers, my life has changed!
IIN trains you to become a health coach so you can help yourself and others! And instead of it simply being about what you eat, it focuses on the health of mind, body AND spirit! Perfect! Though only a little over a month in, I can't wait until I start taking on clients! More to come on that as it unfolds...


Another big change is my new job. I worked in the coffee shop for 4 years.

 That's a long time to work in a coffee shop.

Let me rephrase. That's a long time to work in a coffee shop that does very little business and for a company that knows very little about coffee shops.

I needed out.
ASAP.

I am now working in a large bookstore. Is it an incredible job that makes me want to do a handstand and skip around all day? No. But it's a much needed change until I can start taking on clients and getting a little extra income.

For the first time in a pretty long time, I can say that I'm pretty content.

(Please note: I am a Gemini and being content is often a passing state of mind.)

Until next time, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later.

Be kind. Be curious. Be patient. 

Do Yourself A Favor...Watch.

Tofu Scramble By A Psycho

Greeting!

It has been an interesting few weeks! I have learned that I can not trust my doctor. Read my last post. I called him immediately and heard back from his receptionist two weeks later. He then claimed that I have completely made up High Sensitivity and wanted me to sign off on psychiatric treatment. 

SAY WHAT?! 

Yes, so I will no longer be going to that doctor.

I still plan on posting some videos about being an HSP, but I think I will go about it differently. I posted some links in a previous post that talk about what an HSP is and isn't. It really can't get any more direct. Well, it can, but I'll let you do your research if you're interested. So, if you have any questions, ask them and I will respond in a video! 

Now, onto what this post is really about. 

Food.

Yes, delicious, yummy, incredible food.

The other morning I made something that I would consider one of the easiest and tastiest things I have ever thrown together. 

Tofu Scramble.

I have made tofu scramble before. It just wasn't that great. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't something I'd make often. It's kind of the vegan equivalent of scrambled eggs. I kind of have a love/hate relationship with tofu. When it comes to me actually making something with tofu, it's usually a hate relationship. 

I mean, there's a reason the stuff gets made fun of a lot. It can be pretty gross. 

But not with this tofu scramble. I'm going to tell you how to make it, then you can thank me. After you eat the entire pan. 

Start off with a block of extra firm tofu. Drain all of the water from it (it's best to do this the night before, you'll see why). You will need to put all of your weight into pressing all of the water out. But it will still be a soaked block of tofu. So, put the block on a plate, put another plate on top of it and place in the fridge. Put something heavy on top of the plate, so that it puts weight on the tofu. I used a big ole bottle of wine. Don't judge. Leave it there over night. 

The next morning, chop up half of a yellow onion and saute it in about a tablespoon of olive oil until it's a nice golden color. Dice up half of a green bell pepper and throw it in as well. Using a fork, a masher of some sort, or your two clean hands....smash the hell out of the tofu until it's all crumbled. Throw it in the pan! Don't forget some mushrooms! If you're like me and love mushrooms, throw in crap load of mushrooms. 

Now for the seasonings. 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and a few splashed of soy sauce and a few sprinkles of turmeric.  Let them all get happy in the pan for a few minutes until the the tofu starts looking like scrambled eggs. You'll know when it's done. Pile a heaping mound on your plate and top it off with some Daiya shreds and there you go. A plate of heaven. 

You're welcome. 

Be kind. Be curious. Be hungry!

Oh, and be aware that your doctors may not have your best interest at heart.

HSP Diaries- Never Again.

I went to my family doctor on Wednesday to see what my options were for managing my sensitivity related stress.

He kind of knew what I was talking about

But he was running behind, so the appointment was rushed. 

He decided that I needed Paroxetine, a kind of Paxil, to take the edge off

I wasn't fond of that idea. But he assured me it was a low dose and that if I didn't take something, I could become severely depressed. 

He also prescribed me a very low dose of Xanax, which I told him I certainly wasn't comfortable taking

He said, "See you in two weeks."

Yesterday I took my first dose of Paroxetine in the morning. 

"One pill, every morning."

Two hours later, the door to Hell was opened

And I still haven't left.

Two hours after swallowing the tiny white oval, my world didn't matter. Nothing mattered. 

Time had no meaning.

There was no sadness.

Or anger.

Or happiness.

An intense feeling of "this is not right, something is definitely wrong", but feeling completely helpless about it.

And can we talk about how light headed I was? 

Grab onto something quick because you're going down! kind of light headed.

I had to work yesterday afternoon/evening and I couldn't even finish my shift. 

Actually, a lot of yesterday was a blur.

I was exhausted. SO exhausted.

But I haven't slept.

I tossed and turned all night. Only getting 3 hours of sleep. And I'm wide awake.

I have to be at work in 2.5 hours. I have absolutely no clue how I'm going to make it through my shift.

My head is pounding. I'm exhausted. Every time I yawn, my hands feel as though they are cramping up.

My doctor will be getting a call today.

I was told my body has to get used to the the drug.

I don't want to get used to this feeling!

I don't want to not feel anything!

It makes no sense really, why I was prescribed the drug.

It's used to treat sever depression and anxiety (among other things).

Not for mild depression caused by severe stress. 

Never again.

I went from being hyper aware, to completely unaware of everything around me.

I have never taken any kind of antidepressant before, and will never again.

I thought this was something that there would be no natural solution for. But there has to be one better than this.

Be kind. Know your body. Ask questions. Do your research.

A Return To Innocence

It has been nearly 7 months since I've blogged last.

Holy crap.

To be honest, I lost steam.
I began forcing myself to post things, just so I didn't feel like a failure at blogging.
I write. A lot.
But it was hard for me to write interesting things every day. I wanted to be entertaining and insightful and informative. I wanted to prove that veganism and being kind to the environment and people and animals was fun. Because it is! But I noticed that I was started to go about it in a way that wasn't very fun for me. I tried not to get too "deep" for fear of turning people off. I tried to be extra peppy sometimes, turning myself off.

So I stopped.

A few months ago, I began making random and odd YouTube videos. But again, I found that I was trying too hard to be constantly peppy and, well, trying to force a part of who I am to be the whole of who I am. Make sense?

So I stopped.
Well, stopped forcing it, anyway.

Why can't I be like this person or that person? Why does it feel like being me is so confusing and exhausting? Then I began to think. A lot. I always have. I over think things until I'm on the verge of losing my mind.
Why am I so conflicted with myself?
Why do things affect me more than they seem to affect others?
Ever since I was a little kid, I was always told to "let it go", but never could and still can't seem to.
Why have my relationships been so tumultuous?
The list could go on and on and on. And does.

Turns out, I make up small portion of people (20%) that is considered to be "highly sensitive".
No, that doesn't mean that I cry at the drop of a hat, or that I'm a "wimp".
In a nutshell ( a very condensed nutshell), my brain takes in WAY more than is necessary.

This new revelation is something I am trying very hard to understand completely. I am at a point in my life where intense stress is almost an every day thing. I have bad days. I have really bad days. And I have really good days.

I want to take you on this journey. You may very well find that you too are and HSP (highly sensitive person). We're not a very large group of people, but we are a very special group of people.

There are many characteristics that hold true primarily with HSP's, that I honestly didn't know were special to me...so to speak. I just thought I was weird. Well, more so than the average person.

This blog will continue to be about veganism and the environment and animals and kindness.
But it will also be about mental health, spirituality, the exploring of emotions and so much more.

Over the next few weeks or so, I will be uploading some videos of me talking about what it means to be an HSP. And what it doesn't mean. I'll end this post by providing links to some articles that are very helpful in understanding what high sensitivity is all about. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will answer them the best that I can.
I know that this will not be entirely accepted by some. I have already dealt with those who roll their eyes at the topic. But it IS real. It is very real. I hope that if anything, I can expand and open your mind.

Be kind. Be curious. Be accepting of your special self.

Characteristics of Highly Sensitive People
Being an HSP

Little Randoms

I know I know, it has been decades since I have posted a new..well, post. But my sorry was pretty much spent working.
That's it.
Working.
This is going to be a quick, random little post to assure you that I am alive and haven't forgotten about you lovely readers. Fall is fast approaching (thank you Baby Jesus!) and that means I am whipping out old recipes and searching high and low for yummy new ones! I think that this autumn I am going to have a sort of autumn festival. I want to invite my friends over for a vegan potluck, but keep it autumn themed. More on that later, as I haven't ironed everything out just yet.

I want to share this video with you of the wonderful Linda Long (read about me meeting her here) talking about her new book Virgin Vegan! It isn't out yet, but if you know what's good for ya, you'll keep an eye out for it! It is bound to be a really great book, full of all you need to know....well....just watch the video! Be kind, be curious, be festive, be on the lookout for Virgin Vegan!

And The Heat Goes On...

If you are anywhere around the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.
then you'll know that it is hotter than the hinges of Hell.

We have been stuck in a scorching heat wave for the past few days...today reaching the highest at around 108 degrees.
As I state every summer...I DO NOT do well in the heat. I get very grumpy, very fast.

As most people realize (I really hope all people realize), when it is this hot out, it is extremely important to drink as much water as possible. If you allow yourself to start feeling thirsty, you're probably already getting quite dehydrated. I have a 16 fluid ounce glass bottle that I refill about 5 or 6 times a day.
Yesterday I drank two bottles in the morning, then went away for about 8 hours...without drinking much water the rest of the day. By the time I got home last night, I had a horrible headache and felt very fatigued. Dehydration is a sneaky little bastard that can do a lot of damage.

While on the subject of drinking enough water, I'd like to remind you of the serious dangers of drinking from a plastic bottle. I know, I know...it's so convenient to just buy a plastic bottle of water from the store. But money wise, if you purchase a water filter for your tap, and buy a reusable, non-plastic water bottle...you will end up saving a lot of money as opposed to buying cases of water. You will also be preventing a lot of really nasty toxins from entering your body. You owe it to yourself to watch this documentary, Tapped. My mind was absolutely blown.

On a lighter note..I would like to share one of my favorite summer recipes.
Sure a vegan can grab some dairy-free ice cream and go to town, but I still don't find it very healthy and often don't want such a heavy consistency on a hot day.
So, straight from the incredible book Color Me Vegan, I give you...Watermelon Granita.
The first time I made this, I could not get over how delicious and refreshing it is..and I still love it! So here ya go! Be kind, be curious, be hydrated, be refreshed!

Watermelon Granita (From Colour me Vegan)

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup of water
• 4 cups of watermelon chunks (about half a watermelon)
• Juice of one lime
• Mint leaves for garnish

Make a simple syrup by combining the water and sugar on the stove over high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Add the cooled syrup, watermelon and lime to a blender and puree. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish (casserole or something similar) and put it in the freezer. After one hour, take it out and rake it with a fork. Put it back in the fridge and repeat this 3 times. Serve in pretty glasses and garnish with watermelon slices and mint.

Imperfections Are Yummy!

Now that summer is just around the corner and produce is looking better and better, I thought I'd touch a little bit on the whole topic of organic fruits and veggies.
 I try to buy local produce as much as possible. Luckily my grocery store provides a rather small (but it's still there!) selection of local, organic produce. It is definitely pricier, but I feel absolutely fine paying a little extra for top quality fruits and veggies. However, just because it's local...it doesn't mean it's organic!

Something I constantly hear a lot about is the difference between organic and non organic produce. Many people (admittedly older people) feel that there is absolutely no difference and that organic farming is a scam to get more money for the same amount of product. Please do your research! I understand that organic food can be expensive, but so can the side affects of not eating organic. I admittedly opt out of an organic ingredient from a dish if I am really really tight for money. I believe I probably eat about 98% organic. Even if you only eat 70% organic...it's better than not eating organic at all!

A lot of people go for the non organic produce simply because it looks better. Non organic produce always seems "picture perfect". Everything is the same mega size, the perfect color. But is it really necessary? I like the little imperfections! I find that organic fruits and veggies have a much deeper, natural color. I have personally noticed that a lot of the non organic produce that is "picture perfect" seems to be tasteless. A great test to this...grab a few non organic strawberries, the ones that are the size of a chihuahua. You know which ones I am talking about. They are usually light red with white near the stem. Now, grab a couple of organic strawberries. They are noticeably smaller, but a deep red color. Slice into them. You'll notice a huge difference. Then, try them! If you can't tell the difference....you may want to get your taste buds examined. I'm just saying...

To be honest, I could never really taste the difference in organic fruits and veggies before I became a vegetarian a few years ago. But since I have cut out all of the nasties....WOW! So go for the test! See if you can tell the amazing difference!

Click on THIS link to find out the top 12 things you should ALWAYS eat organic and why!

What are your views on organic foods?

Be kind, be curious, be organic!

New Steps!

My last post, Vulnerability and Shame, was my most viewed post to date. To be honest, I wasn't sure if it would get any views at all..and boy, was I surprised!
It makes me so happy to know that my little group of readers are just as interested in understanding and exploring oneself as I am. I feel like this allows me to open up another corridor of my blog, so to speak. Most of you know my passions and interests by now. So far, my blog has mainly consisted of posts about veganism, activism etc., all things that play a very large roll in my life. But why not share not only my journey with food and animals and nature and activism, but with spirituality as well? After all, isn't that being kind AND curious? I don't want to discuss religion. That, as we all know, is a very slippery slope. I consider myself a spiritual person, but not a religious person. I do, however, respect all beliefs...so long as they cause no ill will or harm to others.
I will continue to post about all of the previous things I have blogged about, that are a part of my life, but I will now also include articles and such that I find fascinating. Whether it's dipping a toe into understanding the human psyche, having an "a-ha moment", putting previous beliefs to test, so on and so for. I hope you all find these posts equally as interesting. As always, I hope you will give feedback and share this blog with others. Connecting based on common interests is a beautiful things. I'll leave you with an article posted by actress Rachelle Lefevre on twitter. I first glanced at the article but became so captivated that I read through it and knew I wanted to share with all of you. Just click on the title! Be kind, be curious, be the one to ride the crocodile!




Why Lying Broken in a Pile on Your Bedroom Floor is a Good Idea. ~ Julie (JC) Peters

Vulnerability and Shame

A new friend (and hopefully a friend who will become a close, long lasting friend) sent these videos to me about an hour ago. I watched them and immediately knew I wanted to share them with you. Each video is a little over 20 minutes, but I promise you that they are absolutely worth your time. So please watch, and tell me what you think. Be kind curious...and honest to yourself and others.

Vulnerability



Shame

I Need Your Help!

I finally have my laptop back!
Oddly enough, the two things that I mourned over losing the most were my iTunes and a cook book that I made on my laptop full of great vegan recipes that have been shared with me or that I have found online.
The good thing is that I was able to recover all of my songs on iTunes (I'm not going to lie...I was in full panic attack mode), the bad thing is that I lost ALL of my recipes. Ones that I used quite a bit, and ones that I had been so eager to try.

So now, I need your help. I would like for you to share your favorite vegan recipes. I don't care if it's desserts, breakfast, drinks, whatever! Now, I'm no gourmet chef, so let's not go all Iron Chef on me.
Either comment below, send me a link on here or on twitter (Tommy9008) or find some other creative way. Please no carrier pigeons.

I shall be working on catching up with my blog friends and fill you all in on the happenings of the past month or so. Baby steps so I don't end up burning myself out just yet!

Thanks kids! Be kind, be curious, be giving!

Dooooon't Yooouu Forget About Me

I haven't abandoned you. I promise. I have SO much to blog about!

But here's the thing...
Technology has failed me.

My laptop crashed.

Guess who was stupid and didn't have a back up hard drive?

The death of my hard drive was over a week ago, the beautiful white corpse of my MacBook lay peacefully on my shelf.

Hopefully this week or weekend I will be able to get a new hard drive. It also helps that I have a friend who is willing to install it for free.

So, I hope you don't forget about the blog and stay tuned for some pretty great reads (or at least I hope good reads).

I shall hopefully be back soon!

2012-The Beginning

Well, I had about 2 holiday related posts planned...
Then the holidays happened...
And the posts didn't...

I don't really have anything to say about the holidays because they didn't seem very holiday-ish this year. And now it's 2012! Wow! 2011 went by crazy fast, yet parts of it seem so far away. At the end of each year I usually make a massive post about my life over the past year. This year, nah. Why rehash all of the ups and downs? Why not just cherish, learn and grow from them? I like that idea. At the beginning of each year I also usually say that I'm going to do this and that and the other thing. This year, I'm still doing that to an extent. I'm doing it for myself, and myself only.

I know what my goals are for the year.
And I'm not talking about being a better person or donating more. I feel like that should be an everyday goal, not some distant thing that you feel is something nice to strive for.
I'm talking about life changing things.
I know what those goals are.
You don't.
And that's ok.
I have noticed over the past year that when I speak of my current situation and my future plans, I know what I need to do for me. But others overruled my plans/ goals as "ridiculous" or "wishful thinking". I was told that I was "existing, not living". That was a knife in the heart. Just because you THINK you know a person, it doesn't mean you do. There are days when I feel so full of life and love that I can hardly handle it! I contribute to the universe numerous ways, every day. As does everyone! It's in your hands to make it a positive contribution. This year I am making sure I don't let anyone get me down with THEIR negativity.

Contrary to popular belief, the Mayan calendar does NOT end in 2012, but instead begins a new cycle. Apparently 2012 is to begin a sort of spiritual rebirth for the universe, ourselves, mankind, etc. If this is true, then I am beyond excited. I think we all need a rebirth, but why wait for some prophetic calendar cycle to run out? I hope that in 2012 we can all begin to love and accept and tolerate and embrace and grow. Let's put an end to radical politics and using religion as a weapon. Let's finally open our eyes and hearts to what goes on our plate and into our bodies, as well as what is ripped from our ground and and being buried under concrete, what's being thrown in our streams and oceans, what's being poured in our waters. Let's love, laugh, give, live! Let's think of health not as a pesky thing we have to keep checking on, but a beautiful gift to take care of!

I am so grateful for YOU.
You who read my blog, who comment, contact and follow me on twitter. Who offer your opinions, advice and gratitude for my posts. I want to continue sharing as much as I can. I have most recently started another blog. It's called Jagged Little Thrill. It's a space where I can share some of my writings and hopefully connect with you on a different level. There is some light, some dark, some beauty, some reflection. I hope you continue to enjoy this blog as well as my new blog and are eager to share with other readers.

May the year bring you all you deserve. Be kind, be curious, be positive, be reborn.

For all of you :-)

Thanksgiving

I don't agree with Thanksgiving in the U.S. I just don't. I think it's kind of a horrible thing to celebrate. The tradition is awful. I am all for being thankful and acknowledging what you are thankful for, but you shouldn't have to pick a day out of the year to do it. You should be thankful everyday. And the turkey thing. Why is every American holiday based around a dead animal of some kind? Whether it's burgers on the grill for the 4th of July, turkey for Thanksgiving or ham for Christmas. We say how thankful we are for things, then go kill an innocent animal to feed ourselves and others. To me, that just doesn't add up. Then there's the reason we celebrate Thanksgiving. Let's be real, there was no White Man chowing down with the Native Americans. White Man came and stole from the Natives and killed them. I will not celebrate that. How could you? But as America, we like to ignore the horrible things WE have done and try to make it into a celebration. Now, that is the end of the ranting. I know, depressing. I just had to get it out.

Now, as for my Thanksgiving. I went to my grandmas along with the rest of my family, as is tradition. I ended up only really being able to eat sweet potatoes. That's it. Later in the evening I fixed a completely vegan fest for myself, my sister and her fiance. I didn't want to make a big meal for only myself, so they agreed to eat whatever I made. Kudos to them! I will gladly toot my own horn because it was delicious. The only disaster was when the lid came off of the salt canister and dumped the entire contents on my freshly roasted brussel sprouts. I swore like a trucker and threw a fit. Tears and all. But then I simply washed them off, roasted them a bit longer and all was well. The menu consisted of roasted brussel sprouts, homemade cranberry sauce, some sauteed mushrooms, baby carrots in a dill sauce (the same from Easter, my sister demanded them), and herb "sausage" stuffing that was a bit disappointing but I will work on, couscous and Tofurkey with an absolutely delicious rub that Anneka from Plant Happy Life shared with me. Everyone loved it! There is something so satisfying with making a big meal that everyone enjoys! Now for the pictures. I hope you had a kind and cruelty (and stress!) free Thanksgiving!


I had never seen brussel sprouts on their stem thinger before. My inner 5 year old loved it!










The colors look quite dull, but that's only because I used my phone to take the pictures. Everything was so vibrant looking! The cranberry sauce was made with apple cider to take away some of the tartness. I love cranberries, and this was delicious! The picture of my sister from the Easter post has become kind of famous with the family, so it had to be re-created!

Tommy-Kitchen Warrior