Will be offline for at least a week . . . enjoy your days!

From Vegan Mainstream:

This 69-page online magazine is packed with articles from your favorite vegan bloggers, community leaders, chefs, and activists. Learn from them how to transform your kitchen, how fashion can save animals, what to say to the vegan opposition, why it’s time to overcome the fear of change, the challenges of transitioning a community and of course some mouthwatering recipes. These stories are not only informative, but they also encourage us all to make a difference in our own communities.

Articles, recipes, interviews and more with prominent figures in the vegan community!

• Okay, So You’re Vegan. Now What?
• The Chocolate Cake to Live For
• VegFests: An Inside Look and How to Start Your Own
• Going Veg: An International Perspective
• Vegan Parenting: Raising Compassionate Kids
• Inside Vegucated: Big Change in the Big Apple
• Kind Finds: Is Your New Favorite Product Inside?
• Recipes: Savory Dishes and Sweet Treats to Make Tonight
• Blogger Snippets: Get Advice from Top Vegan Bloggers
• Vegan Professions: Being Veg in the Business World

Photo Credit - Alter Eco

It has been a busy few weeks so this will be a brief update, but I wanted to share this lovable link for chocolate lovers who don’t partake of animal products! VegNews does it again with a wonderful compilation of products found across the U.S. The treats are flavored with everything from quinoa to bananas to figs. The Alter Eco brand is organic and Fair Trade to boot!

With some people touting the health benefits of dark chocolate for our hearts and beyond, let’s live a little!

Reprinted from Nourish – introduction by Julie Campagna and article by Ruthi Solari

Kauai Photo by Elsa Flores Almaraz

In honor of this month’s Spring Clean theme, I am thrilled to have Ruthi Solari guest blog.

Ruthi is the Nutrition Education Program Specialist for the County of San Diego’s Department of Health and Human Services. Her work includes nutrition education for CalFresh (food stamp) populations and community engagement in increasing the accessibility to healthy food in low-income neighborhoods.

Ruthi is a Certified Nutritionist through the Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy in San Diego, CA and is currently completing her Masters in Mind-Body Medicine through Saybrook University. Ruthi has worked as a Health Coach in the areas of Weight Management, Tobacco Cessation and Mind-Body skills for individuals nation-wide and she brings her knowledge of behavior modification to the implementation of SuperFood Drive: small changes in how we eat can create large changes in overall health and well being.

Ruthi found inspiration for SuperFood Drive after reading Dr. Steven Pratt’s book, “SuperFoods Rx” which opened her eyes to the health benefits of specific nutrient dense SuperFoods. This is also one of my favorite all time books. Then in January 2009 while at a “Food as Medicine” conference sponsored by the Center for Mind Body Medicine, Ruthi decided she wanted to ensure that SuperFoods were accessible to all individuals, even if they cannot afford fresh produce each week. In June 2009 SuperFood Drive was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For more information on how to get involved, please visit http://www.superfooddrive.org/.

Read more…

Photo Credit- San Diego CityBeat

I wanted to share a few exciting goings-on in the lovely spring month of April in seaside San Diego:

From San Diego CityBeat:

On Thursday, April 5, Sea Rocket Bistro’s serving up a $30, three-course prix-fixe vegetarian menu to help raise money for San Diego City College’s Urban Agriculture Program. The meal will feature produce grown at Seeds at City Urban Farm. We’re especially smitten with the Cape gooseberry bread pudding with candied fennel and gooseberry compote.

And on April 22 from 10 am to 5 pm in Balboa Park,  it is time for the 23rd annual Earthfair- the world’s largest annual environmental fair and Earth Day Celebration – produced by volunteers! For some reason this event always falls on a hot day, so bring your summer clothes and lots of water! However, the event may be in jeopardy due to conflicts between the World Beat Center and San Diego Park and Recreation Department.

From VegNews:

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale
The fourth-annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale returns April 21 to 29, giving animal-welfare advocates a tasty way to raise money for a worthy cause. Participants sell their baked goods during the prescribed time period, with proceeds benefiting the charity of their choice. Approximately $100,000 has been raised in the three years since the event’s inception.

Photo Credit- Wealth for Teens

Do you believe in the power of your thoughts? For years I have added positivity to my life by filling journals (or saying aloud) things I am grateful for. This appreciation spills from small things like candles to no-brainers of significance such as good health and amazing friends.

When it came to affirmations, I was wary, thinking they were new-age and wouldn’t work. But it seems positive thoughts really do attract what we want toward us, demonstrating the law of attraction so many people  witnessed in the book and movie “The Secret.”

Recently I started reciting affirmations daily, several times both in the morning and evening. I rapidly noticed beneficial changes. On an Oprah webcast, I watched an expert share an affirmation: “Abundance comes into my life in surprising and miraculous ways every day.”

After adding that one to my abundant repertoire of affirmations, I suddenly won two prizes within one day, received a generous and unexpected check in the mail, was treated to flowers and several meals, and so on. While affirmations take some energy to really feel and visualize, pushing past negative thoughts that may pop up, these uplifting statements are simple and cost nothing. I, for one, am convinced.

I just wanted to let readers know that after blogging regularly for almost three years on all things vegetarian and vegan, I’ll be putting more time into rejuvenation.  You’ll find me doing Chopra Center (and other) guided meditations, cooking fresh meals at home, working on fitness, building quality relationships, and more. And of course, conserving energy for the sometimes demanding non-profit work that I have been doing for years.

Because of this, you will see shorter and probably less frequent posts.

This will be a fun transition though, because to keep things fresh, I will cover a broader base of topics to include art, spirituality, travel, humanitarian issues, and other things I love to learn and teach about!

Luckily, those wanting frequent veggie info can always find ample resources, from Vegan Mainstream to The Blissful Chef (on a book tour now) to Tryveg.com.

Stay healthy!

Article by author Ruby Roth

There’s a new species of children roaming the earth. My seven year old step-daughter is one of them: she is a vegan, born and raised. She’s never had a bite of meat nor dairy nor eggs run through her digestive system. Imagine? She’s also never had an ear infection, stomach flu, tonsilitis, or antibiotics. We might consider it a miracle, except that as a vegan family, we don’t. It’s normal.

We meet more kids like our daughter, most of them little, one of them a star athlete in his late teens. The report is similar across the board—exceptional health amidst classrooms of running noses and rampant asthma, allergies, diabetes, and obesity. These vegan kids are strikingly bright, clear-eyed, aware, and even-tempered. They sleep well, they’re not tantrum-throwers, and they have attention spans seemingly beyond their years. Instilled in their forming characters is also a respect for animals, nature, and the environment. Judging from the eldest of these kids, who works at an organic farmer’s market booth on his weekends, the little ones, too, will grow up with an inherent sense of what it truly means to “go green.” This is a new generation. They will think, eat, and live differently.

Read more…

SuperFood Drive is a nonprofit in San Diego I previously blogged on. Working with partner organizations, SuperFood Drive educates the community about the health benefits of eating nutrient-dense SuperFoods and works to ensure the accessibility of healthy food to all people, especially those in need. Support their event tomorrow evening, March 5.

Join SuperFood Drive for a night of delicious food and drink!

On Monday, March 5th, Local Habit will donate a percentage of sales from beverages and select plates to benefit SuperFood Drive and it’s programming! Additionally, SuperFood Drive will be playing the role of guest bartender so all tips from the bar will support SuperFood Drive as well!

Read more…

Photo- Energydrinktruth.com

Is sugar evil? So many people struggle with cravings for sugar, succumbing to donuts or cookies at the office, and filling their coffee cup with spoonfuls of sugar time and time again, only to feel worse afterwards. The sweet stuff brings its own form of a hangover, which could include moodiness and depression, hyperactivity followed by the famous sugar crash, and more. We eat a piece of candy, and it leaves us still hungry. Turning to more food to fill the void in our stomachs, weight gain occurs. Many people are hopelessly addicted to sugar.

In a society with so many health issues – from diabetes to obesity to heart conditions and cancers -  shouldn’t we be more careful what we put into our mouths?

Read more…