This week we are going to take another small step into the world of healthy eating and living. One of our favorite points of reference is
The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone. Her website,
The Kind Life, in addition to the book are fantastic places to begin exploring a world without meat, and clean eating. Alicia begins simply, touching on the idea of being a 'flirt' with becoming a vegetarian and explaining the monumental effects a cleaner diet can have on our bodies.
Below are recipes that are not only meat, free, but are vegan as well. Don't let the process intimidate you, and don't assume you can only eat lettuce and that you won't have enough protein. We assure you, with a small amount of planning and getting excited about changing your life and your body, it will be an easy process!
Black Bean Burger with Guacamole:
1 avocado
1 tbsp. of lime juice
salt/pepper
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup of chopped garlic
1/4 cup of chopped onion
1 tsp. of cumin
1/4 cup of chopped tomato
15 oz. (one can) of black beans
For the Guacamole:
1. In a small bowl mash avocado, stir in lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the Burgers:
1. In a food processor, or with a potato masher combine black beans, bread crumbs, garlic, onion, cumin and olive oil
2. Form mixture into four or five 1/2 thick patties
3. Cook the patties in a light coating of olive oil on a non-stick skillet. (About five minutes each, until cooked through, and browned on each side)
4. To serve, top patties with guacamole and chopped tomato
*add in a delicious hot sauce for an extra kick, and you can also serve with chips and salsa!
Artichokes with roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato sauce on buttered angel hair pasta:
What you will need:
1 artichoke, peeled and quartered
1 large red pepper, halved and seeded
1/2 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup of tomato paste
1tsp. of brown sugar
1 cup of mushrooms, finely chopped
1 dash of red wine
angel hair pasta
1tsp of butter (we use
Earth Balance)
2tbs. of olive oil
1. Roast the red pepper, artichoke, garlic and onion in olive oil until artichoke has burt edges and the peppers are fully cooked.
2. Peel the burnt edges of the artichoke off and set the quarters aside.
3. in a bowl, combine the peppers, garlic, onion and sundried tomatoes
4. Stir mixture and add in tomato paste, brown sugar and left over oil from the roasting try in step one.
(taste the mixture to adjust seasoning)
5. Fry the mushrooms in a skillet using olive oil and one tsp. of butter until they are crispy
6. Add in the red pepper mixture, any herbs you like, and a dash (or two) of red wine
7. Pasta water should have been boiling at this point. Once the pasta is cooked drain and stir in once tablespoon of Earth Balance butter.
8. Top pasta with sauce and a slice of artichoke
A side note for today: What we are snacking on. Throughout the work day it is always good to have treats to keep energy levels up. Here are a few of the healthy things we keep in the store to avoid the candy bar, bag of chips snack attack that we all get.
From left to right:
Superfood raw, gluten free antioxidant filled Grawnola in Goji-Mixed Berry
Himalania all natural Goji Berry Trail Mix
Somersault sunflower seed and toasted grain snacks
Kaia Foods buckwheat granola in cocoa bliss
*All available at
Whole Foods
