I went dandelion (a.k.a. lion’s tooth) foraging yesterday with my sweetie. See, I bought a few books last year that feature some of the best Appalachian recipes, and dandelions are featured quite a bit in wines and jellies. It was torture learning about these exciting traditions last August, knowing that I had to wait months and months before I could try them out. My test of patience is over now though, the dandelions are out and about! I woke in the morning with my first thought being “no computer just yet, go pick dandies instead.”
It’s kinda funny not funny, but only in America would a weed so full of medicinal and nutritious properties be considered a “pesky intruder”—the bane of manicured lawns all over the country. Think too of our superfood friend chia, and how it’s sold as a hairy clay animal to set on the shelf. Le sigh. The only way to change perspectives though is to introduce people to new ideas, or “recycled” ideas, right? So go out and forage for these vitamin-rich yellow beauties because we are going to make fun recipes with them real soon. Read more…
Since the Make Your Own Eyeshadow and Eye Liner post, I have received a ton of questions about what I use on a daily basis for deodorant, mascara, shampoo, hair products, blush, body lotion, face moisturizer for a.m. and p.m., shaving cream, hand cream, lipstick, makeup remover, you name it. I typed a lot of those answers up for our contributor Rea Frey in an email a few weeks ago—she just read No More Dirty Looks and purged all beauty products right after and was wondering “what next?” The list I compiled for her was extensive and I thought immediately after I hit “send” that I should share with YU, too.
It’s important to note that I am not on the payroll for any of these products. These are just all the beauty products that I have found to be the cleanest that work for me (I tell you why after the jump). Not everything is perfect, but I do my best. There are a ton of clean, lovely products out there that I still would like to try, so I’m just gonna share with you what you’d find in my purse and bathroom if you were to take a look right now. Today. Ok, here goes… Read more…
I recently read No More Dirty Looks after putting it off for years—knowing full well that once I read that book, I would toss all my “natural” products because they wouldn’t be “clean” enough. I have been making my own body oils, lotions, lip glosses and blush for a while now, but I did have some suspect hair products that I loved, lip glosses and shadows that were in a variety of stunning, unnatural colors that I wouldn’t, couldn’t, believe were loaded with carcinogens and my deodorant, well, it claimed to be natural. But I knew that it was time for me to be more informed, so I picked up No More Dirty Looks, read it cover to cover in one day with my jaw on the floor, and as anticipated, tossed a good bit of my toiletries and makeup pronto. Read more…
Just a quick heads-up that the YU 3-pack of eGuides is 50% off via DailyCandy and CBS Chicago this week—don’t miss your chance to get almost 100 pages of step-by-step photos, meal plans, recipes, shopping guides, tips and more for only $15. If you’ve always wanted to see what these guides are about, now is the best time! Read more…
Ch-Ch-Ch—remember those tiny seeds that you could spread onto clay pigs and bunnies and they’d sprout into fluffy pat-worthy green “fur”? Yup, chia. Well, did you know that many people consider it be nature’s perfect food? Read more…
I came across this video recently and think it’s one that I should share with YU. It’s an important presentation given by the founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Neal Barnard MD, that discusses the science behind food additions—like the top dog I always hear about, and one we’ve discussed on YumUniverse—cheese. What was my biggest battle when I transitioned? Sugar.
The “sugar demon” was joked about quite a bit on my recent trip to California. Even though my vegan tripmates and I know about the opiate-like effect certain foods can have, we indulged under the convenient vacation excuse. Eating Apple Cinnamon muffins by the fire, under twinkling stars is pretty magical, but I knew that even though we located gluten-free and vegan treats to enjoy, that the sparkly, crunchy topping was definitely sugar. And I think we all knew that it would be a tough week post-vacay when the vacation pass wasn’t there. That sugar demon is strong, and as I sit here sipping some apple cider vinegar and water (a great way to curb cravings btw), I know that what I am feeling is not necessarily a lack of willpower, it’s my body asking where the heck are all the vacation treats? I’m exaggerating a bit to make a point. We weren’t going cookie-monster-crazy, but we tend to eat a very clean diet and even a little bit of indulgence here and there is very noticeable now. And for that I’m grateful. This plant-based diet is a journey and I’d rather be here than where I was years ago when sugar not only was consumed daily, but it made my eyes spin like starlight mints.
Back to Dr. Barnard. He is someone you should know more about if you don’t already, and this video is a great introduction. He discusses, in a humorous, simple way, how chocolate, cheese, meat, and sugar release opiate-like substances that hook us—from our very first days in this world (and even before that). He also discusses how industry, aided by government, exploits these natural cravings, pushing us to eat more and more unhealthy foods. A plant-based diet is the solution to avoid many of these problems and the more YU know, the more strength you can build to help you achieve your goals. So take the time to watch this vid (instead of a show on tv tonight), you’ll feel pretty inspired and empowered afterwards.
Brenda Asks YU: Thank you so much for the vast amount of information that you have on your site and that you tweet on a daily basis. I am struggling with the transformation to a plant-based diet. I have gathered lots of information, clipped recipes and bought a juicer BUT for some reason I am sooo stuck in my habits—I feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. I’ve been like this for a year now and am frustrated that I have remained stagnant despite all of the information that I’ve gathered. My question to YU is how do I actually start? How do I ‘do’ this?! I have a family that are meat-eaters and I would be cooking for them also, but I am hoping that I will influence them into some healthier decisions. But this is for me for now… Any advice? Read more…
This week kicks off a new start for millions of people, and a healthier lifestyle is usually one of the resolutions at the top of the list. Sadly though, most resolutions fail because they are too extreme—there are a set of rules to follow with no information given about the “why” or “how.” Transitioning into, and maintaining a plant-based, nutrient-rich diet is one that takes time. It usually cannot be done overnight. There are lifelong food addictions to kick, detox symptoms to experience and new foods and cooking methods to try. There’s so much to learn, new habits to form, and old ones that need to be told “goodbye.”
Despite their best efforts, many folks will derail around mid-February, and abandon what they wanted so badly in January, while others are making realistic changes that will inevitably last a lifetime. The key is truly looking at a plant-based diet as an exciting lifestyle change. It is very much like learning a new language. Everything seems so foreign at first, but with each success, excitement grows and a hunger to continue learning follows—it feels good to understand this new language. And it feels great to experience the freedom it can offer you.
YumUniverse eGuides like the YU Test Drive, Dairy Freedom and this site can, and will, help you see that it’s the open heart surgery that’s extreme—not learning about the infinite benefits and flavors of a plant-based diet. Read more…
I’m going to start a new YumUniverse series this year in an effort to introduce YU to new (or not-so-new) nutrient-dense foods. Once a month, I will choose a particular food, and at least once a week I will share a recipe using that food. That way, you will be able to experiment all month-long. You’ll be able to see how versatile that ingredient is, feel the benefits of that food by month’s end, and if you have to purchase a larger amount of that ingredient, it won’t sit lonely in your pantry or fridge after being used in only one recipe.
I’d like to kick off this series with a particular food that used to scare me, and I imagine it will some of YU, too. Rest assured though, that I have come up with recipes that make this particular food something that you’ll end up craving. And if you have a particular recipe using this food, share with us. We may just post/link to your recipe! Read more…
