During a workshop at the Ayurvedic Institute in NM, Dr Vasant Lad (one of the first people to bring ayurveda to the North America and the author of multiple books) made a very unexpected comment when we were discussing different kinds of milk. Very matter of factly, Dr Lad said that anyone drinking cashew nut milk will feel and look sexy… then he moved on to discuss other herbs.

Hold on, I thought to myself, how can you move on so fast?! I want to hear more! But it was a group full of doctors, naturopaths, and ayurvedic practitioners and they were way more interested in herbal concoctions.

As soon as I got home, some research on sexy cashew nut milk was in order. Is it really an aphrodisiac? Well, according to Google it is! It also has many other health benefits.

For example, the Brazilians use cashews as an aphrodisiac and a unique natural remedy for such diseases as asthma, flu, bronchitis, diabetes or diarrhea, in Haiti it is used for treating toothache, in Mexico it is used for improving skin, in Panama it is considered to be a good remedy for hypertension, the people of Peru use cashews for their antiseptic properties, in Venecuela it helps to combat throat inflammation, in Africa it is used as an relaxant and a material for making tattoos, etc. Scientific research confirmed numerous curative properties of cashews, including antibacterial, antiseptic, tonic and many more.

If you ever tried cashew nut milk, you know that it tastes amazing! It is rich and smooth, with very silky texture. According to ayurveda cashew milk nourishes all tissues in the body.

It is really easy to make cashew nut milk and I prefer it to buying pre-packaged one.

Here is how to make it:

• 1 cup cashews – leave to soak over night
• 1 T agave nectar  (or you can use dates instead)
• 1 1/2 cups of filtered water
• (you can also add vanilla seeds from pod for added flavoring)

Place cashews, water, and agave nectar (if using) into the blender and blend until smooth.

How to add it to your diet: Use it instead of your regular milk: in oatmeal, tea, coffee, and smoothies

Mojo Maca (adapted from The Raw Divas)

• 1 Cup cashew milk
• 1 Cup water
• Vanilla beans, scraped from pod, to taste
• 2 Dates, stoned
• 1 Large, ripe, Banana
• 1 Tbs. sesame seeds
• 2 Tbs. maca powder
• A few strands of saffron

Blend until creamy smooth, insert 2 straws and share with your paramour, like two giddy teenagers in a soda shop.

Caution: Use your new sexy powers with care and love!

Images courtesy of I P O X s t u d i o s {Flickr}, Cashew Health Benefits and Juices 101.

Sexy Cashew Nut Milk is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Dear EarthTalk: Ever since the red dye #2 scare in the 1970s I’ve been wary of using food colorings or buying food that appears to contain them. Are there natural and healthy food colorings? – Nancy McFarlane, Methuen, MA

Many of us are still wary of food dyes because of reports about links between red dye #2 and cancer in the 1970s. While red dye #2 was subsequently banned from products sold in the United States, many health-conscious consumers continue to avoid foods with other artificial colors or dyes—even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still considers them safe for human consumption.

But a 2010 analysis of past research on links between food dyes and health by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) found compelling evidence that ingestion of artificial dyes can contribute to hyperactivity, restlessness and attention problems in some children—particularly those with ADHD. “What’s more, the studies suggested that removing dyes from those children’s diet was a quarter to half as effective in reducing those symptoms as giving the kids Ritalin or other stimulants,” reports Nancy Cordes, CBS News’ Consumer Safety Correspondent. “In other words, certain kids with ADHD might not need drugs if the artificial dyes were removed from their diets.” Several commonly used artificial food dyes are suspected carcinogens as well.

While it might be impossible to prevent your children from eating anything with artificial dye, you can do your part by shopping at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s—both chains have banned products that use artificial dyes and carry all-natural food coloring for home cooking and baking projects.

One brand to look for is India Tree, which makes a line of food coloring derived from vegetable colorants. The company’s “Nature’s Colors Natural Decorating Colors” contain no corn syrup or synthetic dyes, and are highly recommended for coloring icing in rich jewel tones or soft pastels.

Another company specializing in natural (as well as organic) food colors is Nature’s Flavors, whose products are widely used commercially in ice cream, baked goods, frosting, dairy products, syrups, sauces, beverages and even hair colors. The company recently began to sell their products to consumers, as well, through retail stores. They use a variety of plant materials, including beets, turmeric root, annatto seeds, purple carrot, purple cabbage, gardenia flowers, hibiscus flowers and grape skin. “Our natural food colors are made from plants and contain powerful antioxidants, which help the body repair itself from the effects of oxidation,” claims Nature’s Flavors. “Using natural or organic food colors may actually help the brain and slow down the effects of aging.”

Another leading maker of all-natural food coloring is Chefmaster, whose products can be found at Whole Foods and other natural and high end food retailers, as well as on amazon.com and elsewhere online.

CPSI would like the FDA to ban eight of the most common artificial dyes, or at least affix a warning label to products that contain them: “Warning: The artificial coloring in this food causes hyperactivity and behavioral problems in some children.” In the meantime, concerned eaters should stick with products, stores and restaurants that use natural ingredients.

CONTACTS: India Tree, www.indiatree.com; Nature’s Flavors, www.naturesflavors.com; CPSI’s “Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks,” www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdf.

Images courtesy of spinmoss1, sara_kate, and me and the sysop {Flickr}.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E – The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

(Healthfully) Color Your World is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

In the course of growing concerns about unstable oil supplies and the impact of fossil fuels on global warming, biofuels are receiving increased attention. Putting ethanol instead of gasoline in your tank saves oil.

Biofuels, which are made from corn, palm oil, sugarcane and other agricultural products, are seen by many as a cleaner and cheaper way to meet the world’s soaring energy needs than with greenhouse-gas emitting fossil fuels.

Ethanol, a major biofuel, is an alcohol-based fuel made by fermenting and distilling crops that have been broken down into simple sugars. Ethanol is even used as a fuel for non-diesel engines (spark ignition) or as an additive to gasoline engines In the US, ethanol is mostly manufactured from starchy crops like corn.

There are two types of ethanol fuel that are commonly referred to e85 and e10. E85 is a blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline that’s used in flex-fuel vehicles. E10 is a gasoline blend that contains up to 10 per cent ethanol.

Brazil, which produces large amounts of ethanol, uses sugarcane to manufacture it and is the largest producer and consumer of ethanol in the world. It has a goal of having all of its vehicles capable of running on ethanol or gasoline, in the next few years. Countries like Brazil have made ethanol a viable alternative energy fuel because they have devoted time to research and also due to government funding.

European leaders have decided that at least 10 per cent of fuels will come from biofuels, like ethanol, by 2020, and the US Congress is working on a proposal that would increase production of biofuels by seven times by 2022. With oil prices at record highs, biofuels have become an attractive alternative energy source for poor countries, some of which spend six times more in importing oil than on healthcare.

But environmentalists have warned that the biofuel craze can do as much or more damage to environment as dirty fossil fuels, a concern reflected in the report released on Tuesday in New York by the UN-Energy, a consortium of 20 UN agencies and programmes.

The Amazon rainforest is being destroyed every year to produce biofuel crops. With a world population expected to reach nine billion by 2025, this could lead to starvation and social conflicts. Biofuels are not a green solution. We cannot pretend to save the planet by condemning billions to death by starvation. European Union countries must drop their biofuels targets or else risk plunging more Africans into hunger and raising carbon emissions, according to Friends of the Earth (FoE).

Natural disasters including floods in Pakistan and a heat wave in Russia have wiped out crops and intensified fears of widespread food shortages. Half of the 3.2m hectares (ha) of biofuel land identified – in countries from Mozambique to Senegal – is linked to 11 British companies, more than any other country.

Another risk is that biofuel use could increase carbon emissions by increasing destruction of forests when displaced local farmer’s clear land. The Institute of European Environmental Policy recently said carbon released from deforestation linked to biofuels could exceed carbon savings by 35 per cent in 2011 rising to 60 per cent in 2018. Currently, this indirect impact is not considered in European sustainability guidelines.

“Use of large-scale mono cropping could lead to significant biodiversity loss, soil erosion and nutrient leaching,” it said, adding that investments in bio energy must be managed carefully, at national, regional and local levels to avoid new environmental and social problems “some of which could have irreversible consequences.”

“Biofuel a Threat to Food Security” republished with permission from EcoSeed.

Images courtesy of Jams_123, Sweeter Alternative, and CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture {Flickr}.

Ecoseed is a leading source for global green news, finance, and other resources in delivering green and renewable energy to mainstream business. Ecoseed’s mission is to provide global, complete, innovative, and up to date news, information, resources, and opportunities, catalyst to incorporate environmental awareness and responsibility into lifestyle, and in business practices. This world-wide platform is the place to find the latest and most relevant in-depth news and data covering the entire spectrum of the renewable energy industry and the low-carbon sector.

Biofuel a Threat to Food Security is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Quinoa, though new to many of us, has been around since pre-Columbian civilizations. Because of its amazing nutritional properties and its ability to survive in even the harshest of environments, the Incas considered it so sacred that they referred to it as chisaya mama – mother of all grains. It’s been classified as a “super crop” by the United Nations because of its high protein content.

Quinoa is considered a complete protein, meaning that it has all nine essential amino acids. It’s also an excellent source of lysine, manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorous. And it’s an excellent source of dietary fiber while being gluten free and easily digestible. It’s amazing.

There’s just one thing about this mother of all grains… it’s not actually a grain. Though it can be used in most any application that you would normally use a grain like rice or couscous, it’s actually the seed of a plant called chenopodium quinoa and is related to beets, spinach, and chard.

Quinoa is really versatile and can be used in appetizers, entrees, sides, and even baking! Lately, I love having quinoa for breakfast. It gives me lots of energy as it is easy to digest and keeps hunger at bay!

To keep the cooking time short, I soak quinoa overnight. When the quinoa is soaked overnight it cooks in the same amount of time as rolled oats. In the morning pop the mixture into the pan and add a generous shake of spices like cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and/or cardamom. You might fancy throwing in a bit of ginger while you’re at it. Whatever seems tasty to you. Have fun! Let the quinoa simmer until the grains become soft enough, and eat up while warm!

Breakfast Quinoa with Fruits and Nuts
3/4 – 1 cup quinoa (soaked overnight)
3 sulfur free Turkish apricots (soaked and cut up in small pieces)
A handful of goji berries, raisins, blueberries (soaked overnight)
10 almonds (soaked over night)
1 tbs ground flax seeds
1 tsp coconut oil or ghee
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
A drop of organic vanilla

1. Put everything in a container and pour boiling water over the mixture.

2. Simmer for 10-15 mins or until quinoa is soft.

3. Serve with a splash of almond milk or just plain.

The benefit of soaking dried berries and almonds over night is increased digestability. Dried fruits and nuts can be pretty heavy and difficult to break down first thing in the morning. Soaking and cooking them makes them moist, plump, and nourishing for all body tissues according to ayurveda. All the spices help kindle digestive fire and wake up the digestive system after a night of sleep. Ghee makes all the nutrients easier to absorb and adds richness to the dish. I love ghee and you will too once you try it!

Share this recipe with your hungry friends via facebook or twitter – spread the healthy love!

Images courtesy of SweetOnVeg {Flickr} and Tara Stiles.

A Warming Quinoa Breakfast is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Dairy Controversy Resolved the Ayurvedic Way

Once considered the perfect food in many traditions, milk was recommended for children, the sick, and those looking for enlightenment. Ayurvedic and ancient yoga scriptures include milk as a staple in a sattvic, energy-giving, diet. Milk is said to nourish all body tissues, to calm the mind, and improve sleep.

However, many modern day nutritionists and integrative medicine doctors blame dairy for a surge in obesity, internal inflammation, autoimmune disorders, acne, and hormone imbalances.

On one hand we hear proponents of dairy proclaiming that without dairy it is difficult to maintain healthy bones, and on the other hand we get promises of better digestion and glowing skin if we go dairy-free. Some say that adults don’t have the necessary enzymes to digest dairy, while others proclaim milk to be a wholesome protein rich food.

Going dairy free or keeping a dairy friendly diet is a personal choice for everyone. It should be based on trial and observation of your body’s reactions to it. Of course, if you choose to keep dairy in your diet there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Make it a priority to buy only organic full fat unhomogenized milk. The milk we get in a plastic container at the store is very different quality-wise from the fresh raw milk straight from the cow. In India many households still get their milk brought to them by a milkman who walks from house to house with a cow and milks it right in front of you. Super pasteurized milk that lasts for weeks at the store might take just as long to be processed by an overtaxed digestive system, creating allergy-like symptoms.
• Learn to prepare your milk. Preparation method for dairy products can be a huge determinant of whether your body can digest it and benefit from it. According to the science of ayurveda there are ways to turn milk into a nectar or make it toxic to the body.

Here are 3 ways to have dairy that ayurveda lists as the easiest to digest and the most beneficial to the body:

• Warm spiced milk. Heating the milk makes it much easier for human consumption and it reduces mucus, making it lighter to digest. Boil milk for 5-10 min with cardamom, a cinnamon stick, and a few pinches of ginger. Spiced Masala Chai is another great option.
• Cumin Lassi (buttermilk). A lassi is plain yogurt and water, usually blended with some spices and used as a post-meal digestive. Try this recipe anytime your stomach feels heavy or bloated after eating.
• Ghee. In ayurveda, clarified butter or ghee, is believed to be the best nutritional tonic for human beings. It is heat resistant and suitable for cooking. If prepared correctly, it does not have milk solids and people with dairy intolerance can digest it well. It add a rich buttery taste to oatmeal and an amazing flavor to sauteed vegetables. You can buy it at any organic health food store, an Indian grocery, or make it yourself.

On the other hand, cold milk is considered poisonous and mucus forming in ayurveda. Yogurt with fruit is another combination that ayurveda strictly forbids as it is difficult to digest. Cream, hard aged cheeses, or fat-reduced dairy options are considered too heavy and unsuitable for consumption. Ayurvedic physicians also advice against mixing dairy with acid fruit, fish, or meat. Basically, if you have a weak stomach, have dairy products separately from other foods.

Do you eat dairy? How does your body react to it? Let us know; we would love to hear from you.

Note: Images sourced from Tambako the Jaguar {Flickr}, Blue Jacket Dairy, and Savor India.

3 Ways to Eat Dairy Without Negative Consequences is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Image courtesy of Wen-Yan King (Flickr)

Dear EarthTalk: Are the plastic tiers on food steamers safe for food and for re-heating? Some indicate they are made from #7 plastic. I am very interested in buying a steamer, but not if they are unsafe. What’s the best way to go? – Jim Lichlyter, Jr., Valley Center, KS

While you may never know for sure whether the plastic parts in a food steamer will contribute to health problems down the road, why gamble? Plastic marked with a #7 recycling symbol—signifying mixed sources (polycarbonate) or otherwise hard-to-classify plastics (such as acrylonitrile styrene or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)—is considered one of the riskiest in terms of chemical exposure. Polycarbonates are the most common types of plastic in items marked #7. And any of these three “feedstocks” just mentioned could contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical in widespread use since the 1930s to harden plastic.

Researchers have found that exposure to BPA, a known “endocrine disruptor” that can mimic the body’s natural hormones, can lead to neurological and reproductive problems. As a result, public health advocates recommend not using containers marked with #7 for storing, heating or serving food/drinks so as to minimize the amount of BPA in our bloodstreams. Keeping BPA out of our bodies is an uphill battle: A recent study found that 96 percent of pregnant women in the U.S. have at least trace amounts of BPA in their systems already (and probably the rest of us do as well).

In response to increased consumer awareness about the potential risks of exposure to BPA, many bottle and container makers are now marketing versions of their plastic products that are BPA-free—and the trend has extended to food steamers, with several now available in BPA-free versions, including Oster’s 5712, Black & Decker’s HS1050, and Big & Fast’s Plastic Electric Food Steamer. Buyers beware: Even some BPA-free steamers have non-stick surface made from PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, better known as Teflon), another hazardous chemical that health advocates recommend avoiding.

Image courtesy of avlyxz (Flickr)

But to complicate matters further, a July 2011 study by a group of Texas-based researchers and published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that just because a plastic product is marked “BPA-free” doesn’t guarantee that it won’t leach other endocrine disrupting chemicals—what the study refers to as “estrogenic activity” or “EA”—into food or drinks: “Almost all commercially available plastic products we sampled—independent of the type of resin, product or retail source—leached chemicals having reliably detectable EA, including those advertised as BPA free,” the researchers reported. In some cases, BPA-free products released greater amounts of estrogenic chemicals than even products known to contain BPA.

In light of all this, consumers might want to just opt for food steamers (and food storage and preparation items) made of tried and true plastic-free materials like glass or stainless steel. Some highly rated non-plastic, non-Teflon food steamers include Secura’s 3-Tier Stainless Steel Food Steamer ($90), Miracle Exclusives’ Stainless Steel Rice Cooker and Vegetable Steamer ME81 ($70), and World Cuisine’s 4-quart Red Enamel Cast-Iron Steamer with a tempered glass colander and a tempered glass lid ($220). And don’t forget: You can save yourself some money and kitchen storage space by just getting an inexpensive metal steamer basket, collapsible insert or bamboo steamer, available at any cookware store for less than $20.

CONTACT: Environmental Health Perspectives, ehp03.niehs.nih.gov.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E – The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

Hot (and Heavy): Safety in Food Steamers is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Fast Before You Feast

image courtesy of www.ayushveda.com

A big part of the holidays is about feasting on meals with family and friends. The best way to feast is after a fast. You could fast the day before or in the hours leading up to your feast.

Tips on How to Fast:

• Begin your day with a mug of hot water and lemon juice.
• Get in touch with the empty, clarifying effect that deep hunger awakens.
• If you get uncomfortably hungry, simply make yourself green juice and then return to hot water and lemon.
• When the time for feasting arrives, pause. Absorb the intoxicating smells, vibrant colors, varying textures and abundance of the moment.

Offer a Blessing of Gratitude that Everyone Will Enjoy
Regardless of religion or politics, everyone can be grateful. Gratitude, or consciously receiving what has already been given, contributes to well-being in a big way. What we’re thinking matters.

For example, have you ever had a day where you went to a yoga class, did a meditation and ate healthy, but still ended up feeling sad? Negative thoughts are responsible for a day like that.

Good health isn’t just about kale and cleansing. It’s more than meditation and yoga. Good health starts in your mind, and it has everything to do with your attitude. So, why not take on an attitude of gratitude when you sit down for a meal? Here’s a blessing you can offer that everyone will enjoy:

I want to acknowledge and thank all of the money, credit cards, vegetables, fruits, fisherman, store owners, cooks, truck drivers, employees, etc. for participating in every meal and every product I used today. Today our family is especially acknowledging ________________.

Spice Things Up
Spices such as turmeric, ginger, garlic and cinnamon are excellent additions to meals during the holidays. They help our bodies maintain their oh-so-delicate pH balance because they are considered alkaline. When the food we consume is alkaline it takes less effort to digest and our whole being is happier. We’ll have more energy to put toward other activities like spending time with family, playing with children, or whatever you want to do! So, don’t be afraid to flavor your food!

image coutersy of www.wellbeing.com

Take Your Medicine
There’s no need to throw your health out the window because it’s holiday season. Treat yourself and one lucky guest to a green juice or smoothie for breakfast. If they give you a funny look, respond by saying, “just because it’s green doesn’t mean it’s gross.” This green goodness gives you a direct blast of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, protein and oxygen. This type of fuel will nourish your cells and help restore your immune system, making sure you thrive your way through the holidays. Below is a simple recipe for 32 ounces of glorious green juice:

• 2 large cucumbers (peeled if not organic)
• 1 big fistful of kale
• 4–5 stalks celery
• 1–2 big broccoli stems
• 1 pear or green apple
• 1 inch of ginger

Simply put all the ingredients through your juicer and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice on top if you have it available. Pour into a fancy goblet (to impress your lucky guest, of course). Enjoy!

Be The Host/ Hostess With the Mostest
…the most nutrient-rich dishes that is. Being alive in this day and age means we have instant access to hundreds of delicious raw, vegan, ayurvedic and nutrient-dense recipes. Whether you’re graced with the task of preparing the entire meal or just a single culinary creation, dare yourself to do a little research online and replace old family favorites with updated versions that will leave everyone feeling alive and well. A few simple searches might be:

• Raw cranberry sauce
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Acorn squash stuffed with quinoa and veggies
• Raw pumpkin pie
• Vegan cream of asparagus soup
• Spiced pumpkin chai

Ok, now it’s time to let yourself feel lighter and shine brighter. And since the road to wellness tends to be more fun when you can share it with family and friends, invite people to participate in your goals. Enjoy the season!

Ashley

Ashley Pitman is a fresh and authentic voice that brings potent ancient wisdom to the dinner table – as something the entire family can understand, embrace and enjoy. She supports thousands of people in crafting a thriving day-to-day experience that’s in favor of their best work – we’re talkin’ raw foods, ayurveda, cleansing, life-enhancing relationships, yoga, meditation, conscious business and community. For tons of free valuable content ,visit her blog or sign up for the free weekly newsletter.

Five Ways to Sneak Health into Your Holidays is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Image courtesy of sarniebill1 (Flickr)

One December sixteen years ago, I was watching 60 Minutes with my parents. The subject of the story was American farming. I had recently decided I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up, so I put down my book and paid attention. It was the first time I had seen slaughterhouse images; I was nine years old. Becoming a vegetarian was my New Year’s Resolution in 1995 – and I never ate meat again.

But like any story with an overly pat ending, it’s sometimes hard to remember the dramatic origins of a shift (and the large and small ways it shapes our lives. The reason I left my pre-veterinary program at the Rochester Institute of Technology, for example, was because they practiced live dissection in freshman biology in order to weed out students too tender-hearted for the practice of animal medicine). It was with the knowledge of enduringly cavalier attitudes to animal welfare that I watched new documentary Vegucated.

The story follows filmmaker Marisa Miller Wolfson as she sets out to convert three meat-lovers to veganism for six weeks to life. Her approach is not preachy, which made it much more relatable. She simply cites the science behind the health of a plant-based diet for both our bodies and the planet, acknowledges the great joy that can come with eating this way, and then engages with the participants’ struggle on a real level.

Filmmaker Marisa Miller Wolfson

Her merry band of converts are almost stereotypically New York: Tesla (a young college student living with her family in Queens), Brian (a bartender/actor), and Ellen (a divorced therapist who does standup comedy on the side). The film follows them in occasionally campy fashion through six weeks of transformation. They go grocery shopping, visit a doctor and meet with a vegan chef, have a girl’s night out, attend a vegetarian conference, go camping on the property of an animal sanctuary, sneak onto a farm, and even take Fourth of July vacations.

Initially, the DIY quality of the videos and editing is grating; we walk up a lot of stairs and through a great deal of poorly lit supermarkets and kitchens, all the while feeling like escapees from a film student’s final project in Documentary 102. But something funny happens on the way to the meat replacement aisle.

The pedestrian feeling of the film begins to work in a powerful way, emphasizing just how commonplace and almost banal these cruelties are. The cruelty of a clogged artery, of agricultural runoff poisoning rivers and streams; of a chick sorting floor. At no time was this more visceral for me than during the slaughterhouse scenes.

When asked, I say that I consider myself a non-proselytizing vegetarian. It never sat right with me to demonize a person at the dinner table, aggressively questioning if they were aware of the way the animal on that plate lived and died to feed them. I believe that everyone should choose the diet that feels right for them, and have been wearied over the years of getting tarred and feathered (no pun intended) with the brush of crazy-eyed zealotry for my own dietary choices.

Image courtesy of cosmicautumn (Flickr)

But in a world where many people are not consciously choosing anything about what moves from plate to fork to mouth, perhaps a live and let live approach to eating no longer serves us. Wolfson does an excellent job of simply letting the facts speak for themselves. As ever, tears sprang to my eyes when scenes of slaughter were shown (and to her credit, Wolfson bucks the trend and saves them for well into the film, when the rest of her arguments have been given enough time to gather their own weight). And as ever, my first impulse was to apologize to the animals, repeatedly and out loud. To be ashamed that we feel it’s okay to cause pain casually, routinely – and often for fast food meals that will never be remembered.

In some ways, I was on the side of the querulous meat eaters for much of the film – Tesla’s cousin from New Orleans, Brian’s stern German parents. Shouldn’t we all be able to eat whatever we choose? This is America!

But in the end, it wasn’t even the slaughterhouses that did it. It was the calm and peace in the faces of both the animals at the sanctuary and the people who are their protectors. It was seeing the 70s-era abandoned slaughterhouse nearby and feeling how unsustainable the whole endeavor has always been. It was seeing the passion in the eyes of the recent converts – not zealots: just people who care. Just like that, I was nine years old. And just like that, Wolfson had converted me to a plant-based diet all over again. Vegucated is nothing if not realistic, and real. And it is the truth of eating and living with your heart that sets this project free.

Have you experimented with a plant-based diet? What were some of the challenges? Some of the joys? Let us know in the comments. To find out more about Vegucated or organize a screening, check out their website here.

Continuing Vegucation is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Potluck holiday dinners, bringing treats for coworkers, inviting friends over… there are many opportunities to showcase your cooking (or shopping) skills. And if you strive to be a health role model during the entire year now is the time to prove it. So what are the quick, cheap, easy-to-make and good to eat alternatives? I’ll share my new go-to party recipes – approved by a serious meat-eating man.

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips

Chipotle Lime Sweet Potato Chips

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 lime
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• ¼ cup Olive oil
• 1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt

What To Do:

• Slice potatoes into very thin circles.
• Mix salt, spices, the juice of one lime, and olive oil. If the mixture is too dry, add a little bit more hot water.
• Preheat the oven to 375F
• Pour the spice and oil mixture over potatoes and mix them to make sure each slice is well coated.
• Place all the slices on parchment paper in one thin layer and bake for 30 mins until potatoes become slightly browned and toasted.

Oregano/Thyme and Sea Salt Parsnip Chips

Oregano/Thyme and Sea Salt Parsnip Chips

Ingredients:

• 2 Large parsnips
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¼ cup olive oil

What to do:

• Slice parsnips into very thin circles.
• Mix salt, spices, and olive oil. If the mixture is too dry, add a little bit more hot water.
• Preheat the oven to 375F
• Pour the spice and oil mixture over parsnip and mix them to make sure each slice is well coated.
• Place all the slices on parchment paper in one thin layer and bake for 30 mins until the chips become slightly browned and toasted.

Do you have any ideas? Please share in the comments section, we would love to hear! Enjoy your meals, and happy holidays!

Healthy Alternatives For Holiday Potlucks is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Image courtesy of tome213 (sxc.hu)

Ahhh, Thanksgiving: time of mortal peril for the average turkey. Most of you probably know that Benjamin Franklin was a staunch advocate of the turkey as our national bird over the eagle: not as handsome, but certainly both noble and intelligent. (Drat that John Adams! All style and no substance.)

Below is a video from Twitter founder Biz Stone on his plans this season. And whether you will be eating turkeys today or just… hanging out with them: we wish you the happiest of holidays.

Biz Stone Talks Turkey is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag