I enjoy my mornings with colorful smoothies loaded with sunny bananas, sweet berries, crunchy carrots, and cool beets. By noon, I munch on my freshly picked lettuce open like a beautiful rose on a summer day topped with bright flavorful peppers and other vitamin-infused veggies. By the end of the day, I nourish my body with zucchini noodle pasta dotted with ripe tomatoes and basil. If seasoned correctly and sprinkled with love, each and every vegan meal can be far more than boring and unsatisfying.
The greatest part about cooking vegan is that it’s simple and quick. It is accessible, affordable, and effortless. If you’re hungry and don’t know what to eat, call for Mother Nature; she will keep your bellies full and healthy while you give her the opportunity to heal herself by the green choices you make.
Remember, a plant-based diet is far greener than just lettuce and asparagus. Imagine a meal made from delicious cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets melted in coconut oil with fresh ginger, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Then delicately
tossed over fluffed quinoa prepared over medium heat, mixed with curry powder, cardamom, and coconut milk. If that wasn’t enough, garnish with green onions, red pepper flakes and baby arugula for a mouth-watering meal that will have meat-eaters call for more.
All these healthy meals can be made in less than 30 minutes. Even at times when we do not have all the necessary ingredients or time to prepare the meals, and all we have are vending machines or kiosks; we still have many options that perhaps we didn’t think of before.
Some of the world’s most famous snacks happen to be vegan, whether it was accidental or not. These brands include: Sour patch kids, Oreos, Lindt Cocoa Bars, Natural Valley Crunchy Granola Bars, Nabisco Graham Crackers, Kellogg’s Unfrosted Pop-Tarts, Unfrosted Mini Wheats, purple Doritos, and many more.
Almond and Coconut milk are both great substitutes for regular milk and
if you are craving ice cream grab a SO DELICIOUS dairy-free ice cream.
There are many vegan options that local grocery stores offer. Whether it’s a veggie burger, pizza, milk, or snacks, they have it all. Veganism is not limited to just vegetables and fruit. The many spices and options can put together to make creative and delicious meals that a piece of meat and salt can’t replace.
Veganism often times reminds me of the movie “Trolls.” The animals people eat are like the trolls, while the people who eat them are like the Bergen’s who believe in the idea that eating meat will make their bellies happy. However, we are forgetting that what is short-term satisfaction is not the same happiness that we find in our hearts. If we decide to switch to plant-based diet we can make both, the people and the animals happy, all while saving our Mother Nature and stitching her wounds.
Besides eating vegan, fashion and beauty brands are important to pay close attention to as well, since fur and leather are still used and many brands continue to test on animals. (Yay for California being the first state ever not to test on animals!) Luckily, I found a list of some beauty products that can be found in drugstores or Ulta Beauty and Sephora, as well as some popular clothing stores that are worth shopping at.
Some of my favorite beauty cruelty-free products are Bare Minerals, Pacificabeauty, E.L.F., Cover FX, Kat Von D Beauty, Awake Skincare, The Body Shop, Urban Decay and many more. I would recommend always checking the package or asking a clerk at the store for reassurance, if needed. There are also many vegan supplements such as Alpen Organics, Vegamour, CBDfx, and LuLeaf Naturals.
Vegan friendly retails stores include: Target, H & M, Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Jessica Simpson bags, Steve Madden, Old Navy, Lulu’s, and even Patagonia. Other stores are worth checking online for more options.
Top vegan spots in Chicago worth visiting: Loving Heart Vegan Cafe, Chicago Diner, Vegan Plate, Urban Vegan, Alice & Friends’ Vegan Kitchen, Blissful Banana, and this year TGIF Fridays just announced a veggie burger that is made from plant-based ingredients seasoned and grilled and topped with lettuce, tomato red onions, and pickles.
Angelika Rol
Features Reporter
SIMPLE VEGAN RECIPES
Vegan Coconut-Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
2 bananas, mashed (1 1⁄2 cups)
1⁄4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut
1/3 cups chopped dark chocolate chips (dairy-free chocolate)Instructions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350.
Step 2: Mix everything in a bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes so the coconut flavor can soak up the bananas.
Step 3: Place spoonful of dough on a parchment-lined, or lightly greased, cookie sheet. Press down with a fork until cookies are about 1⁄2 in thick.
Step 5: Bake for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Allow to cool and enjoy!Berry Yummy Smoothie Ingredients:
3⁄4 cup coconut water
1⁄4 cup coconut milk1 banana
1 mango
10 raspberries (fresh or frozen)
5 strawberries (fresh or frozen)
2 scoops of almond butter (optional) 1 Beet (optional)Instructions:
Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.
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