Why I'm Vegan...

Many people ask me why I chose to live a CRUELTY-FREE life.  Five years ago, I decided 'cold turkey' to stop eating meat, gelatin, milk, eggs, fish, and any other food that comes from an animal.  I made the shift OVERNIGHT.  Here is a little glimpse into WHY I took on such a brave, purposeful, challenging, and rewarding endeavor.  Now, 5 years later, consistently at my ideal weight and body structure, I feel amazing, I am happier, transformed, vibrant, enlightened, fit, and healthful!  As I tell my friends, I don't eat or consume the products of anything which once had a heartbeat or a mother.

Watch this video clip from Mercy for Animals. Images like this may change your life in a dramatic way!

ABC News Recognized with Genesis Award for Egg Farm Investigation

This weekend, ABC news producer,  Cindy Galli, accepted a Genesis award which recognized one of ABC News' most revealing and shocking documentary investigations on the horrific conditions at an American Egg Farm. This investigation led to millions of Americans choosing Free Range and Cage Free Eggs and even McDonald's boycotted the egg farm at the center of this investigation: Sparboe Farms.

If you have not seen it, click here ABC News wins Genesis award for Egg Farm Investigation.

Sadly, IOWA and OHIO legislature have since signed Ag-Gag bills into law which make reports like this unlawful.  Thanks to ABC News and Mercy For Animals' investigations, we now the truth and we, as consumers, can begin demanding the HUMANE treatment of animals used for consumption. 

Although I am Vegan, it still saddens me to know that my meat-eating friends could unknowingly continue to support factory farms whose workers torture animals and allow horrific conditions to exist within the United States.

As consumers, YOU can help decrease the demand for inhumanely produced eggs!  I hope you will inform yourself.  Arm yourself with knowledge on everything you consume.  Ignorance, in this case, can be fatal.  Research indicates that factory farms that neglect animals and maintain hazardous conditions breed disease; they use chemical hormones and potent antibiotics and carcinogenic pesticides; and diseases such as Salmonella and MRSA are bred in the filth.  Thousands of cases of Salmonella poisoning are reported each year.  Recently, a woman nearly lost her life due to Salmonella and must undergo daily treatments just to reverse the horrible effects of the food poisoning. 

In Ottowa, Canada today, there are reports of a massive Salmonella Outbreak caused by a negligent food caterer which has led to the infection of dozens of children and several adults.  Thousands of cases like this occur every year.  Please be informed consumers and support legislators who DO NOT support the Ag-Gag Bills!

Simply Sensational Vegan Lasagna!

Try my super easy Vegan Lasagna recipe anytime you are in the mood for some comfort food that won't weigh you down with fat, preservatives, and chemicals.  Traditional lasagna recipes call for tons of cheese and loads of fat-rich ground meats. Cut the calories and avoid the growth hormones, antibiotics, chemical preservatives, and risk of pathogens in animal meats, eggs, and dairy!  It's quick, easy, and delicious. 

You will need:

3/4 lb. Lasagna sheets

2.5 cups Daiya Vegan Cheese

1 lb. Gardein Meatless Ground

4 cups Pasta Sauce

1/4 cup minced white Onion

2 small organic Zucchini

3/4 cup diced Mushrooms

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Parsley and Basil Flakes

Salt

Preheat your oven to 350°. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil and add the lasagna sheets with a dash of salt and olive oil.  Cook pasta for 8 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.  

Brown the Gardein with salt and olive oil for 4-5 minutes, add the onion, zucchini, and mushrooms.  Add the pasta sauce to the meat mixture. 

In a 13 x 9 baking sheet, pour a layer of the pasta sauce mixture onto the bottom and cover with a layer of lasagna sheets.  Sprinkle a layer of Daiya Cheese onto the pasta, cover with more pasta sauce then cover with another layer of lasagna sheets.  Cover with remaining meat mixture then sprinkle with cheese and top with Parsley and Basil flakes.

Bake for 45 minutes.  Enjoy!

~KZ

 

♥ Delicious Immune-Boosting Broccoli Shiitake Edamame Salad Recipe

What if you could eat a salad that had healthy levels of protein and vitamins plus anti-tumor, cholesterol-lowering, and virus-inhibiting properties? What if I told you that salad takes about 15 minutes to make and tastes amazing?

Losing weight and staying healthy is easy when you skip the drive-thru and pack yourself a lunch filled with nutrients and packed with flavor. Here are just a few of the nutrients this salad contains:

• Fiber
• Iron
• Potassium
• Vitamin C
• B Vitamins
• Vitamin A
• Protein
• Polysaccharides

Shiitake mushrooms contain compounds which have been found to inhibit tumor growth.  These tasty meaty mushrooms boost your immune system and fight cancer!  According to Cancer.org:

"Shiitake mushrooms are promoted to fight the development and progression of cancer and AIDS by boosting the body's immune system. These mushrooms are also said to help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels and to help treat infections such as hepatitis by producing interferon, a group of natural proteins that stops viruses from multiplying. Promoters claim that eating both the cap and stem of the mushroom may be helpful, but they do not say how much must be eaten to have an effect. They say the strength and effects of the mushroom depend on how it is prepared and consumed.
Promoters claim that shiitake mushrooms contain several compounds with health benefits. A compound called lentinan is believed to stop or slow tumor growth. Another component, activated hexose-containing compound (also known as 1,3-beta glucan), is also said to reduce tumor activity and lessen the side effects of cancer treatment. The mushrooms also contain the compound eritadenine, which is thought to lower cholesterol by blocking the way cholesterol is absorbed into the bloodstream."

Whether you are entertaining, trying to cut out junk food from your diet, or looking for a quick & easy lunch to take to work, try my Broccoli Shiitake Edamame Salad.  This salad is mostly raw, which helps you get the most nutrients out of your veggies.  Just please remember to buy organic and wash your vegetables well in a mild cleanser like Environné or Veggie Wash.
I hope you enjoy this tasty, flavorful, fun-to eat recipe.

♥ Karinna's Broccoli Shiitake Edamame Salad ♥

1/2 c Vegenaise
3 c Broccoli, chopped
1 c Edamame, cooked and shelled
2 c dried Shiitake Mushrooms, reconstituted in boiling water
3/4 c Artichoke Hearts, chopped
1/2 c Black Olives, sliced or whole
1/2 c Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans
2 T Mustard
2 T Garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: Crushed Red Cayenne Pepper

First reconstitute your dried mushrooms by placing them in boiling water for 6-10 minutes then draining them well.  Chop your veggies while the mushrooms are reconstituting.  Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl and season to taste.   Makes 4 servings.

Pack it up for your hunny to take to work and smile, knowing you are giving them the gift of health and longevity!

♥ Karinna's Broccoli Shiitake Edamame Salad To-Go ♥

♥ Holiday Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Cakes ♥

There's something about the smell of toasty nutmeg and cinnamon coming from the kitchen that brings Fall to life.  Your loved ones will adore my healthy pancake recipe which incorporates some of the delicious flavors of the Holiday season. My recipe is heart-healthy, high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and fiber, low in fat, and helps stabilize blood sugar levels when Agave Nectar is used.  I believe in making everyday a celebration, so try serving these as a romantic breakfast in bed treat.

This recipe is Vegan, however, if you are just making the transition or would like to try both recipes side-by-side, you can still make healthier choices:  Instead of the Apple Sauce, you can use 1 large (local) cage-free vegetarian feed brown egg.  Instead of the soymilk, you can also use Rice Milk (15% less calories), or low-fat antibiotic and hormone-free cow's milk.

♥ Karinna's Holiday Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Cakes ♥

1 c Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 c Organic Applesauce

2 tbsp raw sugar, Stevia, or Organic Agave Nectar

2 tbsp Canola Oil

1 c Soymilk

1/4 c Golden Flax Meal

1 tbsp Pumpkin Spice blend powder (cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, ginger, lemon peel, cloves, cardamom, fennel, black pepper)
Earth Balance Vegan Butter Spread for pan

Preheat your griddle or pan. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spice blend and salt. In a medium bowl, mix together the milk, sugar, egg, and oil. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined.  Cook on heated griddle for about 2.5 minutes per side. Makes about 6 medium sized pancakes. 

♥ Tasty Apricot Marmalade Grand Marnier Sauce ♥

1 c Organic Apricot Marmalade/Preserves

1/2 c Organic Orange Juice

1/2 oz Grand Marnier 

1/2 oz Hennessy Cognac

Heat the Apricot Marmalade and orange juice in a saucepan for a few minutes, stirring slowly.  Add the Grand Marnier and Hennessy, stir and remove from heat.  Drizzle over your Breakfast Cakes and garnish with fresh organic Cranberries.

These pancakes will not be very fluffy, but they will be nutrient dense and delicious! Get creative and add sliced bananas, dried fruits, or vanilla, or shape your little cakes into hearts. Deliver to your loved one in bed with some freshly squeezed juice or coffee and enjoy the day!

♥K

The TRUTH about Egg McMuffins...

Recently, Mercy for Animals conducted an undercover investigation into one of McDonald's egg suppliers, Sparboe Factory Farm, and revealed horrifying, unspeakable cruelty to animals.  If a picture is worth a thousand words, this video is worth millions.  Please watch this video and visit the Mercy for Animals Website for details on the investigation.

Take a stand against these monsters by avoiding eggs or making sure that the eggs you buy come from a local, humane egg farm and NEVER from factory farms.  Remember, most processed foods that use egg products source their eggs from factory farms like Sparboe.  Be informed consumers! Click below to access the website and video: