Tag: simply

Avocado Toast with Tomatoes

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A comfort food of mine is avocado toast. It can be versatile, you can add anything you like on it and it’s so yummy.

Lately, I have been on this kick of putting sliced tomatoes on mine.

Get your avocados and sliced bread out and enjoy some yummy toast.

1 sliced sourdough bread

Vegan butter

1 quarter large avocado (more or less)

Sliced grape tomatoes (or any kind of tomatoes you like)

Toast the bread. Place once toasted spread on some vegan butter, the. Avocado and top with sliced tomatoes. Enjoy!

Veganized Toll House Cookies

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The next time you are craving some homemade chocolate chip cookies, here is a veganized version of recipe of Nestle’s Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies. Enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegan butter, softened
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons chia seeds (soak a couple minutes in 6 Tablespoons of warm water)
  • 2 cups vegan semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup oatmeal and/or nuts (optional)

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Step 2:  Beat butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, chia seeds and water in a large mixing bowl until creamy and fluffy.

Step 3:  Add salt, baking soda and gradually add flour. Mix well.

Step 4: Add chocolate chips and optional oatmeal/nuts. 

Step 5:  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Step 6:  Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes

Step 7: Cool and enjoy

Get outside

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Get outside and spend time in nature. Nature offers various benefits, including reduced stress, improved mood, enhanced creativity, and increased physical activity, contributing to overall well-being.

One of my favorite activities outside is trail running. Trail running provides a dynamic workout that enhances cardiovascular fitness, strengthens muscles, and improves balance. It also offers mental benefits like reduced stress, increased focus, and a connection to nature.

Another favorite activity is trail riding. Trail horseback riding combines physical activity with outdoor enjoyment, offering benefits such as improved balance, strengthened core muscles, and enhanced coordination. Additionally, it provides a unique and immersive experience in nature, promoting relaxation and stress relief.

And I love walking my dogs on the trails or at the beach. Walking your dog provides both physical and mental benefits. It promotes exercise for both you and your furry friend, strengthens your bond, reduces stress, and enhances overall well-being.

So reap the benefits of the outdoors and get outside.

Embracing Plantbased Lifestyle

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Embracing a plant-based lifestyle comes with numerous benefits for your health, the environment, and even animal welfare.

You can have many reasons for going Plantbased. But whatever the reason is, you will find several benefits in your decision.

1. Health Benefits: Plantbased can reduce risk of chronic diseases, improved heart health, and increased energy levels. It can help you have better recovery after working out.

2. Environmental Impact: A plantbased lifestyle can contribute to sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving water, and preserving biodiversity.

3. Saving animals from being tortured and killed. This was my main reason next to the health benefits.

4. Transitioning to a Plantbased lifestyle isn’t as hard as people make it sound. Just don’t cook animal products. Some say they can’t give up cheese, then eat cheese and go plantbased everywhere else in your diet. Then down the road maybe try and move off cheese. Research what animals go through for you to have that cheese and venture out and try Plantbased cheeses. As with anything, some are good and some are not. But if you can’t go off cheese, then that is okay and don’t let anyone make you feel like a failure.

Food seems to be a trigger for some and when they hear you are Plantbased some become your nutritionist asking the same old question, “how do you get your protein?” The answer is plants, legumes, tofu etc.. I like to ask them how they get their antioxidants.

I enjoy a Plantbased life. Am I perfect? Absolutely not. I still like milk chocolate. I do look for vegan chocolate but sometimes it isn’t.

Live your life. Eat plants and feel great.

Vegan Skin & Hair Care

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I decided to switch up my skin and hair care routine to see if I notice a difference.

Every product markets they are one that is going to enhance your life in some way. They make “promises” only to fall short.

In most cases, you can’t even trust the spokesperson because they are being paid or given free products, or both. You look at social media and most of those people are getting some sort of payment or free products, also. Nothing seems non biased anymore and that got me thinking, why don’t I test done products?

Starting a few weeks ago, I decided to try a few products for a few months. Then I will give an honest review. I am not a paid person, nor received any for free. I bought all these products myself.

The following cruelty free, vegan products I am trying for my skincare:

Honest Beauty gentle cleanser

Honest Beauty vitamin C serum

Honest Beauty hyaluronic acid

Honest Beauty hydrogel cream

The following cruelty free, vegan products I am trying for my hair care:

Nutrafol Women’s Vegan Hair Growth Supplements, Plant-based

Luv Me Care Biotin Hair Growth Oil

So there you have it. Will I notice a difference in three months? We shall see. I hope so.

Vegetable Curry – Slow Cooker

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Some ingredients used in this recipe.

 

 

8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 Red pepper – chopped

1 Green pepper – chopped

1 Yellow onion – chopped

2 Garlic cloves – chopped

2 TBLS Curry powder or Curry Paste

1 Tbls Brown sugar

1 15 oz can Chickpeas

1 14.5 Diced Fire roasted tomatoes

12 oz original V8 juice

1 14 oz Extra firm Tofu – drained, diced and baked(see below)

2 Cups Spinach

1 Cup Coconut Milk

 

In crockpot add peppers, onion, garlic, curry, brown sugar, chickpeas, tomatoes and V8. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

Meanwhile, open tofu package and drain.  Wrap whole tofu in clean cloth and place something like a plate on top to help weight it down to absorb the liquid.  Let sit for a couple hours.  Then dice and bake with 1 – 2 Tbls olive oil in the oven heated at 375 degrees until light golden brown.

20-30 minutes before serving add baked tofu, spinach and coconut milk.

Serve with vegan Naan or flatbread. 

(Please note: all photos and content belong to Quite Simply Vegan)

Quite Simply “Chicken” Enchiladas

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Some ingredients used in this recipe.

 

Preheat oven 325 degrees.

 

5 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup vegan sour cream

2 cups salsa

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

2 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese, divided

2 cup shredded vegan mozzarella cheese, divided

2 cups vegan chicken strips, chopped

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper

5-8 tortillas (depends on what size you use)

  1. In a medium bowl cream together cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in jalapeno pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa. Stir in 1/2 cup of each type of cheese.
  2. In a second bowl toss together the chicken, olives, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
  3. Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.
  4. Spread about 1/2 cup salsa in the bottom of a baking dish. Place ½ to ¾ cup filling on a tortilla (depends on size of tortillas you use) roll up and put in dish seam side down. Repeat process for remaining tortillas.
  5. Pour remaining salsa over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  6. Transfer to preheated oven and bake 25 to 35 minutes until hot and  vegan cheese is melted.

(Please note:  vegan cheese has less fat than regular cheese so the melted cheese may have a different “melted” appearance. The vegan cheese used in my example is a vegan nut cheese and does not have your typical “melted” cheese appearance.)

 

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I used 5 large tortillas with 3/4 cups cheese and chicken filling.

 

 

(All photos and content belong to Quite Simply Vegan)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Some ingredients used in the recipe.

 

Preheat oven 375 degrees

 2 TBLS flaxseeds – grounded

3 TBLS warm water

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

1 cup vegan butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

½ package Vegan chocolate chips

Mix flaxseed and water in small bowl and let stand a few minutes. 

 Combine sugars, butter, vanilla extract and flaxseed mixture and beat until light and creamy. Add flour, salt and baking soda.  Mix well.  Stir in ½ package chocolate chips (or full bag, I like ½ package).

Bake 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

(all content and photos belong to Quite Simply Vegan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite Simply Blackberry Cobbler

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Some ingredients used in recipe.

 

Preheat oven 375 degrees

 

5 Cups frozen blackberries

1 Cup Flour

1/2 Cup Sugar

1TBLS Baking Powder

1/2 Cup Vegan Butter, melted

1/4 Cup Coconut (or Almond) Milk

Pinch of Salt

 

Place blackberries in baking dish.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add and stir in melted butter and coconut milk.  Evenly spread over blackberries.

Bake for 55-65 minutes.

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(All photos and content belongs to Quite Simply Vegan)