The Clean Vegan

Lately, The Clean Vegan has felt the need to explain her choices more than ever.  Answering questions daily, which mostly consist of rhetorical disbelief that she doesn’t consume cheese (but, HOW?!), has become a job on its own.  And she is the first to admit, sometimes it gets tiring, and she gets lazy and simply points to a film that will scare those doubtful inquisitives into veganism (Food Inc., Earthlings, The Cove, Supersize Me, any PETA short).

So, The Clean Vegan thought it was time to share why she chose veganism, how she survives with out mouldy breast milk (or cheddar, as you like to call it),  and the difference between a vegan and a CLEAN vegan.

First things first: Why Veganism?

As The Clean Vegan has debriefed before, the choice to become a vegan was a gradual journey.  First, she gave up chicken.  She couldn’t handle the way it looked or felt uncooked, so she stopped cooking it.   Next came beef, which wasn’t a difficult choice, as she rarely could stomach it (the blood that seeped out of it onto her plate never really helped).  Fish was last, and not by any coincidence: don’t you think that the further removed our food is from our daily life, the easier it is to eat?  When The Clean Vegan was a little girl she hated seeing the transport trucks full of pigs going to be slaughtered.  They were so cute.  And pink.  Would you be able to eat a feast of dog breasts or cat legs if you saw your fluffy friends riding alongside you on the highway on their way to be brutally slaughtered?  Even if they tasted so good?!

It began as a dislike for meat, and turned into a pedagogical journey.  How could The Clean Vegan ignore the moral, ethical, and environmental issues that came with being a vegetarian?  How could she turn her back on the pain and suffering these animals endured just because she liked cheese (a lot) and needed milk? The Clean Vegan began to research humans consumption of meat and dairy, and discovered that we are the only species on the planet who drinks the milk of another species, and that drinks milks as adults.  Dairy does NOT help prevent osteoporosis or bone loss, and this has been proven by Harvard and Yale studies.  After fully understanding the detrimental environmental, ethical and social impact that omnivores have on our planet,  and the senselessness in consuming animal products and by-products, The Clean Vegan made her choice.  She wouldn’t take part in the mass slaughter of living creatures anymore.  Even if she had been manipulated into liking liked the way cheese tasted.

Clean Veganism versus Junk Phood Veganism

The difference between a Clean Vegan and a Junk-Phood Vegan is seemingly translucent.  As you transition into the vegan lifestyle, it is common to replace the products you are used to (meat, cheese and eggs) with vegan-friendly versions.  Now, The Clean Vegan is not, in any way, discouraging the use of these products if it is the means to a transition into veganism.  However, for health reasons, replacing all meat and dairy products with all soy products is dangerous.  There is research concerning the effects of soy on hormone levels (especially estrogen) and its links to breast cancer, hormonal imbalance and reproductive problems.  Moreover, these products (soy cheese, tofu ‘meats’ like deli slices, veggie dogs, veggie burgers, ground soy) are highly processed and preserved.  They are junk food.  Hopefully, if you are becoming a vegan, you care not only about the impact of your diet on others, but also on yourself.  So, for the sake of your health vegans, stop relying on soy!

Another bad habit of junk-phood (because it ain’t FOOD) vegans is their reliance on highly processed snack foods, starches and condiments.  The Clean Vegan has come across way too many vegans whose diet consists of processed wheat products, granola bars, chips and ketchup, and lacks in vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes.  Your tofu doesn’t taste like chicken?  Putting ketchup (colour+sugar) on it won’t help!  Eat food, people!

As a vegan, you need to be consuming a variety of vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains to get a full profile of vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients.  For example, if your vitamin C levels are low, your body won’t absorb protein as well.

Enjoy the variety of the beautiful things that come from the EARTH not the SHELF, and ask yourself these questions before you eat: When did this come out of the ground?  When does it expire?  Will this rot?  Can I trace it’s ingredients to their source?

Eat mindfully.  Don’t give veganism a bad name by downing vegan poutine with a diet coke – be an example to others that the food we were meant to eat (food that comes from the ground, not a shelf or a face) is delicious, safe and beneficial.

Still on the fence? Why YOU should go vegan:
-live a cruelty-free lifestyle and stop contributing to the pain and suffering of helpless animals (you call yourself an animal lover?  Watch Earthlings)

-protect our environment (factory farming is the number one contributor to greenhouse gas emissions)

-help end world hunger and reduce famine (think about where all the grains that feed the cows, pigs, and chickens you eat could go)

-save water (over 50% of fresh water consumed in the USA is used in factory farming)

-reduce your chance of heart disease by 57%

-on average, live 6 years longer than omnivores

The Clean Vegan has been slacking.  She hasn’t been updating her blog, as she has been a busy lady the past few months.  The Clean Vegan’s boyfriend left for an adventure in Germany for 6 months at the end of July, and the last few months she was preparing for his leave and also gearing up for her own new adventures in the months to come (a different post).  But, The Clean Vegan digresses.  For her boyfriend, Jake’s, departure she dished up a raw vegan Mexican fiesta!  Considering her entire family are carnivores, she was elated by their enthusiastic (even gluttonous) response to the meal.  Every last bit was devoured.

We started off with some vegan wine (not all wines are made equally!).  The Clean Vegan had Bonterra Organic Chardonnay (yum!), and the rest of the clan had Jackson Triggs Merlot.  For appetizers, The Clean Vegan prepared some yummy raw nachos and mexi-sushi:

raw nachos

dehydrated corn chips topped with ‘cheese’ sauce, taco ‘meat’, pico de gallo, homemade guacamole, jalapenos, olives, green onions & sour ‘cream’

mex sushi

avocado, green onion, fresh ginger, jalapeno, ‘meat’ pate, cilantro, tomato, sprouts, ‘rice’, and cream ‘cheese’ wrapped in a nori sheet
and dipped in spicy tamari

This was The Clean Vegan’s first attempt at making corn nachos, and they were incredible.  The fresh corn from the cob really made the difference in taste.  The sushi made with raw turnip ‘rice’ was delectable.  No one missed the overcooked, sugary taste of sticky rice, and the fresh crunch of the turnip really gave the sushi an incredible flavour.

We then moved on to the mains: zucchini pasta (first time using the spiralizer!), collard tacos, and a delicious superfood salad.

mexican zucchini pasta

spiralized raw zucchini tossed with sundried tomatoes, tamari, olive oil, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, garlic, ginger, onions, green onions, avocado, lime, fresh corn, basil

collard burritos

homemade hummus, fresh pico de gallo, homemade guacamole, taco ‘meat’, green onions, sour ‘cream’, fresh corn, tomatoes, avocado and cucumber wrapped in collard greens

mex salad

shredded collard and baby spinach tossed with green onions, corn, tomatoes, avocado, sprouts, taco ‘meat’, cilantro, mango and topped with a lime dressing

To finish it off, The Clean Vegan made her first raw vegan ice cream.  She had been craving a treat like this for a while.  On top of the raw coconut brownie, inspired by her first raw brownie at Rawlicious in Toronto, the duo was soft, sweet and cruelty-free!  Raw vegan baking never looked so good.

coconut brownie
pecans, dates, agave and cocoa blended and topped with a coconut icing made from fresh coconut meat and agave syrup

cashew ice ‘cream’
cashews, coconut meat, agave, coconut oil and organic vanilla

When The Clean Vegan was in LA a few months ago she discovered the beauty of raw food at Planet Raw in Santa Monica.  Raw foodism is a lifestyle that promotes the consumption of whole, unprocessed, uncooked, organic foods.  Foods can only be heated under 115 degrees fahrenheit (using a dehydrator), as raw vegans believe essential nutrients and enzymes are lost after this point, leaving the food with little to no nutritional value.  English: a handful of chips is about as nutritionally dense as a handful of fried vegetables.  This leaves a raw vegan diet to consist of fruits, vegetables, sprouted grains, nuts, seeds and their by-products (such as homemade raw nut milk, nut butter, and nut ‘cheese’ and nut ‘meat’).

The Clean Vegan fell in love with the flavourful and colourful dishes that she ate at raw restaurants in LA and have tried to incorporate them as best as possible in her lifestyle, but it isn’t always easy.  Don’t be mistaken – The Clean Vegan loves food.  She can’t just eat salads and raw veggies – The Clean Vegan likes gourmet meals and treats.   This takes a lot of preparation and some essential kitchen tools: a dehydrator, blender, food processor, julienne peeler and a juicer.

So, The Clean Vegan embarked on a 7 day raw-vegan challenge this week. Here is what she ate:

Raw Cheezy Zucchini Pasta

Banana-Mango Cheezecake

Chocolate Pie

Macaroons

Jalapeno Poppers

Collard Taco Wrap & Mushroom ‘Alfredo’

Citrus-Chai Green Smoothie

The fruit and veggies for juicing…

plus kale, spinach, Vega, flax, Salba, frozen watermelon …

the final product!

Peach-Strawberry Summer Salad

The Clean Vegan’s menu for the rest of her 7 day challenge included:

Pad Thai
Tahini-Basil Collard Wrap
Chocolate Mint Smoothie
Fruit and Nut Balls
Buckwheat Cocoa Puffs
Apple-Walnut Salad
Peach-Mango Popsicles

The verdict:  The Clean Vegan felt light, but satisfied, and incredibly energetic during the week.  All of those yummy dishes, packed with nutrients, minerals and enzymes made her body feel fabulous!  The flavours and textures of fresh, whole foods cannot compare to processed and cooked dishes.  Her digestion was optimum, and her tummy felt great – no cramps, bloating, or any other typical female symptoms.  So, The Clean Vegan is challenging you all to do a 7 Day RAW Vegan Challenge!  Post your comments and stories below, send to thecleanvegan@gmail.com,  or post on The Clean Vegan’s Facebook page (if you haven’t already joined).  The Clean Vegan will send her delicious recipes from the 7 Day RAW Vegan Challenge to the most inspiring stories/recipes/ideas!  Be sure to include pictures!

On a side note, here is an updated list of the amazing blogs The Clean Vegan is following:

http://rawcandy.wordpress.com/

http://nellywantstobevegan.blogspot.com/

http://rawon10.blogspot.com/

http://stayingvegan.com/

http://www.juliesrawambition.com/

http://discoveringraw.com/

http://www.sweetlyraw.com/

http://veganyumyum.com/

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

http://gliving.com/category/greenchefs/

Special thanks to blogger/writer Bianca Filoteo for blog recommendations!

The Clean Vegan can’t count the number of times she’s been asked what she eats over the past year.  Have we really come to a point where a diet that isn’t reliant on consuming animals or animal products is unimaginable?  The Clean Vegan’s usual response is to tell people that she wouldn’t feel comfortable eating their kitten or drinking from their dog’s breast, so she doesn’t feel the need to do so with any other animals.  Not everyone handles that response well.  So, her second impulse is to tell a more censored truth: The Clean Vegan eats anything and everything that comes from the ground.  This is a truth she really tries to live by; eating clean and vegan isn’t just about cutting out animal products, but about basing your diet around whole, natural foods that grow from the earth and rot into the earth.

The Clean Vegan remembers watching Oprah a few months back, when author Michael Pollan (Food Rules, In Defense of Food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma) really summed up her personal mantra: don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize and don’t eat anything that doesn’t rot.  Sit and think about these things for a few minutes.  When is the last time you ate something (probably processed and packaged) that had ingredients listed on it that you didn’t know how to prounounce or even what they were, and/or was packaged a few months ago?

Mull over these numbers.  It takes:
1 week for an apple to rot
6 weeks before an egg expires
12-18 weeks before cereal expires
12-50 weeks before a Twinkie expires
32-50 weeks before a frozen dinner expires

If it isn’t rotting on the shelf or in your refrigerator, what is it doing in your stomach?

With all this information soaking in, I thought it was about time I posted some more clean eats.  Tell me what you think of the recipes, and happy eating!

Tofu Scramble

Ingredients:

1 package of medium or film tofu
1 tbsp. organic coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup – 1 cup of black beans
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/4 – 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup baby spinach
cilantro, to taste
curry, to taste
cumin, to taste
turmeric, to taste
cayenne, to taste
1 tsp. nama shoyu (raw, organic soy sauce)
organic sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a non-stick pan, gently heat the coconut oil until melted.  Lightly sauté the garlic, onions and black beans. Crumble the tofu into the pan, and add the remaining ingredients except for the avocado, tomato and spinach.  Once the tofu reaches the desired consistency add the avocado, tomato and spinach, cooking just enough to heat (roughly 30-60 seconds).  Top with homemade salsa or ketchup (NOT store-bought) or enjoy the fresh flavours on their own!

Mexican Salad

Ingredients:

tbsp. organic coconut oil
2-3 cups baby spinach
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 cup cucumber, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup – 1 cup black beans
handful of onion sprouts (can sub with alfalfa, sunflower or broccoli sprouts)
1 tsp, cayenne
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
organic sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

*Dressing:
Fresh Sunflower Dressing

Directions:

The Clean Vegan Sushi Roll

Ingredients:

3 nori sheets
2 cups of water
1 cup organic quinoa
1/2 carrot, sliced into thin strips
1-2 inch piece of ginger, sliced into thin strips
1 avocado, sliced into thin strips
1/4 – 1/2 cucumber, sliced into thin strips
1 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread (Vegan)
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup onion/ alfalfa / broccoli sprouts
3 tbsp. Vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti)
1/4 – 1/2 cup of nama shoyu mixed with tsp./tbsp. of cayenne pepper, for dipping
organic sea salt, to taste
bamboo mat for rolling

Directions:

Chocolate Banana Sorbet

Ingredients:

2 frozen bananas
1/2 cup soy or nut milk (Silk Almond is my favorite)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
organic sea salt, to taste
1 tbsp. raw cocoa powder
1 tbsp. raw carob powder

Raw Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

Summer Black Bean and Mango Salad

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, rinsed well
1 mango, peeled and cubed
handful cilantro, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 tomato, cubed
1/2 cucumber, cubed
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
fresh lime juice, to taste
organic sea salt, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a big bowl and enjoy!

The Clean Vegan hasn’t been drinking much alcohol since her cleanse.  A glass of white wine on special occasions, or one vodka-water while out at a friend’s birthday has been her max.  But during her daily dose of vegan and raw blogs today, The Clean Vegan came across an article outlining non vegan-friendly alcohol.  Although The Clean Vegan doesn’t recommend drinking alcohol in excess because of its acidity, damaging effects on cells, and empty calories, she believes a glass of wine in moderation is healthy for the heart and soul.  Thankfully she has found a complete guide to vegan friendly wines.

Here are a few of her favorites:

Cave Springs – Chardonnay

French Rabbit – Chardonnay

Frogpond – Organic Chardonnay

You can find the complete list here, at Barnivore.

The Clean Vegan discovered this gem at Planet Raw in Santa Monica on her visit last month.  Raw foodists do not heat their food above 115 degrees fahrenheit, as they believe the nutrients and enzymes deteriorate rapidly afterwards.  I picked up my dehydrator for only $40 at XS-Cargo!  You can find them at most kitchen stores and online.  If you don’t have one, you can make the flax crackers in your oven at the lowest possible temperature; it won’t be considered raw, but will be better for you then blasting them at 350 degrees!

Recipe:

Flax Crackers
2 cups flax seed
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
1/3 cup sundried tomato
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
water olive oil, jalapeno, sea salt, and cumin to taste

Puree all ingredient except for the flax.  Spoon the puree into a large bowl and mix the flax seeds in well with your hands.  Form cracker or toast size pieces and place on a slightly oiled piece of parchment paper.  Dehydrate for 8 hours, or until crackers are crunchy.   If using an oven, set at lowest temperature and bake until crackers are crunchy.

Filling
sliced avocado
sliced tomato
sliced onion
seed cheese (puree your choice of seeds, cumin, cayenne, garlic, oil and water to taste)

*Fill your sandwich with whatever raw treats you crave – kale, portobello mushrooms and cucumber would work well in this too!

The Clean Vegan isn’t selfish; she loves sharing her recipes with you!  Just to give you a taste of what The Clean Vegan eats on a regular day, here is a breakdown:

(pictures coming soon!)

Breakfast
Raw Granola:

1/4 cup of oats
8 almonds
1/8 cup mixed cashews and sunflower seeds
tbsp hemp hearts
tbsp cinnamon
tbsp Vega Health Optimizer
1/2 cup soy and/or rice and/or almond milk
1/2 cup organic blueberries

Post Work-Out Snack
Carob-Ginger Power Shake:

1/2 cup almond milk
1 1/2 cups water
6 ice cubes
2 heaping tbsp carob powder
1 inch piece ginger
scoop of Vega Health Optimizer
1 tsp ground flax
1 tsp ground salba
1 tbsp natural peanut butter

Lunch
Protein Packed Spinach Salad:

2 cups baby spinach
½ avocado
½ cup tomato and cucumber
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup chickpeas
¼ cup artichokes
2 tbsp puffed quinoa
Fresh House Dressing

Dinner
Nutty Patties:

¼ cup mixed seeds (almonds, sunflower)
tbsp tahini
¼ cup chick peas
garlic, olive oil, cumin, sea salt, cayenne, jalapeno, filtered water to taste

*Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until thick and creamy.  Then, form into patties and top with cracked black pepper.

Leftover Spinach Salad (from lunch)
Dessert
Clean Vegan Tofu Mousse:

3/4 cup raw organic cocoa powder
12oz. silken tofu at room temperature, drained
1/2 cup skim milk or soy, rice, or almond milk
1 tsp organic vanilla
1 tsp Stevia
1 tsp 100% Pure Maple Syrup

*Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until thick and creamy. Top with 1/4 cup organic blueberries.

The Clean Vegan recently discovered why soaking and sprouting nuts and seeds are a must in any clean vegan diet.

Most nuts (especially almonds) have enzyme inhibitors that are in place to protect the nut.  Soaking nuts overnight removes these toxic inhibitors so that the enzymes secreted in the nutrient-dense nuts can actually be absorbed into your body.  It also eases digestion, increases their alkaline properties, and breaks down the gluten!

It’s quite simple: soak your nut of choice in double its amount in water.  Soaking time varies, so make sure to check out this chart.  When finished, rinse well until the water runs clear.  Store nuts in a sealed container in the fridge!  Remember, now that the nuts are living they too can grow mould, so only soak enough for consumption for 3-5 days.

Spouting releases the nutrient in seeds, grains and legumes by germinating a dormant seed into a live plant!  The process is quite simple, but the difference is nutritionally significant.  When sprouting, much like soaking, enzyme inhibitors are released, fat content and glucose molecules are broken down, and vitamin content is increased!

Today I began sprouting sunflower seeds!  Check out this site to tell you how.

Consider these facts on food choices and their effect on the planet:

- It takes 2,500 gallons of water, 12 pounds of grain, 35 pounds of topsoil and the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline to produce one pound of feedlot beef.

- 70% of US grain production is fed to livestock.

- 5 million acres of rainforest are felled every year in South and Central America alone to create cattle pasture.

- Animal agriculture is a chief contributor to water pollution.

- America’s farm animals produce 10 times the waste produced by the human population.

- One half of the Earth’s land mass is grazed by livestock.

- 35 pounds of topsoil are lost in the production of one pound of grain-fed beef.

- 64% of US cropland produces livestock feed, while only 2% of US cropland produces fruits and vegetables.

-Pounds of edible product that can be produced on an acre of prime land:
Apples……..20,000
Carrots…….30,000
Potatoes……40,000
Tomatoes…..50,000
Beef………..250

-The number of gallons of water needed to produce one pound pf edible product:
Apples……..49
Carrots…….33
Potatoes……24
Tomatoes…..23
Beef………..2,500

- 5 million acres of rainforest are felled every year in South and Central America to create cattle pasture.

- Cattle ranching has destroyed more Central American rainforest than any other activity.

-) Factory farms are the biggest contributors to polluted rivers and streams in the U.S.

Source: http://www.southern.net/BURNINGFLAGS/VEGANVEGAN.htm