Healthy. Happy. Life.

6 Summer Slaws to Try! + My New Easy Vegan Summer Slaw.

2013-05-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

This new vegan cole slaw recipe is one of my favorites for spring and summer. I call it my Easy Peasy Creamy Perky Summer Slaw because it is all those things. Super easy to make, lightly creamy, perky and flavorful and ready to serve a crowd as a summer BBQ side dish or pile it on top of a veggie burger as a sandwich topping. Or do like I do and store it in small grab-n-eat containers for easy snacking at any hour of the day. You can even add a few sticky maple tempeh triangles on top and make it a meal. Or you can always pair it with the perfect veggie burger for a perfect summertime meal....

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DOLE/HHL "Smoothietude!" Contest & Giveaway! Entry Details.

2013-05-23T15:32:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, I hinted at a big announcement. Well here it is.. In the spirit of 365 Vegan Smoothies, I am happy to announce my DOLE Bananas & DOLE Salads "Show Me Your Smoothietude" Contest & Giveaway! $2000 in prizes to be awarded. Prizes: (3) $449 Vitamix's will be given away, (2) $150 Smoothie Lover Kits, (6) 365 Vegan Smoothies books & an HHL tee! (whew!) All you have to do is -> Show me your smoothietude! ..... So what is smoothietude? To me it is.. Love, excitement and enthusiasm for smoothies. And how smoothies make their way into your daily...

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The 10 Things Every Smoothie Lover Needs in their Kitchen!

2013-05-21T20:34:00.002-07:00

Corny voiceover voice: Do you consider yourself a smoothie lover? Me: "Yes, yes, yes!" You too? Smoothie cheers to that! And since I literally wrote the book on smoothie-making, I want to share with you what I think are the ten things every smoothie lover should have in their kitchen. So hop in your kitchen and give your smoothie tools, ingredients and goodies a good look to see how many of these ten items on my list you already have, which ones you want to add soon and which ones will be on your "smoothie kitchen dream list." ..Everyone needs a smoothie kitchen...

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NYC Trip! The Seed, Choosing Raw, Pure Food & Wine, Rainy Days...

2013-05-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

My whirlwind trip to NYC is just about to come to a close. (I'm typing this from my hotel room, and my plane leaves in about ... 8 hours.) Three nights alone in a hotel room could seem a bit daunting, but not when you are in NYC surrounded by amazing people, food, events and this city I love so much. This morning I was thrilled to speak at The Seed event in SoHo with my BFF Gena of Choosing Raw. We had so much fun and thank you to everyone who came out to see us on this VERY rainy Sunday. Ahead I have plenty of photos to share with you from my trip!..Read more »

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HHL Tees! On Sale.. now!

2013-05-18T11:34:00.003-07:00

I am super excited to launch my Healthy Happy Tee Store! I have seriously been living in these tees since they arrived on my doorstep a few days ago. These tees are both super soft and perfect for those days when you just want to throw on a pair of jeans or leggings and a soft, fun, colorful tee. No-fuss hair and not a stitch of makeup on! Those are the best days, right? And this is your new fave tee for that happy casual day! Two colors to start things off, heather grey American Apparel track tee and a soft white 50/50 tee. Check out some of my tee pics ... yes I played...

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Easy Triple Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake. (Vegan)

2013-05-16T19:21:00.001-07:00

So tomorrow (eeks, tomorrow?!) I fly to NYC for a fun-filled weekend. I am presenting at The Seed event in Soho at 10:45 am on Sunday morning. My trusty presentation companion -> miss Gena Hamshaw of Choosing Raw of course. The topic -> smoothies! So I'm kinda in crazy-busy mode this afternoon as I pack, run errands, confirm travel plans and pamper my kitty as much as possible because she gets so sad when I leave her. And today, just before I fly out the door I am sharing something I know you all will love. My Triple Peanut Butter Swirl Vegan Cheesecake... Read more »

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Creamy Fresh Blackberry-Acai Sorbet. Blend, Freeze, Scoop, Serve!

2013-05-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

I don't care who you are or what your taste buds tell you on a normal day. When a HOT weather day hits your city and the beaming sun zonks you into a sweltering zombie, you will suddenly find yourself face first, perched at your open freezer. Peering past the frozen peas, you will be in search of something cool and creamy to scoop into a bowl. Spoon in hand, you will rustle past the frozen spinach, under the frozen pizza, hoping and wishing that you hid away some sort of a frosty, creamy, frozen dessert treat long ago that you simply forgot about. Well stop searching and start...

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Oh She Glows, Angela Liddon: Veggie Girl Power Interview!

2013-05-13T07:49:00.001-07:00

The second amazing lady I am featuring in this year's Veggie Girl Power Interview Series is Angela Liddon of the blog Oh She Glows. If you a fan of vegan recipe blogs I'm guessing you already know of Angela and her inspiring recipes, so get to know this talented lady a little more in my VGP interview!..Read more »

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Vegan Flour-Free Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies.

2013-05-10T14:44:00.002-07:00

I did muffins. I did cake. So it seemed only natural that I experiment with my beloved "flour free" baking method with cookies. Success! These Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies (I used chocolate chunks) are quite fabulous. If you love rustic-textured, nutty, oat-y cookies these babies are for you. (Just thought-read that in an SNL Stephan voice. anyone?) Cookies: Right out of the oven they are moist and super chewy with melty bits of semi-sweet/vegan chocolate. (Still Stephan voice-ing! And giggling.) I used silky-rich virgin coconut oil as my "oil/fat" so when they cool they...

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Ginger Peanut Coconut Veggie & Tofu Stir-Fry over Rice.

2013-05-08T19:39:00.001-07:00

I was in the mood for Asian flavors so this Ginger-Peanut-Coconut Tofu Veggie and Rice Stir-Fry really hit the spot. The warm spicy ginger mingling with rich, nutty peanut flavor, cool, captivating coconut milk, bright citrus and a hint of miso and tamari. Colorful Asian veggies like broccoli florets, snow peas, edamame, carrots and water chestnuts are heated in a sizzling skillet, tossed in sauce and plated on top of fluffy white rice. Plump pillows of seared miso-ginger tofu cubes on top. A ring of freshly sliced citrus, orange zest aroma, to accent the platter. Sake on the side. And an...

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Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting: Healthy Dessert!

2013-05-06T15:27:00.002-07:00

This recipe for Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting started out as something called a "Carrot Cake Breakfast Bake" Simply because the ingredients are reminiscent of a sort of baked carrot cake oatmeal. But after one bite of this moist and rustic treat I realized it was totally dessert-approved and could easily rival traditional frosted carrot cake. And the best part: this cake is free of refined flour and there is no powdered sugar in the cream cheese frosting. Flavors. Nutty walnuts, thick bits of sweet carrot, spices, orange zest, tender sweet organic raisins and that...

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Juicy Mango Margarita (Mocktail) + 21 Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes!

2013-05-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

Cinco de Mayo is my favorite food holiday. I say it every year and it is true. Growing up in California, I have acquired a passionate love of authentic and creative Mexican-inspired food. Guacamole, tacos, red rice, limes, simmering black or veggie refried beans, freshly fried tortilla chips, oven-baked enchiladas, homemade corn tortillas, spicy salsa, salsa verde, sticky sweet plantains, tender sweet corn cakes, vegan cashew or tofu sour cream, vegan melty cheese, jalapenos and on and on and on... Hungry yet? Me. Too. Lets throw on our fiesta hats, shimmy into the kitchen and start our own...

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Simone Reyes: VGP Interview!

2013-05-04T11:22:00.005-07:00

VGP 2013. As I mentioned in last week's VGP-update interview with Chloe Coscarelli, this year's Veggie Girl Power Interview Series will be stretched over a few weeks, instead of back-to-back. More room to squeeze in vegan recipes. And first up, is the passionate, glowing, tells-it-like-it-is chicka -> Simone Reyes. You Know Her.. You may recognize Simone from television, as she appeared in the Oxygen-network reality show Running Russell Simmons. A show that followed business mogul/celebrity/vegan Russell Simmons and his staff (which includes Simone). But besides being a bubbly,...

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Vegan Shake: Peanut Butter Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Banana.

2013-05-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

Need a frosty treat this week? (I sure did!) Try this Peanut Butter Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Banana Shake. It is actually a lot healthier than is appears and I love it because it combines two desserts in one. Chocolate-dipped bananas and a peanut butter-swirled chocolate "milk"shake. Oh and I have news to share about my book..Read more »

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Basic Vegan Vanilla Baking Batter. All-Purpose. Easy. (Updated Recipe!)

2013-05-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Happy, healthy, red, white and blueberry day! Aka, the Fourth of July. I hope you are all enjoying some relaxing summertime fun this weekend. Today I want to share with you a basic vegan baking batter that you can use for a wide variety of recipes: muffins, pancakes, waffles, tea bread and more. It has a zesty lemon-vanilla flavor perfect to pair with a wide variety of summer fruit or bolder flavors like spice and chocolate... UPDATED! - 5/2013 - I updated the recipe to reflect my new love of coconut oil. Plus a I simplified and tweaked a few things. You can use this recipe for...

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Deviled Avocado. Spicy Curry Sauce. Cado-Crunch Salad.

2013-04-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

I love a feisty Deviled Avocado. This boldly flavored dish includes creamy avocado, crunchy apple, sweet onion, tender protein-rich hemp seeds, spices and lemon. Plus a sweet and spicy rich curry-tahini sauce drizzled generously over top. I love these flavors all sweet and sassy. Serve these 'cados as appetizers or alongside a crunchy entree salad for a satisfying and energizing meal...Read more »

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Fresh Blueberry Muffins. Ginger. Lemon. Almond. Flour-Free!

2013-04-29T16:54:00.002-07:00

These Ginger-Lemon Fresh Blueberry Banana Oat Vegan Muffins popped out of my test kitchen this morning and I knew I wanted to post the recipe asap. These tender, fluffy muffins are ridiculously delicious and healthy with just over 170 calories per muffin. Flavors. Fresh organic blueberries in each bite, all plump, juicy and sweet and swirled with purple-blue goodness. Fresh lemon and spicy-sweet caramelized ginger accents. Plus banana, oat and almond ingredients too. These vegan muffins will wow your family as a grab-n-go breakfast (grab two!) or just make them for yourself, freeze the...

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Fast, Easy Almond Milk! Creamy Chocolate + Coconut Cinnamon...

2013-04-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

Want to learn how to make creamy, amazing, totally delicious-tasting almond milk is a flash? Good! Today I share my easy method and even a super easy TWO-ingredient recipe with a secret ingredient. (Intrigued?) For these recipes.. You DO need a high speed blender like a Vitamix. And some sort of fine mesh strainer OR a nut bag. But that is it! Seriously, go from raw almonds in a bag to creamy-tastic almond milk in under 45 minutes. Annnnd GO!...Read more »

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Chatting Desserts & Cookbooks with Chloe Coscarelli + VGP 2013!

2013-04-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Over the past four years I have had the pleasure of interviewing some of my favorite veggie-powered ladies via my annual Veggie Girl Power Interview Series. It has been so much fun being able to follow the inspiring careers of these veggie superstars in the years since chatting with them all. Past VGP ladies included: Marilu Henner, Chloe Jo, Portia de Rossi, Vaute Couture's Leanne, Sarma, PPK's Isa, Kathy Freston, Heather Mills, Annie Shannon, Gena, Rory Freedman and many more. You can catch up on all my past interviews here: 2011, 2010, 2009. 2013's series starts now! I am SO...

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Green Princess Plate. Romaine Salad + Fresh Green Dressing.

2013-04-23T10:52:00.003-07:00

So I had this romaine. Romaine lettuce that I picked up at the organic Farmer's Market, the market held every Saturday in Santa Monica. Oh my this romaine. I spotted it perched on a table, piled on top of ten or fifteen other glossy green lovelies just like it. Gorgeous, fluffy, sprawling leaves of spring green so crisp and fresh that you could easily munch them down leaf by leaf. No dressing required. So for this recipe I didn't want to do to much to these leaves. I couldn't even bare to chop them up! Green Princess (Or Prince) Plate. I topped each spear with fresh chive...

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Vegan Protein Powders for Smoothies: My BIG Guide!

2013-04-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

For the past month (and longer really) I have been doing my own little study of vegan protein powders and meal shakes. For this feature, I requested samples from a few top brands - many of which were suggested by your guys, so thanks! I have been introduced to a wide variety of new products and want to share my findings and current personal favorites with you. In my book 365 Vegan Smoothies, I do not talk extensively about vegan protein powders, but I do include a "scoop of your favorite protein powder" in a few of the recipes. So if you plan on buying my book, or are a vegan...

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Vega One Bar: Review / Giveaway!

2013-04-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

Love chocolate? Love delicious ways to feed you body nutrients like protein, fiber, omega 3's, probiotics, greens and more? Well take a peek at this new (chocolate-drenched) plant-based product from Vega.. Vega One Bar. I am already a Vega One fan - one of my fave protein powders, featured in my recent Protein Powder Guide! So when I heard about those same nutrients in "bar form" I was intrigued. Taste Test! Ahead, read my review of the new Vega One Bar - plus enter my giveaway. Prize: a box of bars (6 winners!)..Read more »

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Tempeh Reuben Club Sandwich. Split a sandwich tonight..

2013-04-19T16:11:00.000-07:00

What is better than a delicious sauerkraut-stuffed, blackened tempeh infused, sassy stacked Tempeh Reuben Sandwich? How about a Tempeh Reuben Club Sandwich! This monster of a sandwich is built for two to share and tiny mouths need not apply. OK, tiny mouths are welcome, but you may need to unstack as you devour this amazingly yummy dish. Get my recipe and find out what all the buzz is about when it comes to vegan reuben sandwiches!..Read more »

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Boston Cream Pie. (Almost Raw. Vegan.) Love to Boston.

2013-04-16T13:35:00.003-07:00

With Boston on my mind, this Boston Cream Pie popped into my kitchen. My (almost) raw dessert. The 'cake' portion is raw, including my cashew 'cream' layer. The chocolate ganache topping is simply a silky combination of melted dark chocolate chips and virgin coconut oil. Why Raw? Yes I guess I could have cranked up my oven and prepared a classic Boston Cream Pie. But the thing is, I have these dates. These beautiful, squishy, velvet-y, sweet and luscious Medjool dates from the Farmer's Market and I was really hoping to use them in a raw dessert this week. So here it...

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Ginger-Mint-Lemon Strawberry + Avocado Salad. Or Tartine.

2013-04-14T16:32:00.001-07:00

This Strawberry and Avocado Tartine is infused with lively spring flavors: fresh lemon, raw ginger and refreshing peppermint. Serve this recipe as a fruit salad side dish or pile on top of warm toast for a rejuvenating spring tartine. Avocado toast infused with springtime. I sprinkled some protein-rich raw organic hemp seeds of top for added protein and texture. If you have never enjoyed the AMAZING flavor combo of strawberries + avocado, now is your moment. Get inspired...Read more »

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