Vegan Profile: Actress Krista Allen

Today I'm writing about another one of those connections...the kind that you wonder about at first and then somehow make perfect sense, even when you're not sure how they came to be.

I, like so many of you, grew up watching soaps.  General Hospital and Days of Our Lives were my favorites.  I still sneak a peak if I'm around at 1 or 3! Don't you remember watching Luke and Laura get married? Did you cry when all of the Hortons hung their Christmas ornaments on Alice and Tom's tree each year?  I first "met" the stunning Krista Allen when she played Billie Reed on Days.  OK. We didn't meet. I watched her each day for years and loved how she filled the role.  It was fun to see her in other tv roles, as the "elevator girl", and I'm psyched to see her when season 2 of The LA Complex begins. But did I ever imagine we'd connect?

Fast forward to my life on Twitter, and this cool, vegan woman "followed" me.  I was so flattered!  We "tweeted" back and forth a few times and I could tell she was just as sweet and kind as I assumed she would be.  So I took a risk.  I reached out and asked if I could interview her for my book.  She said yes!  We emailed a few times, exchanged numbers and then back in late winter of 2011 we finally spoke.  I was on the brutally cold streets of Manhattan on my way to meet friends for dinner, she was navigating a crowded parking lot on a hot afternoon in LA, and over the course of a half hour, what started as a conversation about what it's like to be vegan quickly turned into a very personal one, and a friendship began.

Tonight Krista asked me to read an interview she had done and tell her what I thought. I found it funny and humble and candid, about being vegan but also about being present and really living life.  I have decided to share it with you for all of those reasons.  I hope you enjoy...

http://manifestationyoga.com/2012/05/31/the-real-krista-allen-the-manifestation-qa-series/

Organic Dining in New York City

New York City has some of the best restaurants in the world, and the variety from which you can choose cannot be beat!

Some of the vegan places I have come to enjoy most are also organic and, just like the city in which they are located, they offer plenty of choices for any diner.

See what I had to say about some of my favorite organic spots in my guest post on Stacy Knows:

http://stacyknows.com/2012/organic-dining-nyc/

"You Look Mahvelous..."

I know, I'm dating myself with this headline hearkening back to SNL and Fernando's Hideaway!

As many of you know, I initially became a vegan for healthy reasons.  After years of being sick and feeling uncomfortable, this was a miracle cure for me.  Now I can't imagine being any other way!

Well, whatever was happening to me internally manifested itself in new ways over time, and I developed allergies, or even occasional allergic reactions to different things - some in ingested, some I put on my skin.

Lately I noticed my skin was getting irritated around my hair line and realized I was allergic to my shampoo!  AARRGGHH! How great can you look if you just feel bumpy?  That's NOT going to help this trendy vegan feel beach ready...

Well, I don't sit around and wait, especially when it comes to health and well-being so I went over to Whole Body yesterday (the healthy care/apothecary division of Whole Foods) for a brand new shampoo.  They gave me a wonderful smelling tea tree oil to temper my skin and recommended 2 Chic for my hair.  It's 100% organic and not tested on animals, and has delicious natural oils for a beautiful, glossy shine.  I LOVE IT!

Here are some candids my son shot last night just so you could see for yourself.  A pictures worth 1000 words, right?  Well here are two!

Memorial Day with a Vegan Twist!

Memorial Day is almost here - that means beaches, bathing suits, long summer nights and relaxing by the barbecue with family and friends.

You know how much The Trendy Vegan loves to be part of a fun crowd, so for me that means finding creative ways to be a part of it all with recipes that work for everyone!

Did you know you can grill extra firm tofu if you baste it first?
Have you ever grilled corn, seasoned with vegan butter and herbs, wrapped in foil?
Do you ever toss fruit on the grill for a sweet after dinner treat?

In my latest article you can read all about these flavorful, healthy vegan ideas and more (including an old favorite) - just click here!
http://bedford.patch.com/blog_posts/vegan-grilling-for-memorial-day

Enjoy the long weekend everyone!

Profile: Private Chef: Jodi McGinty

Have you ever met someone and known right away there was a reason?

A few months ago I was talking to someone about my blog and my passion for making vegan food seem more accessible to a wider audience.  She recommended that I meet Jodi McGinty, an organic whole and living food chef and educator.

While Jodi is not a vegan, she is so knowledgeable about the field, and has worked for many clients who both adhere to and/or are looking to integrate this healthy lifestyle.  She uses organically grown whole and living foods, and as she says herself, teaches both cooking and uncooking classes educating about the value of raw foods as well.  She knows how to provide high-quality nutrition to naturally support proper digestion and a well-functioning immune system, and what foods and herbs create and support excellent health.  

After hours over coffee, and talking about everything under the sun from vegetables to fate,  Jodi sent me her Food of Love e-book with which, I appropriately, fell in love.  I have copied a few of Jodi’s incredible salads for you below, but to learn more about what she has to offer, or to contact her, go to http://www.liphebalance.com/jodi_mcginty.php.

Jodi’s Delicious & Healthy Raw Beet Salad

*Great for your liver and for those who generally do not like beets.  Olives are high in minerals, calcium full of antioxidants and are beautifying to the skin!

Ingredients:

1½ lbs golden or red beets, peeled
½ red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup raisins or currants
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
10 Greek Olives
2 oz organic goat cheese (optional)
1 tbsp wildflower honey
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp lemon, freshly squeezed
Pink Himalayan Salt and Pink Peppercorn to taste

Instructions:

Coarsely grate beets by hand or in the processor and place in a bowl.  (Beets can be lightly steamed if preferred, and in particular in colder climate.)  Add olive oil, lemon, raisins, honey and combine.  Refrigerate or let stand for 30 minutes.  Remove the green olive pits and lightly chop.  Add goat cheese and chives.  Gently combine all.

Jodi’s “Lighten-Up” Healthy Salad

*A delicious salad containing loads of fiber, vitamins and minerals beneficial for weight reduction and detoxification

Ingredients:

1 box fresh baby arugula greens
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 bulb fennel, finely chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, washed
½ cup fresh sprouts
4 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
½ tsp lemon zest
6 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp celery salt (or pink, sea or herb salt)

Instructions:

Whisk together lime juice, lemon zest, extra virgin organic olive oil and salt.
Place arugula, celery, fennel, carrots, parsley and sprouts into a large salad bowl. Drizzle with whisked dressing.

If you want this to serve as a complete vegan meal, add ½ cup of toasted walnuts, almonds or pumpkin seeds.  

Jodi's Mineral-Rich Sea Vegetable Salad

*Sea vegetables contain calcium, iron and iodine with help with detoxification and protect against toxins

Ingredients:

1 cup finely shredded dried organic Hijiki or Arame Seaweed
2 green scallions, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 tbsp sesame seeds
4 tbsp toasted sesame oil
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:

Soak seaweed in pure water for 30 minutes.  Drain and place in medium salad bowl.  Whisk the sesame oil and lemon juice together in a small bowl or cup.  Add scallions, peppers and sesame seeds to the seaweed and toss with the whisked dressing.

Crazy Sexy Life - I'm featured!

In 2003, Kris Carr, New York Times best-selling author and wellness warrior, was diagnosed with a rare and incurable stage 4 cancer. What she learned by stopping everything and redirecting her energy transformed her forever and she "ignited a global wellness revolution that’s resonated with thousands of health, spiritual wealth and happiness seekers. CanSer babes and “Prevention is HOT” cheerleaders alike have flocked to my books and workshops to learn how to look and feel better, lose weight, have more energy and nourish their minds, bodies and spirits – even Oprah wanted a piece of the Crazy Sexy action."  A plant-based diet has been a major key to her success.

I have been lucky enough to have one of my recipes featured on her website today.  Please click on the link and "like" it, share it through google+ or tweet it if you can.  It would mean so much! http://crazysexylife.com/2012/salad-with-romaine-fennel-and-clementines/

Happy, healthy eating and have a great day!

Open-Faced Goodness

Today, after an incredibly hectic week which is leading into an equally jam-packed weekend, I was lucky enough to find the time to meet an old, dear friend for lunch.  


If you're like me, when you're with a good friend over a meal, the food takes a backseat to the chance to catch up and reconnect.  This lunch was no different, but the food was such a nice treat that I decided to share it with all of you!

Wendi and I met at Le Pain Quotidien on Greenwich Avenue which I love for its fresh ingredients and abundant vegan menu.  I usually order the scrambled tofu with mushrooms, tomatoes and spicy soy cheese as if on auto-pilot but today the tartines caught my eye.  They are their signature open-faced sandwiches.  I don't normally choose to eat a sandwich but this one sounded great and I was hungry!

Avocado & chick pea tartine from
Le Pain Quotidien

The one I selected consisted of avocado, spicy tahini and chick peas on top of spelt bread. It was delicious!  If you want to make it at home, here is my suggestion:


2 pieces of your favorite bread (I like something with a good crust)
1 avocado, mashed
2 TBSP of tahini (see recipe below)
1/2 c chick peas
1 tsp diced scallions
8 paper-thin slices of cucumber, round and unpeeled
8 paper-thin slices of radish


For the tahini you will need:
1 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1 cup filtered water
1 TBSP plus 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
Simply whisk all of the ingredients together well until smooth and serve.  If you refrigerate it, the dressing will thicken so let it come to room temperature again and whisk a bit more before using.


To assemble the tartine:


Begin by toasting the bread and then cut each slice in half on the diagonal.


Spread each piece with the avocado at your desired thickness.


Drizzle with tahini and then sprinkle with chickpeas and scallions.


Lay the sliced cucumber and radish on top and take a scrumptious bite!  Of course, season with salt & pepper as you desire.