Day 11: National Pancake Week!

For those of you who don't know, it is national pancake week! Whether you like blueberry, whole grain, apple cinamon, or any other delcious flavor, make sure to go easy on the syrup, butter, or jam. Although they may say "reduced fat" or "all natural" a lot of them aren't. There is almost no nutritional value to syrup, so go easy on it and try to buy light syrup. The same goes for jam, jam has some nutritional value, but tons of sugar. Go easy on the sweeteners and happy pancake eating!

*Tip of the day* Try pancakes with nutella, not only is nutella good for you, it also tastes amazing!!!

*Recipe of the day* http://www.recipe.com/black-walnut-pancakes-with-peach-compote/
This recipe is really yummy and the walnuts are a bonus boost for heart health!

Day 10: Looking back

Wow! I cannot believe that is has already been 10 posts since I started this blog. I hope that I have helped anyone who reads this blog (even if it's on a whim) in some manner or fashion. Now it's time to criticize myself. When I started this blog I meant to write one post every day, obviously that has not happened yet.Anyway, I hope to keep up with this blog for the next 354 posts. Thanks for reading my blog and please comment on with any tips on how I can improve this blog.

*Tip of the day* Load up on vitamins C and D during this month to keep away pesky colds and flu virus's.

*Recipe of the day* Feeling Greek tonight? Then Enjoy this recipe chock full of heart healthy vitamins. http://www.recipe.com/edamame-bread-salad/

Day 9: To who? Tofu!

Ah yes the joys of tofu. I felt the need to dedicate an entire post to this amazing food. Throughout the years tofu has gotten a lot of criticism from different groups of people. The truth: tofu is a super food and is really good for you, plus it tastes awesome! Tofu is a flubbery kind of material and is made from vegetables, beans, and a lot of other really good things. I challenge anyone who reads this to make tofu at some point this week.

*Tip of the day* Live, love, laugh, and enjoy your life to the fullest!

*Recipe of the day* http://www.recipe.com/caesar-salad-with-tofu-croutons/

Day 8: "Love the skin you're in"

These days it seems like everyone is on fad diets and fast programs. While these programs promise to help you to loose weight, they also have many down sides. When you do programs that make you eat their food, the food usually has no nutritional value and does not fill you up. Thus, you inadvertently starve yourself. When people "complete" these programs they usually gain most of the weight back because they have to start eating real food. Why? Why does everyone want to loose weight fast? And when did fruits and vegetables become "diet food?" Personally, I love fruits and veggies. I love the texture, taste, and smell of fruits and vegetables. I believe that if people want to loose weight they should do it the "old fashioned way." That is, they should eat a balanced diet and only eat sweets ocasionally.

*Tip of the day* Check out the organic section of you local grocery store.

*Recipe of the day*    http://www.recipe.com/italian-mozzarella-salad/
- This recipe is especially good in warm weather. Happy eating!

Day 7: Carbs

Everyone loves carbs, right? Bread, pastries, pasta, cereal, etc. they all "promise" to have whole grains in them. The fact: most carbs that you eat do not have whole grains in them. They may have been whole grains to start off with, but they have been processed into chemically enhanced carbs. Just because an item has added vitamins does not mean it's safe to eat. For example, white bread is one of the worst bread types to eat. Why? Because it has chemicals added to it to make it white. In some studies these chemicals have been shown to cause cancer.

*Tip of the day* Try GoGo squeeZ applesauce. The only ingredients are apple puree, water, and sugar.

*Recipe of the day* http://www.recipe.com/veggie-chili/ This recipe is really good and full of vegetables and vitamins.

Day 6: The 3 Re's

Revitalize, refresh, and reclaim. These are the three "re's" I refer to all the time. I believe that these three "re's" are the keys to living a healthy lifestyle.

Revitalize. Revitalization is key for living a healthy and happy lifestyle. Some ways to revitalize your life are through exercise, beauty treatments, and through eating raw fruits and veggies.

Refresh. I try to refresh my body at least once a week. Personally, I go to yoga classes and I always leave feeling refreshed and ready to go for the rest of the week. However, some other ways you can refresh your life is through deep breathing exercises, exercise and nutrition, and getting adequate amounts of sleep every night.

Reclaim. No matter how old you are, you can still reclaim your life back. Whether it's from clutter, relationships, or weight problems, it is never too late to reclaim your life back.

*Tip of the day* Go to YouTube or some other site and find some yoga poses to try at home. Not only will they help to relax, but you will also feel better after doing them. Don't forget the deep breathing!

*Recipe of the day* http://www.recipe.com/cheese-spinach-stuffed-portobellos/
- These are really yummy!!

Day 5: Unsupportive Friends and Family

One of the biggest problems people have found after going vegetarian is unsupportive family and friends. My response? What you choose to put into your body is solely your decision. If you don't want to eat that piece of steak your parents are trying to coax you into eating, don't. At the end of the day your decisions will help or harm you.

Your body is like a car, what you put in it determines how well it will run. You wouldn't put cheap gasoline in your car if you are about to go on a 6 hour road trip. The same goes for your body. If you put in processed foods, simple sugars, and starches you can expect to be sluggish and to see an increase in weight gain. However, if you put nuts, whole grains, fruits, veggies, protein, and good foods in your body not only will you feel better but you will look better.One of my friends was recently telling me that it had been about 2 months since she had a cup of coffee. During this time her complexion cleared up completly and now she looks radiant! 

*Tip of the day* Check out experiencelifemag.com for great recipes, tips, and ideas for living a healthier and better life.

*Recipe of the day* http://www.recipe.com/orange-pear-spinach-salad/

Day 4: Lunch

I decided to dedicate an entire blog post just to lunches. The reason? Most people feel like they cannot become vegetarian because of this meal. The majority of Americans either work or are attending some sort of school from 12-3 pm. This causes many people to either skip lunch altogether or to buy all the processed junk that comes out of vending machines. However, it is really simple to correct this problem. Bring your own lunch. It really isn't that hard. Many people tell me they don't have time or there aren't a lot of lunch options for vegetarians. My response? That is a load of crap. I make my lunch every day for school and it usually only takes me about 10 minutes. Some good lunch options that take very little time are: any type of fruit, salad (don't forget the dressing!), chips and salsa, sandwiches (yes you can make vegetarian sandwiches), and a whole lot more. It really isn't difficult or time consuming to make your own lunch and by the time lunch actually comes around you'll be glad you did.

*Tip of the day* Search your area for a Whole Foods market and take a trip up there. You will not be sorry you did!

*Recipe of the day* http://www.recipe.com/grilled-vegetables-on-focaccia-1/
- This recipe takes a little more than 10 minutes, but it's definetly worth the time and effort!

Day 3: Eating Out

A lot of vegetarians ask me this question: "Where can I go to eat out and still maintain my vegetarian diet?" My response is this: you can eat out just about anywhere you want to. If you go out make an otherwise meat-filled dish vegetarian. For example, last night my boyfriend and I went out to eat at an Italian restaurant, I ordered the baked cheese tortellini. This dish came with meat sauce on top so I asked the waitress to put marinara sauce on it instead. Voila! I had a very yummy vegetarian dish without any hassle. Next time you go out make a dish work for you and 99% of the time you will not regret your decision.

*Tip of the day* Check out some yummy vegetarian and vegan restaurants in your city. They are usually taste really good and are really great for your body.

*Recipe of the day* http://www.recipe.com/all-wrapped-up-salad/
- This recipe would be great served with tomato soup!

Day 2: The Dangers of Processed Food

One of the biggest mistakes new vegetarians make is eating processed foods to replace the meat they aren't eating. When you replace meat with processed foods you can gain weight very quickly. It is ok to eat processed foods every once in a while, but not every day. Many vegetarians make this mistake and thusly decide that vegetarianism is not a healthy lifestyle for them. If you eat right and substitute enough protein into your diet you will actually look and feel better. You will also start to loose weight because you are not eating fatty meat and other processed foods which can cause you to gain weight.

*Tip of the day* Try Morningstar "meats," they are soy and bean "meats," and they taste delicious!

*Recipe of the day* http://www.recipe.com/bean-bolognese/

- This recipe is very high in protein, fiber, and vitamins, plus it tastes awesome!!

Day 1

Welcome to my blog! I started this blog because recently my friends have been asking me for tips on becoming vegetarian. I have been a vegetarian for over 5 years so I consider myself somewhat experienced. My hope is to blog everyday for 365 days and include tips, recipes, and other ideas for being vegetarian and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Contrary to popular belief vegetarians do not sit around all day and eat only salad. We eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and just about everything non-vegetarians eat. The only difference is that we choose not to eat meat.

If you are a new vegetarian or someone considering becoming vegetarian there are a few things to think about:
1. Why do you want to be a vegetarian? There are a lot of different reasons people go vegetarian. Some do it for the health benefits, others do it because of the way animals are treated, and some do it because it is considered the new "fad." 
2. What kind of vegetarian do you want to be? There are a lot of different types of vegetarians in this day and age. You need to think about what types of foods you are willing to eat and what you are not. For example, Vegans eat only foods with no animal by-products, while pescetarians don't eat meat but they eat fish.

I am attaching a link to a video PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) put out regarding slaughterhouses. *BEWARE!!! This clip is very graphic and should not be viewed if you have a weak stomach.

*Tip of the day* If you are a new vegetarian do NOT stop eating meat cold-turkey. Gradually adjust your diet to fit your needs until you ease out of eating meat all together.

*Recipe of the day*http://www.recipe.com/barley-vegetable-soup/
This recipe is for a great vegetable soup. It is full of fiber, protein, and essential vitamins, plus it tastes amazing! Happy eating!