The Countdown is on!!!

Hi all of you!How was your Christmas or Holidays?Did you eat a lot of food, and now feel like you just got hit by a truck..I think I have a sugar hangover.Too much chocolate fondue, but it was so worth it...yum yum!

                                               www.jenniferpuresweetness.blogspot.com

Which brings me to the reason why I am writing today.
The countdown to launching my dessert business is on...February 2012 will be the month of yummy,healthy,sugar free, vegan desserts.I am so excited and can't wait.I am still working on getting my website/blog running, setting up my facebook account and I am still not sure if I should include my first name in the name of my business.Pure Sweetness or Jennifer's Pure Sweetness?What do you think?I guess I will just decide spontaneous.I already put a link to my new website on this blog,so you are welcome to check it out.There will be some changes...like the domain name and I have to include some fun facts about being a sweet vegan.

I also want to donate 10% of everything that is sold at Jennifer's Pure Sweetness to an organization that supports the ending of sex trafficking and helps to support girls that got sucked into this cruel life ,to get back on track.I really like GEMS (Girls Mentoring and Educational Service), started by Rachel Lloyd or Caase (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation).I have to look into it even more.It is very important to me, that Pure Sweetness will be about making better healthy choices,helping the environment, not harming animals and giving back to people and especially girls who really need the extra money and help.
There is still a lot to do and think about, but I am super excited to start this new chapter in my life.If you have any ideas or opinions about Pure Sweetness, feel free to contact me or leave a comment anytime.

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Nourishing Arugula Salad with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

I have a new Lover!Warm,soft,comforting Butternut Squash.I am trying all kinds of recipes with my new Love.I used to be scared of the thick skin but once you peel and bake it,the squash is all yummy goodness.

The sweet Butternut Squash combines perfectly with the slide bitter taste of Arugula.Arugula is an amazing salad green,which is high in nutrients like:

Fiber

Iron

Copper

Protein

Vitamins A, B6, C, K

Thiamine

Riboflavin

Folate

Calcium

Zinc

Potassium

Magnesium

Manganese

Arugula has amazing health benefits.Just another leafy green that keeps you happy and healthy without any magic pill!All you have to do is enjoy it...

Bone health. Arugula promotes bone health because it contains calcium and vitamin K. It can help prevent fractures and broken bones. It helps to grow and strengthen your bones.

Low Calorie. Arugula is a very low calorie food which can help promote fullness and weight loss.

Boost Immunity. Since Arugula contains vitamin C, it boosts your immune system and helps to fight disease and infection. It also helps to prevent inflammation.

Fights Cancer. Arugula contains many nutrients that have proven effective when it comes to fighting and preventing cancers. It especially protects against prostate, breast, ovarian, colon, and cervical cancers.

Metabolism. Arugula contains B vitamins which are responsible for many metabolic functions in the body. It can help your body metabolize food more efficiently, thus promoting weight management and a healthy digestive tract.

Alzheimer's. Arugula helps to protect against damage done to the brain and has been used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Let's eat..here is my nourishing Winter Salad

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch diced

1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries

4 cups arugula

2 cups spinach

1/2 cup raw walnuts halves

Juice of 1-2 lemon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan.Season with salt and pepper.Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender.
Place the arugula and spinach in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the cranberries. Squeeze lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil over the salad and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.


Love and Cookies

Jennifer

New Years Resolutions

How are you guys?The holidays and the new year are so close!Any resolutions for the new year yet?I do,I do...mine are very simple!
Relax,breath,pray,believe,give back,stop eating  sugary vegan foods and keep on strengthening my body with daily exercise.And of course, be a positive,healthy and happy wife,daughter,sister and friend.

I have a few simple steps that can make your 2012 sweeter in many ways


1.Cut down on animal foods and processed crap!

Once again...we are what we eat.You eat junk,you look like it and feel like it.
Animal products make your body acidic and they clog your arteries.Meat and dairy contains no fiber, which is important for a healthy digestion.No fiber will turn you into a biatch because if you can't use the bathroom your life stinks!
There is not one nutrient you can not get from a plant based diet.
Eat one plant based meal a day and you are one baby step closer to a better diet.

Many diets consist of over-processed foods and lifeless foods which produce little enzyme activity and contain little or no fibrous material.A lot of people are eating junk foods that are not fresh, with fewer nutrients.

All the natural fiber has been removed in the refining stages. Because of this the diet is poor in fiber, digestion is slow and the waste materials stay in the body longer. This sets up the perfect condition for toxic materials to form.Processed foods contain huge amounts of chemicals and toxins which were added in the processing.

Do you really want to eat chemicals like coloring agents, artificial flavors and preservatives,that are linked to cancer and other diseases.
Dump the processed food...your body has no clue what to do with it!It will only make you really sick.


2.Have a green smoothie!

If there is any food or meal replacement I recommend, it is the beautiful,yummy,nourishing,it will get your skin glowing and will make you jump your husband GREEN SMOOTHIE.
Get out your old blender and buy some kale,spinach and fruit and start blending!
Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, probably the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.
Add a banana and some berries for sweetness.Drink it in the morning instead of breakfast and you will feel more energized and ready for the day.


3.Dance,Baby Dance!!!



I don't care if you dance,run,jump,do yoga or just do good old jumping jacks..you have to keep your body moving.We are meant to move and here is why!!!
People who are physically active live longer.Regular exercise reduces the risk of dying prematurely.
Exercise stimulates the formation of new brain cells.Researchers found that the areas of the brain that are stimulated through exercise are responsible for memory and learning.
Regular exercise maintains or improves sex life. Physical improvements in muscle strength and tone, endurance, body composition and cardiovascular function can all enhance sexual functioning in both men and women.
Study after study has shown that exercise promotes mental health and reduces symptoms of depression. The antidepressant effect of regular physical exercise is comparable to the potent antidepressants like Zoloft.
Lack of physical activity is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Regular exercising makes your heart, like any other muscle, stronger.
There is strong evidence from high quality studies that moderate physical activity combined with weight loss and balanced diet can confer a 50-60% reduction in risk of developing diabetes.
Regular exercise helps to reach and maintain a healthy weight. If you take in more calories than needed in a day, exercise offsets a caloric overload and controls body weight. It speeds the rate of energy use, resulting in increased metabolism.
An active lifestyle benefits bone density. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation, delays bone loss and may protect against osteoporosis - form of bone loss associated with aging.




4.Believe!

OK, this is actually the hardest one!When I say believe,I mean for a long and sweet life you have to believe in yourself! You have to!!!You have to believe that you can be whoever you want to be, and you can do whatever you want to do.Life is to short to waste it on people and stuff you don't like.You hate your job,go back to college..you want to open your own business..go ahead.Don't let anybody ever tell you that you can't do it!People can be dream killers because they never had the guts to reach for their own.Believe in yourself and there will be nothing you can not do!!!




5.Give Back!

You know what I realized about money...Money doesn't matter!!!It doesn't make you happy,it doesn't buy you love and it doesn't make things easier.
The happiest people are the one that live a simple life, without any superficial things.
There is nothing more fulfilling than giving back.Giving your time or your money to somebody who REALLY needs it.
It makes you realized how blessed you are!
Giving 50 dollars to a girl in India to save her life is priceless!
Spending time with a shelter dog and cuddling him, while he looks at you with his big puppy dog eyes, just melts your heart!
Mentoring a child,while saving him from a life on the streets-no money can buy that feeling.

Stop wasting your time in the mall or bar and do what you were meant to do!To make this world a better place,one smile at a time!


I hope you guys got some inspiration...Have a beautiful week!


Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Perfect Winter Food!!!Creamy Butternut Squash Soap

My parents are in town right now and I am trying to introduce them to vegan food.They loved this vegan Butternut Squash Soup.Yes..Sold!



Rich Creamy Butternut Squash Soup


Ingredients
1 big Butternut Squash
4 cups Vegetable Broth
2 cups Water
1 large Onion
4 Potatoes
Seasoning blend
Salt
Pepper


Peel the butternut squash and take out the seeds.Cut into cubes and put into a big pot.
Cut potatoes into cubes and add to the squash.
Add vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil.
Chop onions and saute in a pan until onions are clear.
Add onions into the pot.
Let simmer until squash and potatoes are soft.
Blend soup in a blender or whatever works for you.
I like the soup chunky.
Add seasoning to your liking.
Add pumpkin seeds and black pepper on top

Serve with some homemade German bread...Thanks Mama!!!


Love and Cookies
Jennifer

Fantasy Football Junk-Food Party

My husband will have a big fantasy football party tonight...No I won't be there,seriously a bunch of crazy football guys that are acting like little boys...ahhhh no thank you!!But one thing I will do is provide vegan food.I don't care who comes to my house or what party I am throwing- vegan food rocks!Doesn't matter if it is a bunch of big grown up men, or just my ladies- my party stays animal cruelty free(-;

So here is my vegan fantasy football junk food menu..for all the grown up men out there!!!


Quesadillas

Ingredients
12 organic corn tortillas
1 cup roasted red pepper hummus
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup cilantro-chopped
1 avocado-cut in little pieces



Roasted red pepper hummus

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and salt washed off

1/3 cup tahini

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup roasted red peppers

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Put everything in a food processor and process until smooth.Add spices to your liking.

Set hummus aside.

Salsa
4 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup finely diced onion

2 green chilies, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lime juice

Mix everything together in a bowl and set aside.

Heat up tortilla in a non-stick skillet.Add one tbsp of hummus and spread evenly onto the tortilla,spread 1tbsp of salsa on top.Fold tortilla in half and let brown on both sides.Repeat with other tortillas.Cut them in triangle shape and arrange nicely on plate.Decorate with remaining salsa,cilantro and avocado.Serve hot.

So Good Potato Salad

Ingredients
16 medium potatoes, peeled
1 cup onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 pickles, diced (sweet or dill)
1/2 cup parsley-chopped
2 cup vegan mayo
4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
sprinkle paprika

Boil potatoes for about 25 minutes, or until soft. Drain and let them cool for a few minutes.
Cut potatoes into small cubes, and put them in the fridge for about an hour to cool off some more.
When potatoes are cool, place in a bowl or dish, and stir in the onions, celery, pickles, mayo, mustard,parsley and salt and pepper. Sprinkle paprika on top.





Black Bean Meatballs

Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 clove garlic, chopped fine
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
2 cups of organic black beans, rinsed, drained, partially mashed
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 cup whole grain bread crumbs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375° F

Preheat a large skillet to medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of water and lightly brown onion and garlic. Take skillet off of stove.

In a food processor, combine onion mixture with remaining ingredients and process until beans are almost broken down. If it is too wet, add more oatmeal. If it is too dry, add water one teaspoon at a time.

Roll mixture into medium size balls.

Place into oven for about 20min.Serve with any kind of dipping sauce.

No Pigs in the Blanket

Ingredients

2 packages of crescent rolls (Pillsbury brand crescent rolls are vegan)

1 package Veggie Hot Dogs

Preheat oven to 350° F

Cut crescent dough into triangle shapes.Cut the veggie dogs in half.Roll half a veggie dog into the dough.

Bake in oven until lightly browned-about 15-20min.

Let cool down and cut in half for bite sized fun.

Serve with curry ketchup and mustard.

After all the junk food-I will serve some accidentally vegan Oreo candy cane cookies on a stick and for my gluten free friend I will prepare my raw orange chocolate truffles.

HAPPY FANTASY FOOTBALL NIGHT!!!

Love and Cookies

Jennifer