Be a People Builder

Ever thought about how harmful your words can be! One little harsh word or action can influence a person tremendously. Nobody likes to get criticized, you don't wanna be the victim of gossip. Gossip hurts and the tongue is a harsh tool.

What is we just all love each other!!!

How about the next time a friend or co-worker seems to have a rough day, you just tell them what a great job they are doing or what an amazing mom they are. Be a people builder, don't tear them down even more. Listen to what they have to say, give them a big hug and tell them that you love them.

If your spouse is stressed instead of making things worse, encourage him and tell him how proud you are of everything he has and will do in his life. Sugar always works better than salt!
It is easy to criticize, it is easy to moan and blow up, but it takes a big, whole person to swallow your pride and turn a shaky situation into a sunny one. Don't ruin your night over little things that don't matter.


 

Don't gossip, don't be in other peoples business. Your harsh words are dangerous and can do damage, you don't even know about and God will always remember if you don't change the way you treat your neighbour.
People that talk smack about others, are just very unhappy with their lives. Gossiping is jealousy!

How about we take all the energy we use for gossiping and use it to build people up. How about we are truly happy if other people are doing good, how about we give encouragement and offer our help if our brothers and sisters are in a dark place. Amazing things will happen if we are people builders!

You don't walk in someone else's shoes, you don't know what they are going through, why they act the way they act. How about you ask and listen before you open your mouth and judge!

Don't surround yourself with negative nay sayers and haters! Don't be in that environment, walk away from it, God will provide you with the right friends and people in your life, if you walk away from the wrong ones. People that love you will encourage you and will lift you up, wanting you to be better.

If you catch yourself talking bad, pray ask for forgiveness and be better. Be a blessing, stay busy building your own magical and beautiful life, that way you have no time to even worry about miserable gossip girls!!

Love and Cookies

Jen

Best Pesto Pasta of my Life

I am usually not a huge pasta fan and ever since I am eating a plant based diet, I felt like the only option is pasta with marinara! Was I wrong and so happy when this pesto pasta recipe turned out divine, rich, delicious and so filling. It is not just delicious but the sauce is done in 5 min and is cheese free!



1 pound whole grain or gluten free pasta of your choice

1 bunch fresh basil
1/2 cup cashews or pine nuts
2 avocados
2tbsp lemon juice
3 gloves garlic
1/4- 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta for 15 min or until al dente.

Process all the other ingredients ( besides the tomatoes) in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you want to use less oil just substitute half the oil with water. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Toss the sauce over the warm pasta and add sun dried tomatoes or any other vegetable that you might like.

Enjoy

Love and Cookies

Jen

Stuffed Avocado Salsa Potato Skins

Happy Valentines Day Week! I am gonna love myself and treat myself to things that make me happy, just because you are not in a relationship doesn't mean you cannot celebrate Love and yourself.
I am in love with my new big kitchen and the cookbook from Chloe Coscarelli.
She is such a vibrant vegan beauty and her recipes are super easy and comforting.

 





Stuffed Avocado Salsa Potato Skins

 
4 potatoes
2  small avocados                                                                      
2 tomatoes
1/4 cup salsa
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400
Cut the potatoes in half and bake for 45 min or until soft.
Meanwhile chop the tomatoes and avocado in little pieces.
Mix carefully in bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
Remove potatoes from oven and let cool down.
Scoop out the inside from the potato and store for future use.
Fill the potato skins with the avocado salsa and serve slightly warm.

And yes that is beer in the background. I am a German girl, we love our beer!
Vegan potato skins+beer = LOVE


Love and Cookies

Jen

Hearty, cold weather breakfast

This morning I really felt like eating something hearty and comforting for breakfast. I didn't want a smoothie, I didn't feel like oatmeal or cereal, so I came up with this quick and easy Mexican inspired breakfast or lunch meal.


Ingredients
2 small slices of whole wheat sourdough bread

1/4 cup black beans
1tsp onion, chopped
half a handful of corn
2 tbsp salsa
2 slices avocado
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Toast the bread until crispy and set aside
Sautee the onions in water until slightly browned
Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the onions
Add corn and heat everything through
Put bean mixture on bread and top with salsa, avocado and salt and pepper

Bon Appetit

Love and Cookies

Jen

Sugar!!!!

Sugar- sweet, delicious, evil friend. A delightful minute on the tongue in exchange for what feels like a lifetime on the hips. But weight gain isn't the only think of eating too much sugar!

Over consumption of processed sugar can contribute to a number of conditions, including tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, hormonal imbalances, overgrowth of candida yeast, chronic fatigue, more severe PMS symptoms, anxiety and even wrinkles. On the other hand, if you start to cut sugar out of your diet, you can shed excess weight, increase your energy, improve your concentration, improve your moods, and possibly steer clear of diabetes. To help you out, I'll let you in on some reasons why we get addicted, and how to read food labels for hidden sugars. I'll also give you some tips on how to start your sugar detox so you'll have a much better chance at living a long, vibrant, and disease-free life.
 
 Say No to processed Sugar!


Sweets trigger an increase in the hormone serotonin—a mood-elevating hormone. The body and brain get used to this higher level of serotonin and even depend on it for a sense of feeling good. So when our serotonin level dips, we wanna kill the donut. Candy also trigger the release of endorphins, the brain's natural narcotics, helping you to relax when stressed.
Ever noticed that you get ''high'' when u had a dose of sugar, that is caused by a rapid spike in your blood sugar, after a while you just feel like taking a nap and the only way to avoid that is to eat some more of the white sweet stuff. Sugar takes away more energy than it gives. Eventually, you find yourself exhausted, anxious, and moody. Yes, I eat way too much sugar and I cannot stand the way I feel after.

You not only gain pounds, but sugar also has some serious side effects.

Suppresses the immune system's defenses against bacterial infections
Increases the risk of blood clots and strokes
Contributes to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating
Can lead to hypoglycemia, kidney damage, an elevation in harmful cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and tooth decay
Helps speed the aging process, including wrinkles and gray hair


So how do we get rid of the sugary cravings!?
The first step in breaking a sugar addiction is making the decision to stop eating it completely for at least a few days to start to get it out of your system. While it's usually best to make dietary changes gradually, sugar has the unique ability to inspire cravings that are refueled every time you give in to them. The only way to break the cycle is to stop feeding the sweet monster in you. Then the cravings will fade.. Continue to resist large amounts of sugar and actively avoid situations that cue you to eat sweets. Don't buy ice cream, candy and cookie, don't have it in your house.You know you cannot resist it, so don't buy it.

Are you eating out of habit? Because of circumstance? For a special occasion? Because everyone else is? Journaling can be helpful preparation for stomping out your sugar habit by making you aware of why you're eating it.

 
 Say Yes to Fruit!


For thousands of years, people ate whatever sugar occurred naturally in their diets, and it didn't seem to be a problem, it was a treat. The typical American now eats the equivalent of about 31 teaspoons of added sugar every day. Our bodies simply weren't designed to handle this massive load. The American Heart Association recommends that added sugar should be limited to no more than 6 to 7 percent of your total calories. Cut out foods with sugar, white flour, and high fructose corn syrup—including cakes, cookies, pastries, and most desserts. It's okay to have a dessert or sugary snack on occasion, but make sure it's not your main dish. Although sugar is generally found in desserts, added sugar can also be found in your main and side dishes, and even sauces. Look closely at the labels of processed foods, cereals, and sauces—like ketchup, barbecue sauce, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, and dressings. 


These sugar substitutes are all still sugar!

• Agave nectar/syrup
• Cane juice crystals
• Cane sugar
• Caramel
• Corn syrup
• Corn syrup solids
• Carob syrup
• Dextrin
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrate (apple, grape, or pear)
• Galactose
• Glucose
• High fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Lactose
• Maltose
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Sorbitol
• Sucrose

Trick your taste buds. Using spices and herbs can trick your taste buds into thinking you're eating something sinfully sweet. Try adding cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, or other sugar-free flavors and spices to your coffee, cereals, or other dishes and drinks that could use an extra kick.

Eat a healthy breakfast. What you eat for breakfast will actually influence your food choices for the next 12 to 15 hours,and influence your energy levels, moods, and overall sense of well-being.  Typically, your blood sugar is at fasting levels when you wake up in the morning. If you start the day off with a muffin and a latte, you're choosing to ride the roller coaster for the rest of the day. If, on the other hand, you begin your day with a tofu omelet and fruit or some oatmeal, you're opting for a balance of foods that will be absorbed at a slower rate. Then you'll have a steadier flow of blood sugar that's far easier to keep balanced than if it were fueled by a muffin, a bagel, or a cup of coffee dosed with sugar and cream.

Eat throughout the day. The best way to avoid impulse eating when you're overly hungry is to eat several small meals, spaced throughout the day. This will keep your blood sugar more stable than eating the traditional two or three large meals spaced farther apart from one another. Schedule your meals around your body's needs rather than around your to-do list if you can. You'll find it much easier to stop eating once you're full; to make smart food choices from a rational, calm place; and to maintain even moods and energy levels. Eating balanced meals is essential for getting real satisfaction from what you eat and leaving cravings behind.
High-fiber foods fill you up—yet they bring less fat to the table.Plus eating high-fiber foods allows you to eat a higher volume of food while ingesting fewer calories. Some examples of energy-dense foods are: apples and bananas, avocados, flax meal, and kidney beans.

Happy Sugar Detox

Love and Cookies

Jen

Easy-Peasy Vegan Potato Salad

Happy Superbowl Sunday!

Just made this super easy vegan potato salad. I will top it of with some veg barbecue wings and I am ready to go to my friends super bowl party and indulge in cruelty free junk food.
Go Bears, awww too bad they were out a long time ago, I guess lets vote for the 49ers then.

You all have fun and be save.


Easy-peasy Vegan Potato Salad

5-7 potatoes ( medium size)
1/2 onion chopped
4 stalks organic celery
1/2 cup veganaise
2tbsp apple cider vinegar
2tbsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes until soft, drain and set aside.
Chop celery and onions.

Mix the veganaise with vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.

Add all the ingredients together in a big bowl and let sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.


Love and Cookies

Jen