Cacao and Cashew Balls

These energy balls are so addictive and energising and are so quick and easy to make. They are also a convenient snack as they’re easy to take with you and are insanely delicious.

You Will Need:

  • One cup medjool dates
  • One cup cashews
  • 1/4 cup cacao powder

Method:

  1. Blend dates, cashews and cacao in a food processor until smooth.
  2. Roll into balls and then roll in desiccated coconut.
  3. Place in fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

Benefits of Chia Seeds

  1. Good source of fibre
  2. High in antioxidants
  3. High in protein
  4. Can assist in weight loss
  5. Can lower the risk of heart disease
  6. Help fight type 2 diabetes
  7. Improve digestive health
  8. Boosts your energy and metabolism
  9. Strengthens your bones
  10. Improves dental health
  11. Maintains cardiovascular health
  12. Good source of omega 3
  13. Can help improve your mood
  14. Grown organically

Italian Beans

This recipe is a quick and easy recipe that can easily be modified to suit your tastes and preferences.

You Will Need:

  • One can of whole tomatoes
  • Two cups of tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • One can of haricot beans (Can be substituted for whatever beans you have)
  • Two cloves of garlic
  • A handful of fresh basil
  • Optional: Salt and Pepper to your taste

Method:

  1. Heat up a small pot on a stove top.
  2. While the pot is heating up, roughly chop the cherry tomatoes and mince the cloves of garlic.
  3. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pot and then cover for about 10 minutes until they are soft.
  4. Add the garlic and basil leaves and squish the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
  5. Add the canned tomatoes and cover for five minutes.
  6. Strain the beans from the can and add them to the pot and stir.
  7. Serve.

How To Incorporate More Fruits and Vegetables Into Your Diet

One of the most important things to incorporate into your diet is fruits and vegetables. Not only are they rich in micronutrients, but they are also a good source of fibre. Here are 5 simple ways to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet without eating salads three times a day.

1. Find Fruits and Veggies that You Enjoy

The easiest way to eat healthier is to find healthy foods that you enjoy.Maybe you enjoy bananas or apples or celery or tomatoes. Make sure you give all fruits and veggies ago so yu can find out which ones you most enjoy.

2. Drink Smoothies and Juices

If you are struggling to get in enough fruits and vegetables everyday, put them into your smoothies and juices. Spinach is great as it doesn’t affect the taste of your smoothie or juice but is full of nutritional benefits. Juices aren’t as good as smoothies as all the fibre from the produce has been removed.

3. Put Your Fruits and Vegetables Where You Can See Them

Whether its in a fruit bowl or on the top shelf of the fridge, put your fruits and veggies where you can see them so that you remember to eat them.

4. Cut Them up in Advance

When you have fruits and veggies ready to eat, you will be more likely to grab for them then you are when you have to prepare them when you’re in a rush. It also can make them more convenient than packaged snacks.

5. Find Ways to Cook Them to Suit Your Tastes

If you like oats, add berries or zucchini to your oats. No matter what it is, find ways to add fresh produce to it. You can also make them taste better by adding spices and herbs to your cooking.

 

Plant Based Sources of Protein

One of the main issues people have when they first start a vegan or plant based diet is worry about protein. Below are some plant based sources of protein that you can easily incorporate into your diet.

  1. Nut butter
  2. Lentils
  3. Tofu
  4. Nuts
  5. Seeds
  6. Hemp
  7. Quinoa
  8. Tempeh
  9. Beans
  10. Amaranth
  11. Plant Based Milk
  12. Artichokes
  13. Oats
  14. Broccoli
  15. Chia Seeds

Benefits of Acai

Pronounced ah-sah-EE, this amazing fruit is full of nutritional benefits and is delicious in smoothie bowls.

  1. Heart Health
  2. Assists in Weight Loss by Reducing Appetite
  3. Aids Digestion
  4. Promotes Healthy Skin
  5. Immune Booster
  6. Increases Energy Levels
  7. Improves your Blood Flow
  8. High in Antioxidants
  9. Good for Diabetes
  10. Improves Mental Clarity
  11. Strengthens your Height
  12. Reduces Bad Cholesterol
  13. Helps Fight Cancer
  14. Improves your Vision

Tips for Eating Healthy While Eating Out

When I first went vegan, one of the things I found the hardest was finding healthy vegan options while eating out. Here are a few tips on how to avoid the awkward situation or having nothing to eat or seeming fussy and ruining a social event.

1. Check the menu

Before going out to a restaurant for dinner, I always make sure to check the menu s you know there is something you’ll eat. Look out for the symbols on the side such as VG and V for vegetarian or vegan, GF for gluten free, DF for dairy free and OF for oil free. There is usually a key at the bottom of the menu that tells you what each symbol means.

2. Tell the restaurant about your

dietary requirements

To make sure there is food available for you to eat at a restaurant you are planning on visiting you can either contact the restaurant before visiting it or telling your waiter or waitress upon arrival at the restaurant.

3. Make your own meals

Something I like to do when we go out to dinner to get something such as pizza is to ask if I can make my own with other ingredients on the menu so you can customise a meal to suit your dietary requirements.

4. Go to healthy restaurants

Restaurants that sell organic, vegan, paleo food etc only serve healthy dishes and are the most likely places to have healthy options that you will enjoy.

How to Save Money on a Vegan Diet

For some reason, people always associate eating healthy with expensive foods. This is certainly not the case if you pick the right ingredients and don’t be fooled by the fancy health foods at the grocery store. Today I will be sharing with you some helpful tips and to save money while eating healthy on a plant based diet.

1. My staples

My staple food items include:

  • Oats
  • Rice (Whatever type I’ve been craving.)
  • Seasonal vegetables
  • Seasonal fruits
  • Bananas
  • Almond milk
  • Nut butter
  • Canned beans, pulses, legumes, etc.

The majority of these foods are relatively cheap and are filling and nutrient dense. They can also be customised to create a wide range of dishes using different spices and herbs.

2. Buy frozen fruits and vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be expensive, especially when they’re not in season. A really good tip to save money while still having your 2 and 5 is buying vegetables and fruits frozen. They also last longer so you don’t have to worry about using them up in time and studies have shown that they can be filled with more nutrients than fresh produce as they are frozen while they are in top condition.

3. You don’t need health foods

to be healthy

In the supermarket their are a large range of health foods. The truth is, the majority of these are not even that healthy, with a high price and a low nutrient level. My tip to you if you still want to try some of the healthier foods available such as cacao powder and almond butter with a higher price tag is to try one a fortnight or month based on your budget.

4. Organic doesn’t equal healthy

Organic foods are usually more expensive than regular foods while having a similar nutrient level. Just because that chocolate cake is made with organic ingredients, does it make it any healthier than a regular chocolate cake? I f you do have the budget to spend a little bit more on groceries, focus on buying organic ingredients from the dirty dozen ( http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214 ) .

5. Don’t go out to eat all the time

Although the occasional treat or dinner with your friend won’t affect your bank account, eating out all the time can actually cost you more than if you cooked at home. If you cook at home you can also control what goes into your food and are less likely to overeat.

Thanks for reading my post and remember, that although eating rice and vegetables for dinner may cost you more than a big mac, your health is worth spending a little bit more and in the long run, can actually save you money.