Did you know that going vegan is the single most effective way you can help reduce the destruction of our planet?

Happy Earth Day everyone! Today is a day to take a closer look at how each of us can contribute to saving earth and reducing our environmental foot print. We are used to hearing the most obvious ways to save resources, stop pollution, and slow rain forest destruction… take shorter showers, buy hybrid/electric cars, water the lawn after dusk, don’t buy aerosol cans, etc. etc. What we don’t usually hear, is the fact that by simply adopting a plant-based diet, you will be contributing FAR more than ANYTHING else you could do!

If you don’t believe me, or if you do and would love to get others on board, I want to introduce you to an incredible film called “Cowspiracy.” This documentary was created by a meat-eater who simply cared about the environment and set out to discover the ways he could help make a difference. It is unbiased, highly informative, and even entertaining. The film is now being offered for just $1 in celebration of Earth Day. Check it out HERE!

Also, check out this great infographic with the astonishing facts on the impact of our actions on the environment…

So show love to yourself, to animals, AND to the planet, by going vegan!!!

18 Apr 2015

Ella Magers, MSW

Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Product Reviews, Vegan Recipes

Tags: easy vegan recipes, superbowl recipes, vegan diet plan, vegan nachos, vegan protein, vegan recipes, vegan snacks

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Vegan Nachos Your Way!

Superbowl is just days away and it’s time to start planning the party and picking up supplies to do it up vegan style!

Nachos are a staple football-watching food, and this year I’ve missed out because I’ve spent most of my football-Sundays at the Yard House in Miami Beach. Well, missed out on nachos that is, but I have nothing to complain about given the Yard House’s Gardein menu. The Gardein “jerk chicken” wings are phenomenal! The Yard House does not, however, offer vegan nachos, and every time I see someone else order the nachos I want to go home and make my own vegan version!

In this post I want to help you create a version of good ole’ nachos that meets all your taste-bud needs, step by step.

Vegan Nachos Your Way

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Find a type of baked tortilla chip that you enjoy, and place a semi-single layer of the chips on a large pan lined with tin foil. Beanitos are my personal favorite. They’re incredibly tasty and they are high in fiber and protein.
Sprinkle a light layer of your favorite vegan cheese over the chips. I enjoy the Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Shreds, as well as Daiya shreds, and new brands keep popping up, the next one usually better than the last. These both melt well which is an important criteria for nachos! There are also some new vegan nacho cheese and cheese sauces like the ones made by Heido Ho Organics (I met the ladies who started this company and let me tell you, they’re awesome!) just coming to market that I haven’t tried yet, so if you have a review for us please add it to the post comments!
Add on top of that your favorite vegan protein. Black beans are a must for me. Sometimes I enjoy adding the Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles or Chicken-Free Strips. If you add Beyond Meat products you will need to cook them according to the directions before including them in the nachos. Tempeh is another healthy vegan protein addition option.
Sprinkle other ingredients that will be best if heated with the chips, cheese and protein. Some of my favorite add-ons are pickled jalepenos and black olive slices.
Sprinkle another layer of vegan cheese on top.
Place the pan in the oven and bake just long enough for the cheese to melt (about 5-10 minutes).
Remove from the oven and place ingredients you enjoy that are not good heated. I love adding pico de gallo, guacamole, and vegan sour cream (Tofutti makes a good one, as does Follow Your Heart.)
Serve immediately. The chips will get soggy as the dish cools, so make sure you start chowing right away!
Enjoy!!!

07 Apr 2015

Ella Magers, MSW

Traveling Vegan, Vegan-Friendly Restaurants

Tags: los angeles, restaurant reviews, santa monica, vegan restaurants

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Vegan Restaurant Review: Cafe Gratitude

Ella Magers at Cafe Gratitude Vegan Restaurant Sign

On a recent trip to Santa Monica, I met a friend at Cafe Gratitude, a trendy vegan restaurant with rave reviews.

I wanted to check it out to see if all the talk was just hype or if this place was truly special. I’m here to tell you Cafe Gratitude exceeded my expectations. I was so hungry when I arrived I was slightly overwhelmed with all the options… they all looked so good! Check it out…

We ended up getting a phenomenal asparagus and arugula appetizer special and the “Abundant” antipasto plate. The antipasto plate didn’t really do it for me, but when the main course came, any doubts I had about the restaurant as a whole disappeared. The “Whole” Macrobiotic Bowl was extraordinary. My friend also raved about the “Humble” which had become his go-to dish. In addition to the awesome food, I had an excellent experience from a service standpoint, and the atmosphere was thick with positive energy and a chill vibe.

Conclusion: Vegan or not, Cafe Gratitude is a restaurant destination in west Los Angeles not to be missed!

28 Mar 2015

Ella Magers, MSW

Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Nutrition

Tags: health, nutrition, nutrition information, vegan nutrition, why vegan

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Why Vegan? Get the Facts Here…

If you are thinking about going vegan for your health, or are already vegan and want to promote the lifestyle, it’s important to understand the science behind the benefits of a vegan diet plan. I’m writing this post to introduce you to one of the most informative, easy to navigate websites that exists… NutritionFacts.org. The founder, Dr. Michael Greger, is a physician, author, and speaker who scours the world’s nutrition research to bring us free daily videos and articles, helping answer the popular question, “Why Vegan?”. He presents the information in a way that’s easy to understand, unbiased, and even entertaining! Plus, all the proceeds from his books, DVDs, and speaking goes to charity. His website and work is definitely worth your while to explore and support. Here are some links to must-see videos to get you started…

Is Milk Good for our Bones?

Canned Beans or Cooked Beans?

BRCA, Breast Cancer, Genes, and Soy

Does Coconut Oil Clog Arteries?

Now you can find simple answers to your important nutrition questions on one, trusted site. Enjoy!

25 Jan 2015

Ella Magers, MSW

Vegan Fitness

Tags: cardio, crossfit, fitness, fitness equipment, jumprope, training, vegan fitness, workout

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Vegan Fitness: Ode to Jumprope

I’d like to give a big shout out to one of my best friends for vegan fitness, Jump Rope!

Jumprope,
This morning as I used you, I realized that all I do is use you, and never do I thank you. So… Thank you! Thank you for all that you are and all that you do for me. You are so small that I can take you & use you anywhere! You will never get boring because there are endless tricks I can learn with you. You’re fun!
To me, you’re invaluable, yet the stores only value you at a few dollars. You’re quite simple, yet you can bring out strong emotions in people. Crossfitters especially seem to either hate you or love you. Adults in general are intimidated by you, yet kids will play with you with joy for hours!
You bring out the best in me Jumprope, and I will forever be grateful for your place in my life!
Love,
Ella
p.s. I also couldn’t be more thankful for our home together, Sobekick Gym.. The place where we can always kick ass together!

11 Jan 2015

Ella Magers, MSW

Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Product Reviews

Tags: alcohol, beer, drinking, liquor, tequila, vegan alcohol, vegan diet plan

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Alcohol on a Vegan Diet Plan?

Going vegan does not mean you have to give up alcohol…

I enjoy sipping on fine tequila socially and a flavorful beer watching football and UFC with friends. Alcohol certainly doesn’t make the “super foods” list. It doesn’t do a liver good. Nevertheless, it’s a part of an otherwise very healthy lifestyle for me and many of you. So I say, “Is that alcohol vegan?” and simply look it up on Barnivore.com and then, “Cheers!”

This is a surprisingly thorough guide to liquor, beer, and wine, and I use it regularly so I wanted to share it with you all!
And since we are wrapping up football season, I will also share my absolute favorite beer that I discovered at the Yard House, my regular Sunday Funday football-watching spot (they have vegan wings!) It’s called La Trappe, and if you like strong Belgian-style beer with a slightly sweet flavor and no bitterness this is a fantastic one! Enjoy 🙂

15 Dec 2014

Ella Magers, MSW

Uncategorized, Vegan Nutrition

Tags: corn syrup, fructose, fruit, sugar

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Adopting a Healthy Vegan Diet Plan: The Fruit vs. Sugar Confusion

We hear it all the time… “Sugar is bad!” But what does that mean when it comes to adopting a vegan diet plan that is both healthy and delicious?

There is no question that refined sugar is our enemy in so many ways. Eating refined sugar makes your body into an environment that supports illness and disease, and quite simply, it makes you fat! There are countless reasons to avoid refined sugar. Read 78 of those reasons HERE. There are also many names for refined sugars you may be unfamiliar with. These are important to know so you can recognize hidden sugar listed in the ingredients on nutrition labels. Familiarize yourself with THESE.

Where confusion comes in, is when the topic of fruit arises. Fruit contains sugar. Some people claim that eating fruit will have the same adverse effects on our health as eating sugar in other forms. NOT TRUE!!! Eating whole fruits is incredibly beneficial to our health! To explain, please watch this incredibly interesting short VIDEO by Dr. Michael Gregor. He is my most trusted source of unbiased, up-to-date nutritional information. He scours all the latest research and compiles short videos and articles that bring clarity to pertinent health issues.

In conclusion, EAT FRUIT! Organic whenever possible, especially when it comes to berries. Berries may be the most beneficial fruits that exist so add them to your shakes and cereal as often as you can. The fiber in whole fruit makes eating it whole the healthiest option, but drinking fresh juice does still deliver antioxidants and other nutrients to our bodies. Whole fruit makes a super snack on it’s own, especially shortly before a workout to give you a burst of energy that digests quickly so you aren’t working out on a full stomach.

Now you can enjoy fruit and know you are doing your body good with every bite. Enjoy!

03 Dec 2014

Ella Magers, MSW

Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Fashion, Vegan Fitness, Vegan Nutrition, Vegan Product Reviews, Vegan-Related Books & Documentaries, Vegan-Related Current Events

Tags: beauty, fashion, fitness products, gifts, heart rate monitor, holiday

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Cruelty-Free Vegan Gifts for 2014

Vegan Gifts for a Cruelty-Free and Healthy Holiday!

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17 Nov 2014

Ella Magers, MSW

Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Product Reviews, Vegan Recipes

Tags: gravy, recipes, thanksgiving recipes, vegan recipes, vegan turkey

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Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes: Sexy Fit Vegan-Approved!

Top Healthy, Easy Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe Picks!

Can you believe it’s time to plan your Thanksgiving meal already? As I do every year, I have scoured the internet for the top plant-based vegan recipes that meet all my criteria. Recipes must first of all be easy-to-follow and not contain hard-to-find ingredients to make my recommendation list. The recipe must also be on the healthy side. I say “healthy side” because it is a special occasion so I give some leeway for ingredients not ideal for eating on a daily basis, but that are still not bad for you and are still as nutrient dense as possible for the type of dish. I have included both traditional-style dishes and dishes with different twists for fun. I’ve also included some of the top vegan turkey swaps available on the market this year. (I unfortunately have not tried them all yet, but I listed them in the order that I would buy them to try, based on the brand.) The goal of this post… for everyone to finish their meal feeling happy and satisfied without the guilt that can come along with a traditional, unhealthy Thanksgiving dinner.

I want to share how thankful I am for everyone who have created the recipes on my list. I’m also grateful to YOU for being open to trying new recipes that are vegan and healthy as part of your journey. We are collectively changing our own lives, the lives of animals, and the state of the planet, all for the better! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!