Hemp Seeds: Why and How to Eat More!

hemp seeds

They may be small, but hemp seeds pack a big, nutritious punch!

Nutrition

Hemp seeds can be considered a super food because of their dense nutritional profile…

  • High in digestible protein. Hemp seeds contain all 20 essential amino acids. They are low in the amino acid leucine however, so we need to get leucine from additional sources of protein such as soybeans and lentils.
  • Perfect balance of omega fatty acids. Hemp seeds have a 3:1 omega 6 to omega 3 ratio which is perfect for good health (learn more about essential fatty acids HERE).
  • Good source of soluble and insoluble fiber which help keep our digestive tract clean and functioning at the highest level.
  • High in phyto-nutrients, especially magnesium, calcium, and vitamin E.
  • Uniquely high in GLA (gamma linolenic acid), an anti-cancer compound.

smoothie with hemp seeds

Taste

Besides being so nutritious, hemp seeds also have a great, nutty flavor and crunch! I use them daily in different ways. Here are some simple suggestions:

  • Add to super food/protein shakes (to learn how to create your own super food shakes and smoothies, check out the ebook here).
  • Sprinkle on fruit (I love them on pineapple).
  • Sprinkle on vegan yogurt.
  • Add to hot or cold cereal.
  • Sprinkle on salad.
  • Sprinkle on vegan ice cream (yum!)

Accessibility TruVibe Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds are easy to find at your local health food store or order online from retailers such as Amazon. Here are some of the brands I’ve tried and liked (with links to order) but I’m sure there are tons of quality brands out there…

Try adding 2-3 heaping tablespoons of to your diet daily to experience all the short and long-term benefits hemp seeds have to offer!

Photo Credit: www.figgyandsprout.com

Shiitake and Tofu Breakfast Sandwich

shitake-tofu-vegan--sandwich

Shiitake and Tofu Breakfast Sandwich with Crispy Sweet Potatoes & Roasted Garlic Aioli

A delightful and satisfying addition to your gourmet vegan breakfast menu.

Ingredients:

  • Shiitake & Tofu Scramble
  • 1 block extra firm organic tofu, pressed & drained
  • 1 large handful of Shitake mushrooms, stems removed thin sliced
  • ½ red onion, thin sliced
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Ciabatta rolls, toasted
  • High quality maple syrup

Roasted Garlic Aioli:

  • 1 head of garlic peeled
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup Vegan Mayo
  • Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
  • 1 small handful chopped fresh parsley

Crispy Sweet Potatoes:

  • 1 organic sweet potato peeled, grated and drained
  • 4 tbsp vegan bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ red onion diced
  • Canola oil
  • Sea Salt and pepper

Directions:

Step One: Roasted Garlic Aioli

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel entire head of garlic and toss with extra virgin olive oil to coat. Seal well in foil and cook for 35 minutes. Remove and let cool. Add garlic, salt, pepper, vegan mayo and the juice and zest of lemon in a food processor. Combine all in food processor then remove into bowl. Fold in parsley then refrigerate.

Step Two: Crispy Sweet Potatoes

Prep Crispy Sweet Potato ingredients as noted in ingredient list. Combine all in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and form into 3-inch patties (½-inch thick.) Coat sauté pan with canola oil then heat on med/high heat. Cook patties on each side approx. 2-3 minutes until golden brown then set aside.

Step Three: Shiitake & Tofu Scramble

Clean Shiitake mushrooms with damp cloth, then remove stems. Then thinly slice mushrooms and red onion and set aside. Cube tofu into 1-inch cubes then place in large bowl. Using hands or potato masher break apart tofu into small pieces (leave some larger pieces for texture.)shiitake-and-tofu-sandwich-1

Coat a wok or large sauté pan with canola oil then heat on med/high heat. Add mushrooms and red onion and sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add to the wok tofu, cayenne and turmeric and continue to sauté for another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat set aside

Step Four: Bring it all together

Slice ciabatta rolls in half and lightly toast. Then brush with garlic aioli on both sides. Spoon on a generous amount of Shiitake & tofu scramble. Then layer sweet potato patties. Drizzle maple syrup over the potatoes. Slice and serve with a steaming cup of coffee or your favorite breakfast beverage.

Enjoy!

Tip: You can prepare garlic aioli a day before and refrigerate in an air tight container.

Watch me prepare the dish at www.callicoonkitchen.com!

shiitake-and-tofu-sandwich-2

Nasoya Chipotle Baked Tofu Review and Recipe

Chipotle-baked-tofu-review

I recently had the pleasure of trying Nosoya’s latest baked tofu flavor, “Chipotle.”Nasolya chipotle tofubaked

This product gets the Sexy Fit Vegan stamp of approval as a healthy and delicious addition to your vegan diet plan!

As the company says, this TofuBaked flavor is “smoky and spicy with a touch of heat.” I would say its between mild and medium on the spiciness scale, so if you like intense heat, you can simply add some of your favorite hot sauce. This tofu makes a perfect addition to salads, sandwiches, and Mexican dishes like the taco salad below. I also love it because you can eat it as a high vegan protein snack as well. Just one piece has 8 grams of protein (there are 4 pieces per package). I’m always looking for new go-to savory vegan snacks, especially to eat right away after working out, and the TofuBaked products meet this need perfectly.

From the package I got, I ate two of the pieces as-is, without even heating them up, enjoying the flavorful snack after an intense training session. The other two pieces I used to create a new, easy vegan recipe for a taco salad to share with you!

Chipotle Taco Salad

Servings: 2 

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1/4 cup black beans 
  • 1/2 cup tomato, diced
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 an avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper of choice, diced
  • 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
  • 3 Tbsp salsa of choice
  • 2 pieces Nasoya Chipotle TofuBaked, chopped into bite size pieces
  • 2 Tbsp vegan sour cream* (optional)
  • Beanitos Chips or chips of choice* (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, black beans, tomato, cucumber, avocado, bell pepper, black olives and salsa (the salsa takes the place of dressing). Serve onto plate(s) and top with the tofu and a dollop of vegan sour cream. Line the edge of the plate with Beanitos chips or chips of choice. Enjoy! 

*Tofutti and Vegan Gourmet both make one, or you can make your own such as this one from Food.com.

*Beanitos are a great alternative to regular corn chips because they are made from beans and have more protein and fiber.

For more high protein vegan products and simple recipes make sure to check out the How To Go Vegan Beginner’s Guide.

My Favorite High Protein Vegan Products

Woman-Flexing-Arm-Muscle

There are so many high protein vegan products on the shelves it can be hard to choose which ones to try first, so today I’m sharing my favorites to give you all a place to start! 

When I first became vegan my weight fluctuated a lot because I was eating too many processed foods. If it was vegan, I ate it, regardless of the amount of sugar, white flour, chemicals or bad fats in it. I soon realized that simple, clean and unprocessed was the way to go and these days I mainly stick to a diet of fruits, vegetables, legumes and seeds. But there are some amazing high protein vegan products out there that I use to supplement my diet. These are my favorites!

Field Roast:

Field Roast High Protein Vegan Product

Until I discovered Field Roast I had never found a veggie dog or sausage that I liked. These I love! The Smoked Apple Sage is my favorite but they also come in Italian and Mexican Chipotle. Each sausage is 240 calories and has 11 g of carbs and 26 g of protein. They come fully cooked and I often chop one up and toss it in a salad to get an extra protein and flavor boost. Field Roast also makes a host of other great products which you can check out at www.fieldroast.com. Apparently their Vegan Chao Cheese is amazing (unfortunately not yet available in Canada).

Simply Protein Chips:

Simply Protein Chips: High Protein Vegan Product

 

Finally a high protein, vegan, savory snack! With 15 grams of protein and just 140 calories you can’t go wrong with these.  Available in BBQ Tomato (my fav), Spicy Chili, Herb, and Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper.

Gardein Turk’y Cutlet:

Gardein Turk'y Cutlet: High Protein Vegan Product

Gardein really is the gold standard when it comes to vegan meat substitutes. I honestly don’t know how they do it, but this cutlet tastes like a turkey cutlet…but better!  Kids love it and I am sure you could fool a few meat eaters with it too. I actually served this as my protein last Christmas dinner and it was a huge hit. Two cutlets are 260 calories with 19 grams of carbs and 22 grams of protein.

Special K Protein Cereal:

Special K Protein Cereal: High Protein Vegan Product

Ok, I’m not proud of this, but I have basically had a bowl of cereal every night before I go to bed for the last 20 years of my life.  Not while this is NOT a habit I would recommend, if you have a cereal weakness like me, I think Special K protein is your best bet. A 1 C serving has 190 calories, 33 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein. I find it very satisfying so I usually have a smaller portion than that. It has a very slightly sweet vanilla flavor that is good on it’s own or with added fruit.

These are my favorites…what are yours?  I would love to hear about what products you sexy fit vegans love!

Kirsten 🙂

Cover photograph courtesy of espnW

 

Black and White Sesame Crusted Tofu over Peach and Tomato Salad with Balsamic Vinegarette

Vegan Sesame Crusted Tofu - Peach & Tomato Salad

When fresh summer white peaches and ripe tomatoes join forces great things are about to happen to your vegan diet plan…

This incredible seasonal combo serves as the base under our slightly-spicy black and white sesame crusted tofu. An elegant vegan dish for your sophisticated guests that is both impressive and oh so simple!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Sesame Crusted Tofu Ingredients
Peach & Tomato Salad
3 organic white peaches, thin sliced
3 organic red vine tomatoes, cut into bite size cubes
1 shallot, fine chop
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
½ orange bell pepper, cut bite size pieces
1 bunch cilantro, rough chop
1 lemon juice and zest
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch Kosher salt

Sesame Crusted Tofu
1 block organic extra firm tofu, drained
¼ cup Dijon mustard
3 tbsp gluten free panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Canola oil
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

Balsamic Glaze
2 cups balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Before you Begin
Press tofu for at least 30 minutes to allow water to drain out.

Step One:
Prep peaches, tomatoes, shallots, jalapeño pepper, bell peppers and cilantro as noted in ingredient list. Combine all in a large bowl. Then add the zest and juice of lemon and olive oil. Toss gently, salt to taste then set aside.

Step Two:
In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups balsamic vinegar and ½ cup of brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Then lower heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Step Three:
Slice tofu into half inch slices. Then on a large plate combine panko, black & white sesame seeds and crushed red pepper and mix well with a fork. Holding tofu gently, spread a light coating of Dijon mustard on one side and place face down in panko mixture. While tofu is in the panko, gently coat the other side and flip to coat. Repeat until all tofu slices are coated.

Step Four:
Coat sauté pan with canola oil then heat over a med/ high heat. Gently lay tofu in pan and cook 1 to 1 ½ minutes on each side until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Step Five:
Drizzle balsamic glaze over a white plate. In the center spoon a half cup of the peach & tomato salad. Diagonal slice the tofu (2 whole pieces) and gently top onto the peach & tomato salad. Finish with with a pinch of salt and garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!!

Tips:
Watch me prepare the dish on Ron Badach Callicoon Kitchen!

 

Sesame Crusted Tofu - Peach & Tomato Salad

Top 5 Simple Vegan Breakfast Ideas

vegan-breakfast ideas

For most of us, getting going in the morning is a challenge, so getting your day started off right with a simple vegan breakfast is important to include in your vegan diet plan.

I’ve come up with the top 5 easy and quick ideas to help fuel your body and kick start your metabolism in the morning:

  1. Easy Vegan Breakfast IdeasCantaloupe: Yes, simple as that! Cut the melon in half, scoop our the seeds, and using a spoon, dig in! Cantaloupe is packed with vitamins A and C (100% of the requirement for the day) among other nutrients. It’s also refreshing, hydrating, low in calories, and will give you energy immediately! 
  2. Qunioa: Quinoa is packed with complete protein and slow-release carbs to fill your belly and fuel you for hours. It’s a great food to cook a bunch of at the start of the week and reheat to make all sorts of delicious dishes throughout the week. As a breakfast cereal, you can add nut milk, cinnamon, stevia, maple syrup, cinnamon, berries, nuts and/or seeds to make a variety of different flavored breakfast bowls. Yum!
  3. Apple and Nut Butter: Slice an apple and spread almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, or any nut/seed butter of your choice and you have a powerhouse of a breakfast on your plate. The phytonutrients in apples help regulate blood sugar and the nut/seed butter contains protein and heart-healthy fats and omega fatty acids. The combination is delicious and satisfying!
  4. Fruit Smoothie: Blend up fresh or frozen fruit with a base liquid of your choice such as coconut water or nut milk for an easy, nutrient-filled breakfast. It takes just a couple minutes to make and you can easily pour it in a to-go cup and take it with you out the door. Adding spinach is a great way to get in valuable leafy greens and the cool part is you won’t even notice a taste difference (just a change in the color of your smoothie). You can also add hemp and/or flax seeds to give it some protein and omega 3 fatty acids.
  5. Protein Shake: Looking to gain lean muscle? How about a vegan protein shake for breakfast?! Use a quality, clean, vegan protein powder such as BalanceDiet 07 Lean Protein, nut milk of choice, and optionally add banana or other fruit, dates, seeds, maca powder, cinnamon, etc. to flavor it to your liking. Drink it at home or take it with you. A perfect muscle-building vegan power breakfast!

For more vegan breakfast ideas and recipes, check out the “How To Go Vegan: A Beginner’s Guide” and to learn more about making your own smoothies check out the ” How To Make Your Own Superfood Shakes.”

Experiment. Have fun with it. Enjoy!

Mung Bean Fettuccine with Roasted Tomatoes and Red Peppers

Vegan Protein Pasta: mung bean fettuccine

An addition to your vegan diet plan that seems almost too good to be true!

Aside from being super high in calories and carbs I generally find pasta to be boring and bloating.  Needless to say, I rarely eat it! About the only time I have it is when it is the only vegan option at a restaurant.  So I was intrigued when I saw Ella’s Instagram post about mung bean pasta….was this a noodle I could get on board with?

Mung bean pasta is high in fiber, low in carbs, is gluten free, and has approximately 24 grams of protein per serving… AND I like it!  The flavour is very mild, the texture is firm and best of of all it didn’t give me that heavy, bloated feeling that I get from traditional noodles (and most substitutes). This recipe is quick and easy, and the great thing about roasting tomatoes is that even if they weren’t that flavourful to begin with, they will be after roasting.
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  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 red peppers sliced
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Gluten free mung bean pasta
  • Fresh basil chopped

Preheat oven to 350F (325F convection).  Drizzle a little olive oil on two baking sheets and spread.  Mix 3 Tbsp of olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and salt  together in a small bowl.  Add 1 Tbsp of balsamic to each baking sheet and spread.  Add peppers and tomatoes (cut side up) to baking sheets and spoon olive oil dressing over top.  Roast for 30 minutes and toss with cooked pasta (you may want to add a little more olive oil, salt and pepper). Top with chopped basil.

For more easy, high-protein, easy vegan recipes make sure to follow me on Instagram!

Adapted from www.almostvegancookingschool.com

 

 

 

 

A Vegan Protein Powder That Has It All!

Ella Magers recommends BalanceDiet Lean Vegan Protein

I’m excited to share with you one of the newest and best vegan protein powders on the market today, Lean Protein 07 from BalanceDiet.

I recommend adding this product to your vegan diet plan, especially for your post-workout snack. Let me tell you why:

  • It blends well. One of the most challenging obstacles I run into when finding a protein powder I like is the texture. Many are either gritty or chalky, even when I blend them using my Vitamix, much less trying to use a shaker bottle. This is not with case with Lean Protein 07. In fact, it blends better than any other I’ve tried.
  • It had a great, natural flavor. I’m super picky when it comes to flavor. Most protein powders don’t “do it for me.” They often leave an unpleasant taste in my mouth. Lean Protein 07 on the other hand, tastes light & pleasant. 
  • It has added nutrients such as vitamins B, A, and C, folic acid, calcium,and manganese.
  • It has added fiber that make it easily digestible (no bloating here).
  • It is 100% organic and is made with high quality ingredients. In fact, it’s manufactured in a NSA Certified (pharmaceutical grade) facility.

I like this protein powder so much I now have an affiliation that allows my readers to get 10% off using the code “SexyFitVegan”. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ellas-Favorite-Protein-Powder-BalanceDiet 07

 

Vegan Protein Review

Plant-based Protein Powder

Hey everyone!  So I just got my vegan protein powder in.  I must say, this is probably one of my favorite plant-based proteins on the market.  It has a great taste, mixes terrifically, plus it has a really good amino acid profile. I consider it as good as Vega, but more affordable. It is called Rawfusion by SAN nutrition. A good post-workout protein shake is ideal for getting the most out of strength training. This protein powder is also great to mix in with your oatmeal in the morning, make protein pancakes with,  or use as an ingredient in any baked item. I’ve had a lot of plant based powders, this is second to none. Try it out. You may end up loving it just as much as i do!

Matt Protein Powder

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

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. 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. beanitosbeanitos-regular
  3. 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!Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese Shredsdaiya_vegan_cheeseImage result for heidi ho nacho cheese
  4. 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. 
    black-beansbeyond meat products
  5. 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. pickled jalepenosblack-olive slices
  6. Sprinkle another layer of vegan cheese on top.
  7. Place the pan in the oven and bake just long enough for the cheese to melt (about 5-10 minutes).
  8. 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.)
  9. Serve immediately. The chips will get soggy as the dish cools, so make sure you start chowing right away!pico de galloguacamoleSourCream-TofuttiVegan-Gourmet-Sour-Cream
  10. Enjoy!!!