Whenever someone at work bugs me, since I work in a restaurant this occurs as frequently as breathing, my friend Maeghan and I play the game “You know what grinds my gears?…” I think I saw it on a Family Guy episode though I am not crazy about the show. It is just a silly way to rant about the shenanigans that happen like:

“Why are we waiting on salad?”

“Oh em gee that kid barfed all over the table!”

“I AM MAD WEEDED!!”

“Yes, I will have a well done steak…” ordered five minutes before we close.

“That guy just snapped his fingers at me”

“Don’t ask me for my number and stiff me when I say no thank you….”

“That table just called me something really offence while speaking French”

As ridiculous as things seem, they happen on the regular. The last one happened to a friend of mine and she speaks fluent French so unfortunately heard all the nasty things that the table was saying about her.

It helps to say these things out loud to her since usually it is just ridiculous things that get my blood boiling. Sometimes I tell her to hop aboard the Complain Train when I feel like being a whiner. To you all reading this, hop aboard because we are going on a trip!! CHOO CHOO!!

My friend Katie was at Starbucks last week and ordered a fancy latte but with half of the sugary syrup they normally put it. The barista asked her, “Oh are you trying to be healthy?” She handled it better than I would have and simply said that she just didn’t like how sweet the drink was normally served. Katie told me that she was being judged for her size and this person was assuming she is unhealthy. Katie is a champ, does yoga and eats healthful meals all while working and going to school full-time. My gears were grinding so hard that sparks were flying!!  

This reminded me of a similar incident I experienced at the grocery store checkout when I first started my site. I was sipping on a mason jar filled with my green smoothie, cause that’s just how I do, and the rather buff man behind me questioned my drink. I told him what was in it thinking maybe he just wanted the recipe but instead he asked me if I had lost weight. I said no since I was just starting out and was just in shock that a stranger would ask me that.

 “Some people will try anything,” he muttered to his companion.

I said nothing, paid for my purchases, put on my sunglasses and cried the whole way home. It seems crazy that I let this strangers comment affect me in such a negative way but it did. At that time in my life, I was very self-conscious about my appearance since I did not look like the “typical” vegan.

I remember a few years back that I was probably the unhealthiest person ever; I chained smoked, drank only diet drinks when I wasn’t drinking huge quantities of coffee and took over the counter diet pills everyday. I was skinny but definitely not healthy and no one said anything about it, even when I had a cigarette between my lips and double-fisting a Diet Coke and a Red Bull. This image did not get a rise out of people enough for them to say anything to my face about how unhealthy I was because I was thin but as soon as a curvaceous girl has a green smoothie in hand, everyone seemed to have a damn opinion about it.

I have a high self-esteem when I am alone and this is common occurrence. I think I am beautiful and love my green eyes, bright smile and my great curvy body but this all goes down the drain when people make comments like that. I start to question my self-esteem, maybe I am not as pretty as I think? Maybe I could lose some weight?

I decided that I had to practice confidence for the sake of my self-esteem. People are always going to be rude and unforgiving but I needed to change my reaction. I would not longer beat myself up for not being their ideal, I am my own ideal person and I am enough and guess what?? So are you!! 

 I used this recipe for the sauce. To go nut-free, substitute the cashews for soaked sunflower seeds. 

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 1) Reading

2) Writing

3) Cooking

4) People watching

5) Anything with an abundance of fresh basil

I didn’t love basil until I was in my early 20’s since I was so accustomed to the shaker of dried basil my mother kept in the cupboard. Fresh basil is a million times better than dried and I am grateful that I have access to it year around but it is best when the weather gets warm and I think we are all quite pleased with the recent weather.

At an old serving job of mine we kept a rooftop herb garden in our patio so the air had a smell of sweat, beer and basil. One of my coworkers at the time is a very petite big haired fierce Italian woman and she loved to sit by this garden whenever it was slow. She had this funny habit of gently stroking the herb plants and then rubbing her herb infused hands on her neck. At first I just thought she didn’t want to be smelly since we were sweating profusely midday in our all black button up uniform. Once we became friendlier with each other I finally asked her why she did this. She said that her mother was an avid gardener but never grew flowers, only plants that you could eat since she had grown up with little money. She said she never minded the thrift store clothes since the family “ate like kings” in the summer when everything was plentiful and delicious. Her mother would come in from the garden to prepare dinner fragrant of sweat, dirt and fresh herbs. Her favourite was a salad with sun warmed tomatoes, olive oil and thin ribbons of fresh basil.  Unfortunately she had lost her mother the year previous and whenever she was around an herb garden she would touch the plants and rub their aroma on her skin. She said it reminded her of her mother and felt it brought them closer.

This story has stayed with me all these years and made me appreciate having a meal with someone special. Sometimes a meal is just a meal to sustain your body through the day but other times it is an experience to keep close to your heart.

The post Hippie Goddess Salad Dressing + Shaved Spring Salad appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.

The weather has been kind of a jerk to me since it always seems to be a glorious beautiful sunny day boasting 20 degrees temperature while I am in school and working all day and yet on my day off it rains and freezing. Mother Nature be kind to me please! Thankfully, this soup tastes great hot or cold. If it is beautiful out, take it bowlful outside and enjoy the bright day or if it is miserable, curl up with a mugful of this soup and a good book. There are a lot of recipes for minty pea soups and for good reasons: it is refreshing and melts all those winter stresses away with a single spoonful. Unlike most of the other pea-mint soup combinations the mint is in the magical creamy cashew sauce. Who knew soaking raw cashews could be so wonderful? When I was transitioning into veganism cashew creams saved me from craving dairy and now I am just so in love with them I find any excuse to use them. The cream isn’t overly minty since I really wanted the peas to shine through so add more mint to the cream if you like.

Mark and I are on Day 16 of the Forks Over Knives Challenge and it does get easier. Your body balances itself out and you really start to experience the true taste of your food and what better to recharge those taste buds with some fresh Spring green peas.

Congratulations to the Forks Over Knives Prize Pack Giveaway Winner: Wendi J from Minnesota. You will be receiving your prizes in the mail in the near future! Congratulations again! The giveaway may be over but the challenge continues here at S&C.

Thank you for all who entered! I hope this is the first of many Sprouts and Chocolate Giveaways and I love being able to spread some plant-based love and support to my readers. Thank you so much again for your support!

Notes:

• Make the cashew cream first and then the soup so you don’t have to wash out your blender twice and it makes the soup that much creamier (plus I just hate doing dishes)
• Can’t find fresh peas in the pod? Frozen peas are an excellent substitute since they cook so quickly and you don’t have to shuck them, which is a time consuming effort.
• This soup is super quick and easy to make. To prep for the cream, add some cashews to water before heading out to work and by the time you get home they will be all soaked and creamy for you to make dinner.

Minty Cashew Cream

Makes ½ cup

• ½ raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours (if you have a high power blender there is no need to soak them)
• 10 tablespoons water
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 10-12 fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Transfer to another container until ready to use.

Sweet Pea Soup

Makes 7 cups

•  2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, quartered and sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 5 springs fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups fresh or frozen petite peas
• 4 cups packed baby spinach
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Soak the leeks in a bowl of cold water to remove any grit. In a large pot over medium high heat add the rinsed leeks and salt and sauté for 8 minutes, adding vegetable stock 1-2 tablespoons at a time so the leeks don’t stick to the pot. The leeks will be softened but not as browned as when you use oil but surprisingly sweet and delicious.

Add the stock, parsley and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. When the stock mixture is simmering add the peas and spinach and cook for 5 minutes until peas are fully cooked and spinach is wilted. Add the pepper and transfer soup to a blender, leaving room at the top of the blender for steam to escape. Blend until completely smooth.

Drizzle the Minty Cashew Cream on top and serve (hot or cold).

P.S. If you get bored of the leftovers since this recipe makes 7 cups, add a pinch or more of hot curry powder when you reheat it on the stovetop. Serve with chopped cilantro or parsley.

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This is my Love It! List for March and maybe you have tried/seen some of these things before but if not, go and be brave! You might just like it….

Disclaimer: I have purchased (unless otherwise specified)  all these items with my own money. I can’t exactly suggest you go spend your money on an item or service if I haven’t spent my own on it. Makes sense right? If a company or person does send me something to try out, my opinion will not be persuaded and I will write honestly.

No-Meat Athlete

I don’t own this photo. It is from nomeatthlete.com

I had heard about Matt Frazier before but once I found out he was a runner I quickly forgot about him. I just don’t run. Well, I didn’t until my friends convinced me to sign up for the Colour Me Rad 5k in Toronto this May. I don’t know how they convinced me to do this…probably all the wine we had been drinking but nevertheless I woke up groggy and with blurry vision saw my confirmation email the next morning. Oh damn what have I done?

I went to No Meat Athlete for guidance. His site is beautiful, interactive and I saw he had a book out as well. Normally I would go out to a bookstore and get a hardcopy but I felt I needed it right that second so I purchased it on my Kobo.

I am so glad I did! His writing is encouraging without being preachy and he does crack a few jokes in there, which is great when approaching a daunting task. Turns out he was just like me at one point: a non-runner but with some help of his friends he became one. Sounds familiar.

Not only is there running advice, how to map a run, breathing and foot techniques but also recipes! All plant based fuel to get you out the door and running! (Lightly jogging at this point)

He has advice for all levels of runners from the non-runner (moi) to the UltraSuperDuperYouMustBeCrazy Marathon runner (Matt). With spring finally here, its time to kick off the dust on those expensive sneakers you have at the back of your closet (you know they are in there) and get outside. Walk, jog, sprint or chase your kids around; whatever it takes to get you moving!

Check out his site at: http://www.nomeatathlete.com

 Springtime

A glorious heck yes to that blue sky and muddy yellow grass! It is finally here. I took my heavy-duty coat to the dry cleaners and it is packed away until next winter so it is officially Spring. See you later -30 degrees! Make way for tulips and all things green!

Speaking of all things green, it is time to do a little Spring-cleaning as well. Open all your windows and get rid of that stagnate apartment air, dust off that book shelve and finally take that bag full of clothes to Goodwill (I know you really meant to do it last month). Starting anew both inside and out. Delicious foods will be in bloom soon enough: mint, peas, asparagus, tender greens and Meyer lemons are going to be in season. Eat your fill of these fresh ingredients and feel the sunshine on your face. Get ready for Sprouts and Chocolate to have some seriously fresh Spring recipes!

Mama’s Earth Organics

I do not own this photo. It is from www.mamaearth.ca

I have been a customer of Mama’s Earth Organic for the past year and I think I am in love. Every week on my area’s delivery day their bright purple van turns onto my street and brings me fresh organic produce. Truth is, I don’t drive so grocery shopping is a pain since I can only buy what I can carry home which is sometimes a good thing except when you want to buy canned tomatoes or butternut squash. Here’s where Mama Earth comes in handy. They deliver right to my door, literally I open my apartment’s front door in my high-rise building and there is my delivery guy with a huge Rubbermaid container filled with heavy produce.

Yay no more broken blood vessels on my arms and shoulders from lugging a backpack full of groceries up the hill to my building. Once on a particularly icy day I slipped backward, landing on my grocery filled backpack and laid there on the sidewalk like an overturned ladybug. Needless to say it was fairly humiliating but Mama Earth has saved me from further embarrassment.

They have a wide range of options from bin size, breads, grains, pantry items and canned food. I recently bought a case of whole canned tomatoes and they came in handy for quick meal prep. They deliver across the GTA and if you aren’t from around here do a little digging to see if there is a deliver CSA in your area.

Check out their website at: http://www.mamaearth.ca

Ancho Chili Powder

Boy this spice packs a fiery but flavourful punch and I am so addicted to it! Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are absolutely delicious but can be hard to find in some areas or perhaps you don’t want a whole can if you are new to spicy cuisine. Ancho chili powder is a great substitution and not lacking any flavour or heat compared to the canned or dried whole peppers. You can purchase ancho chill powder just about everywhere but if you haven’t tried it before buy it from a bulk store so you can buy a little bit and see how you like it. The powder itself should be handled carefully since when it touches your skin it can burn like a mofo. Take my word on this.

Don’t confuse ancho chili powder with regular chili powder; ancho chili powder is from ground up anchos but chili powder is a mix of different spices. This is a great addition to your spice rack and can be added whenever you need some sweet heat to your dish.

Here are some recipes that I use ancho chill powder in:

Oil-Free Black Bean Dip

The Big Salad

Ultimate Cheesy Kale Chips

Smoothie Breakfast

I can proudly say I have had a smoothie for breakfast all week, thanks to Matt Frazier for the advice. Breakfast for me is something I really don’t put much thought into since I am barely conscious and my only goal in the morning is to get out the door with all my school and work stuff. The roar of my Vitamix calls to me and I sip my green packed smoothie on the subway on the way to school.

For some reason I thought I couldn’t put smoothie recipes up on my site since I had never used a recipe for them. I usually just put together whatever I have in the fridge, blend away and I’m on my way out. Some look positively horrific but taste delicious, I promise. After some tinkering and tweaking of smoothies recipes, I think I finally have a few recipes down to post so prepare for some deliciously fresh smoothie recipes coming your way. It will energize you much more than the regular cup of coffee or tea and after reading this article found on Kris Carr’s website, I knew I had to bite the bullet and give up the joe. Smoothies have energized me more than I thought they would and now I don’t get so sleepy or grumpy around lunchtime.

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