Month: April 2017

White Castle Says “No Meat, No Problem!”

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white castle

Food chains around America are not hitting the brakes anytime soon on making plant-based gains! National fast-food Chain White Castle has teamed up with Dr. Praeger’s Purely Sensible Foods once again for a second veggie burger as cheap as a can of soda! The previous zucchini, carrot and pea burger will be served up alongside the new tempting sliders made up of hearty, protein-loaded black beans, corn and red peppers. You can even top it with a sweet and spicy Thai sauce spread over a classic dairy-free White Castle bun. It’s rumored that the new sliders are just on a trial run until June 1st, so head over to White Castle and find out what all the hype is about!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi

Burgers Go Beyond Meat

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beyond meat.jpg

Months back, the new greasy, indulgent Beyond Meat burgers hit the shelves of health food stores around the nation, and omnivores and vegans are giving it a thumbs up! Not only does this futuristic burger replicate the taste of meat like it’s seitan competitors, but it also replicates the look and smell of real beef burgers! They’re packaged showcasing their bright, raw pink color made from the eye-tricking use of “beet blood.” The burgers even smell so appalling that you know the only reason they could smell so bad would be to imitate the aroma of all the mysteries of a meat patty. Also like a beef burger, as soon as these duplicates hit a hot pan or grill, these plant-based burgers brown on the outside to leave a juicy pink center to fool the most carnivorous omnivores.  At first the smell and taste were too realistic for me to enjoy, but by the third try I was jumping on the Beyond Meat bandwagon!

Beyond taste, this new product saves our loving, cuddly cow friends being completely cruelty-free, and it’s a better burger for our bodies and the planet. It’s no secret that red meat has had a not-so-helping hand in countless lethal diseases. The base of this protein-loaded (20 grams per patty) meat replacement is made up of peas, a far healthier and more sustainable product than cow meat. Just one cow burger requires 660 gallons of water, yikes! This burger has been worked on and perfected seven years in the making, and trust us, it was worth the wait!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi

Heine Brothers’ Veganized

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Heine Brothers’ coffee shop has been a local Louisville favorite for years, roasting 100% organic and fair trade coffee since 1994. After breathing in the tempting aroma of espresso shots and macchiatos, plant-eaters will be happy to find a plethora of vegan options on the menu! We’re spilling the beans on delicious, animal product-free Heine Bros finds!

heine bros

Vegan Heine Brothers’ Finds:

  • Almost any drink on the menu besides the Chaiberg and Beekeeper with the replacement of soy milk or almond milk without White Chocolate, Caramel
  • Cherry Almond Scone
  • Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin
  • Najla’s Trail Cookies
  • Najla’s Philly Wraps with vegan cheese, peppers and tofu
  • Najla’s Soy-rizo wraps with vegan chorizo, black beans, potatoes and salsa
  • Najla’s Quinoa Bowl
  • Frozen Lemonade
  • Smoothies
  • Tea Selection
  • Coffee of the day
  • Italian Sodas
  • Salty Caramel Syrup/Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
  • Dark Chocolate Syrup
  • Apple Crumble
  • Everything, Sesame and Whole Wheat Bagels
  • The Weekly Juicery menu items at the Brownsboro location

Veganizing Adjustments:

  • Ask for Soy or Almond Milk base
  • Ask for no whipped cream
  • Be aware that the Chaiberg, Mocha Iceberg, Caramel Vanilla Iceberg, etc. use milk powder and the Beekeeper uses honey, and therefore cannot be made vegan
  • Stray away from the regular Caramel and White Chocolate syrups which contain dairy

Now that you’ve got the 411, get your coffee fiending on at your local Heine Brothers’!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi

 

Natural Bug Repellents

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It’s the season to soak up some sun! Accompanying the beautiful sunshine, sneaky, crawling critters might be coming out of hiding and on the lookout for a new home! If you’re looking for a safter, environmentally conscious, ethical way of keeping bugs out of your household, essential oils are your new best friend! Tea Tree Oil, Peppermint Oil and Clove Oil repel homebound bugs such as ants and fruit flies. Sprinkle drops of the oils around your home or grab a cotton ball and swab around doors, cracks, corners and windows for the oils to work their bug-barrier magic. Essential oils are not just for household pests, though! They can also come in handy if you’re out and about. If you’re on the go, blend a few drops of Tea Tree, Peppermint, Lemongrass, and/or Clove oils into a carrier oil (should be around a 6% essential oil to carrier oil ratio) such as coconut or almond oil and rub all over to make the mosquitos stray away from taking a bite! Not only do these oils repel bugs, but they give you a lovely clean, earthy scent that won’t make humans stray away too!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi

Breakfast Tacos

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Breakfast Tacos 1

This is an easy introduction into meal prep!

Make this epic tofu scramble on your off day and enjoy the Breakfast Tacos. Use the extra tofu scramble for a quick breakfast or lunch all week. It’s delicious by itself, in a tortilla, or with toast. Mix it up by adding sliced avocado one day and vegan cheese the next.

It heats up great in the microwave!

Let’s get to the ingredients… 

Tortillas

  • I like organic whole wheat

V-Grits Pimento Cheese

Fresh Greens

  • whatever is already in your fridge

1 Scoop Scramble

  • make this over the weekend and incorporate it into your breakfast or lunch during the week!

Spicy Mayo (I mixed Just Mayo with Franks Hot Sauce)

Fresh Basil

Scramble

  • 1 block extra firm tofu
    • crumbled with 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • a handful baby kale
    • spinach, arugula, or watercress would be tasty too
  • roasted veggies
    • Here’s what I used, but you can use anything you have on hand. Some great options that I didn’t use would be squash, zucchini, asparagus, sweet potato, and jalapeño.
    • 1 medium potato
    • 1/2 yellow onion
    • 1 bell pepper
    • 1/2 lb brussels sprouts
    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes

Cube/dice your potato. Small dice onion and pepper. Slice brussels in half. Leave cherry tomatoes whole. Preheat oven to 425. Toss veggies with oil, salt, and pepper. Cook potato for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cook brussels, tomatoes, onions, and peppers together for 15 minutes. Your tomatoes will “pop” open, bursting with a sweet, juicy new flavor.

Cook your seasoned tofu in a skillet. Stir together scramble, baby kale, and roasted veggies. Eat it up!

Breakfast Tacos 2

Second City in America Initiates Fur Ban

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babyfox

In 2013, West Hollywood became the first city to put a ban in place against the sales of fur, and last week the city of Berkeley became the next! The Berkeley Coalition of Animals has worked and rallied for this new legislation that serves up a hefty fine for those who attempt to not oblige. Minks, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, beavers, chinchillas, bears and even dogs and cats are victim to the fur trade. Several countries in Europe have already picked up on the cruel and violent practices of the fur industry, and have chosen to remove themselves from participation in it as well.

Fur has been a constant hot topic in the media, seemingly being one of the most commonly concerning animal rights issues among omnivores and vegans alike. Celebrities and Fashion Week are continuously responding to the unceasing criticism of sporting and supporting such industries. Given the current astronomic downfall of fur sales even where it is legal, it sounds like it’s only a matter of time before fur suppliers go faux!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi

Spring into Spring – Vegan Style

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Nothing says spring like family, friends, oddly shaped chocolates and pastel rainbows of bouquets! Here are some spring must-haves for the season!

  • Chocolate: NoWhey Chocolates have everything from vegan chocolate eggs, to colored vegan eggs, to chocolate bunnies and even vegan egg-shaped truffle boxes! Between the little ones and Grandma Rose,  your chocolate-lover loved ones are bound to be happy campers after digging into a box of these delicious chocolate delicacies!

vegancandy

  • Flowers & Plants: What better way to add a pop of spring into your home or on your dinner table than a bouquet of all the pinks, lavenders and yellows of spring? At Whole Foods, many of the bouquets of flowers sold are through a Whole Trade program that supplies money to go back into community building of the cities of bouquet producers. Some of these community building efforts include funding health care, hospital equipment and education. If you’re looking for a little extra greenery to spruce up your house with, look no further than Forage! Forage is a local, female store off Frankfort filled with gorgeous succulents and bright luscious plants, and 10% of the sales each month go towards a local charity!

forage.jpeg

  • Spring Shoes: Say goodbye to those winter boots, a new season is the perfect excuse for new shoes! Matt and Nat makes vegan shoes look like the trendiest new fad, despite that ethical and environmental sustainability are always in season! Check them out for some new footwear for the sunniest of days ahead!

mattandnat

A box of chocolates, lively plants and ethical shoes for the season are bound to put a little spring in your step!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi

Holistic Ways to Deal With Sickness

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It’s hot then it’s cold, it’s yes then it’s no – Louisville weather is sending us all kinds of mixed signals! And it seems like Lousiville’s immune systems are starting to get the memo, mine included! Last week was nothing but a fever and a seemingly endless stream of tissues, but luckily holistic alternatives were there to save the day! Disclaimer though, I’m no doctor! These methods worked for my body and my own sickness, and no two bodies or sicknesses are 100% alike!

  • Eat a rawsome diet!: I switched out two of my cooked meals loaded with overprocessed foods for two raw meals and was instantly reminded how great it feels to eat predominantly raw foods! Blood-flow increasing beets, nutrient-dense kale, and hydrating cucumber are bound to make you feel at least a little better in no time. If you want raw foods that still aren’t slacking on the flavor, hit up your local The Weekly Juicery location and try out our raw Elevate line!
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  • Spice it up!: Cayenne, Black Pepper, Ginger and Turmeric can be your new best friends when you’re immune system is slowing its roll. Cayenne is great for detoxifying and getting rid of headaches, Black Pepper relieves nasal congestion and will help release harmful sickness contributors from your body, Ginger has a history of use in alternatives medicines and eliminating nausea and Turmeric even contains compounds with medicinal properties! All of these spices are additionally great for your metabolism, digestive system, irritation and pain relief… Spices are the best kind of painkillers! 😉 Blend them into a tropical-inspired smoothie for a more mellow flavor profile.

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  • Get out the Tea Tree Oil!: Tea Tree Oil is my go to for more occasions than one. It kills strains of harmful bacteria, treats infections, and it’s antiseptic. Mix a a few drops into coconut oil and apply on your throat, the back of your neck and on your face. If the cleansing properties weren’t enough, it’s also a natural insect repellent and facial toner!

btcc

  • Don’t put down that water bottle!: Water is a key daily contributor to anyone’s health, but especially when recovering from sickness! Water is vital to cleanse your body and flush out anything that no longer serves you! Hot lemon ginger water is an extra immunity booster to start your morning off on the right foot.

lemon

Again, I’m no doctor, but these simple, natural takes on medicine had me feeling good as new in a matter of days! So next time you’re feeling the season-changing blues, give these holistic approaches a try!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi

How To Tell Your Family You’re Going Vegan

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So you’ve followed FullyRaw Kristina for a year now, you visited an animal sanctuary, and you finally got around to watching Earthlings. You’re feeling good, you’ve got YouTube tutorials lined up on how to eat vegan for cheap, and you think the time has come to make the switch. How will you tell your omnivorous, “I would die without cheese” claiming family?

veganfam

  • Step 1 – Get on an Apron: You’re about to make the big reveal, and it’s the perfect time to show your loved ones that there’s more to compassionate eating than plates on plates of grass! Whip up any of your family’s favorite, typically dairy-laden, meat-stuffed foods. Not a cook? The internet’s loaded with recipes, and there’s always the option to get take out from your favorite vegan restaurant (or truck, wink wink 😉 ! Wait until they tell you how good it all tastes before you break the news that it’s all vegan!
  • Step 2 – The Talk: Sit down around the dinner table, take a sip of water, and muster up all your courage to share your newfound social justice venture. There might be gasps, jokes, even tears. Don’t be surprised when members of your family evolve into vegetable therapists and the protein police, it’s only natural.  The potato screams and carrot feelings have haunted thousands for years.  When answering questions, keep in mind that no one likes to be told any of their daily habits are unethical, Try to reason with them by comparing cows, pigs and chickens to any other animal on the planet. Most omnivores claim to be animal lovers, after all, and pigs are known for their astounding intelligence! After explaining all the in’s, out’s, who’s, what’s, when’s and why’s of veganism, assure them that you can bring and/or make all your own food to Thanksgiving’s and other family events around the year.
  • Step 3 – The Follow-Up: It may come as a shock that after explaining the cruelty, environmental destruction, and health deterioration that are caused by animal agriculture and meat consumption, family members will probably still have an immediate reluctance towards veganism. As said before, any newcomer to any social justice movement might be alarmed and resilient if the movement calls their lifestyle into question. Find out what pulls at your family members’ heart strings, and speak to that! If your mom is an avid tree-hugger, pull up Cowspiracy on Netflix and have a movie night. If your other mom is all about health, take her to a local Esselstyn Group Meet-Up and listen to the most jaw-dropping, eye-widenining success stories together. If your little sister is an animal lover, take her on a day trip to the closest farm animal sanctuary. Over time, they may begin to soften, and go from having to be bribed to take a bite of that tofu sandwich you bought for them to testing out veganism for themselves!

Good luck, plant-eaters!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi

Louisville’s Top Dogs

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It’s beginning to feel like spring, aka, it’s hot dog season! SmartLife and Tofurkey hotdogs pair perfectly with a grill, but if you’re feeling like going out for a night, here’s where you can get your hands on a this American fingerfood favorite around town!

  • V-Grits: As of next week, the orange truck is about to start making its rounds! Last year we delivered up house-made sausages sandwiched between a pretzel bun, with toppings ranging from a smothering of Texas chili and sour cream to our Philly Brat with cheese and grilled peppers! Stay on the lookout, we might be coming to a spot near you soon!

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  • Red Top Hotdogs: Red Top is another food truck you can find around town, anywhere from University of Louisville’s campus to the Flea Off Market! They use housemade relishes, grilled onions and jalapeño jam! And to top it off, they always have a tangy housemade Curry Ketchup and hot sauce on hand that I’d pour on anything!

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  • Eiderdown: This European-inspired Pub is takes on a twist on southern comfort food! These bun-less links may not meet all the requirements of a typical hotdog, but their house-made white bean & seitan sausages are equally as tasty served on a plate with a side of crispy fries and potato salad with a kick! All the vegetarian sides use butter, so just make sure your waiter has your butter-free needs noted!

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  • Dairy Kastle: Spotting vegan options might come as a surprise at this seasonal ice cream shop located just outside of Old Lousiville, but the chili dogs, sauerkraut brats and low prices at this vegetarian-owned joint are guaranteed not to disappoint! And what’s better than 1.50$ chili dogs? Following them up with sweet, creamy Pineapple ice cream!

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  • Goss Avenue Pub: This gastropub takes another spin on the American classic! Bun? Check! Relish? Check! Hot dog? More like carrot dog! I haven’t tried this veganized hot dog replica yet, but Jeff & Kristina give this dog a thumbs up and it’s a great option if you’re in the mood for healthier comfort food!

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Give these dogs around town a try and let us know what you think!

Signing off for the Sentient,

Sammi