Inside a Gluten-Free Vegan Shopping Bag

More times than not, the initial response to my being vegan is "But what do you eat?" Usually, I'll say something vague and slightly off-kilter, typically along the lines of "The same things you do, just vegan." This is usually followed with concern for my protein intake, confusion as to whether or not I eat fish and chicken, and/or a defensive remark that regards veganism as "expensive" or "too hard."

Well, my fine veggie folk, I introduce you to my recent shopping trip. Once a Whole Foods fanatic, I was suddenly transformed by the experience that was Trader Joe's (also know to city hipster folk as "TJ's"). It's plethora of deliciously innovative dishes and internationally-inspired products, fresh and organic produce, and dedication to the ethical treatment of its workers and sources alike, TJ's has completely changed what it means to eat and live well. Regardless of my TJ's obsession, here's a little answer to that FAQ so often faced by gluten free-ers, vegetarians, and vegans alike.


The loot:
Kalamata olives
Coconut water
Snap Pea Crisps (GET THEM, they are crunchy and salty and DIVINE!)
Brown rice
Raw almond butter (The BEST on morning gluten-free toast)
Black bean soup
Frozen fruit layer bars
Broccoli
Taco seasoning
Chocolate hemp protein
Brown rice bread
Bananas
Strawberries
Dried unsweetened mango slices
Organic gala apples
Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Tomatoes (I am completely faithful in the "on the vine" varieties)
Extra firm tofu (For tofu scrambles, salads, and stir-fry!)
Fresh herbs
Organic raspberries
Lemons and limes
Baby spinach
Baby bella sliced mushrooms
Green apple slices (My favorite cure for the afternoon graze-fest)
Red bell peppers

All this, my good friends...for less than $100. You heard (read?) right, NOT EVEN ONE HUNDRED BUCKS for weeks worth of delicious, nutritious, earth and body-friendly groceries! Let me know when you're hungry, I'm slated for some domesticity in the kitchen. :)

I'm in love...

...with a protein bar.

Yeah, I said it. I think I've found true love in a cute little chocolate-y, crispy protein bar. Why, you ask? What hath made my adoration so sweet? Here's the top five reasons the NuGo Free Protein Bar is my new favorite hobby:
1. It's gluten-free
It's the first thing you'll notice when you read the label. Big bold letters in all caps, the package-version of internet screaming, perhaps attempting to yell "I'M GLUTEN-FREE AND CELIAC DISEASE-FRIENDLY AND I WON'T SPIKE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR OR MAKE YOUR TUMMY HURT!" But he's not showy, he keeps it subtle and just opts for the capital letters. Adorable.

2. It's vegan
Also on the label, this puppy's not after yours. Free of animal ingredients and by-products, this protein bar is a key example of responsible, green eating. Go veg!

3. It's balanced
I'm pretty biased for a particular brand of protein bar. After an afternoon of comparing the labels of every protein bar at my local Whole Foods, it was an easy win for my regular morning go-to. Naturally, I decided to compare this new protein bar to my typical rendezvous and couldn't believe that it was lower in fat ratio, higher in fiber, lower in sodium and sugar, AND higher in protein. Looks like breaking up isn't so hard to do.

4. It comes in flavors like Dark Chocolate Crunch, Dark Chocolate Trail Mix, and Carrot Cake
Variety is the spice of life...and when it comes to my men, I do enjoy them dark, rich, and easy on the eyes.

5. It's $1.59...
This is one date I won't feel badly about paying for.

Check out NuGo Nutrition Bars at a local supermarket or health foods store near you! I promise, there's enough of him to go around. :)

Yummy alert: Vega

Ah, protein powder - the long-adored supplement for any athlete's workout plan. While you may taste grainy and chalky, we all know that you're good for us, at least that's what we think. Granted, your chocolate flavor taste more like chalk than chocolate, your strawberry tastes like sweetened cardboard, and your snack bars are not exactly anyone's favorite go-to. But you're good for our muscles, they say, so I guess until someone comes up with something better, we'll be forced to choke you down every day.
Well, folks, someone has come up with something better! That something is known as Vega, pioneered by a someone by the name of Brendan Brazier, a professional Ironman and triathlete, not to mention a best-selling author. Oh, and did I mention that he's vegan? Yup, believe it or not, Brendan follows a plant-based food regimen that allows him the energy to compete in some of the most grueling competitions known to man...and for a living.

So what's the deal? Vega products are "100% plant-based, dairy, gluten and soy free and contain no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners." Sounds too good to be true, no? It must taste like pureed house plants, si? Au contraire, my good friend, this business is legit! The pom-berry tastes like berry, the vanilla tastes like dessert, and my goodness, THE CHOCOLATE TASTES LIKE CHOCOLATE! If Willy Wonka asked Brendan for a snozberry flavor, it'd probably taste like snozberry, too.

Vega offers a variety of products including meal replacement powders (pop 'em in your shaker bottle and you're good to go), smoothie boosts, antioxidant oils and protein bars. Just recently, Vega debuted the new Vega Sport line, a complete line of powders, drink mixes, bars and gels to help you get the most out of your favorite workout routine. Thanks to Vega Sport, you'll never have to reach for the cheap, additive-packed sports lines again!

So forget the icky-tasting, artificially-sweetened conventional protein powders and opt for something good for your wallet, your planet, and your earth. With Vega, not only can you feel good about the company and product you're supporting...but you'll never have to sacrifice your diet for a chocolate craving again.

P.S. Check out Brendan Brazier's Thrive series - Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide, Thrive Fitness: The Vegan-Based Training Program, The Thrive Diet, and Thrive Foods: Whole Foods to Thrive, all in bookstores now.

Spring cleaning: refreshing my eating habits

Alright, I'll admit it - I've been a bad girl...a very, very bad girl. Whether it's downing delivery Thai food at 1 am or shoveling loads of (delicious) vegan pizza in my mouth in the afternoon, my health and fitness smarts have been abused and somewhat forgotten. Last school session, I was pulling sixty-hour work weeks, interning, volunteering, and attending school full-time, all while retaining some semblance of a normal social life. And this meant a lot of racing around, a lot of late nights...and a lot of eating.

There's a secret, though! You can eat a whole bunch if you opt for healthy fare - you know, that stuff your mom always used to tell you would help you grow, things like dark, leafy greens (spinach, broccoli, and the ever-wonderous KALE), vivacious vegetables (think color in peppers, zucchini, squash), sweet fruit (as "normal" as strawberries and bananas and as outrageous as kumquat and starfruit), and, of course, lots of lean proteins like quinoa, tofu, lentils, and beans!

So why did I fall off my little health-conscious bandwagon? Simply put, I just got lazy. It happens, you become so caught up in dominating that final exam or making it through a nine-hour shift with the highest sales that you leave your health by the wayside...and often times, your sanity, too. Too often we forget that food might be our medicine, a sort of natural healing from the inside-out that helps us to feel as great as we look!

To help keep myself focused and on track, I've devised a little "clean" diet to match my recently-overhauled apartment. With spring cleaning becoming a predominant theme these few weeks and summer just around the corner (say YES to beach bod!), there's no better time to revamp your eating and fitness routine...kick out the old BLAH and say hello to the new BEAUTIFUL!

The Beautiful Life plan:
-Vegan, no animal by-products, including meat, seafood, dairy, or eggs
-Gluten-free, avoiding wheat, vegetarian meat replacements, and barley
-Limited corn and soy and exclusively organic
-No carbonated drinks or sodas; no artificial sweeteners, limited caffeine
-No potatoes or difficult-to-digest starches
-No alcohol...I'm in college, no need to explain this one!
-Lots of fresh veggies, fruit, and protein!

The most important of this aspect of "the beautiful life" is flexibility and moderation, an ability to modify, add/change or completely remove any of the elements, only striving to achieve a greater appreciation for my super fabulous bod and what it can do, especially when I treat it well and reward it for all its hard work with the fuel that will let it work harder! So hasta la vista to that blah bod and let's cheers to the BEAUTIFUL!

A gluten-free vegan?!

So for the past few months, I've noticed a change in the way I feel right after eating. Typically, that feeling is "crap on a cracker;" fatigue, headaches, and tummy cramps. Seeing as it wasn't completely disrupting my daily routine, I blamed it on the stresses of schoolworksorority and moved on. After doing a weekend-long "gluten cleanse" free of wheat, I returned to a vegan grilled cheese sammich for an evening meal. Sure enough, symptoms return. After a few experiments with different foods, I pegged it on what seemed to be every vegan's nightmare: I have a gluten intolerance.
If I didn't already get the "What do you even eat?!" reaction enough at vegan alone, imagine the reactions of my friends to the addition of the fabulous gluten tack-on. While it's a sad goodbye to my favorite vegan cookie dough milkshakes and late-night toast fests, I'm not altogether missing out, either.

But what exactly is gluten? Simple: wheat protein. Basically, gluten is the protein that is left when the starches of a cereal grain are removed. Those with celiac disease experience disruption in digestion in the small intestine, where instead of absorbing nutrients and vitamins, gluten harms the intestine's helpful digestive lining. From here, errthang gets crazy!

The truth is, gluten can cause a disruption in blood sugar levels and encourage weight gain. This is largely due to the spike in the body's fat-building hormone, insulin (yup - the same stuff diabetics are having trouble with!) caused by many grains and simple carbohydrates. While the low-carb craze encouraged many to drop carbs and grains, it is not always appropriate to do so...we'll get to this later.

But as for going gluten-free and keeping with veganism, it's not as hard as it sounds. The first thing I tell newby vegheads is "the first month is the hardest and then it becomes habit." So while I'm cringing at the sight of a veggie gyros at work, I'm starting to recognize all my options elsewhere. Love pasta? Try a corn- or rice-based noodle. I even found No Oodles, noodles made from yam flour...with no calories (needless to say, I bought two bags)! EnjoyLife, a favorite brand of mine because of it's vegan-friendly recipes, just happens to be devoid of the 7 major allergens, including gluten and soy. Gluten-free cinnamon raisin bagels? Yes, please!

While the gluten-free diet seemed super intimidating, my body's already thanking me for it. Because I've dropped typical convenience foods, I'm refocused on the good stuff -- lots of fruit, veggies, and nutrient-rich substitutes. I feel lighter on my feet and more aware and awake...always great for that terrible mid-day class! So while I thought I was set on label reading and encrypted messages, I guess it's time for another awesome adventure. :)