Orange Spiced Cupcakes with Sage-Infused Maple Icing!

I know I haven't posted in quite a few days, but I have been super intensely stressing for the GRE since I'm taking it in a week, and I promise that I'll post more regularly once I'm done with that! These past few days have literally consisted of running, eating, sleeping, studying, and a little bit of pinterest time for my mental health. I finally have some time though, and I wanted to post the second cupcake recipe I entered into the Earth Balance's "Made Just Right" competition. I also have some VERY important running information that I posted in a separate post just after (above) this post. Here is a preview of the cupcake:

Orange Spiced Cupcakes with Sage-Infused Maple Icing

Orange Spice Cupcakes with Sage-Infused Maple Icing

As promised, here is the recipe for the second set of cupcakes I entered into the Made Just Right Earth Balance competition! There is a part of the recipe for the Icing that needs to be DONE AHEAD, so scroll on down to that part before starting the rest. Enjoy!

Ingredients for the Orange Spice Cupcake:

- 1 1/4 cups all purpose white flour

- 1/2 cup cake & pastry flour

- 1 cup sugar

- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 cup earth balance eggnog

- 1/2 cup melted earth balance shortening (melted just until liquid, make sure it is as cool as possible before using) I had to use just over one stick of solid earth balance to get exactly 1/2 cup liquid earth balance, so make sure that the 1/2 cup is measured when liquid

- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

- 1 tbsp vanilla

- 1 tbsp orange zest

Directions for Cupcake:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a large bowl mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside. 

3. In a medium bowl mix together the eggnog, melted earth balance, vinegar, vanilla, and orange zest until evenly combined. 

4. Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry while whisking with a large form. Mix until everything is evenly combined. Then whisk for 10 more seconds. Do not overmix as the cupcakes will come out too tough.

5. Scoop into a pre-lined cupcake tray. The batter should only be between 1/2 to 3/4 of the way to the top of the hole.

6. Bake for 16-20 minutes, it usually takes about 18 in my oven but other ovens may vary. The cupcakes are done when  a toothpick inserted int he middle comes out clean.

7. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool.

Ingredients for Sage-Maple Icing:

- 1/2 cup earth balance shortening

- 2 cups powdered sugar

- 8 oz (1 package) pack tofutti cream cheese

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 2 tbsp maple syrup.

- 2 bunches fresh sage (about 1/3 cup sage leaves)

Do Ahead: Directions for Sage-Syrup (to be used in the Sage-Maple Icing Recipe that follows):

1. Remove the sage leaves from their stem, and add to a small, heavy-bottomed pan along with the maple syrup. 

2. Bring maple syrup to a boil while stirring the mixture, and then immediately reduce to low heat for 5 minutes. 

3. Set aside this mixture for at least another 5 minutes so that the maple is really infused with the flavor  of the sage. 

4. Remove the sage leaves and make sure the syrup is at least at room temp before using in the following recipe. 

Sage-Maple Icing Directions:

1. Make sure the earth balance is at or slightly above room temperature such that when it is mashed with a spoon it is smooth and slides, rather than forms sharp/crumbly pieces. Also make sure your cream cheese is at room temp.

2. In a mixer on the “whip” setting (slightly low medium speed) cream together the shortening and cream cheese until evenly mixed. 

3. While the mixer is on, steadily sift in all of the powder sugar & salt, occasionally scraping down the sides.

4. Lastly, add the room temperature sage-infused maple syrup and continue to mix until even. 

5. Chill in fridge for at least 5 minutes before icing the cooled cupcakes. 

Perfect Pairs: Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Curried Cream Cheese Frosting

Speaking of perfect pairings, here is an interesting and delicious flavor pairing: they are Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with a Curried Cream Cheese Frosting. This picture is a sneak peak of the recipe to come later in this post:

Running:

Running in the Rain and/or Cold: So it's that time of year again......the trees are bare, the temperature has dropped, and best of all I can see my breath! For me running & the rain are a perfect pair, layering up for super-cold runs......not so much. In all fairness, I actually enjoy running in the rain and in the cold, but what I don't like is running bellow a certain temperature. I think that my lower limit of pleasant running is about 50 degrees; once it drops bellow this I don't enjoy the extra clothing/accessories needed to keep warm. I like to feel light and free when I'm running and all the extra things make me feel anything but. However, despite the cold weather annoyance, running is still awesome, and running in the cold, crisp air is so refreshing, so I have some tips on how to stay warm on those cold winter runs without adding 500 lbs of clothing.

Perfect Pairing: All black outfit and candy cane socks.
Yes, I am actually committing the ultimate running sin
and wore socks with capris, I'm a cool kid. 

Running tips for the Cold and Rain:
- Wear gloves: A lot of heat that is lost is lost through the extremities; instead of adding a sweater, add on a pair of gloves and you'll be surprised at how much warmer you stay. Also your hands won't get numb which is always a plus.
- Ear cover/ Headband: I prefer really thick headbands that are made out of lightweight workout material, that are wide enough to cover my ears. People tend to lose a lot of heat through their ears, so this will also be great for keeping you warm on a cold run. I personally love this headband from Lululemon.
- Thicker Socks (or double up on socks): This is for the same reason as the gloves; people just lose the most heat from their extremities, so keeping the ends of our extremities warmer helps with our overall body heat.
- Compression Running pants: I really don't like running in anything other than shorts, but when it gets cold enough I will begrudgingly put on some pants/capris. I really like compression pants and capris because they are lightweight, skin tight (aka they don't chafe), and they still keep me warm. I like these pants from Nike and these capris from Lululemon. 
- Lightweight Rain Jacket: I love running in the rain, my only hesitation is getting soaked in my clothing and catching a cold. A lightweight rain jacket is the perfect solution. This one from Stoic is great quality and super light; it's made for men but I just bought the smallest size and it was fine. The great thing about this jacket is that if it stops raining, it's so light that it's not weighing you down, and it won't make you get too hot if it starts to warm up.

Cupcake Time: 

Chocolate Orange Cupcake with Curried Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Earth Balance Competition: So Earth Balance, the brand that makes a lot of vegan margarines, butters, nut butters, soy milk, "egg" nogs, and other vegan yummies is currently having a bake-off competition. The requirement for entering the competition is that you use at least one of their products in your recipes, I actually ended up using two. I used their SoyNog (vegan version of eggnog) and their Shortening. Now usually I'm not a fan of using processed fats and oil, and refined cane sugar in recipes, but it's the holidays and everybody deserves to indulge every once in awhile. 
How I came up with my recipes: I was coming up with the cupcake recipe completely on my own, without looking up any other recipes for reference.....that's right, just me and my food science textbook and lots of test batches of cupcakes. It took quite a while to come up with the right ingredients (chocolate chips vs cocoa powder, pastry flour vs all purpose flower.....etc), the right ratios, and most importantly the perfect flavor pairings. However, the results were well worth it; I have come up with two extraordinary cupcake flavors that incporporate a lot of traditional holiday flavors, but in new and unexpected ways. I will share the Chocolate Orange Cupcake with Curried Cream Cheese Frosting recipe today, and the Orange Spice Cupcake with Sage-Infused Maple Icing in a day or two.

Ingredients for Chocolate Orange Cupcake: 

- 1 cup all purpose white flour

- 1/2 cup cake & pastry flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/3 cup cocoa powder

This is what the batter should look like
when it's done.

- 1 cup sugar

- 1/2 cup melted earth balance shortening

- 1 cup earth balance eggnog

- 1 tsp instant coffee

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 2 tsp orange zest

Directions for Cupcake:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a large bowl mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl mix together eggnog, melted shortening, instant coffee, vanilla, and orange zest.

4. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry while whisking with a large fork. Continue to mix until the batter is even, shiny, and a little sticky. Do not over mix as this will make the dough too tough. 

5. Scoop into pre-lined cupcake tray. The batter should only be between 1/2 to 3/4 of the way to the top of the hole. 

6. Bake in the oven for 16-20 minutes. Mine usually are done around 18 but it varies from oven to oven. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes our clean.

7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Ingredients from Curried Cream Cheese Frosting: 

- 8 oz vegan tofutti cream cheese

This is what the frosting should look like
when it's done. 

- 1/2 cup room temp earth balance shortening

- 1.5 cups powdered sugar

- 2 tsp curry powder

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/8 cayenne

- 1/8 cinnamon

Directions for Frosting: 

1. Make sure the earth balance is at or slightly above room temperature such that when it is mashed with a spoon it is smooth and slides, rather than forms sharp/crumbly pieces. Also make sure your cream cheese is at room temp.

2. In a mixer on the “whip” setting (slightly low medium speed) cream together the shortening and cream cheese until evenly mixed. 

3. While the mixer is on, steadily sift in all of the powder sugar, occasionally scraping down the sides.

4. Immediately add in the spices and salt, and mix until smooth and even. This may take up to a minute or two, but stop the frosting periodically to make sure that it is not over-mixed. If over-mixed, the oils will start to separate, so avoid over-mixing.

5. Cool the frosting in the fridge for a few minutes before frosting cooled cupcakes. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe, check back in a day or so for the Orange Spice Cupcake with Sage-Infused Maple Icing Recipe! And stay warm on your cold-weather runs!

Vegan Paella and Other Amazing Things...

Veganizing Cuisines of the World

Garnished with green onions and lemon wedges

Inspired by my travels: I love traveling, and one of the best parts of traveling in my opinion is sampling the cuisines of different cultures and regions. I have had the opportunity to travel to many different states within the United States and so many amazing countries outside of the United States, and have learned so much from all of these travels. Many dishes that I have tried in the past that have a special place in my heart are not traditionally vegan friendly, but luckily most of these dishes have been veganized in Lindsay S. Nixon's Happy Herbivore Abroad. 

Today's Recipe: I am still working my way through this cookbook, but the very first recipe I tried was the Paella. Paella is one of my favorite dishes, and I have definitely missed it since I went vegan. Now thanks to this amazing cookbook, I have a simple, easy, and delicious recipe for vegan paella. I am doing a giveaway of Happy Herbivore Abroad later this month, so keep checking back to see when I post it! I can't share any of the recipes on my blog, but I can share a picture of the delicious paella I made based on Lindsay's recipe. I followed Lindsay's recipe but made two additions: I added 1/2 cup white wine and I also added vegan soyrizo.

Boozin' it up with TJ's

Well this isn't really a miracle considering Trader Joe's always manages to have great tasting products at even better prices, but I found a fantastic Chardonnay for $8.99. I was actually drawn to this wine because it is "Reserve" from Chile, and my chef friend told me that this usually means it is a better wine. Then I saw the name of the wine "Casillero del Diablo" and the little devil's head on the bottle; this sealed the deal. I am really glad I purchased this wine, I usually prefer Rieslings but I really enjoyed this Chardonnay. This wine is a little less sweet than I tend to prefer, but I like really sweet wines; despite it not being as sweet as I would have liked, I still really enjoyed this white wine. It is definitely a mid-bodied wine as far as white wines go, with vanilla and peach notes. The label said that it also has hints of pineapple and citrus, but I didn't pick up on these.....maybe I'm just not enough of a oenophile (that means wine lover). The wine goes well with citrus-ey or acidic dishes, like the paella I made!

Shrooms!

Running News:

Since I am still wary about aggravating my recently recovered knee, I have been keeping my runs limited to flat ground. I have been running about 7 or 8 miles on all of my runs, and I actually bumped up my pace by one minute per mile this past Sunday which made me really happy. I ran an average of 9:30 minute miles, but my first few miles were 10:00 minute miles and my last few were 8:30s and 9:00s. I'm excited to be running again, but my 100% flat running rule has limited me to running loops repeatedly near where I live. However I got a nice surprise on my sunday run when I noticed these beauties growing in someone's front yard. That's right, that right there is a massive family of shrooms. 

Green Gift Guide: Environmentally Friendly Gifts for Any Occasion

Holiday Gift Guide

I know that shopping for holiday gifts can be hard and sometimes frustrating, so I have made a list of some of my favorite environmentally friendly gifts to give & receive. There are tons of environmentally friendly products out there, but I don't really feel comfortable recommending products that I don't own or haven't used, therefor all of the products I list I either own or have used on multiple occasions (aka I know someone who owns them and am probably being an annoying moocher). 

This is a terrarium on the larger size, but you can get
much smaller (or larger) ones if you want.

- Succulent Terrarium: I love The Juicy Leaf (right around the corner from me in SoCal) and Skinnyskinny! Okay, somehow I managed to find two very interestingly named businesses......but regardless, they create gorgeous terrariums! These are lovely decorative plants ranging from $35 to $200, that will last a lifetime and are much more environmentally friendly than purchasing a bouquet of roses or orchids that have been sprayed with pesticides and potentially shipped in from the other side of the planet. So you decide, beautiful succulent terrarium that lasts a lifetime......or scary, drugged up flowers from someone's backyard in china.
- Vegan & Green candles for $30; I like either SkinnySkinny or Vance Family Soy Candles: I know that it might be harder to find vegan and earth friendly candles, but it is important not only for the planet but for your own health. Most regular candles produce a toxic soot that you can't see, as well as harmful aromatic compounds such as benzene and toluene that linger in your home and get inhaled by all who are near. Even high end brands have been found to have traces of lead in their wicks, which as we all know is highly toxic and should be avoided at all costs. On top of this, it is just more sustainable to use a vegetable or soy based candle because they are sustainable, and come from renewable sources, whereas standard candles come from a petroleum byproduct (aka where gasoline comes from) and this is obviously not sustainable.

Gorgeous Agate Coasters & Plates from Vivaterra

- Agate Plates & Coasters from VivaTerra: This is pretty straightforward; these coasters ($59 for set of 4) and plates ($65) are simple agate rocks that have been cut and polished, which is much more environmentally friendly than the materials and production that go into producing most standard coasters and plates. Not to mention these agate products are breathtakingly gorgeous!
- Reusable Water bottles, thermoses, or food containers from Klean Kanteen: I know that their products are on the pricier side, but they are one of the few companies making reusable food and drink containers that actually uses eco-friendly materials and production methods. My logic is if you are trying to do the earth a service be using reusable food and drink containers, you might as well buy them from a company that values environmentally sustainability in their practices as well; otherwise you are giving money to a company that doesn't give a you know what about the cause that is motivating you to buy their product.......a little hypocritical, no?
- Mini Meyer Lemon tree from Vivaterra: This is a great gift if you know that this person is into cooking or uses a lot of lemons. It is obviously an eco-friendly gift since it is a live plant that will continue to grow and produce fruit, and it is a dwarf version which means it can be kept indoors as a decorative plant rather than having to eventually be planted (although you could do this if you wanted to). Obvious advice: if the person doesn't like lemons or already has a lemon tree, this is probably not the gift for them......but you probably already figured that one out.

Soooo powerful........so good....

- Root of the Earth Bowls from Vivaterra: These bowls come in many sizes and range in price from $39 to $140. They are made from "discarded root balls" of old trees, whatever that means.......but who cares, they are gorgeous and look even better when filled with fruits and veggies! Yay!
- A juicer, I recommend the Breville Juicer: Yes, this is a relatively intense gift; but if you are looking for a big gift for someone in your life that is all about health and fitness (and doesn't already have a juicer) the $240 is well worth it. Plus you can probably pier pressure your loved one who you give this to into making you any juice your heart desires..... or at least that's what I would do ;)
- Vitamix Blender: Any blender from the Vitamix Family of Blenders is an awesome gift, and it's not just for fitness fanatics. Chefs love these as much if not more than avid smoothie drinkers. You can use the blender to make hot and cold soups, nut butters, doughs, hot and cold sauces, and yes, smoothies. These blenders are far more powerful than your everyday blenders, and will blend up things that would cause any other blender to let out a loud moaning/screaming noise and die. These blenders run from $380 all way through the $700s, but they are well worth it!
- And now for an obsession that is especially close to my obsession prone-heart....Alkemie Jewelry: Alkemie Jewelry is an environmentally and sustainably focussed jewelry company that makes amazing jewelry from 100% reclaimed metals right here is Los Angeles. Their designs are gorgeous, intricate, unique, and so detailed that it might just blow your mind. Their jewelry is not the cheapest, but it is well worth it for the quality and artistry of their pieces. I have a ring and a bracelet from them, and they look exactly the same as they did when I bought them over a year ago, so they don't do that wierd thing where they turn black or rust. I'm sure there is a more scientific term for that gross thing that happends to bad jewelry, but let's be real, you all know what I'm talking about.
- Framed Picture of you & them in an Environmentally Friendly Picture Frame: This is a great way to add a personal touch to a gift for someone that is hard to shop for. It is also a good budget friendly option since all you have to do is print out one photo and find an environmentally friendly picture from (or make your own)
- Any of the Cookbooks from the Happy Herbivore Family of books: There is The Happy Herbivore Cookbook, The Everyday Happy Herbivore, and Happy Herbivore Abroad. I absolutely love these cookbooks and have made almost every recipe in the first two, and am working my way through the third. The recipes are ridiculously easy, but they definitely don't taste like it; somehow Lindsay manages to create layers of flavor in her dishes without tacking hours on to the prep time of the recipes. Just a reminder, I will be doing a giveaway of Happy Herbivore Abroad later in December, so stay tuned for that!
- A Healthy Vegan Cookbook with lots of comforting recipes would be Appetite for Reduction: Another great vegan cookbook that I just recently finished cooking my way through. This book has a very diverse mixture of recipes, all of which are healthy! The recipes range from light & delicate to hearty & filling and that is why I love this book.
- A Great Non-fiction book, I would recommend Born to Run: This is a New York Times bestseller and has been around for a few years. If you are even remotely into running, mysterious athletic tribes of people that have been cut off from civilization for hundreds of years, nutrition, or just really intense story-telling, then this is the book for you.
It is so much more than a running book, in fact I would describe this book first as a story that follows what seems like a wild goose chase for a lost tribe of people in the copper canyons of mexico, and then as a revealing look into human nature and the nature of love, and lastly as a story that has running woven all throughout.
- An autobiography on anyone who the gift receiver is interested in, I would recommend Eat & Run: This book is an autobiography of Scott Jurek (world famous ultra runner) that is compelling and inspiring. The book has a lot about running throughout, since Jurek is after all an ultra runner, but it is not only about running. One thing I loved is that Jurek ends each chapter with one of his favorite recipes.

I hope you all have fun shopping for gifts for the Holidays! Just remember that as long as your heart is in it, it doesn't matter if a gift cost $5 or $500, because your loved ones will appreciate your thoughtfulness! ........I know I would ;)

Zone out to Get in the Zone: Running & Studying

First of all: I want to apologize in advance for more sparse posts this month, I am taking the GRE at the end of December (ahhhhhhh!) and my studying is kicking into high gear. Hopefully I'll be able to do the same amount of posts, but more will be restaurants reviews and random thoughts, and less recipes since recipe posts and recipe testing take so much more time. I promise that after December 31st I'll go back to posting more recipes, but the lack of recipes doesn't mean a lack of exciting posts!
Giveaway this Month!: Sometime in the month of December I will be doing a giveaway of the amazing cookbook "Happy Herbivore Abroad" by Lindsay S. Nixon. I was also sent a free copy of the book to review, and thus far the recipes have been delicious! I have made a vegan paella and an amazing vegan cassoulet that my dad and brother were both in love with.

Running

Running Question: Where do you all stand on zoning out during a run? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this in the comment section!

yep, still riding that runners high.....half an hour after my
run was finished ;)

My Answer: My personal opinion is that I should try to be fully aware of my surroundings on all my runs, and usually be aware of my pace and breathing for the sake of getting faster and getting a great workout BUT every once in awhile I think it's nice to just go out for a run with no pressure and just let your mind roam free. I had one of these "free runs" earlier today and it was awesome; no garmin watch, no time goal, and no distance goal......just running until I felt like stopping. I don't know how fast I was going (I would guess somewhere around 9:30 or 10:00 minute miles) but I got to think about so many things that I have going on, and actually figured out how to deal with a few issues that I have been unsure of how to deal with. I also clearly organized my schedule for the rest of my day, and came up with a much better study plan than what I was doing before. Running provides a lot of mental clarity, and it a great time to think about things that are bothering you or are at the back of your mind during the day but that you rarely get to address. By running and letting myself zone out for the entire run, I was able to run off a lot of stress I have, and was actually able to focus better when it came time for me to study.
Tips for going on a "free run":
- Go on a route that you have run before: Going on a run where you plan on zoning out is no time to try a new route
- Go on a SAFE route: This is pretty straightforward, but make sure you are running in safe neighborhoods where runners are visible to drivers and there are wide roads for drivers to make room for runners
- Don't listen to music: It is important to still be somewhat aware of your surroundings, so if you are already zoning out on your run, you definitely don't want to get rid of the sounds surrounding you, because these can be important safety cues.
- No Watch: Leave your pace watch behind; there should be no pressure to hit a certain pace or a certain distance, just run for yourself and for your mental clarity.

Life: Studying

In the Zone: Oddly enough, zoning out on my run allowed me to "get in the zone" for my GRE studying. I have been studying for this test for a couple of months, but the studying is kicking into high gear this month since my test is on December 31st. I came up with a much better study plan and study schedule during my run than what I had intended on doing earlier, and thus far it is working out great. I also got to sort out a lot of other things I have going on during my run, so my mind was totally clear when it came time to study.

It's pretty embarrassing but I am pretty much studying all day, errr day, with the exception of my workouts, running random errands, and making dinner for my family. Don't worry, I'm not a total hermit, I still go out with friends every once in awhile, but I am definitely being less social this month than normal since I need to get as much studying in as possible. All in all, even though I spent almost 2 hours running, it made the time that I DID spend studying so much more productive, and it was completely worth it! Sorry I don't have any studying words of wisdom, but studying is a very individual tasks, and each person has something that works well for them. For me I work best with writing things down, and them memorizing what I have written down; I also really benefit from practicing problems similar to what will be on the test. So that's what I'm sticking to, memorizing techniques, tricks, and vocabulary......... and doing lots of practice problems. Oh yeah, and getting a good run in before a study sesh always helps!

Good luck to everyone with their studies; I know many of you are studying for finals right now and I wish you all the best!

Double Trouble: Running News & Vegan Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipe

Running Update: So I have been making a slow return to running in the past couple of weeks, but I have kept it on the D.L. because I didn't want to jump the gun and declare victory before I was certain that my knee was on the path to recovery. I have had two solid weeks of running under my belt, with quite a few 7 and 8 mile runs thrown in there, and I am beyond thrilled to say that my knee is handling it fantastically. Granted I am much slower than I was (think 9:30 or 10:00 minute miles compared to the 8:30s and 9:00s I was running before) it still feels simply amazing to be back to running out in the world! I am going to do a longer post about injury and recovery, but I just wanted to share the exciting news with everyone!

Recipe time: Stuffed Bell Peppers

Recipe Inspiration: I had a bunch of bell peppers sitting around that were on the verge of going bad, and I wanted to think of a recipe that didn't require me going to the grocery store. I wanted to make something comforting but not too heavy, and something that could be made in an hour or less. I finally decided on stuffed bell peppers......yum!

Nutrition Note: This is a delicious, comforting, and carb-filled meal that somehow manages to remain relatively light. I usually add lentils or white beans to the rice when I make this recipe but I didn't this time, but we had a lot of lentil soup left, so I figured that we could have that soup along with the meal for a complete protein.

This is what the mixture should look like before you
add the rice, tomatoes, and lentils. 

Ingredients: 
- 32 oz veggie broth
- 6 medium to large bell peppers
- 5 cups cooked rice
- 3/4 cups diced shallots
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 lb mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes

- 1/2 cup white wine

- 1/2 cup sliced almonds

- 2 cups cooked lentils **optional**

Directions:
1. Remove the top of the bell peppers and seed them.
2. Steam the bell peppers for 10-15 minutes or until slightly al dente, and set aside.
3. In a non-stick medium saucepan, cook the shallots for 5 minutes on medium-low heat. I added water as needed to keep them from sticking.

All done!

4. After 5 minutes, add the carrots, garlic, and mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook. Add water as needed, but the mushrooms will give off a lot of water so you may not need to add any.
5. Once the mushrooms are cooked down add the almonds, and the white wine. Continue to cook on medium heat.
6. Add the rice, tomatoes, and lentils (if you decide to use the optional lentils) to the saucepan, and mix the contents of the pan until everything is evenly dispersed in the rice. Continue to cooke for another 10-15 minutes.
7. Remove the rice mixture from heat, and fill each bell pepper with the rice stuffing.
8. Fill the same saucepan that you used for the rice stuffing with the veggie broth and heat until simmering.
9. Place all of the stuffed bell peppers in the veggie broth, and simmer on the lowest heat setting for another 15 minutes while covered.
10. Serve you delicious stuffed bell peppers!

I'm One Sick Vegan.....No Really, I'm Sick: Tips on how to deal with a cold or flu!

What's been going on: I usually don't skip more than a day or two of posting, but I have been super sick with a weird cold/flu thing. I don't get sick that often, so when I do, it's pretty annoying but I've come up with a few tried and true tricks that help me through it.

My Symptoms:
- Sore Throat: this is the first symptom that I had, and it went away after the first two days of being sick
- Sever Headache: This started right when my sore throat was getting better and is still present.
- Painful/Clogged Sinuses & Ears: I'm pretty sure it's just that my sinuses are gross right now, but it feels like my ears are also clogged.
- Stuffy/runny nose: This started a day after the sore throat, and is still present.

Pomelo (grapefruit) and Veggie Broth!

- NO Fever: Fortunately I have not had a fever at all.

My tips for dealing with a cold or flu as a Vegan:
- Drink it up: I have been drinking way, way more fluids than usual. I go through 1-2 cartons of veggie broth per day. This is on top of about 3 cups of tea per day, 1 green juice per day, a few glasses of water, and all of the water in the fruits and veggies that I eat.
- Citrus 24/7: I have been eating one grapefruit and a few oranges every day for the extra Vitamin C and Calcium.
- NO Sugar: I already try to avoid sugar, but I am extra careful about not having anything with simple sugar such as cane sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar, or any other processed sugar. This is mainly because I have noticed with previous bouts of the cold, that when I consume any sort of refined/simple sugar my sore throat flares up again and my cold regresses. My theory is that this is because the bacteria can more easily use these simple sugars as energy sources, but I'm no Doctor so I can't say for sure.
- Sinus Wash a.k.a. Nose Bidet: This is an awesome creation that looks like a mini teapot. I basically fill it with warm salt water, and use it to cleanse my sinuses; I pour the water into one nostril and it comes out the other. This is honestly a life saver, and makes my breathing soooooo much easier.

Me with my beloved nose bidet.

- Salt Water Gargle: This is especially important to do the second you think you are getting a sore throat. All you have to do is warm up water, mix salt in, and gargle it for 30 seconds. I did this three times a day, and the next day my sore throat was pretty much gone.

- Sleep.....LOTS of sleep: I have been going to bed earlier, and sleeping in later. Sleep is always important, but it is especially important for when you are sick. Sleep is a time when your body can repair the damage done during the day, and really work towards fighting off your sickness.

- Don't forget Protein: I have totally lost my appetite throughout this sickness, but it is important to make sure you are eating enough food, especially protein, since your body is using protein to make the antibodies that are fighting off the cold in addition to the day to day maintenance that your body is doing.

In Conclusions: If you feel yourself getting sick, start taking preventative measures immediately. The sooner you recognize the symptoms and act accordingly, the more likely you are to lessen the severity of the cold/flu. Always listen to your body; if you are still tired when you wake up in the morning, sleep in if you can, or call in sick to work. Giving your body the rest and care that it needs is a small sacrifice to make, compared to the time you could potentially loose if you get more sick later on due ignoring the early symptoms. These tips that I have listed are things that have worked for me in the past, but I am no Doctor, and you should always consult your Doctor if you are stricken with the cold or flu!

Stay warm, Stay Healthy, and Stay Happy!