Peace, Love & Knowledge

For those who love the earth, healthy food, and all things natural. Enjoy:)

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

peanut ginger quinoa salad :)

Ginger Peanut Quinoa Salad.
                Today I would love to share this awesome vegan salad with you, my very first vegan food post! It’s absolutely delicious and turned out wayyyy better than I thought it would. I feel so fortunate to be able to walk into my backyard in my skimpy little summer clothes and be able to pick some fresh cucumbers and carrots from my mom’s beautiful gardens. I just realized how much I’m going to miss all this fresh organic produce when I move out. L I know I should spend more time helping my mother weed and tend the vegetables but you know how it is, you get so caught up in your own affairs you forget to partake in such activities. Anywaysssssss………. I made enough of this salad for my mother so I hope she takes it as a sign that I truly appreciate all that she does and that I love using the fresh vegetables to nourish my mind and soul.
I would recommend making some quinoa the night before you make this salad and chill it in the fridge. To make quinoa simply combine half a cup of dry quinoa with a cup of water and cook it like you would rice. Also, if you you’re not a fan of ginger, by all means use less, I simply adore it. I ate this on the porch with a nice glass of lemonade and loved every bite. Enjoy!!
Ginger Peanut Quinoa Salad.
1 cup cooked, chilled quinoa
1 small cucumber, chopped into bite size pieces
1 small carrot, grated
1/3 onion, diced.
3 leaves of basil, sliced thin
*optional additions
½ avocado
1/3 cabbage, chopped thin
1 tbsp. roasted cashews
DRESSING:
1 tsp. organic peanut butter
Sprinkle of salt
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
Just a little bit of soy sauce if you so desire
2 tbsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Mix the dressing and simply pour over the quinoa and vegetable and stir. I prefer it chilled but you can also eat this hot if you would like.



Veganism and Dreads!

Veganism and dreads!!
                Hello everyone J it’s been so long since I’ve posted anything and yet I’ve had so much to write about! First things first… I now have dreadlocks! I’ve always wanted them and so about a week ago I finally got the guts to go ahead and get them. My darling friend came over and worked diligently on my hair for about 9 hours. Sometimes it hurt but it was so worth it. We had a lot of fun just goofing off, listening to music, and talking each other’s ears off. I’m so happy with the results and even though I know the deadlocking process will be long and sometimes frustrating, I can honestly say I’m prepared and willing to learn. I believe this journey will truly teach me patience and self-acceptance. The first question people have been asking is, “whyyyy in the world would you do that to your hair????” and my answer is always the same. By having dreadlocks I’m rejecting the conventional idea that girls of this time and age need long, straight, processed hair in order to look beautiful. Girls now days do more and more to try to fit in and make themselves look good, yet they feel worse about themselves and begin to think they can never compete with the prettier girls. I, on the other hand, obviously don’t care what people think concerning my appearance and I think I’m setting a good example by loving myself completely and accepting my natural self. After all, before brushes and shampoos designed to detangle hair, we ALL had dreadlocks, and anyone who disagrees with that is just being stubborn. In fact I would go as far to say that I believe Jesus may have had dreadlocks, and that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Dreadlocks do NOT need to be dirty and gross; it’s simply a common misconception that you can’t wash dreadlocks or make them look good. Anyways I’m extremely pleased with how mine look and I can’t wait to see how they look in the upcoming weeks.
                Another huge change I’ve made in my life is converting to veganism. I have been a vegetarian for almost two years but I never really gave much thought to being a vegan, I guess I just didn’t think it was a big deal. That all changed once I watched the documentary “Earthlings”………… words cannot describe how this movie affected me and it’s amazing to think about how great it would be if everyone watched it! We would all be vegans I swear. It contained so much graphic footage I nearly threw up and I cried for two hours straight until there were literally piles of salt resting on my cheeks. They explained how animals are killed and abused in order for us stupid consumers to be able to buy leather, meat, and how animals are treated in circuses and medical labs. If you ever thought you knew all there was to know about animal treatment, I urge you to watch this documentary. You will definitely learn things you never even wanted to know. Knowledge is power and even though I am now scarred with these horrifying images, I feel so much more in control of my life and my diet and I have given up all animal products. Surprisingly, if you put your mind to something, everything else falls into place. I’ve been making some AMAZING vegan meals and finding awesome vegan blogs online. Luckily its summer and my mother’s garden is absolutely stunning and overflowing with delicious cucumbers, zucchini and beans. My mood has lifted, my heart is lighter, and I have never felt better. Look forward to some great recipes in the near future!

Here are some pictures of my dreads, aren’t they amazing? J