With our Viva La Vegan class going strong (yes, you can still join in the fun!), we thought this film looked pretty cool. It’s not out yet, but you can add your name to the mailing list to get info on the release date and screenings.
“To Your Health” is an in-depth study of whole food, plant-based nutrition, debunking the most common myths associated with modern nutrition. Exploring your need for protein, calcium, supplements, metabolism, and other issues, “To Your Health” provides answers to your biggest questions.
Follow Julieanna Hever (a.k.a The Plant-Based Dietitian) as she travels the country to interview the biggest names in the Plant-Based world including Dr. T. Colin Campbell (The China Study), Dr. Joel Fuhrman (Eat to Live), Dr. John McDougall (The McDougall Program), Dr. Neal Barnard (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) and many more. Julieanna’s travels take her from Cornell University and the countryside of New Jersey to the San Francisco Bay and the far reaches of Central California. She visits the benevolent haven that is Farm Sanctuary along with incredible restaurants like Millennium and the Veggie Grill. This fun and entertaining journey is full of life-changing information and hope for a future of better health for all.
No matter what kind of workout you do, your shoes are a critical part of your success (well, unless you’re swimming). Be sure you’re wearing the right style of shoe for the exercise you do. We made that mistake – buying running shoes and using them for walking led to a year (because we’re stubborn about admitting our mistakes) of tired legs, creaky knees and weak ankles. New – appropriate – shoes fixed all those problems.
Shop at a sporting goods store – you don’t have to buy the shoes there, but you can get a good idea of what’s available for your workout, and how different shoes feel.
Replace your shoes often. You can get a little extra wear from your fitness shoes by swapping out the insoles for a good-quality sport insole and replacing that a couple of times, but you need to replace your workout shoes pretty much every year. You don’t have to throw them away; most of them can be used for yardwork or painting for awhile . This really is one place to spend your money.
Now, if you thought this post was going to be about pedicures and fitness? Sorry. But you can always get a pedicure and then protect those pretty toes in the right workout shoes.
Here’s an easy lunch or light dinner that’s pretty easy to put together (and very flexible).
We’ve included the referenced hummus recipe, but if you have a favorite, use that, of course (ours has cumin in it, and no tamari – what’s yours like?).
Wrap these tightly in plastic wrap and you can pack them along in an insulated lunchbox with a blue ice pack. Now you have a picnic for a day at the beach or the park or on the trail. If you need to customize the contents for kids (maybe no olives? or added red pepper?) that’s easy enough, too.
The cookbook – The 30 Minute Vegan by Mark Reinfeld & Jennifer Murray – is one of Viva La Vegan coach Kyra’s favorites.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Mediterranean Hummus Wrap from The 30 Minute Vegan by Mark Reinfeld & Jennifer Murray
Green * Serves 4
4 whole-grain flour tortillas
1 recipe Traditional Hummus (recipe follows)
8 leaves romaine lettuce, chopped
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 cucumber, cut into half moons
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup grated carrot (optional)
Prepare the hummus according to the directions in the following recipe.
Lay out the tortillas, spread with your desired quantity of hummus, and top with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives and carrot. Fold in the sides toward the center, roll it up, and enjoy!
Traditional Hummus from The 30 Minute Vegan by Mark Reinfeld & Jennifer Murray
Blue * Makes 1-1/2 cups
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans*
2 Tablespoons tahini (sesame butter)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon water*
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce (to make it gluten free, use wheat-free tamari)
Process all the ingredients in a food processor (or Vitamix!) until well combined.
*We like to drain the beans, but reserve the liquid and add it back into the hummus as it’s blending. Sometimes we use all the liquid, sometimes we don’t. And sometimes we add extra water.
You may wish to add more water, for a thinner consistency. Start with 1 Tablespoon at a time.
It is possible to mash up the garbanzo beans with a fork if you do not have a food processor, then add all the other ingredients for a much chunkier hummus.
We saw this while watching the Tour de France and got excited about it. It’s a water bottle you can completely wash and air dry – because the bottom comes off, too, getting rid of the one creepy thing about water bottles – the grunge factor. It was developed as a bicycle water bottle, but those of us who don’t cycle can also use it.
Brilliant.
It’s guaranteed for life; 10% of the profits are donated to green causes; and right now if you buy three, you get one free. Check it out here.
Pssst – they also have a cool t-shirt: 53 miles per burrito. Think about that the next time you want to work off dinner.
Coaches Jan and Kyra will welcome you and get you caught up. We spent day 1 on some basics, and day 2 on vegan breakfast. Today it’s all about vegan appetizers – and that includes recipes! Plus, Jan is giving us videos each day, and Kyra is sharing her favorite vegan cookbooks!
You don’t have to be a vegan to take this class!
Honestly, this is a great place to learn and experiment without any fear of being chastised for not being vegan (lots of members are “vegan-ish” (close to vegan) or are dairy-free and red-meat-free), or for not quite getting it. It’s a great time to practice being vegan and see what your own challenges will be. It’s a great place to jump right in with enthusiasm, because you’ll get support for that, too.
Jan happens to be gluten-free, too, so if you need help with vegan GF meals, this is the place to be.
Classes at Marilu.com are available free to all members. Just check your inbox for your daily email, log in to Marilu.com and get to class on the message boards. There’s even a handy class page with all the resources and links you’ll need for class.
Not a member?Sign up now and get a free class (sometimes two!) every month.
Walking is the easiest, cheapest exercise there is – and you can do it anytime, anywhere (almost). There’s almost no excuse not to walk.
We had a member who was physically challenged, and walking for her was very difficult. Rosemary wears leg braces and uses crutches. But she was determined to improve her health, so she started out walking to the end of her driveway and back for her exercise. She worked up to walking to the end of the block and back. She also used a mini-trampoline, and started going to the gym to lift weights. Rosemary became a recognized role model at her gym, because she was dedicated to her workout. She made great gains in her health and fitness with exercise and following Marilu’s Total Health Makeover® eating plan. You can, too.
Be sure to do both cardio (movement that gets your heart rate up) and strength (weights & resistance) training every week. You can do them on alternate days or do some of both every day.
And if you need some walking music, here’s a song to try * Walk by the Foo Fighters. Get up and DO IT.
Here’s a cool, refreshing, and totally animal-free frozen dessert for a hot day. Bonus – you can make it in your Vitamix! Win one from Marilu!
Don’t forget! Our Viva La Vegan class is now in session. If you want lots of vegan (animal-free) recipes, or are interested in finding out more about a plant-based diet, join the class! It’s not too late.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Evi’s Mango Cream Yellow * Serves 4
1 ripe mango
1 cup coconut milk
1/8 cup agave syrup (more to taste)
1 Tablespoon lime juice (or lemon juice)
Fresh mint leaves to decorate
Peel and chop mango. Place everything with exception of the mint leaves in a blender or food processor. Blend/mix until smooth. Place in small bowls or glasses and chill for at least two hours in the fridge. Decorate with mint leaves.
Remember – if you and a friend join together, you can both enter the Vitamix drawing!
Or – refer a friend who joins, and you can enter.
Questions? Check here or email Mary Beth.
This class has loads of vegan recipes and info about vegan living! Download and print recipes, and get more recipes in class. Get help converting your favorite recipes to delicious vegan versions. Become a healthy vegan (not a potato chip vegan).
You don’t have to be a vegan to take this class!
This is the place to ask your questions and get real answers from real people who have chosen veganism. Join Jan and Kyra and learn what it means to be a vegan, making the transition to veganism, living in a “mixed” (animal-free and animal-eating) family, and the challenges and rewards of being vegan.
Classes at Marilu.com are available free to all members. Just check your inbox on Monday for your daily email, log in to Marilu.com and get to class on the message boards. There’s even a handy class page with all the resources and links you’ll need for class.
Not a member?Sign up now and get a free class (sometimes two!) every month.
Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift.
~ Albert Einstein
Marilu.com has a “Spirit Sunday” tradition. Take some time today to rest, to relax, to breathe. Enjoy a moment in nature, or a nap, or a yoga meditation, or a prayer. Just take a little time out.
We’re getting ready for our Viva La Vegan class – which starts Monday!
Sign up now
and you’ll be ready to go on Monday morning!
Sign up with a friend (or get a friend to sign up)
and enter each other in the drawing for a FREE Vitamix! Details here.
The Viva La Vegan class is a great place to learn about veganism (animal-free eating and living), and it’s for everyone. You don’t need to be a vegan (or vegan-ish, or vegetarian, or any other label)… you just need to want to know more, and to want excellent recipes! Yes, eating less meat (or no meat) can be delicious.
Marilu recommends that we eat less animal protein as a way to lower our intake of saturated fats, avoid animal hormones and avoid environmental toxins. Red meat is especially difficult to digest, and is the easiest to cut out of your menus. Red meat is considered beef, pork, lamb, venison, etc. (Poultry and fish are not considered red meat, although you’ll want to look for organic poultry and ocean fish.)
Eating less animal protein can be a gradual process. You don’t have to change everything at once. Get used to new flavors and textures in your food at your own pace. (Class coaches Jan and Kyra will support you in this!)
Here is Marilu’s chart for going meatless (from Total Health Makeover®, chapter 1).
BEGINNER * Allow yourself one portion of red meat or pork a day. This includes anything from a cow, pig or lamb. (Don’t be fooled by those “other white meat” ads for pork. Pork is nearly as dense as beef.) Also, don’t become Mr. Venison, either. Add more fish or chicken to your diet.
INTERMEDIATE * Limit your red meat and pork consumption to three times a week. Try to eat only free-range poultry and meat whenever possible.
ADVANCED * Eliminate all red meat and pork from your diet. Make sure your poultry is free-range and your fish is from unpolluted waters whenever possible. Experiment with vegetarian meals.
MAKEOVER MANIAC * Eliminate meat completely from your life. Even counting sheep is forbidden.
If you need some simple ideas to get started on a lifestyle that reduces or eliminates animal protein, try the following… and get to class on Monday!
Switch from red meat to poultry and fish.
Use poultry or fish as a compliment to the main dish, not as the main dish itself.
Prepare meatless meals that you are familiar with, such as bean burritos, pasta salads, and veggie stir-fries.
Transition by eating meat less frequently. Start with breakfasts that are meatless, then incorporate meatless lunches as well.
Substitute fresh vegetables for meat in recipes. Vegetarian chili made with Portobello mushrooms is excellent.
Try meat substitutes in moderation. Many supermarkets carry a variety of soy and grain alternatives to hamburger, hot dogs and lunch meats.
Try new types of cuisine. Many ethnic cuisines offer meat-free dishes; you may not miss the meat when you have new flavors to entice you.
