Why Put CBD in Brownies?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is everywhere these days. You can find it infused into soaps, lotions, and muscle rubs, but you can also cook foods and mix up beverages that include CBD. Try these Vegan CBD Brownies for a unique way to enjoy a treat and wind down from a stressful day at the same time!

These Vegan CBD Brownies are perfect for mellowing out as well as helping you relax after a long day. Try bringing them to your next gathering so you can share with your friends the benefits of CBD oil.

Want to learn more about CBD? Yes! Then simply click to watch the CBD Master Course!

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But why is the morning meal so important? Most people think it is because it kick starts your metabolism for the day, and this may be partially true. Studies show that eating breakfast may also help regulate blood sugar and improve mental health and well being. Check out some of the research along with some of my favorite vegan breakfast recipes.

The Importance of Breakfast

Many people skip breakfast because they are rushing to get out the door to school or work. This could be a mistake that sets your day up for some physical and mental setbacks.Steel Cut Oats and Caramelized Bananas

There are loads of conflicting scientific studies regarding breakfast. Some claim that breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, while others say people who skip breakfast consume fewer calories throughout the day. Few studies evaluate the quality of breakfast, and this definitely plays a part. If you tend wake up to a soda and a couple pop tarts, choosing to skip that meal is a good thing. If, however, you eat a breakfast of whole grain oatmeal with fresh juice, your body will thank you.

Most people wake up hungry, and the natural response is to eat. Our a.m. meal provides fuel for the mental and physical demands of the day. Students, in particular, seem to benefit from eating a wholesome breakfast. One study showed that children who eat breakfast are more able to concentrate, pay attention, and are more alert at school. Additionally, breakfast-eating students had better grades overall.

Another study suggests that breakfast improves feelings of quality of life and reduces stress and depression.

Observational studies of breakfast consumption in children and adults suggest a protective association between the frequency of eating breakfast and the risk for obesity and chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Importantly, this study draws the conclusion that frequency (especially daily consumption) and quality (foods such as fiber- and nutrient-rich whole grains, fruit, and low-fat dairy) may be related to appetite and blood sugar control.

Breakfast Doesn’t Have to Be Boring

On that note, looking for high-fiber, nutrient-rich foods for breakfast is key. I love to start my day with whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Over the years, I’ve developed lots of delicious and healthy breakfast options that are vegan and gluten-free as well. Like the ever-popular Blueberry Bake that tastes so good, you’ll feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast. Or if you’re looking for a nice Sunday morning treat, how about my Vegan French Toast with Berry Compote?

Check out a few of my favorite vegan breakfast recipes:

• Blueberry Bake
• Breakfast and Snack Toasts Six Ways
• Chia Breakfast Pudding
• Congee
• Steel Cut Oats and Carmelized Bananas
• Vegan French Toast with Berry Compote
• Two Favorite Fresh Juices to Put a Pep in Your Step

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Want to learn more about vegan eating? Come check out the Clean Slate Cleanse, a 21-day guided program to reset your relationship with food.

To get even more tasty and wholesome recipes, check out my Clean Slate Cleanse Cookbook and Workbook!

People often think that doing a cleanse involves being hungry all the time. On the contrary, during the Clean Slate Cleanse, I encourage you to eat whenever you are hungry. The Cleanse is not at all about counting calories or watching macros. It is about eating healthy, wholesome plant-based, natural foods. Because our bodies digest these foods more easily, some people need to eat more often. Check out these great vegan snack recipes to enjoy during the Cleanse or pretty much anytime you want a nutritious snack.

Benefits of Snacking

Studies show that eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day helps maintain energy levels, stabilize blood sugar, and improve metabolism. Having a healthy snack decreases hunger and reduces cravings, which can often lead to overeating or eating the wrong thing. When you reach a state of hunger, you are more apt to grab something quick and easy. Convenience foods are typically high in calories and are rarely healthy, thus contributing to weight gain.

Simple Healthy Snacks

Choosing healthy snacks is key. With a little planning and prep, many snacks can be prepared ahead. Others are readily grab-and-go options. Some of my favorite vegan snacks include:

• Fresh fruit, plain or with a smear of nut butter
• Fresh veggies with hummus
• Gluten-free crackers or chips with a small serving of guacamole or salsa
• Edamame with sea salt
• Homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds, and sugar-free dried fruit
• Popcorn (not microwaved) with sea salt and nutritional yeast
• Nuts, such as almonds, cashews, or pecans.

Vegan Snack Recipes

I also love to have a few things prepped ahead of time when I’m in the mood for something a bit “more”. Try these vegan snack recipes and let me know what you think! A word of caution: A few of these are some of my favorite fried indulgences. Don’t overdo it on fried foods. Vegan or not, eating fried foods every day is not a great choice.

• Blueberry Bake – This breakfast dish is also great as a snack!
• Breakfast and Snack Toasts Six Ways
• Crispiest Fries with Garlic Tahini Hummus Sauce
• Extra Crispy Onion Rings
• Mexican Roasted Chick Peas
• Simple Hummus Recipes: four dips your crackers will be begging for
• Vegan Mozzarella Sticks

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What are your favorite vegan snacks? Share your ideas below!

For more great recipes, check out my Clean Slate Cleanse Cookbook!

So many people reach out to me about the Clean Slate Cleanse and ask if they will be surviving on raw salads and carrot sticks for 21 days. To this I answer an emphatic “No!” The truth is, there are hundreds of delicious, satisfying, flavorful foods included in the Cleanse. It is not a starvation diet, and the food is anything but boring. Read on to learn what a day in the life during the Clean Slate Cleanse looks like.

Let’s start with what you can have

The list below is a bit extensive, but if you are ever in question, this is a great place to check. Chances are, if it’s not on this list, it’s not on the Cleanse. Remember, you can have anything that is gluten-, sugar-, alcohol-, and caffeine-free and vegan. It’s also ideal to limit processed foods as well as artificial sweeteners for best results while cleansing.

Staples and cooking supplies

• Beans and legumes: Any and all beans are Cleanse approved. Dried beans are best but they do require more preparation. Canned beans and legumes are also fine and offer a quick and convenient option.
• Gluten-free bread, buns, and tortillas
• Corn grits and polenta
• Faux meats: Burgers, sausage patties, “meat crumbles,” “chicken” patties, (I love Beyond Meat products!)
• Gluten-free flours, such as arrowroot, buckwheat, chickpea, coconut, nut, potato, rice, and tapioca
• Fruits: All fruits!
• Grains: Amaranth, Arborio rice, basmati rice, black rice, brown rice, buckwheat, corn (non-GMO), jasmine rice, millet, quinoa, teff, white rice, and wild rice
• Mixed-grain hot cereals, like oatmeal, chia, etc.
• Mushrooms: Button, cremini, hen of the woods, miatake, portobello, shiitake, etc.
• Nut or seed butters: Almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, tahini, etc.
• Oils (plant-based): Avocado, canola (non-GMO), coconut, flaxseed, olive (extra-virgin), sesame, sunflower, safflower, walnut, etc.
• Gluten-free pasta: Buckwheat, chickpea, corn (non-GMO), lentil, quinoa, or rice
• Non-dairy protein powder: Hemp, pea, rice, or soy based
• Rice wrappers
• Seasonings: Any sugar-free seasonings
• Stock: Vegetarian soup base or vegetable bullion
• Sweeteners: Agave nectar, coconut sugar, monkfruit sugar, stevia, yacon syrup, and other natural sugars with a glycemic index less than 35.
• Tempeh
• Tofu
• Vegetables: Go crazy! All vegetables are acceptable, including frozen vegetables.

Beverages that aren’t water

Drinking lots of water is part of the Clean Slate Cleanse. But sometimes you just want something different.

• Herbal teas (decaffeinated)
• Juices: Pomegranate, lemon, lime, and cranberry juice for sparkling water cocktails; vegetable juices (unsweetened)

Snacks

• Chips: Corn, potato, sweet potato
• Crackers and cakes: Almond, flax, rice, sweet potato, and seed crackers and cakes
• Guacamole: Make your own or buy from the store
• Hummus: Make your own or buy from the store
• Nuts: Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, filberts (hazelnuts), macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, etc.
• Popcorn
• Salsas: tomato or fruit-based

Vegan Dairy Substitutes

• Butter
• Cheeses
• Mayonnaise: Make your own or buy from the store.
• Non-dairy milk: Almond, cashew, coconut, hemp, rice, or soy milk (unsweetened)

Rise and Shine; It’s Time for Breakfast

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Start your day off right with a bowl of hearty Steel Cut Oats with Caramelized Bananas, or Warm Blueberry Bake (a Clean Slate Cleanse fan favorite!) Or for a quick grab-and-go breakfast, try some Chia Breakfast Pudding.

Breakfast on the Cleanse is delicious and sets up your day to stay on track. Check out more of my Vegan Breakfast Recipes.

Juices and other Beverages

I love fresh juices, and juices enhance cleansing so much. Check out a couple of my favorite juices, like the Everyday Green Juice. There are also some fun mocktails, like this Ginger Lime Mocktail, for those times when you just want something a bit more festive!

Snacks

Don’t worry; when it comes to snacking, there’s more to the Clean Slate Cleanse than carrot chips and celery sticks. A couple of my favorite snacks on the cleanse are Mexican Roasted Chickpeas and Breakfast and Snack Toasts Six Ways. You can enjoy a variety of nuts, chips, crackers, and dips, like hummus and guacamole as well. (Check the list above for more ideas!)

Click here for more great ideas for snacking on the Cleanse.

The Main Dish

Creativity abounds with lunch and dinner dishes on the Clean Slate Cleanse! A variety of vegetables, spices, pastas, and other foods allow for plenty of variety. I’m a big fan of nextovers, and many of my dinner recipes can be repurposed as healthy lunches.

Some popular main dishes on the Cleanse include Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos with Vegan Ranch Dressing, Ramen, and Vegan Mushroom Lentil Burgers. For a special dinner, try Shanghai Style Dumplings or Spiced Pumpkin Ravioli.

Need more ideas? Check out this post with links to more main dish recipes.

Ready for Lunch?

When lunchtime rolls around, there are plenty of quick and easy options, as well as make-ahead dishes that will satisfy midday hunger.

Why not try a comforting Vegan Egg Salad or an Asian Rotini Pasta Salad? If you love warm, hearty lunches, the Clean Slate Cleanse offers plenty of filling soups as well. Check out this Coconut Lentil Soup or Carrot, Ginger, and Turmeric Soup with Sweet and Spicy Carrot Chips.

And don’t forget last night’s dinner that can be reheated for lunch or made into a soup. In the Clean Slate Cleanse, we call that nextovers!

 

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Want to Learn More?

If you want all the recipes, plus a meal plan and lots of food education, get the Clean Slate Cleanse Cookbook and Workbook!