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Please be a sponsor and reach over 3,742 health minded people monthly.
jill@foodforlife.me jill@vegangal.com |
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Hi and Welcome! Last week Dr. Oz featured the Forks over Knives documentary. Yay!!
It was a glorious day for me. Here is where you can get excited too… check out the trailer to the film
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| Forks Over Knives – Official Trailer |
know that YOU are on the cutting edge. YOU are on a journey to enjoy your best health and guess what? The answers are simple. Once you realize what the true answer to good health is- you can work on the harder part of it all: New routines.
Don’t EVER give up. Find a support person. Make a SMART goal. Start small- perhaps by adding more fiber, less processed foods, meal planning, cooking at home more often or drinking more water…
Ask yourself how you can make it easier to be organized and successful?
Use the 7 day menu planner. Realize organization is a serious component for your health goals. In 30 years time you will eat more than 32,850 meals. If you look for food when you’re starving without a plan: poor choices will be made. Be prepared.
May you find yourself making better food choices; continually on the road to optimal health. 
Many Blessings,
Jill
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Featured Recipes
 
Taco Salad (shown without and with crushed tortilla chips on top)
serves 4
My son said, “This is good.” (high praise from my 15 year old) Jolie said, “My new favorite!”
3 heads organic romaine, washed and shredded
1 can (or cup) pinto, black or any beans, rinsed and drained
1 red pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced (optional)
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and chopped (optional)
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
jalapenos, sliced – to taste
1 cup tortilla chips, crushed (optional)
Mexi-Ranch Dressing
1-12.3 oz pkg silken-style firm tofu
1/2 cup Veganaise
1/2 cup water
3 Tbls or juice from 1 lemon
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp hot sauce, optional
Blend above ingredients in a blender or processor. Store in a glass container for up to 2 weeks. Use on baked potatoes, sandwiches, as a dip or dressing on other salads etc… yumm!
Green Pepper Sandwich on Rye
makes 2 sandwiches
1/2 green pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced
4 pieces of any type of lettuce; torn, washed and dried
4 Tablespoons any type hummus
The large loaf of Rye bread at Panera costs @$5.15. It is HUGE. I have it sliced and freeze it for excellent toast or sandwiches when I need it. Great value and flavor!
Easy Curry for Guests
1 pkg Tempeh, curry marinated flavor, sliced and pan fried until brown
1 bunch green beans, thawed
3 carrots, sliced
1 can lite coconut milk
2 tsp. Thai green curry paste
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp fresh lime juice, optional
Steam veggies and place in bowl. Whisk coconut milk, Thai curry paste, curry powder and salt. Serve over brown rice.
Creamy Seitan and Sun-dried Tomato Noodles
2 boxes Mori-Nu silken tofu, firm or extra firm
1 pkg. seitan, sliced to desired size
1 box buckwheat (soba) noodles
3/4 cup sundried tomato, chopped
1 can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
3 Tbls nutritional yeast
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp basil
Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, blend silken tofu with garlic, nutritional yeast, onion powder, basil and salt. Drain the pasta. In the pot you just used to cook the pasta in, add the spinach. Heat and stir on medium heat until wilted. Add the seitan, sun dried tomatoes, beans and sauce. Warm through. Serve over pasta.
Veggie chili a la baked potato
1 can of veggie chili, such as Health Valley Organic
3 green onions, chopped
2 baked potatoes
Warm the canned chili on the stove and serve over a baked potato. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.
Jolie’s Favorite Pasta
1 cup cooked pasta
3/4 cup of jar marinara sauce such as Paul Newman’s
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
Cook your favorite pasta, heat some marinara and top with nutritional yeast. Serve with salad for an easy dinner on a lazy night.
Quick Sweet Curry Sauce
Mega-fast and low fat, this makes a versatile sauce
1 14 oz. can yams, undrained
1/2 cup water
1 Tbls. curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
Blend the above ingredients in your blender or processor. In this example, mix into brown rice, steamed asparagus and zucchini plus a can of rinsed and drained black beans.
For more recipes and a free monthly e-newsletter with great vegan recipes, interviews, articles and Retreat weekend information sign up at either of Jill’s websites: www.Vegan-Gal.com or www.FoodForLife.me
(Please pass me on- everyone should know how great healthy food tastes!)
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Daily Affirmations
Today’s post it note for the bathroom mirror:
I love to be organized. I am making progress to be more organized each day. I love to file those papers. Spending time filing will mean I can find things quickly when I need them. (OK – honestly. these affirmations didn’t work out for me too well- maybe it was that filing one??)
I’m going with these next: I am blessed coming in and I am blessed going out. I am in good health. I am making better food choices. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all I could imagine. I have abundant love all around me and within me. Thank you God.
10 Things I am grateful for right this minute: 1) a plan for dinner 2) sunlight 3) got my workout in already 4) getting this newsletter done 5) Hung some old pictures on the wall 6) Helped Jolie with some math (and I knew what to do) 7) Looking forward to the Retreat this weekend  Indoor plumbing 9) Al-anon friends to call 10) Love
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INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH
Name: Mike and Mary Mearna
Current City of Residence: Paw Paw, MI
Marital Status: Married
Children: No children
How Long a Vegan: 4 months
Initial Reason: As a cancer survivor, we took the Food For Life class at WMCC (not knowing it was promoting a vegan diet) and became convinced that this is the way to go to keep my cancer from coming back – or at least not coming back as soon as it usually does.
What Happened to Your Body (if anything); We both have lost weight. Haven’t had any blood tests yet, but we’re sure our cholesterol will be lower when I go in May, and Mike goes in Nov.
Have You Influenced Other People (how): My niece has a rare form of cancer, and I was able to spend a week and a half with her after her surgery to make her some vegan recipes and help her get back on track to the vegan lifestyle she has been struggling with since last summer.
Do you Have Support of All Family and Friends: Yes, for the most part. Some are skeptical – think we’re only eating “cardboard”.
Supplements that you take: We both take a daily multi vitamin, we used to take fish oil capsules, but replaced them with flax seeds. I take a calcium supplement as recommended by my doctor after my bone marrow transplant.
What do you Struggle With: Nothing really, so far. Come summer, ice cream might be a problem. There is a great soft serve place in Paw Paw that we used to go to a lot. We will just have to keep some Cuties on hand.
Tell Me Some of Your Favorite Foods: Edamame, chickpea smash, roasted red pepper hummus, grownup mac and cheese, cilantro and coriander for herbs.
What do Typical Meals Look like? fruit and cold or hot cereal for breakfast, chickpea smash or avacado, cuke and tomato sandwiches for lunch, lasagna or pasta, or a bean salad or tacos and salad and/or rice for dinner.
Favorite Recipe that Serve Four Guests: Lazy Lasagna
Special Kitchen Things (Favorites): Food processor (bought it after Jill’s class), new cutting board – got rid of the one we used with meat
Favorite “Brand Name” Health/Convenience Food: Amy’s frozen items, Ezekiel spelt breads, Don Lee Farms veggie patties from Costco, and Veganaise
Worst Thing About Being a Vegan: Breakfast bars at hotels. They have a lot of unhealthy food on them.
Books that Influenced You: The Cancer Survivors Guide and Skinny Bitch
Best Thing About Being a Vegan: Trying lots of different foods that we had never eaten before – and finding out we like them
What do you Think Everyone Should Know: It’s really not difficult to eat vegan, and everything tastes so good! We enjoy cooking a lot more.
If applicable, Did you like my DVD: (why?) We liked it very much. You gave us a lot of ideas of things to buy and stock up on. Also helpful in figuring out what to eat at restaurants.
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Vegan-gal.com is on facebook!
 Join us on facebook and feel free to “like” us too  We love reading your comments- so inspirational!
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Making dinner to please my kids
Just an example of what I do sometimes to ensure that my kids eat what I make for dinner. This was an enchilada casserole I threw together with soy chorizo, tortillas, tofu blended with nutritional yeast and cumin, salsa, cilantro, black olives, green onions, etc… One son doesn’t like black olives and I won’t eat the cheese so the olives made it on half the dish one way and the cheese made it on the other half of the top.
Someone told me Dr. John McDougall said not to fight with the teenagers about food. It is tough to be a Momma! I keep trying to set the best example that I can and hope and pray my children grow up to choose a vegan lifestyle. They surely have a head start being exposed to healthier foods, but I just don’t have that control I once did when they were very little. Wait, what control do I really have over anyone else???? None. Ughh.
Somehow I survived growing up and eating the worst foods ever. I hope they will too, and get to the point of wanting the BEST Food for their lives. I would stake my life on what that is: A whole-foods, plant-based, lifestyle. Simple to define. Harder to pull off.
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Health Nation- The future is Telemedicine
Click here to sign up for this great service!
I just had the opportunity to use my Health Nation service again the other night. At about 4:00 am Jolie was moaning that her legs hurt. How nice to pick up the phone and talk to a doctor in the middle of the night!
He was so nice. Dr. “nice man” reminded me about achy bone feeling with the flu and I was relieved. We went over what was in my medicine cabinet and he helped me determine a safe medicine to give her after reading a couple of labels. I was very grateful to have the opportunity to talk all of this through using my ‘worried and exhausted mom’ brain.
The doctor was calming and I certainly felt reassured going back to bed. He said we really didn’t need to go see a doctor the next day and we didn’t!
Every month I have Health Nation is another month that I say, hey “this service is wonderful”!
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Testimonials and such…Dear Jill, My Story: I am a 51 year-old woman, 50 lbs. overweight. I have been going to my doctor on a regular basis. It seemed that each time I would weigh in at the doctor’s office I would be another 5 lbs. heavier. I got so upset this last time, March 8, I vowed to find out the truth in losing weight. Well, my doctor knew how frustrated I was so he suggested I eat a 1500 calorie a day diet. Ok. But one thing, I wonder why he never suggested to eat a vegan diet? Why wouldn’t he have suggested it? He knew how frustrated I was with my weight. Maybe he doesn’t even have education on nutrition. But, on my own I sought out my own resources. The truth about losing weight. Not some gimmick. Thanks to you and many other vegan resources I have finally been enlightened. I also read “Veganist” by Kathy Freston and The China Study.
Anyway, after only 1 month of eating for health, I have lost 14 lbs. I couldn’t be happier. I can’t wait to go see my doctor on May 25 and show him my new blood work and my new weight!! I’ll keep you posted!
Karen
From Florida
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 DVD
“Change your Food, Change Your Life”
The DVD Reviews are in………..
“Jill Ovnik’s recommendations are very helpful … and her outtakes were hilarious!” “Jill’s high quality talks give you concise and correct information so that you can un-learn most of what we have heard over the years! LISTEN TO HER! The quality of Ovnik’s movie making is superb.”
Our “Change Your Food, Change Your Life” DVD offers easy steps to a healthier lifestyle. Jill Ovnik, president and founder of Vegan-Gal.com, produced the “Change Your Food, Change Your Life” DVD to offer the average person insight to healthier eating. Ovnik’s DVD is enlightening and entertaining. The eighty minute DVD is full of helpful information and tips that range from grocery shopping ideas and smart restaurant choices to step-by-step recipes that can be created at home.
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“Vegan nutrition on the run?
Compare and see for yourself why
I say Figure 8 is the BEST!”
Another sizzler from Arbonne is our fabulous Figure 8 Weight Loss System! It’s pure vegetarian, using pea protein rather than cow milk (a common allergen), and it makes a great meal replacer even if you do not need to lose weight! Arbonne sweetens with the herb stevia, rather than using refined sugar, saccharin or aspartame! Our Fiber Booster contains 12 grams per serving! Compare that to the 3 gram average out on the market! Figure 8 products contain NO artificial flavors or colors, or insect or animal products. Arbonne is leading the revolution with a cruelty-free system for weight loss!
Developed in Switzerland and Made in the U.S.A.
Botanically-based
pH Correct for human skin
Dermatologist tested and Hypoallergenic at the highest standard
Formulated without animal products or by-products
Formulated without mineral oil
Formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances
Guaranteed with a 100% cash back guarantee
Never tested on animals
Arbonne Awards include: Friends of the Environment, PETA,
Beauty Without Cruelty and the US Humane Society
New “Certified Vegan” Product Labels are here!
www.DrFood.myArbonne.com
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| Juice Plus |
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VEGAN CHOCOLATE – click here to link and buy!
Xocai Healthy Chocolate is a cold pressed raw cacao with acai and blueberry. Brunswick Lab Certified “HIGHEST ANTIOXIDANT” clean food on the planet. Vegan and Gluten free. Eating Xocai everyday helps to contribute to heart and diabetic health.
Xocai Healthy Chocolate is a category creator and world leader of healthy chocolate. This cold pressed raw cacao with acai berry and blueberry is the highest antioxidant food on the planet. Xocai is a clean super food, diabetic, vegan and kosher friendly. There are no refined sugars, waxes or fillers.
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Join us next month……..
with the latest research, more tasty recipes and stories that you have submitted.
Jill Ovnik-President and founder: vegan-gal.com |
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