Raw Vegan Chef

This week, I've had the opportunity to learn more about raw living from an actual raw vegan chef. Her name is Shavana; she dedicates her days to preparing meals for her clients only using products that are organically grown. Speaking with her helped me look at raw eating as more of a lifestyle other than a simple eating habit.  

She says "You need lots of healthy enzymes in your body in order to fight off illnesses but over time our foods have changed (for example: GMO is now found it A LOT of our foods).

I am sure when our great grandparents were alive they were probably eating a much simpler and cleaner diet because science hadn't developed to a point where they were messing around with our produce as yet...[...] So in order to replenish that bank account (our body) we have to eat fresh organic (organic meaning it has been grown in untouched soil (pure and natural) produce in order to rebuild those enzymes and hopefully some day pass it on back to our children."

 

 

Picture: Raw vegan flax crackers made by Shavana

Vegetarian

I had the chance to meet with Sirena, a new vegetarian. She started this journey is December of 2012 and has stuck with it ever since.

Me: What inspired you to become a vegetarian?
Sirena: I saw a video on how animals are treated on farms and I didn't like it.

 Me: Was it a also health decision or only because of the animals?
Sirena: Both, mainly animal cruelty.

Me: What does your diet mainly consist of?
Sirena: Mainly vegetables and I get my protein from nuts. I drink soy milk instead of regular milk.

Me: Have you noticed any changes in your body since you made the change?
Sirena: I have more endurance when it comes to working out. I can stay awake longer--more energy.

Me: Are there any misconceptions about vegetarians that you would like to clear?
Sirena: A lot of people say it's hard to get enough protein but iron is harder to obtain as a vegetarian.

Picture taken from: http://gogethealthynow.com

Exercise Regimen

As of this past week I have committed to a daily work out schedule. On the days I do not have work, I jog/walk approximately 2.5 miles. After I finish, I do toe touches for a minute, quad stretches, and hip flexors. After my cardio/stretches I do 35 squats, 50 crunches, and 10 push ups. This regimen is great because it allows me to balance work, school, and physical activity without me feeling too sore or worn out the next day. If you are attempting to live a healthy lifestyle, but may not be quite at this level yet, try reducing everything by 1/2 and see how well you. (You can eventually work your way up to the full workout.)

Raw Foods

I've been hearing a lot about raw food diets so I decided to do a little research on the benefits of it. Turns out there are four components of this-- raw vegetarian, raw vegans, raw omnivores, and raw carnivores. I didn't think there could be raw carnivores considering the health risks of consuming raw meat but I guess I was wrong. Raw foodists have reported that this diet not only enables you to lose weight (and keep it off) but also prevents diseases. The enzymes in our food allow for natural digestion but once we cook the food many of the enzymes and vitamins are altered and can no longer serve their purpose. Overall it seems like something that promotes health but the preparation and management is very time consuming. The benefits such as weight loss and health improvements seems worth it though.

The First Step to the Rest of Your Life

As a vegetarian, finding tasty, healthy recipes can be a challenge. Fat gives food flavor, and without the addition of animal fats in our dishes, vegetarian meals can often taste bland, and boring. Using proper seasonings (low in sodium) can greatly add taste to your meals. Here's an easy recipe, that will get you on the right track to a meatless life. (Taken from Allrecipes.com, author is unknown)


California Grilled Veggie Sandwich

Ingredients 

1/4 cup of mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
1 cup sliced red bell peppers
1 small zucchini (diced)
1 red onion (diced)
1 small yellow squash (sliced)

Instructions 

• In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the grill for high heat.
• Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
• Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don't burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables. Enjoy as open faced grilled sandwiches.

Green Smoothies

After a workout, I'm not always in the mood for a full meal. I've begun replacing meals with smoothies on certain days. I feel just as full afterwards and the ingredients in my green smoothie leave me with a burst of energy. I looked up a couple different recipes and ended up putting this one together. The recipe I made is below, along with the final product.

Recipe:

1 handful of kale

1/2 green apple (diced)

1 cup almond milk

1/2 frozen banana

1 handful spinach
1 handful of blueberries (which is pretty hard to grasp)

Blend ingredients in blender until smooth and serve immediately. This recipe makes 2 servings.

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Fitness Challenge

This week I asked two of my friends, Nisha and Laura, to take part in a fitness challenge. Nisha was the one to find it and asked if I was interested so I decided it would fit into the project perfectly. The general concept and rules can be found on Lauren Conrad's website. All participants, including myself made it a goal to choose one of the offered meals each day and do one of the exercises too. We keep track of each other's workouts to make sure we're all staying on track. The overall purpose isn't exactly to lose weight but to maintain a fit lifestyle.

Who are we?

 Isaiah, a vegetarian for about five months. He takes part in several activities, such as running, biking, and walking on warm, Spring days. As a vegetarian he tries not to over indulge in fatty, high calorie foods, such as sweets, pastries, pizza, etc.. Not eating meat is not an excuse to over indulge.

Jovania dedicates her afternoons to jogging around her neighborhood and she has played Varsity basketball for three years. She does not have as many restrictions to her diet but still tries to avoid processed foods and anything with unnecessary sugar. She hopes to one day cut meat out of her diet but for now she limits red meat and mainly consumed chicken and fish.

Welcome!

Welcome to Squats and Squash! We are a fitness and health blog dedicated to providing information on healthy eating and ways to stay active. We, Jovania and Isaiah, are always on the lookout for new recipes and great alternatives to the foods we love that are packed with sugar and fat. We also like to add physical activity to our days and help others do the same. We look forward to helping you get on the track to clean eating and daily workout!