Vegan Under Pressure: Contest Giveaway!!!

You guys know how much I love my kitchen gadgets.

Last year was a big year for me as I tested out pressure cooking for the first time with the help of my Instant Pot!

I relied on many resources to get me started; one of which was The Veggie Queen herself, Jill Nussinnow.

So, I was honored when I was approached to review a copy of her latest book, Vegan Under Pressure.

In this new cookbook, Jill takes on both the stovetop and electric pressure cooker, so whichever camp you're in, this book has you covered.  But seriously - why don't you have an Instant Pot already?!?


Featuring 175 recipes dedicated to vegan pressure cooking, this is one cookbook you'll want in your kitchen library; because it covers the basics like brown rice and vegetable stock to more elaborate meals like Sassy Sesame Tofu & Red Lentil, Sweet Potato Burger.

Here is one of the many recipes you'll find in this book:

But this cookbook offers much more valuable information beyond recipes; it's like a Pressure Cooking 101 course.  Whether you're a newbie or a pro, you'll benefit from the experience and know-how that Jill has with pressure cooking.  (I have so many pages dog-eared!)

Vegan Under Pressure is available now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble & Indie Bond!

But, for the first person who emails thehoff@healthyhoff.com with your favorite pressure cooker recipe, you will receive Vegan Under Pressure for FREE courtesy of The Veggie Queen!  Winner will be notified via email.


Check it out!

Hoff's Lunchtime Lentil's N' Rice (Instant Pot)

Hoff's Lunchtime Lentil's N' Rice (Instant Pot)
Yields: 5 servings
meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Jasmine Rice prepared
• 4 cups Veggie Broth
• 2 cups Water
• 2 cups dried Lentils
• 1 cup Sauerkraut
• 1 15oz. can diced Potatoes (rinsed & drained)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tbsp. Vegan Worcestershire Sauce (omit for gluten/soy free)
• 2 tsp. Cumin
• 2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 2 tsp. Garlic
• 2 tsp. Onion Powder
• Season with Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Add everything to Instant Pot and stir to combine (Bay Leaves on top)
2. Set Manual setting at High Pressure for 15 minutes
3. Quick release steam
4. Remove Bay Leaves
5. Spoon Rice into bowls/Pyrex containers, pour Lentils on top

Hoff Thoughts: This is another creation that I divide out for lunch throughout the week.  I make my Rice in the IP too - 2 1/2 cups Water to 2 cups Jasmine Rice, select Rice setting, natural or quick release steam.

Many Uses Of Oil In Beauty Treatments

If you know me, you know that I don't eat oil - I don't cook with it and I avoid products containing it.  So, it may surprise you to learn that I keep a variety of oils in the house...for beauty reasons.

Oils can be very beneficial outside of the body.  Now bear in mind, our skin can absorb up to 60% of what we put on it.  With that in mind, make sure your oils are 100% organic, unrefined and cold-pressed.

Check out which oil is best for your needs:


Sweet Almond Oil

• Facial Cleanser
• Facial Moisturizer
• Make-up Remover
• Eyelash Enhancer (apply like mascara before going to sleep)
• Dark Circles
• Crow's Feet
• Prevent & Reverse Signs of Aging
• Conditioning Hair Treatment 
• Leave-in Conditioner (dry hair)
• Hand/Foot Cream

 
Avocado Oil

• Facial Moisturizer
• Conditioning Hair Treatment 
• Leave-in Hair Treatment 
• Body Moisturizer
• Improves Wound Healing

Argan Oil

• Bug Bites
• Leave-on Hair Conditioner
• Shine & Hair Frizz (dry hair)
• Nails/Cuticles
• Heel Softener (overnight treatment)
• Facial Moisturizer
• Skin Infections
• Skin Rashes

Jojoba Oil

• Facial Cleanser
• Facial Moisturizer
• Make-up Remover
• Chapped Lips
• Saving Prep/Aftershave
• Conditioning Hair Treatment
• Body Moisturizer
• Massage Oil

Olive Oil

• All-body Moisturizer 
• Conditioning Hair Treatment
• Body Scrub (mix w/brown sugar)
• Eye Makeup Remover
• Cuticle Conditioner
• Heel Softener (overnight treatment)

Coconut Oil

• Eye Make-up Remover
• Lip Moisturizer
• All-body Moisturizer 
• Conditioner
• Conditioning Hair Treatment 
• Cuticle Oil 
• Dandruff Treatment
• Deodorant
• Sunburn Soother
• Massage Oil
• Shaving Cream (use caution - slippery)
• Bath Oil
• Eye Cream 
• Minor Cuts/Burns

Allow me to impart a tip from the modeling world (no, I've never been a model) - after washing your face, rinse 30 times to ensure the cleansing product is fully removed.  You can actually feel the texture of your face change as whatever product you used, comes off.  This trick is particularly important when using any type of oil as a cleanser.

Check it out!

Sources:
http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-almond-oil-for-skin-hair-and-health/
https://www.desertessence.com/top-uses-jojoba-oil

La Fashionista Compassionista

You're a vegan and you love fashion, but all the standard magazines are loaded with non-vegan stuff.  :(

So what's a trendy girl to do?

I present you with La Fashionista Compassionista, an online magazine filled with cruelty free fashion & beauty!

And get this...it's FREE!

Look who's gracing the Holiday 2015 cover...The Jazzy Vegetarian!

If you're boarding the boat late, no worries, all of their back issues are available online.




 Check out their launch party at the 2015 Fashion Week in NYC!

Check it out!

The Cuisinart Griddler!

Santa was good to me once again!  This year the man in the big red suit left me a Cuisinart Griddler (what a cute name!) under my tree and I love it!

Move over George Foreman - this Griddler has multiple mad skills!

This baby is a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle and can turn into a half grill/half griddle!  Talk about versatility.

I really like the modern, stainless steel finish and the BPA Free, non-stick, reversible plates. You can even buy an additional waffle plates.

You can also adjust the temperature settings from 200°F to 425°F; as you would an oven.  I like how the lights switch from red to green to indicate the Griddler is up to temperature.

The self-adjusting cover gives you flexibility in the thickness of food that is cooked.

But, what I love most of all is the fact that the plates easily pop out for cleaning (either hand wash or dishwasher).  No more fretting about getting the inner workings wet.

I will say I was disappointed in overall size of this machine.  While it's convenient for storage - this machine is best for a single or two person household; unless cooking in batches doesn't bother you.

Since Christmas, I have been a grilling/panini master!  So far, I have made veggie burgers, quesadillas and grilled "cheese!"

I plan to test out my Summer Lovin' Grilled Veggies and Reuben recipes, as well as trying my hand at grilled fruit.


Check it out!

Enjoy Life Mixes

Being a whole-food vegan, I am typically making bakery from scratch.  But sometimes, I yearn for the times when I could just buy a ready-to-go mix off the shelf, add a few ingredients (typically animal products & oil) and whip something up without tearing the kitchen apart or eating up a large portion of my day.

Because of this, I was super excited to try Enjoy Life's new line of baking mixes.

Recently, Enjoy Life sent me their new line of baking mixes to check out.

This new line contains the following mixes:

• Brownie
• Pancake/Waffle
• Pizza Crust
• Muffin
• All-Purpose Flour

What sets these mixes apart from any other on the shelf is that they do not contain the following common allergies:

I'm not exactly sure when Potatoes became a major allergen, but that sucks - sorry Potato-free people!

On top of all that, these mixes, as well as all Enjoy Life products are vegan, non-GMO certified, Kosher certified and Halal certified (I had to look this one up).  Halal means foods allowed under Islamic Shari'ah (law) (I had to Google that one).  Another added bonus is the addition of Probiotics.  Not that a pan of Brownies is going to uproot your daily Probi, but it's a nice enhancement.

Now these mixes do call for oil.  Being an abstainer of oil, I simply didn't use any and because the quantity called for was so low, I did not substitute the oil with the Brownies, Pancakes/Waffles & Pizza mixes.  As the Muffin mix calls for 1/4 oil, that's getting into potential end result malfunction territory, so I simply substituted an equal amount of Apple Sauce.  And guess what...these mixes performed perfectly.

Now I just need Enjoy Life to come out with a Chocolate Chip Cookie mix and my vegan life shall be complete (well mostly...).

Check it out!

In-flight Meal - Vegan Style Part 2

In "In-flight Meal - Vegan Style", I went very in depth about what I bring to sustain my voracious, vegan appetite during an airplane flight.  Great list of things to bring on your flight out, but what if you're round tripping it?  Sure, you can rely on a bunch of processed, prepackaged nibbles, but recently, I took this one step further...

On the day before my flight left, I hit up a local supermarket's grab-and-go counter.  To my delight, but not really surprise, there waiting for me was vegan sushi in a convenient travel container - perfect fit for my carry-on.  And with it, a little soy sauce and pickled ginger.  To my surprise, a bonus find of one of my personal favs - seaweed salad (very nutrient dense). I just had to be sure to grab a plastic fork from the in-store cafe on my way out.  I always request a room with a mini fridge, so storage was no problem.  The trick is to remember to grab everything as you're bolting to your plane the next morning.

I have since done this many times - hitting up Whole Foods or the local grocers depending on where I am.  The stress of making mad dash through the airport for vegan scraps prior to boarding is gone!  I love indulging on my fresh grab-and-go vegan finds and typically, my neighboring fellow travelers look on with envy as their questionable in-flight meals are served.

A little prep does a mind, body & spirit good...

Healthy travels!