Throughout the month of October, I will be suspending j’adore la vie. With all of the excitement surrounding the #plantPOWER challenge, I really don’t want to “squeeze in” j’adore la vie every Thursday. The message is so pure and important to me (and to many of you, I know) so we’re going to wait until Thursday, November 1, to bring it back with a vengeance! PLEASE keep tagging #jadorelavie on Instagram and Twitter, though! We can’t forget to celebrate those beautiful moments. 
…speaking of j’adore la vie, I totally had a moment last night. Two of my girlfriends and I paid a visit to J.P. Licks, my all-time favorite ice cream shop. Do you think this girl turns down local soy chai ice cream? Hell to the no.
I’m always passionate about my #plantPOWER but I’m also passionate about my ice cream. Can you tell by the big, goofy grin on my face?
#plantPOWER Teams Up with Tosca Reno for #CleanCarbs Challenge!
You know how we’re told to curl water bottles if we don’t have dumbbells handy? Well, what about plants?
Totally normal, right?
Kasey and I are so excited to team up with Tosca Reno and The Eat-Clean Diet in honor of Tosca’s #CleanCarbs Challenge for October. How PERFECTLY does this go along with #plantPOWER?! Kasey and I are all about the clean carbs, hence me curling a yam and Kasey pumpin’ some…er…broccoli. Click here to enter Tosca’s contest for a chance to win a pretty sweet prize pack!
*Note to my ED sufferers: While Tosca’s message is pure and beautiful, parts of her site might be triggering to you. <3
#plantPOWER Day 4: Yellow!
We are four days into #plantPOWER, busting through the rainbow, and our next stop is yellow. Kasey and I are both featuring nutritional yeast and winter squash varieties on our blogs today!
Nutritional yeast is most commonly known for its impressive protein and vitamin B-12 stats. Did you know that vitamin B12 is not actually a vitamin? It is actually made by bacteria, which is often airborne, that comes from the soil! Any plant-based foods originating from good bacteria will have vitamin B-12.
The reason vegans are often deficient in vitamin B-12 isn’t because the bacteria is not available to them from the earth. It is destroyed throughout the plants’ journies to our homes, beginning when pesticides are sprayed on crops, continuing when they’re shipped via truck to our grocery stores, and ending when we wash our vegetables to get rid of the pesticides formerly sprayed on them. Yet another reason to shop local and visit your farmer’s markets. For more information on vitamin B-12, check out Dr. Stuart Seale’s guest post on Choosing Raw.
Acorn squash, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Antioxidant vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium (great for muscle contraction!), B vitamins, fiber, and, of course, #cleancarbs! I incorporated the nooch and squash into a big salad for lunch today!
One might say that I played “Ring Around the Salad” and he or she would be right! I roasted 1/2 a sliced acorn squash at 450 degrees for 25 minutes while assembling a gigantic salad. I worked out hard this morning with ZWOW #31, so my metabolism is humming and my appetite is increased. To that, I say bring on the #plantPOWER goodness! My lunch salad consisted of:
- Raw spinach
- Raw, shredded cabbage
- Broccoli
- Shredded carrots
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Hummus
- Nutritional yeast
- A little unsweetened almond milk to blend it all together
This totally hit the spot!
Keep showing us your yellow #plantPOWER meals and snacks! Kasey and I wish we could respond to every one of you – just know we’re seeing all your hard work and are so, so, so appreciative to have you onboard. Keep rockin’ it! The more you participate, the more your body will respond (in a good way!) and the more likely you are to win one of our awesome giveaways! If you have any questions, email me at heather[at]fortheloveofkale.com or Kasey at kasey[at]powercakes.net.
Stay lovely,
Heather
I’ll take any excuse to chow down on some squash! Mmmmm!
The salad looks great. I just finished up a veggie-licious salad myself.
Yeah, Tiff! Way to rock those veggies!
OMG BB! This lunch looks out of this world amazing. How do you keep topping yourself?
Wait the soy ice cream was chai?! Omg..
Come have lunch with me soon? Cool.
Wow, I never knew that about vitamin b12! I guess you learn something new everyday
This post was very informative, I loved it! P.s. Your salad looks divine!
Thank you, sweet girl! So glad that you loved it.
so jealous of your J.P. Licks date! I miss their oatmeal cookie!! Your lunch looks fab per usual!
We should probably go there together.
Heck yes for squash! Its my fave, as if you didn’t know;)
There are SO many challenges this October! Its nutty.
You? Like squash? Nawww.
I think it’s awesome you’re teaming up with Tosca Reno! Who better to team up with?! I am a huge squash fan! I have a buttercup one roasting right now and just bought my first kaboocha squash to try too!
Tosca is so amazing. Kasey and I are so lucky! <3 Mmmm buttercup! Enjoy, chica!
You girls are adorable! Squash is sooooo good, I love it!
YOU’RE adorable!
I should really cut my squash up into slices like that. I usually just cut it in half and make a huge mess of it (and myself!) Just ask my coworkers today haha!
Yes – I find that slicing it is KEY! The squash bakes sooo much faster too.
I looooove nutritional yeast!! And I need to get my hands on an acorn squash this season. Haven’t yet! So cool you’re teaming up with tosca reno!!!
Acorn squash in my JAM right now! Mmmm. I love your nooch-filled meals.
I love the pic of the two of you girls and YAY for going out with the girls for ice cream!!!!!
Thanks, baby! <3 Love you!
I’m so glad you were finally able to get your fill of JP Licks soy chai ice cream! I think I need to return to New England to seek some out myself.
Yellow squash is one of my favorite veggies! I love all the varieties, but I’ve never coupled them with nutritional yeast. Yum! In an effort to veganize a few of my meals each day, I’ve been using it pretty liberally the past few days. Initially I wasn’t so sure about the flavor, but I’m kind of loving it now.
Awww, thanks Sara! I’m glad I finally got my fix too.
There’s nothing like it! When you visit, we’re going to have a BLAST. So happy that you’re loving the nooch! I don’t know what I’d do without it!
I am *SO* jealous of your J.P.’s trip- by far my fave ice cream! I went to school in Boston and made far too many trips… Birthday? J.P.’s! Anniversary? J.P.’s! Friday night? J.P.’s! Loveee their fro-yo!!!
Haha – yes! Amazing, amazing QUALITY dairy free ice cream! Wish they’d go nationwide!
Keep up the enthusiasm and good work
Thanks Dad!
I would not pass up ice cream either!! And that salad. … slurp!
That salad looks mighty fine! X