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Veganism

Hooked On People Interview: Say Hello Sweets + Vegan Coffee Ice Cream Recipe

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Say hello to Naomi! She’s the creator of Say Hello Sweets, Canada’s first 100% vegan ice cream truck! Check out the interview for more on how her pup, BabyCakes was the inspiration for it all… The truck is always moving around in the Summer, but in the winter you can find her most popular ice cream flavours (like Café No Lait, Notorious NOG, Mint to Be) online on her website or some retailers across Vancouver. Plus, she just started a Kickstarter Campaign to help her open a store front of her own (with a super cute video of how it all began). I’m always excited to see new plant-based companies taking the leap, so I had to interview Naomi! (And get a recipe from her of course…)
Hooked On Plants: Say Hello Sweets is the cutest vegan ice cream truck! What was the catalyst in starting your company?
Naomi Arnaut: My dog, actually. I know that sounds like a really weird way to start a business, but I first tried my hand at making ice cream as way to fundraise for a hefty vet bill. My dog, Babycakes, had fully ruptured her knee cap & the only option I had to get her surgery was to finance it. A few months later, the payments were really weighing me down, so I was looking for a creative way to do some fundraising. It was in the middle of an August heatwave, & I had this AH HA moment & thought, I will make ice cream & host a small social by donation. That was the start of Say Hello Sweets.

HOP: Word on the street is that you may have an ice cream delivery tricycle one day soon? When can we expect that and where did you find the tricycle?
NA: YES! The trike has proven to be more of a challenge to build than I had originally anticipated, but it’s slowly coming together. The trike itself is a late 1940’s vintage ride, & needs a lot of love. It was generously gifted to me from a family friend who’s had it sitting for the past 10 or so years. I feel very lucky to have it & can’t wait til it’s functional!
HOP: How long have you been vegan
 
NA: When I was 11, I came across an un-shelved book on factory farming at the local library. I went home & declared that I was now a vegetarian. My mom was supportive. It stuck for 7 years, with the last year being vegan. In my late teens, I was having health problems & when doctors couldn’t find an answer, I was talked into eating meat as a solution. It was right at the height of the popularity of that book “Eat Right For Your Blood Type”, which labelled me as a carnivore based on having O negative blood. I wish I had had the access to the information & the community around veganism that I do now, back then. If I had, I never would have gone back to including animal products in my diet. I ate meat sporadically throughout my 20’s, but am very happy to be back on track now & feeling better than ever. Oh, & I finally did get a proper diagnosis for my mysterious illness. I had reoccurring appendicitis, for over 2 years. I needed surgery, not meat.  

 

HOP: What do you use as the base to your ice creams?

NA: I use full fat coconut milk & for flavours where I want to tone down the coconut flavour, I use a house made cashew milk.
HOP: Where can we find your ice cream truck on a typical day? And, how can we try your ice cream if we can’t make it to your truck?
NA: Fall has arrived with full force, so the truck season has come to a close. In the summer, truck locations are posted on The Street Food App & on the website. I don’t have a stationary location, so the truck moves around the city, participating in festivals, farmers markets or just parks curb side. If you can’t find the truck, head over to Friendly, located at 2408 Main St. It is a sweet little eatery that has Say Hello ice cream by the scoop & by the pint.
HOP: What’s the crowd favourite ice cream flavour?
NA: Stay ‘Mallow, which is the toasted marshmallow flavour, really dominated this summer. Close seconds were Cafe No-lait & Chocolate Nirvana.
HOP: What are your 3 tips for starting a business?
NA:
  1. Ask for help.
  2. Build community.
  3. Stay true to your values.
 
Just for fun – what are 3-5 things you can’t you live without in your morning routine?
NA:
  1. 20 extra minutes in bed after the alarm clock has sounded is a non-negotiable.
  2. Breakfast! Always breakfast.
  3. A brisk walk with Babycakes, with a coffee in hand.
Hooked On People Interview with Say Hello Sweets + Vegan Coffee Ice Cream Recipe
 
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A dairy-free coffee ice cream. This is an ultra creamy and scoopable ice cream made with coconut milk!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: dessert
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 cups full fat coconut milk
  • ¼ cup cane sugar
  • ½ cup agave syrup
  • 2 tablespoons instant espresso
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot, tapioca starch or guar gum
Instructions
  1. In a blender, combine instant espresso, salt, vanilla extract, coconut milk & starch of your choice. Blend on high till everything is nice and smooth.
  2. Pour out all of this mixture into a saucepan.
  3. To the filled saucepan, add sugar, agave syrup & coconut oil. Stir over low heat until coconut oil and sugar have fully melted and mixture is warm.
  4. Whisk until the mixture comes to a soft boil. This is to cook out the starch and thicken the mix. But, remember to whisk whisk whisk so no lumps form!
  5. Once it has come to a soft boil, turn heat off and transfer mixture into a bowl or measuring cup. Cover with cling film and make sure to press it against the surface of the mixture so a skin does not form.
  6. Cool for 1 hour in the fridge or in an ice bath then churn in ice cream maker. Once out of the ice cream maker, place in an airtight ice cream or tupperware box, cover, & freeze to allow it to further firm up. Or eat it straight from the ice cream machine!

Hooked On People Interview: Rich Sievewright AKA Vegan Iron Yogi + Post Work-Out Smoothie

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Rich Sievewright is a mad man when it comes to working out, pushing himself and pushing others. I first met Rich when he and I were LuluLemon ambassadors. He puts on killer work out classes to get Whistlerites in shape for playing in the mountains. Rich is totally in tune with his body and how to fuel himself to perform his best. A lot of people go to Rich for diet and fitness advice, so I’m excited that he’s found going vegan for performance to be the best thing he’s done! Read on to learn more about being a vegan athlete, his plant-fuelled Ironman training, his new business (Richlife), and his simple, satisfying and nutritious post-work out smoothie recipe!
How long have you been eating plant-based?
2 years

Why did you make the switch? 
I watched Cowspiracy and decided that I didn’t want to be a part of the environmental problem that our planet is facing. I switched so I could be a part of the solution instead.


What are the main differences/benefits you’ve noticed after switching to a plant-based lifestyle?
1) Buying groceries is quick and simple. I go to the produce section and bulk nuts & seeds, thats it.
2) No cravings for dairy or meat, which was surprising after being a heavy carnivore my whole life.
3) I lost weight, but maintained/increased strength when it come to lifting weights!
4) Endurance level has increased. I feel lighter and faster than ever before.
5) A big difference is having to constantly explain my diet to every man and his dog. I used to hate answering the question, as I felt like I was offending people, but not now. If they ask why, I tell them straight, and if I’m met with a defensive attitude I lift my shirt and show them my abs and say it works for me, haha.

You are officially an IRONMAN. Wow!  How long did you train specifically for the ironman?
I trained for a year but it didn’t really get specific until 4 months out. A solo training camp in Mexico in April kicked me into ironman overdrive. 

What was a typical training day like leading up to the Ironman? Work outs and food? 
A typical training day was: eat, work, eat, train, eat, work, eat, eat and sleep. My diet is always the same:
  • oatmeal with nuts and seeds in the morning
  • quinoa salad 2-3 times a day
  • a protein smoothie
  • and snacking on nuts and nut butter

I’m not one for calorie counting, as I find you can get obsessive with it. I’m very in tune with my own body as I’ve been training for a long time. I eat intuitively when I feel hungry and I drink when I feel thirsty. I had no budget when it came to food, and still don’t. It’s the most important thing to spend my money on…that and rent!

How AWESOME was it crossing the finish line?!

It was incredible, 20 Lululemon babes and close friends screaming (literally) my name was so heart warming and almost brought me to tears. It also signified the end of an era in my life. Friends, family, community and connection are more important to me than a race that significantly diminished the balance and overall health of my life. 


What part was the hardest?
Physically, there is no doubt the run was the hardest (in particular the last 10km). Mentally, the bike was the hardest due to the boredom and uncomfort (my lower back and the crown jewels were in a bad way).

What did you listen to during your long biking and running hours?
I listened to podcasts by Joe Rogan. I always enjoy zoning into the intriguing people on the show, from doctors and physicians to trainers and elite athletes. 

If you were to choose just one work out to do the rest of your life, what would it be?
Definitely a short and intense metabolic workout using dumbbells, barbells, plyometrics and thousands of burpees. I love being close to the heart attack zone. I find these workouts are the most efficient way to improve my physical and mental fitness. For some crazy reason I find them really fun.


What is a day in your life like?
It’s hard to say as I’m adapting to a big change in my life. I now own my own business and I’m currently adapting to a new lifestyle that has opened up much more time for me. On a Sweat Camp day, I’m up at 4.30am and out of the house by 5. I unload the weights from the van and teach two classes before 9am. Generally, I will then train myself and the rest of the day is whatever I fancy. I’m enjoying getting into the world of social media, I eat, I nap, I go for walks in nature and I catch up with friends…it’s Whistler so that usually entails some kind of outside activity.
 
What do you eat on a typical training day?
Similar to every other day. I’m a low maintenance eater, as long as I have a constant supply of quinoa and veggies then I’m a happy boy. A long endurance workout requires fuel to take with you, so my weapons of choice are Nak’d bars. 

Favourite pre-work out meal and post work-out meal?
I don’t need a pre-workout because i’m eating constantly through the day which helps to keep my energy level consistent. Post workout is definitely a smoothie with banana, avocado, water, vegan protein powder, coconut oil, and nut butter.

Do you practice intermittent fasting? If so, what kind of results have you seen from it?
I have tried it and have seen great results. The way I do it is to eat all my food within a 9-10 hour period and nothing but water for the rest of the day. I prolong when I eat breakfast which I always thought was a big no-no, but it works for me. I find that when I eat this way, I’m more mentally alert in the mornings and my body fat percentage starts to drastically fall.

Who is your inspiration in the plant-based world? (what athletes, docs, influencers, bloggers?)
  • Rich Roll is an incredible plant-based athlete and human being. His story and transformation into a vegasaurous is very inspiring.
  • Leonardo Di Caprio is a hero of mine because for me, eating a plant-based diet was initially due to environmental reasons. Using his fame to raise awareness and influence governments is a huge step for the planet.
  • Frank Medrano is a vegan athlete who does crazy calisthenic training. The guy is completely jacked and does some offensively impressive things with his body.
  • Documentaries I continuously watch are: Cowspiracy, What the Health, Food Matters, Forks over Knives.
  • There are so many vegans out there who are under the radar, it seems to be growing…even Mike Tyson is a vegonator! 

Name 3 podcasts we should all be listening to:
1) Kelly Brogan on the Joe Rogan experience (health psychiatrist)
2) Rich Roll on the Joe Rogan Experience (vegan transformation and endurance athlete)
3) Dr Rhonda Patrick on the Joe Rogan Experience (humbling me in the workings of the human body)


You’ve recently started the Rich Life! So exciting. This is all about ‘creating a community through health and fitness that uplifts, brings togetherness and a sense of belonging’.
Tell us more, in a nutshell, about what The Rich Life is!
RICHLIFE is a fitness program for Whistler residents that combines strength and conditioning classes, yoga and social gatherings to enhance your mountain life. RICHLIFE delivers on-going 4-week Sweat Camps at The Audain Art Museum and Whistler Creek Athletic Club. The fitness classes are three times a week at either 6am, 7.30am, 11am, or 5.30pm from Mon-Fri. It includes free yoga classes, three times a week at the Sundial Hotel. People can sign up on my website www.richlifewhistler.com or on my Facebook page Richlife Whistler. 


Rich’s Pre-Workout Protein Smoothie

Hooked On People Interview: Rich's Smoothie
 
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Rich likes his food simple and nutritious. This is a smoothie to fuel your cells after your HIIT work out to build that lean muscle mass!
Author:
Recipe type: Smoothie, Breakfast, Lunch, Snack
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 1 banana
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 scoop vegan protein powder (Iron Vegan, Veg Essentials, Vega)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • water (amount varies depending on the consistency you like)
Instructions
  1. Peel your banana, and scoop out your avocado
  2. Blend all ingredients on high
  3. Consume!

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Hooked On People Interview: The Vegan Ginger + Healthy One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies

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Erin Marrs is all about simple, nourishing, delicious vegan eats. Her vegan journey started with the sole purpose of clearing up her skin. It worked. Her acne cleared up, then she went on to become certified in Plant-Based Nutrition at ECornell by Dr. T Colin Campbell. You can tell just by her glow that that eating all those plants is working for her! With two kids, and a hungry hubby, she knows how to satisfy all the taste buds in her family with whole-food, plant-based meals. Lucky for us, she has the blog ‘The Vegan Ginger‘. Let’s learn more about her, and her favourite recipe for the family.

Hooked On Plants (HOP): How long have you been vegan?

The Vegan Ginger (VG): I have been vegan since December 2007, but I consider myself REALLY vegan since September 2012 which is when I decided to a eat a healthy plant based vegan diet and really learn how to cook!

HOP: I love the name of your blog! When and why did you start The Vegan Ginger?

VG: Thank you! I started The Vegan Ginger blog in the summer of 2013 just really as a place to send my friends and family when they had questions or wanted recipes, which was basically every day for me.

HOP: What different types of vegan diets have you tried, and which one do you find the best?

VG: In terms of vegan diets, I have been the “unhealthy vegan” although not extremely but would still eat french fries and processed foods, and a healthy vegan. I would love to try fruitarian/raw HCLF but I just find it hard with the climate I live in where we don’t have as many delicious fruit options as say Australia or Hawaii. Although my breakfast is usually just a lot of fruit or a mono meal of fruit.

HOP: You’re raising the next generation vegans! You give a great overview of a what your kids eat in a day. But, can you give 3 tips to new parents for adding more plants into their kids diet?

VG:

  1. Eat more plants yourself! Monkey see monkey do! When I am eating a fruits and veggies that is all my toddler wants also. If I were to make popcorn or have some dark chocolate that is all he would want too. If it doesn’t work right away just keep eating well and eventually they will want everything you are eating.
  2. Don’t offer or have the “bad stuff” around. If I am serving a large quinoa salad for dinner but my toddler sees a big bowl of potato chips he, like most kids, will tell me he wants the chips.
  3.  Get them involved! Recently since the summer has hit we have lettuce and other vegetables growing on our deck and sprouts always sprouting indoors. Everyday we check them, water them, …etc…When I go to make a salad, if he gets to help cut the lettuce and take the sprouts out of the jar after watching them grow for a few days, he is way more excited about it. I also ask him what we should put in our salads and give him options. Give him a dull knife and let him help “chop” the vegetables . He will down any meal when he puts effort into. It is amazing to see!

HOP: Can you give everyone 3-5 tips on how to deal with vegan kids at ‘normal’ birthday parties, at school hot lunch days or any other kind of events with non-vegan food?

VG:

  1. As much as I love to only feed my family nourishing healthy vegan food, when it comes to social events I also don’t want for my kids to feel like they are “missing out”. We aren’t in school yet but we did just celebrate my older sons fourth birthday and I did go the pizza and cupcakes route. We also had fruit, and of course the pizza and cupcakes were vegan, just not necessarily part of a ‘whole foods diet’, but this happens on special occasions.
  2. When taking my son to birthday parties he knows ahead of time that he won’t be able to eat the pizza/cake because it has “cows milk” in it (as my toddler will tell you), and he is totally ok with that! He knows it would make him sick and isn’t good for him. We bring a piece of cake for him (these ones are great in a pinch and you can get them at Whole Foods) or we ask him what treat he would like and so far he has always been completely fine with it.
  3. Now I am sure this applies to all kids, but never go hungry! Parents, you either! haha There is nothing worse than a hungry toddler but also that way when it is time to eat you don’t have to worry about being stuck with a starving kid and nothing to eat. And I find toddlers much more rational and easy to reason with when they are fed. I also bring snacks for the ride home.

HOP: What is the next big project you’re working on?

VG: My husband and I actually decided to start a blog together of our vegan family adventures called “The Green Grazers” we share our favourite recipes, family travels, how we eat when we travel, and info about raising our vegan babies!

HOP: Do you take your own photos?

VG: I always take my own photos! It is kind of a passion of mine also. That is kind of another reason for started the blogs. I absolutely love photography and taking beautiful photos of food and people and scenery so it is a great way to share it.

HOP: What are 3 tips for beginner photographers?

VG:

  1. ALWAYS use natural lighting. There are obviously ways around this, but as a beginner just take your photos beside a window it makes the world of a difference.
  2. Declutter your photo, this might just be a personal preference but for a beginner on Instagram just taking photos with an Iphone, try to make sure there isn’t anything in your background that you don’t want there, or that takes away from your subject (food or people)
  3. Do not use flash! This goes hand in hand with #1 but aside from using natural lighting, make sure your flash is off and if your photo is a bit dark use an editing app to brighten the photo!

HOP: What does your breakfast, lunch and dinner look like?

VG: 

  • Breakfast is usually fruit and or a smoothie/smoothie bowl and I always try to start the day with a hot lemon water.
  • Lunch would usually be leftovers. I always double recipes so my lunches are already made for us. Or hummus, crackers & veggies, and snacky foods. Recently I started eating “wrap it up raw” wraps with hummus and veggies and they are delicious!
  • Dinner is usually something planned. Our fave meals have got to be bowls. So rice/noodles/lettuce as a base with veggies, beans, legumes and tofu and then topped with a sauce. We have all the cookbooks from Fresh Restaurants and make all of their recipes many times. They are delicious!

HOP: What is your favourite kitchen dance song?

VG: Most of the time my toddler controls what we listen to while we are in the kitchen. He goes between dancing and helping me cook. Right now he loves ‘Can’t stop that feeling‘ – Justin Timberlake.

HOP: What do you love feeding your kids, and what are you excited to make next?

VG: With two kids it is all about having quick healthy snacks and these are jam packed with oats, seeds, nuts, banana and zero added sugar! A recipe I am really looking forward to trying is your Homemade Kombucha! I LOVE kombucha and I would love to be able to make my own! It can be so expensive at the store!

Find Erin here:

Blogs: www.theveganginger.com   |    www.thegreengrazers.com

Instagram: @theveganginger   |   @thegreengrazers

Pinterest: The Vegan Ginger

Twitter: @TheVeganGinger

Now it’s time to share one of Erin’s FAVE recipes! 

Photo credit: The Vegan Ginger
HEALTHY ONE BOWL BREAKFAST COOKIES
A healthy breakfast cookie great for mornings on the go and the little ones will love them!
Photo Credit: The Vegan Ginger
Prep Time: 
Cook Time: 
Total Time: 
Serves: 18-20 Cookies
Ingredients:
  • 2 Ripe Bananas – mashed
  • 1½ cup – Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1 tablespoon – chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon – sesame seeds
  • ½ cup – unsweetened applesauce (can be substituted with any fruit puree or try pumpkin! yum!)
  • 1 tablespoon – cacao nibs/chocolate chips (optional, my husband did not like the version with the cacao nibs)
  • 1 tablespoon – sunflower seeds/or any other nuts/seeds you prefer** (read note)
  • ⅓ cup – natural peanut butter (or sub any nut other nut butter)
  • 1 teaspoon – vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon – blackstrap molasses (optional)
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
  3. Once that is done mash the ripe bananas with a fork on a plate and add to a large mixing bowl
  4. Add remaining ingredients (expect the chocolate chips) and stir until well combined.
  5. Then take a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough and place them on the baking sheet about an inch apart. (Don’t worry too much about spacing because they don’t grow or change shape). Press a few chocolate chips onto each cookie.
  6. Bake cookies for 20-25 minutes.
  7. Let cool and enjoy!
Notes:
This recipes is VERY adaptable! Add whatever you like or have on hand and whatever you don’t have just leave out! You really can make them very simple or add your whole pantry!

Nut-Free Maca Date Balls & Vegan Festival Eats

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Sometimes all you need a two-biter to make your day.

Need it to be gluten-free, nut-free and packed with nutrients? Look no further.

Here’s a two-bite morsel (AKA meteor ball) that will make you bounce of the walls from all that whole-food, plant-based energy. Not to mention… make your taste buds sing.

Easy as dump, blend, roll.

It’s festival season. It’s camping season. T’is the season for glorious balls of tasty nutrients.

These are perfect for camping. You can take them in a big zip lock, and keep them in your cooler until you head off on your hike, then transfer to a little baggy to stash them in your back pack.

Or, if you’re ever needing a little boost of energy at a festival, meet your new best friend.

There’s nothing like a hand-to mouth treat that is actually healthy for your cells, your muscles, your brain, your digestion… and of course, your dance moves.

This weekend calls for these little bites. Bass Coast is coming up, which it’s all about taking your dance shoes out and busting a move. Since cooking time will be squeezed out of the schedule because of all of the art to look at, people to learn from and dancing to do, these are the PERFECT bites to bring in a cooler to keep us sustained for the festivities.

Dress by @ChicLittleBoho

Oh ya! And, I’m excited to be bringing these balls to the Hooked On Plants Bass Coast workshop too!

While we’re on the topic let’s talk festival eats! What eating at a festival really means is snacking on the go. It’s important to bring snacks that will sustain you, hydrate you, and fill you up with nutrients and good energy.

And water. LOTS and lots of water. Throw in some electrolytes or even a dash of Himalayan salt, and you’ll be loving it.

Vegan Festival food ideas:

  • Hummus and veggies/tortilla chips
  • Fruit – any kind, and all of it! This is nature’s way of giving us amazing energy packed with nutrients and hydration
  • Pre-make one-bowl meals to take spoonfuls of regularly:
  • Salad fixin’s: Bring lettuces, tomato, avocado, and seeds, plus one of these dressings in a jar
  • Pre-bake sweet potatoes (either whole or as fries), and dip in organic ketchup
  • Bring these Fudgy Quinoa Brownies to drool over and sustain you
  • Pre-make popcorn with coconut oil and nutritional yeast to pack in the B12 (try adding curry powder or garlic powder, YUM), and bring it in a big re-usable ziplock
  • Roast chickpeas for a salty snack
  • Bring along your favourite green powder to throw in your water bottle in the AM.
  • Pre-make and bring along a tupperware of Jules Fuel for breakfast so you can pack in some mega-nutrients before your day even starts
  • Rice, Beans, Guac, Salsa, Wraps. Enough said.

Ok, now back to the balls.

The magic ingredient in this recipe is Maca.

Benefits:

~Maca root is an adaptogen. All adaptogens bring your body back to homeostasis (or balance). Adaptogens grow in stressful situations (extreme weather), meaning they need to adapt to their environment. That’s why these amazing herbs and roots are so beneficial! Maca is especially good for balancing hormones, strengthening immunity, increasing energy & labido,

~Dates are the base to these ‘meteor balls’. Dates pack a mean punch of minerals, fibre, and clean, easily digestible energy. Perfect for the summer adventures.

~Hemp seeds bring a complete plant-protein to the mix. Plant protein is easily assimilated by your body to help you grow beautiful hair and nails. You really don’t have to worry about where you’re getting your protein from when you eat a whole-food plant-based diet.

Maca Date Balls

AKA Meteor Balls

Time: 10 minutes + 30 minutes chill time

Serves: 15-20 balls

Ingredients:

  • 15 pitted dates (1 cup packed)
  • 1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia + 3 tbsp water, let sit for 5 minutes until gooey)
  • 1/2 cup hemp seeds
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 2 tbsp maca
  • 2 tbsp cacao nibs

For rolling:

  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

  1. Pulse dates in food processor until small chunks form (but don’t pulse so much that a pastey ball forms)
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients except for cacao nibs and rolling coconut
  3. Blend until ball forms
  4. Add cacao nibs, and blend until mixed evenly
  5. Spread rolling shredded coconut out in a flat bowl
  6. Wet hands
  7. Roll date mixture into small balls, then place them in the coconut bowl
  8. Roll the balls around until coconut coats them completely
  9. Place in the freezer in one layer on a plate (at least 20 minutes, then for storage place them in a tupperware or ziplock in the freezer)
  10. Eat when you’re feeling snacky, or low energy!

Hemp Milk Recipe & Ditching Dairy

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Ready in a few minutes! No pre-soaking or straining needed.

Not only is it the easiest plant-based milk to make at home, hemp milk is creamy and tasty too.

Not to mention the nutrient-boost of the hemp seeds you’ll get! As the most nutritious seed in the world, they’re a perfect balance of omega 3 and 6, a complete plant-protein, and packed with vitamins and minerals.

You can take it to the next step and strain the blended hemp milk through a nut-milk bag (like you would do for almond milk), but since hemp seed pulp is smoother, and packed with fibre for maximum nutrition, it’s a great excuse to skip that step and enjoy a thick, smooth, milky beverage!

Since you don’t have to pre-soak the seeds or strain the milk, you can whip this up in no time. Plus, you can get creative with your flavours. Today we’re keeping it simple and using cinnamon and maple syrup. This is my go-to, and never disappoints.

Other flavours you could add?

  • Molasses
  • Turmeric
  • Nutmeg
  • Vanilla
  • Cacao
  • Peanut butter
  • Maca powder
  • Lucuma powder
  • Shredded Coconut
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries

Drinking milk on the daily was thought to be the healthy way to get in the calcium and create strong bones. But, now that the science is catching up, we know this isn’t the case!

A must listen is Rich Roll’s latest podcast with Dr. Neal Barnard, all about the Dairy woes.

If you don’t have time to listen to the whole hour, here are some points to jump to:

22:22 ~ An example of a woman who healed by switching to a plant-based diet

25:47 – 28:20 ~ Where dairy comes from and the detrimental effects it has on us (estrogens, breast cancer, low sperm count, prostate cancer)

29:15 ~ Calcium confusion

31:15 ~ Prostate cancer

31:40 ~ Prostate cancer and dairy consumption

32:30 ~ IGF 1 (insulin like growth factor) and it’s dangerous effect on cancer growth

35:30 ~ Dairy is a legit addiction

43:25 ~ The ethics of the dairy industry (it’s even worse than the meat industry)

48:30 ~ Antibiotics and Additional hormones


1) Clearer skin  & 2) Less inflammation

Dairy is packed with animal hormones, animal proteins (casein and whey), saturated animal fat, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). These lead to inflammation, mucus production, bacteria and oil build up, leading to acne, skin aging, asthma, weaker immunity. Try a dairy free diet (and ditching the refined sugar will help too) for clearer skin, fewer colds, and easier breathing.

3) Improved digestion & 4) Weight loss

About 75% of the world’s population is actually lactose intolerant. As humans, we are the only species that drinks the milk of a different species. Cow’s milk is meant for cows, goat’s milk is meant for goats. Dairy (which comes with IGF-1) is meant to be consumed by a calf that needs to grow to a 400 pound cow in a few month’s time (this isn’t something we need as humans). Gas, bloating, weight gain, diarrhea, migraines and mucus build up are all issues that come from consuming dairy as a human.

5) Disease Prevention

Dairy packs a punch when it comes to saturated animal fat (#1 source in the American diet), cholesterol, and IGF-1. These all lead to atherosclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and cancer.

6) Better for the bones

Contrary to popular belief, milk can lead to more hip fractures and osteoporosis. The elevated galactose in blood causes pre- mature aging, and weaker bones.

7) Calcium absorption

Calcium from plant foods is absorbed nearly twice as well as the calcium in dairy. Dark leafy greens, legumes, rice milk, soy milk, tempeh, are all high in calcium. You have to think about the package of what you’re consuming comes with:

  • Dairy comes with: pus, manure, natural hormones, saturated animal fat, lactose, and a lot of the time, added antibiotics and hormones
  • Plant foods come with: fibre, folate, high concentration of vitamins, electrolytes, antioxidants, phytonutrients

Cancer Prevention:

  • 8) Prostate cancer: Cow’s milk creates an increase in growth rate of prostate cancer cells by over 30%, whereas almond milk suppressed the growth rate of cancer cells by 30%.
  • 9) Breast cancer: Because of the animal-derived estrogen in dairy. Women who consume the most dairy had a 49% higher breast cancer mortality

10) Better for the planet 

Cows are the #1 contributor of methane gas. One fracking well releases just 1/10 of the amount of methane each day compared to one single dairy farm. Dairy products ranging from one glass of milk, 2 slices of cheese, one scoop of ice cream, one greek yogurt take 30 gallons to 109 gallons of water to create. Soy milk, on the other hand, takes 9 gallons of water per glass. You could save 50,000 gallons of water per year just by choosing to ditch the dairy.

11) Minimize cruelty

The dairy industry is the meat industry…but worse. The Mother cows is artificially inseminated every 10 months to give birth to their calf (which is taken away from them). Once they reach a certain age and cannot produce milk at the rate that is economically viable, they are killed for the meat industry. There’s no need to contribute to this cruel treatment when there are so many delicious vegan dairy alternatives available in the grocery stores, and at home in your kitchen.

12) There are delicious things happening in the plant-based dairy world!

Miyokos Creamery

Tree Line Cheese 

Daiya

Chao Cheese

Nice Vice Ice Cream

Make your own:

This Cheese Is Nuts – Just bought this book!

Turmeric Cheddar Log recipe

Documentaries to Watch:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, onto the recipe!

 

Easy Hemp Milk 

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup shelled hemp seeds or hemp hearts (same thing)
  • 1.5 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 4 cups water

Directions:

  1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender for 45 seconds to 1 minute
  2. That’s it!
  3. Store it in an airtight jar, (or re-use an old milk carton) for up to 5 days

**Optional: strain it for a smoother texture. But, hemp milk is so creamy and smooth even with out straining it through a nut-milk bag, plus you keep all of the beneficial fibre in your beverage:)