Vegan Wednesday! 30 Minute Vegan Meals!

Ravin' Ramen Noodle Soup
(Makes 2 large bowls or 4 small bowls)

6 cups water
4 oz. rice stick or bean thread noodles
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. dehydrated onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium size pot. Add the noodles and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the noodles soften.
2. Add the soy sauce, parsley, onion powder, dehydrated onion, and garlic powder. Stir, let all of the ingredients sit together on the stove for at least 5 minutes, and serve.

This recipe and over 170 more available in THE 30 MINUTE VEGAN by Mark Reinfeld and Jennifer Murray. Available at Food For Thought!

Skip the sugar...

We have lots of customers heading in asking for low-carb and sugar-free options.   While we have a section devoted to low-sugar or sugar-free items, there still are not a lot of ready-to eat-options available that meet our standards. We do not carry any products with aspartame or acesulfame potassium in them.   Many commercial "sugar-free" products are laced with these ingredients that may actually do more harm to a person's health than sugar.

There are a lot of healthy, natural options.  Xyltiol, agave nectar and stevia provide natural alternatives for sweetening beverages and in recipes.   We have several new books in the store that are chock full of low-sugar recipes, including "Quick Cooking for Diabetics," "Diabetes Snacks, Treats and Easy Eats," and "Quick & Easy Low-Sugar Recipes" and our favorite," Ani's Raw Food Desserts." 


To get you started, here is a sugar free option for chocolate chip cookies that uses xylitol:

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup xylitol
• 2 TBSP unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 TBSP spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 ounces maltitol sweetened dark chocolate bars, chopped

Directions:

In large bowl, cream butter with xylitol until fluffy. Gradually add applesauce during creaming process. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir flour mixture into batter, and fold in chocolate. Drop 1/2 TBSP of dough for each cookie onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cookies are soft when taken from the oven, but become firm when stored overnight.
Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
Per cookie: Calories: 41.8 Carbs: 6.7g Fiber: 0.5g Fat: 2.2g Sodium; 33.5g Net Carbs: 1.8g

The "Deader" the Better!

A bit morbid sounding perhaps, but when it comes to Dead Sea Salt it couldn't be more true. Mysticism behind the Dead Sea has existed since Biblical times due to the regions mineral rich waters known for their cleansing, healing, and rejuvenating qualities. To this day, it is still celebrated as a haven for health and beauty because of the mass concentration of trace elements and minerals! Salt extracted from the region has been attributed to detoxifying the body, stimulating natural circulation, restoring moisture balance to skin, as well as aiding in relieving arthritis symptoms. The most effective way of utilizing this amazing little mineral? Soak it up in a bath for around 20 minutes! We offer both Fine and Coarse varieties in our bulk beauty section. Fill a jar and stop by our Blending Bar to choose your essential oil to add a beautiful aroma, and voila! A spa-in-a-jar awaits you at Food For Thought!

Vegan Wednesday! Forks Over Knives!

Forks Over Knives is a new documentary that examines the claims that most degenerative diseases can be controlled or reversed by avoiding animal based and processed foods. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, has played a part in many groundbreaking studies involving how our food choices affect our bodies. The film features leading experts on health, examines the question "why we don’t know," and tackles the issue of diet and disease in a way that will have people talking for years. (It is available on Netflix streaming for Netflix subscribers, and has had screenings around Wichita recently).

The book based on the film (By T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell B. Esselstyn MD), is now available at Food For Thought. It features 125 delicious and nutritious recipes, as well as lots of great nutrition information and testimonials from leading physicians. Stop by and pick up a copy today!

Vegan Comfort Food Book Giveaway!

Stop by the store and register to win the tasty, yummy, Vegan Comfort Food cookbook by Alicia C. Simpson.   It contains more than 150 vegan-ized comfort classics, plus 65 everyday meal ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner!    The drawing will be held on October 3rd, just in time for the cooler weather.

Glutenfreeda's Pizza Wraps

New Glutenfreeda's Pizza wraps are gluten free and made with all natural ingredients with no trans fats or GMO's. The tortilla is a combination of corn, potato and rice flours making it a firm yet flexible wrap! They come in three great flavors including Italian sausage, Three Cheese and Pesto Chicken. A great meal or snack for when you're on the go!

Vegan Wednesday! Vegan Greek Style Yogurt!

Coming Soon to Food For Thought!! So Delicious Greek Style yogurt, made with coconut milk! I've been anxiously awaiting it's arrival since I first heard about it months ago. They are available in plain, raspberry, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, and blueberry. YUMMM!