reader’s questions: gaining weight as a vegan

reader's questions

I have in the past, responded to inquiries & reader’s questions as posts on the blog, such as this latest one from Carrie, about emotional spending.

I think I’d like to make it a more regular feature of the blog.

After all, if one person is asking the question, chances are others are wondering or dealing with the same thing.

I admit there’s nothing more annoying to me than a know-it-all. Believe me. I don’t set myself up as an expert on anything, expect maybe as an expert of changing diapers & asking questions & administering hugs & kisses, but I’m not the kind of authoritative voice where you say, “I believe *everything* she says.” (That would be a little creepy, if you ask me.)

Because if I do know one thing, there’s very little of expert opinion that applies to everyone, particularly as it applies to individuals, who are unique & have their own histories.

So with that, here’s a recent email from Rose. (Sorry Rose, it’s taken so long to respond!)

 

She writes,

Hello Janae!

I must admit I read a lot on the internet regarding health/health related issues, but never thought I would actually sit down and ask a question about it!? But you seem to be on the money with how to stay slim/healthy, myths, etc.

I am 5’1″, 46 years old and have been active all my life. Eating vegetarian (with some fish),  AEROBICS, a runner, ELLIPTICAL… a poster child for health and fit. Then a year ago (to date) I had a bi-lateral bunion-ectomy. So I stopped running. However, I had been doing 30 minutes of core training the year prior and continued doing that now. At this time I started to get terrible pains with certain foods and after several doctors, I just changed my lifestyle to vegan.

I also began walking 2 miles a day and feel good but since changing my lifestyle to vegan 9 weeks ago, I have gained about 12 lbs!! I am figuring too much olives, oil, beans, NUTS!, but thought that I needed a protein with at least two meals. Hence the weight gain?? I don’t know and that is why I am writing you!

I feel terrible with all this weight!! I have worked so hard my whole life to stay fit and lean, but now I am unable to wear my clothes comfortably or at all!! It’s actually depressing. With my age and high fat, it’s not coming off in a week, if you know what I mean.

Is there anything you could suggest to get my slim figure back? I know this seems ‘trivial’ but at my age I want to continue to feel healthy and LOOK it too. One thing that I love is that my husband says I still look great to him.:) But honestly and frankly, my ‘mojo’ (if you know what I mean) has taken a walk because I feel very insecure in my skin suddenly!

 

My response

Rose,

Dearest, I understand the frustration.

12 pounds on a small frame is more than you’ve bargained for, I’m sure.

If I’m doing the math correctly, you gained 12 pounds in 9 weeks, which averages to a little over 1 pound a week. Every pound gained is an excess of 3500 calories, so let’s say you were eating 4,000 extra calories a week, more or less, which is a daily average of 600 extra calories a day which you ate but did not use/burn.

600 calories a day is like a serving of dessert & a handful of nuts. So, not too difficult to do this. So before you beat yourself up about it, realize how easy it is to gain weight (especially when you cut out a good chunk of activity) & it’s no moral failing on your part.

The good news, is that while not necessarily easy, losing that weight over a period of reasonable time is not rocket science.

If you had written me this email even a year ago, I think my response would have been different (maybe a lot) than it is now. I would have said, something like, cut out nuts, seeds, olives, & all high calorie foods.

Wahlaa! The weight will melt off.

I might have also said to track calories, & to weigh yourself every week.

[If you don't believe me, read this post I wrote over a year ago on how to lose the last 10 pounds.]

But time & experience has changed my perspective on weight, & in the wise words of the Ms. Ellen, “it’s about being healthy & happy,” not about achieving a particular size or weight.

[See this post for my definition of healthy.]

Before you go off & exclaim that I think that weight doesn’t matter at all, let me interject & say, weight does matter, to the extent that it affects your ability to move & be active & participate in day-to-day functions.

[Read this post, from the ladies at Beauty Redefined, who shed a different light on BMI, & why it's not necessarily representative of a woman's health.]

Beyond that, the numbers are rather arbitrary. There is a correlation (but not necessarily causation) between obese individuals & chronic disease, but I’d say it’s more a result of poor habits–sedentary lifestyle &/or diet is calorie rich & lacks essential nutrients.

You mentioned you were vegetarian prior to going vegan.

So I assume you cut out all animal foods–fish, cheese, milk, & other dairy products–which are all fairly calorie dense foods. If you replaced them with even more calorie-dense foods (which maybe you did as you suggest you’ve been eating more nuts & oil), this would, in part, explain the weight gain.

When many people switch from an omnivorous or semi-vegetarian or vegetarian diet to a vegan one, there’s a loss for some. That emotional connection to certain foods, cheese is a big one, &/or missing the “heavy” feeling you get after eating meat (fish in your case), makes it easy to over eat at first &/or eat too much of the tasty high-calorie dishes.

I know I went through a period where I over ate simply because I didn’t feel “full” enough.

Plant foods are lighter than animal foods, so you’re going to feel differently after eating. As long as you’re getting the proper nutrients & calories, this is nothing to be worried about. But it does take time to adjust.

You can read what I wrote about the secret to weight loss, but as I said, my perspective has changed a bit over time.

I believe strongly in mastering intuitive eating rather than following a prescriptive &/or restrictive diet plan. Don’t get me wrong, calorie counting & restriction does work, but for many people, it’s just not a long term solution.

I’m more interested in long-term solutions, rather than quick fixes.

If you’re committed to a vegan diet for life (which if you are, yay! good for you) & you want to maintain a healthy weight, here’s a list of a few main things to focus on.

 

A few tips for happy vegan eating

1) Respect your hunger.
Try to pay attention to hunger/satiation cues & eat regular consistent meals. Meal skipping is a pretty horrible way for most people to cut calories. I wouldn’t recommend it.

 

2) Eat lots of vegetables.
(& some fruits too.)
These are your best friends. You really want to hit it off with the green leafies & cruciferous ones.

When trying to lose weight, be very generous with vegetables. Salads & soups are great way to eat vegetables. Check out my slim + slender, salad, soups, & raw pinterest boards for inspiration.

 

3) Eat plenty of unrefined starch,
Like: potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, corn, rice, legumes (lentils, peas, pinto beans, white beans, etc.), oatmeal, millet, even whole grain pasta. The list goes on. Starch will fill you up & give you the energy you need. I’ve found it also helps to curb sugar cravings. It’s when my diet lacks starch, that sugar cravings are the worst.

 

4) Go easy on all the other stuff.
Desserts (be they “healthy” or not) are still indulgences & shouldn’t be your main fare, & oils, nuts/seeds, & other high fat plant foods should be eaten as condiments (meaning judiciously). I don’t think it’s necessary to cut out fats (see, Is Dr. McDougall, right?), but if you’re finding it difficult to lose the weight you’ve gained, you may want to consider it for a time.

Though I must say, if a teaspoon of oil on roasted veggies is going to get you to eat 3 c. of veggies, or a teaspoon or two on raw salad is going to get you excited about eating a huge bowlful of spinach & green leaf lettuce, I say, go for it. It’s about the overall calorie density of your food, & a little oil on a bounty of veggies balances out.

 

5) Enjoy your food!
Savor it. Make time to eat, & avoid eating on the run.

Regular, consistent meals at the same time every day establishes a healthy ritual & pattern for balanced eating.

Also, know that when you’re eating plant-foods, you’re nourishing your body & eating in a compassionate, mindful way. I think that’s something to celebrate, for sure.

 

Best of luck,

 

 

 

♥♥♥

I hope if you have anything to add to what I’ve said, please do.
I love the idea of learning from each other, which is the best kind of learning.

Also, if you have a question or inquiry for me (doesn’t have to be about food! anything is on the table) that you’d like featured in this series, don’t be shy, & send me note, will ya?
Put “Reader’s Inquiry” in the subject line, please & I’ll do my best to respond in a timely manner. 

morning walks + how to beat the lonely bug

living the good life, personal

I live in a subdivision on the outskirts of San Antonio.

Up the road & down aways, is the elementary school where 3 of my kids attend.

It’s only about 1/2 mile away.

The walk there is all sidewalk & once we get out of our subdivision, the road is surrounded by trees & wildflowers. Not the pine trees of the Pacific Northwest, or oaks of the Wasatch Front, of which I’m accustomed, but shorter, more sprawling, bush-like trees & shrubs.

I do the walk twice a day–to take Amalia, my four year old, to preschool at 7:30 each morning, then again to pick her up at 10:30.

I push a double stroller. The girls look at books & I listen to podcasts. It’s a time for me to exercise, to get fresh air, to listen to something entertaining/informative/interesting.

Salem likes getting out of the stroller & runs along side me, or in front, & often doddles along the way.

She picks wildflowers, throws rocks, picks up sticks.

Despite the proximity to the school, I am the only one who walks their kids to school. At first, I found this puzzling. But over time, I’ve realized that walking is unusual to people here.

For example, when I dropped Amalia off at school today, I stood in the school lobby, & waved goodbye to Mali, her Dora backpack strapped to her shoulders. A woman startled me.

“I have just got to commend you!”

Commend me, I thought.  For what? I was eagerly anticipating what she had to say next.

“I can’t believe you walk your kids to school. & every day!”

She went on to explain that though she lived in the neighborhood, & her twins attend the school, she “could never imagine walking every day.”

I was a bit flattered, but not surprised.

Over the months since we’ve lived here, I’m sure everyone who takes their kids to school knows who I am–that crazy lady who walks.

Yesterday, a tattooed man in a truck pulled over to tell me I shouldn’t let Salem walk because he “had killed two rattlesnakes in that area” & I needed to “watch out.” That wasn’t the first time I was advised against walking because of the “wildlife.”

Let me remind you, I’m walking on a paved sidewalk. Not venturing through brush & uncharted dense foliage.

Last week I went to a baby shower of a friend, & all those in attendance were Air Force wives. More than half of those women, will be moving this summer. When I thought about that, & the fact that the reality of military life is a semi-transient one, I was saddened.

Loneliness is something that most people deal with, one way or another, no matter their occupation, age, or marital status. But I think it can be particularly acute for those of us with small children & who stay at home. Double that when you’re a part of profession that requires you to move around a lot & typically live away from any extended family.

Extra efforts must be made to not allow loneliness to get the best of us.

One day, I was down about the fact that it’s just hard to get out & get together with other women. And when I do, we’re often so busy taking care of our own kids that it’s a challenge (if not downright impossible) to have a steady, uninterrupted conversation.

The more I thought about it, though, I began to realize that I was thinking about social interaction all wrong.

I was compartmentalizing, telling myself that I was having little or no social interaction each day because I wasn’t getting what I thought I needed–uninterrupted time, chatting with girlfriends, going to lunch, getting manicures.

(You know, the stuff of single women, or women without kids, or women with nannies. I fit none of these descriptions.)

The reality is, I’m interacting all day long.

With my kids, with Joseph, with nature, with books, with neighbors & even the people at the library or store. I don’t have to limit my interaction to fit a narrow view of what it means to participate in the greater world.

Further, I’ve realized that loneliness is in large part a result of feeling isolated.

There are a few things I do on a regular basis to ease the feelings of isolation.

Aside from my daily walks, which are such a key ritual to staying connected, I:

1) Try to begin my day with a spiritual practice–scripture study, prayer, mediation. Some days it’s nothing more than a prayer, but I have to have at least a moment or two to connect to a higher power & reflect on my faith.

2) This is followed by some sort of exercise.
Yoga is always a good choice for me, because not only do I enjoy the physical aspects, but I get a mental/emotional release from it too. I don’t usually have time for more than 20 or 30 minutes, but even 5 or 10 minutes of breathing or stretching is an amazing way to start my day. Now that our community pool is open & the weather is conducive, I’ll swim laps for 20 or 30 minutes while Joseph is still at home. Then Joseph & I get the kids ready for school (breakfast, dressed, lunches), the boys get on the bus, I get the girls ready for the day, then I walk Mali to preschool.

3) I try to really interact with my kids.
To be present & aware when I’m talking with them. I ask them questions & try to listen to what they have to say. I love laughing with them & catching on to their nuances & subtle facial expressions. Kids are funny, but sometimes I think I don’t pay enough attention to realize the unintentional (& sometimes intentional) hilarity of what they say & do.

4) I call Joseph.
Joseph is very busy throughout the day, so often I can’t talk to him when I want. But it is an unusual day indeed if we go without talking to each other for a few minutes at a time, a few times during the day. We just check in with each other, I’ll tell him what I’m up to, & mostly he listens. I really look forward to our brief, but satisfying conversations.

5) I listen to podcasts.
Some of my favorite are Planet Money, The Moth, Fresh Air, Freakonomics, Coleen Patrick-Goudreau’s Food for Thought, & This American Life. I also listen to the archives of BYU speeches & LDS general conferences. I love how I can fold laundry, do the dishes, or make dinner & at the same time learn from insightful & intelligent people. It totally helps me not feel so alone.

6) I read.
Reading, for me, is one of the best ways not to feel alone. I especially love memoirs or non-fiction, as I feel like the author & I are sitting down for a one-on-one, intimate conversation.
7) I call a friend or family member.
I try to call someone in my extended family or a friend from church at least once a day. Just talking & connecting with someone over the phone for a few minutes is a great way to feel better about life.
8) Have a planned engagement with others.
I’m horrible with play dates. They kinda stress me out. So instead, we often invite friends over for dinner or we meet at a park. I try to do this once a week, but realistically, it happens more like a few times a month.
9) Go to the library.
For me, there is no greater pick-me-up than going to a bustling place filled with people, books, & ideas. And it’s free!  We go at least once a week.
♥♥♥

What’s your list–what do you do to beat the lonely blues? 

 

{MM} 5.20.2013

marvelous mondays, series

a few notes from me
Thank you for your comments on Friday’s post about frugal beauty.
Lots of great insights, thank you!

I’m sorry if I don’t always respond to each comment, but know that I read every word & appreciate what you have to share. I wish I had more time to devote to responding more thoroughly to each comment on the blog, but the reality is, I’m a wife & mom first, & whatever time I have left over is spent doing things like blogging. So thanks for understanding & know that I LOVE it when you comment & please continue to share, it makes what I do worth it.

Also, I want to make sure we’re clear on the fact that I am not against makeup.

For me, though, I realized it was an expense that I could do without for now so we can get out debt even sooner, & that surprisingly, my skin has really thrived on a mostly naked face. Also, I realized I didn’t need to buy more lipstick & more eye shadow colors when I already had plenty in my makeup bag. I’m still a red-lip stick devotee (especially for going out) & my short, light-colored lashes do benefit from some mascara love.

I really appreciate the makeup artist Bobbi Brown’s philosophy, which is, when wearing makeup, it should look like you’re not wearing makeup. Makeup should enhance, not detract. Each woman has a natural, unique intrinsic beauty–let’s let it shine.

the links

health
two views on Angelina’s double mastectomy

 listen
NPR’s Fresh Air, “Zoobiquity: What humans can learn from animal illnesses”
A fascinating look at the connection between human & animal health.

home
bring more peace of mind with 10 simple habits
& 6 tips for photographing your child

follow
MJ has a regular series on her blog, Pars Caeli called, Celebrate the Normal.
Each Wednesday she features ordinary pics from readers that
celebrate the beauty of every day, normal.
Follow, for some ordinary inspiration!

frugal
25 free instant mood boosters 

 watch
Cadry & I were having a conversation on twitter last week about how British tv shows are generally superior to American ones, at least when it comes to subtle nuance, wit, & charm. I’m not a connoisseur of British television, but I have watched a few BBC series that have been superb (I’m not referring to Downtown Abbey, just in case you’re wondering). Sherlock & Tess of the Durbervilles are two that come to mind.  Cadry recommended Gavin & Stacey, but I haven’t watched it yet.

Recently, I was introduced to Call the Midwife by my friend Adina (Season 1 is available on instant queue on Netflix).

I’ve only watched the first 5 episodes of season 1, but every episode has made me cry. The series opens up a world of birthing & midwifery care that makes me honored to be a woman. Touching & heartfelt (without being hokey), I highly recommend it. It will make you appreciate how natural birthing can be, but also the advances in medical care that make it so very few women nowadays actually lose their lives due to pregnancy & childbirth.

 

to pin
all recipes are vegan + gluten-free 

spring salad
& spring vegetable tacos

french lentil & vegetable salad
creamy leek & almond pasta

strawberry basalmic black pepper jam
sunflower seed butter
cinnamon swirl bread

spring roll in a bowl
new world szekely goulash

easy triple peanut butter swirl cheescake
smooth mocha chia pudding 

Happy Monday ya’ll.

 

Thanks for coming to bring joy today!
Did you know I’m also on twitter, pinterest, & facebook?
Have a question for me, or just want to say hello,
send me an email.

cleaning up my beauty routine & saving money while I’m at it

debt-free life, lifestyle, personal

Image from Flickr.

 

When you create a budget, with the intent to get out debt, & you’re really getting ambitious & lofty, you can seem a little crazy to others.

But what people may not understand, is the intense desire you have to get out from under the weight of oppression (you know, that debt).

So you get hard core, &  you’re willing to do crazy things like, GO WITHOUT. 

It’s a concept to which a good majority of middle to upper class Americans are foreign. This idea that you’d give up something now so that you can have something better later. What an idea, I know.

I’ve been going without a few things, giving up even more as we go along this get-out of debt journey (I’m that motivated, I guess you could say).

So I made a little list.

Here’tis,

5 ways to save (& go natural) on beauty

or in other words,

5 ways to be lazy,
save money,
help out the environment
& let your natural beauty shine

I’m going without:

1) salon shampoo & conditioner & extra hair stuff
Currently, I’m trying the no-shampoo route. We’ll see if that works & how long it will last. I’m pretty sure this qualifies me as a dirty hippie.

I do a baking soda shampoo with an apple cider vingegar spray/rinse. To get chlorine out of my hair after swimming I use a lemon water spray. No straightening serum, hair spray, or leave-in conditioner. I’ve only been doing this for a few weeks, so I’ll let you know how it goes after a few months, & whether or not it’s worth it.

At present it works, since the humidity makes straightening my naturally wavy/frizzy hair pointless & it’s hot, so my hair’s pulled up most days anyway.

my savings: about $150 a year

2) salon hair cuts
I actually got up the courage & trimmed my hair myself a few weeks ago, thanks to this post by Anna.

I’m okay with less than stellar results (although I was surprised at how quick & easy it was) because a) it’s summertime & my hair is always pulled up into a messy top not so it doesn’t matter anyway & b) I’m trying to grow my hair out long so a simple trim to cut off the dead ends does the trick.

I spent $70 for German professional shears because I’d like to be able to cut my hair (for now) & my girls hair at least until they’re teenagers & I wanted a good, reliable set.

If you’re not feeling adventurous, or you have high maintenance cut, a cheaper route than the salon is beauty schools, where a hair cut will cost $8-$15. Ask for the senior students, & expect that it will take longer than a normal salon cut.

my savings: $150-$200 a year

3) new clothes
I have a hard time with this one.

I really would love some more current fashions than all the stuff I bought in 2011 & everything in my closet is more conducive for Utah weather (ie. cold), but I’m making do. I have several skirts & a few summery casual dresses that work well in this insane heat.

And who am I kidding? I have plenty of clothes to last me a few more years.

To make it easier, I stay away from Target & any malls, since I know it will only make feel bad. Not only that, I’m at home 90% of the time, & some days the only people who see what I wear is Joseph, my kids, & the people at their school, which makes having “the latest” fashions much less important.

Of course, you could say, well, I’m only going to get clothes from a second hand place, yard sales, or when it’s “on sale.” Unless you only have 2 t-shirts & a pair of shorts, most likely you have plenty of clothes & not shopping/spending money is much, much easier than trying to spend only a small amount.

my savings: Not sure. But not spending any money on clothes is definitely saving me money!

 

4) makeup
(My friend Gena, as an example, doesn’t wear makeup, & isn’t she gorgeous??)
Everything melts off my face in this heat . Or we’re in the pool where it washes off & gives me racoon eyes, so not wearing makeup is kinda really easy.
Since going naked face, my skin has completely cleared up. For awhile, my skin was breaking out constantly. I couldn’t figure it out. I stopped wearing makeup, aside from a bit of mineral wear on my eyes & some mascara on some days. I still have some blush & red lipstick for those fancy nights out (which don’t happen as often as I’d like).

 

You might surprise yourself by how much you like your skin & face if you let it be naked for awhile. Of course mascara & a bit of natural lip gloss look good on any woman, & don’t cost much, so I’m not going to shame anyone for sticking with these basics.

I still can’t say I’m at the point where I love my naked face, but I can say I’m definitely more comfortable with it now that I ever have been.

my savings: $200-$300 a year

 

 

5) face wash & lotions
Currently, I use Dr. Bronner’s soap & coconut oil to remove mascara. I use coconut oil as a moisturizer for my face & body. But this is Texas after all, & very humid, so there’s little to no chance of skin getting dry.

I have super sensitive skin, (even the “for sensitive skin” stuff often
irritates me) so this very simple straight forward routine is something to which my skin is responding quite well.

my savings: $100-$150 a year

Bottom line:


Simplifying my beauty routine, is saving me a minimum of $700 a year (which doesn’t account for clothing).

You could save as much, or more, depending on your current routines.

Not only that, but something I’m realizing is how beauty products feed on beauty products, & I’m wondering if someone isn’t making a lot of money on the fact that we all want to be youthful, sexy, & beautiful & we’re willing to pay (a lot!) for it.

Think about it. Shampoo cleans your hair, yes, but it also drys out your hair too, so you’ll need a good conditioner for that. You buy some foundation, but it’s not just that, you’ll need a foundation brush, then powder to go over it & a powder brush to apply the powder. And then of course you’ll need a good makeup remover & cleanser to avoid build up & break outs.

Further, I’m not sure it’s in our best interest to be in a routine of applying a daily dose of toxic chemicals & carcinogens to our body & hair. Don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of great organic & “natural” beauty products out there, but a lot of it is snake oil &/or not as organic & wholesome as we’re led to believe.

You may think: “No way could I give up my MAC makeup, or my $40 haircuts. I have to have those things.”

I know, because I used to think that, too.

But the way that I look at it, is it’s a small sacrifice now, so I can have greater freedom & choices later.

I don’t want to be 40 years old, with 4 or 5 kids who are getting ready to go to college while we still have student loans, not a penny in savings, with a dazed look on face asking myself, “where did all my money go?”

Further reading: 10 Things the Beauty Industry Won’t Tell You

 ♥♥

Do you have any natural beauty money saving tips or tricks?
Please share!

 

savory crepes + apparently I weigh 39 lbs.

gluten-free recipes, non-dairy recipes, recipes: breakfast foods, recipes: veggies

Mother’s Day just may be my favorite holiday (aside from Christmas).

When you’re a mom, particularly of the stay-at-home variety, you appreciate appreciation. I mean you really appreciate it. Which is what Mother’s Day is all about. A day dedicated to you. It’s pretty great.

One of the best parts is all the hand crafted goodies.

Coupon books, art work, homemade tissue paper flowers.

& funny little things like this.
(from my kindergartener, Asher)

What I want to know, is why in the world would they put weight in there?
Is that some sort of sick joke?

(I thought it was hilarious, albeit strange.)

I especially enjoyed the part where my job is to: “take care when [Salem] cries.”
I love seeing the world from a 6 year old’s point of view.

The next best thing about Mother’s day is the breakfast.
Joseph made me savory crepes & lightly sauteed vegetables.

Which, on that note, I’m tired of sickenly sweet things for breakfast.

I’ve always been sensitive to sugar, & even have to be careful with my fruit intake.
In short, sugar (even the unrefined stuff) if not checked, makes me a little wacky.

So when Joseph asked me what I wanted for breakfast, what I really wanted, I told him I wanted savory crepes. No sugar in the batter, & I wanted to stuff them with sauteed vegetables & top with siracha sauce. He thinks I’m crazy.

But he made them for me.

These crepes are hands down my favorite, easy breakfast thing to make.

Traditional crepes are typically made of assortment of ingredients that make my stomach churn just thinking about them–eggs, flour, butter, & sugar.

This recipe uses none of that, & the result is a soft (yet durable), satisfying crepe. Gluten-free, dairy-free, & vegan.

The best kind of stuff.

I love that they don’t weigh you down & you can stuff them with any manner of sauteed vegetables or top with avocado & tomato slices.

Joseph sauteed yellow summer squash, onions, & mushrooms.
(All foods that he wouldn’t touch, but I love.)

If you must have sweet crepes, I don’t think it’s necessary to add sugar to the batter–just top with fruit &/or maple syrup. Plenty of sweetness there.

I first discovered how delicious vegan crepes could be from Neva & Jim Brackett’s Seven Secrets cookbook. It’s not a bestseller & it’s certainly not coffee book table material, but the recipes are straight foward, rather simple to execute, & satisfying.

This recipe is an adaptation of that in Seven Secrets. The original calls for half brown rice flour (which you can make on your own if you have a blendtec or vitamix, or wheat grinder) & half dry oats (finely blended), which works beautifully, but I like to use my all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.

I make a big batch (about 16 cups) & store it in a gallon glass jar in the pantry. Usually, you’d want to refrigerate gluten-free flours to keep them fresh, but I go through it quickly enough it’s not an issue.

Taking a tip from Shauna (ie. the “gluten-free girl”), I use her 40/60 ratio (40% whole grains & 60% white flour/starches).

I’ve played around with various combos & I really like a mix of mostly brown rice, with a little soy, & teff flours for my whole grain & white rice & potato or tapioca starch for my white flours.

This recipe calls for raw cashews. If you’re on a tight food budget (as we are), raw cashews are such a luxury.

Buying them in bulk & unsalted, raw, & in pieces (rather than whole, which can be nearly twice the price) can save you some money. Raw cashews are worth the purchase if nothing more than to use them for making amazing eggless crepes.

If you’re in a bind & don’t have raw cashews, tofu will also work. Just replace the cashews with same amount of tofu. I still prefer the cashews.

Print
savory crepes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 16 medium crepes

Serving Size: 1 crepe

Calories per serving: 156

Fat per serving: 5

savory crepes

Gluten-free, vegan savory crepes

Ingredients

  • 3 c. all-purpose gluten-free flour mix (see above) OR 1 1/2 c. brown rice flour & 1 1/2 c. dry oats, ground
  • 3/4 c. unsalted, raw cashews
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 4 1/2 c. plain, unsweetened soy milk (or almond milk, but I use soy)

Instructions

  1. To get a good crepe (ie. one that doesn't fall apart or stick to the pan), half the battle is won with a well seasoned cast iron skillet. We have two--a small & large one. I use both to get a small crepe (good for the kids) & large crepes. Heat your cast iron skillet on medium high. You'll turn it down to medium once it's hot.
  2. In a blender, blend cashews, salt, & milk on high until smooth.
  3. Mix with flour.
  4. For a large cast iron skillet, I've found about 1/3-1/2 c. batter works well per crepe. Pour batter on skillet & grab handle & tilt back & forth until batter is evenly spread on the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the the top of the crepe is no longer wet & appears cooked.
  5. To get the crepe out of the pan, you need a thin, wide spatula. I've found that going gently around the edges, lifting the edges of the crepe away from the pan, & then removing the entire crepe helps to get it out without much damage.
  6. Adjust the heat of your stove as necessary. It shouldn't take more than 4 minutes to cook a large crepe. If it takes longer, chances are you are using too much batter (crepes should be about 1/8" inch when cooked) or your stove isn't hot enough. You don't want to burn the crepes either, so be patient. It may take a few crepes to get it down.
  7. Serve with sauteed vegetables, chopped avocados, &/or tomatoes. OR for sweet, use fruit & maple syrup.
  8. NOTE: These freeze really well. Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container with crepes lying flat.

Notes

Additional nutrition info (based on brown rice & oat flours): 180 mg sodium, 22 g carb, 7 g protein

 

{MM} 5.13.13

marvelous mondays, series

So many links, so little time.
Here are a few of my faves of late.

money matters
♥ ”Money brings about good consequences —
helps us live valuable lives —
only when joined with ‘virtues.’
Virtues are good abilities
of mind and character.”

John Armstrong, as quoted in
How to Worry Less About Money

health
♥ don’t eat too much nutmeg!
♥ DIY natural coconut oil “hair repair” treatment 

kids
♥ the best illustrated children’s picture books of 2012

to read
♥ I’ve been a fan of the talented Connie Britton
since her work in “Friday Night Lights,” &
this made me want to check out
her new gig on “Nashville.”

reader love
♥ Ashlee, a beautiful expectant mother
& reader of bring joy, shares
some thoughts on preganancy & eating vegan.
Show her some love &
leave a supportive comment on her blog.

to pin
(all recipes vegan + gluten-free-able)

baked herbed + pistachio falafel
buffalo chickpea salad sandwiches

pineapple boozy baked oatmeal 

vegetable thai curry noodle soup
vegan jambalaya 

spicy sausage quinoa & polenta bake
simple asparagus soup
spring kale panzanella

oil-free raspberry salad dressing
kale, avocado + strawberry salad 

fudgy chocolate cake
rhubarb floats (use non-dairy ice cream)

Happy, happy Monday to you.

Thanks for coming to bring joy today!
Did you know I’m also on twitter, pinterest, & facebook?
Have a question for me, or just want to say hello,
send me an email.

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