23 Romantic Vegan Breakfast in Bed Ideas for Valentine’s Day

What’s better than waking up from a good night’s sleep to the smell of freshly made pancakes? To have a loved one bring up a tray of them for you, of course! This Valentine’s Day, surprise a loved one with some homemade breakfast in bed. Make a mouth-watering stack of vegan pancakes topped with fresh fruit and nuts. Or make this lovely heart-shaped pancake cookie, drizzled with chocolate. How about dessert for breakfast? A Raw Blackberry Breakfast Cake sure sounds good.

Make a little bit of everything to your heart’s content. Pair these breakfast ideas with a cup of orange juice or nut milk and the morning paper or a vase of lovely flowers for a unforgettable breakfast surprise, made with love.

1. Bloody Mary Green Smoothie

Here's a "Bloody Mary" that doesn't require alcohol. It's a green, healthy, and super good for you smoothie that's perfect for unwinding after a long day. 

2. Valentine’s Day Vegan Pancake Cookies

Valentine’s Day is almost upon us. Here is a recipe to whip up on V-Day morning for whoever you have a sweet tooth for in your life. And if you ride solo, whip it up for yourself – you are just as sweet!

3. Raw Blackberry Breakfast Chocolate Cake

A raw and decadent blackberry chocolate cake that is so healthy, you could eat it for breakfast.

4. Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Muffins

Christmas and mint. How did they become an item? The red-and-white-swirled candy canes dangling from stuffed stockings. The tiny pastel-colored, melt-away candies piled in bowls that appear only in December. The Santa and snowman-shaped chocolate candies filled with a gooey mint center. Or maybe the cool of mint recalls drifts of snow and icy winds. It can’t be helped. Mint reminds me of Christmas. This is the classic chocolate cream cheese muffin but without the dairy and a little bit less of the guilt. I’ll take one of these over a candy cane any day.

5. Vegan Pineapple and Strawberry Bread / Cake

This pineapple bread is indulgence personified and, if the soft whipped sweetened coconut cream doesn't send you into spirals, I’ll eat my hat.

6. Red Velvet Vegan Waffles with Cream Cheese Sauce

Groggy morning? Start your day off right with some delicious red velvet waffles drizzled with cream cheese sauce. It's a perfect excuse to stay in your pajamas a little longer and soak up the morning sun.

7. Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

I've used rice flour in a few recipes now but I must say this has been my most successful endeavor to date. Although I've been striving for that perfect cupcake texture for a long while now, none have come remotely close to these – I almost jumped up and down with pleasure when I bit into one; moist, fluffy, crumbly, lush. Nothing beats the feeling of triumphing in the kitchen especially when it comes to baking.

8. Gluten-free Rose Water Cupcakes [Vegan]

If there ever was a perfect afternoon tea cupcake, these are them. Can you imagine a girly tea party complete with cucumber sandwiches, petit fours, and these little darlings? Bliss, I tell you, sheer unadulterated bliss.

9. How to Make a Vegan Omelet

They say you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs. Wrong!

10. Apple-Almond Butter Pancakes

Apple slices with nut butter are a great healthy snack. Now, this delicious flavor combo can be enjoyed in these luscious pancakes. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour. This recipe makes...

11. Green Mojito Juice

The combination of cucumber, mint, and lemon in this smoothie makes you feel like your sipping on a fancy cocktail.

12. Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

A healthy vegan version of cinnamon rolls!

13. Chickpea Flour Omelette With Spinach, Onion and Bell Peppers

Eggs used to be somewhat of a default long back for breakfast. Though we did have a good number of Indian breakfast options, eggs would still feature on most week...

14. Strawberry Vanilla Lemonade Cupcakes [Vegan]

The problem with summer is that three months is really not a very long time. By the time I have finally settled into my summer job along with the glorious...

15. Chocolate Marshmallow Muffins

Yield: 10 muffins Ingredients: 1 cup unbleached AP flour 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup Sucanat 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking...

16. Strawberry Pecan Stuffed French Toast [Vegan]

Blended bananas are the perfect substitute for the traditional egg in this decadent Strawberry Pecan Stuffed French Toast recipe. A regular loaf of bread works great, or you can try...

17. Chocolate Caramel Doughnuts

This month we celebrated National Doughnut Day with these Caramel-Glazed Baked Donuts adorned with melted dark chocolate. The good news is this recipe doesn’t require a national holiday to be enjoyed. It’s easy for...

18. Raspberry White Wine Glazed Donuts

Making raised donuts is not as difficult as one would imagine. This is a great recipe to use up the last of a bottle of wine, or a great alternative...

19. Tofu Scramble (with Spinach and Nutritional Yeast)

I have tried plenty of tofu scramble recipes, both at home and at restaurants, and honestly, most leave something to be desired. Tofu is a great base, but it’s just...

20. Love Potion (Red Beet, Pear, Orange, Apple Smoothie)

Prev Slide1 of 21Next Slide Fruit and veggie Smoothies are a prefect way to start the day or even use as mid day snack. Unfortunately, my stomach doesn’t take kindly...

21. Hazelnut Chocolate Cupcakes

Before I adopted a vegan diet, I loved eating Nutella by the spoonful. I’d fill crêpes with the sweet spread, add a dollop to a bowl of fruit and stir...

22. Vegan Benny & Flo

My all-time favorite breakfast used to be Eggs Benedict. Unfortunately, a vegan Eggs Benedict is almost impossible to come by. This is precisely why I decided to come up with my own recipe! This is sorta like an Eggs Benedict meets Eggs Florentine... sorta.

23. Swedish Pancakes

So now, what is the difference between Swedish Pankcakes and normal ones? I've been asking myself the same question. Growing up in Sweden, this is the normal way -- thin tasty pancakes with crispy edges. Traditional Swedish pancakes are served with berry jam and light whipped cream or vanilla ice cream that will melt on the hot pancake.

 Written by OneGreenPlanet.Org at http://bit.ly/1dlh3o5

How to Lose 10 Pounds in One Month (or 30 Days)

It is absolutely possible to lose ten pounds over the next month. It will take dedication, determination and a positive mental attitude. The following are not only the six steps for losing weight in the next thirty days, but they are also necessary to laying down the foundation that will turn into lasting results.

Step One - Set a Goal and Move Immediately into Action

In this moment, take time to set your ten pound goal. Write it out on a piece of paper and date it for 30 days from now. Writing it out is important when starting out. Keep it in your pocket at all times and read it at every chance you get. The most important part of this task is that if you always read over your goal - you will always have it in mind. Your statement should look something like the following:

"I will lose 10 pounds by Dec.25/2013"

Step Two - Prepare and Execute a Diet Transformation

From a realistic point of view, we should understand that it is not so much a diet that we will be getting into as it will be an overall lifestyle change.

The reason is simple; if we change our diet for the next month and choose to go back to what we consumed prior to the change, our bodies will go back to the way it was.

A simple and yet very effective daily diet would be; assorted fruits for breakfast and assorted vegetables for both lunch and dinner. If you want that extra protein kick in animal form, keep it to a minimum and only allow three to four ounces of freshly cooked fish. You can also snack on nuts and fruit when feeling a bit hungry in between meal times. Limit the portions of each snack to a handful only.

Your new way of eating should not consist of processed foods (including fast food, preserved foods, and other man packaged products), sugar, saturated and Trans fats, and all cooking oil. Also eliminate soft drinks and concentrated fruit juices completely and drink only water.

Step Three - Get Physical Daily

Make time to go for a 45 to 60 minute walk daily without "days off" in between. You can also fit in a natural weight resistance program prior to walking to step it up a notch. The best combination of physical activity for weight loss is a cardiovascular routine (walking, brisk walking, jogging) and a weight resistance routine (push ups, chins, crunches).

There are also other ways you can keep physically active on a daily basis that requires no extra time out of your pocket. When you go for groceries or to the mall, you can park at the far end of parking lot and walk. You can put more effort in cleaning the house on a daily basis. You could also find yard work around the home is you have your own residence. There are so many ways to be naturally active. All we have to do is open our mind to the opportunities.

Step Four - Get Proper Rest

Sleep is a very important time for everyone. Sleep helps rejuvenate the soul, repairs damaged body tissue, and lowers stress levels. It's important to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Another source of rest can be doing something you enjoy doing. It could be a hobby like reading a good book or even meditation if you enjoy that. When we engage in something that is relaxing and joyful it also helps eliminate stress.

Step Five - Clean Your Insides

Okay, so it does not sound like an appetizing job, but this step is also important to help aid weight loss. By keeping your intestinal tract clean, it enables your body to extract the essential nutrients that you need. It will also help keep constipation out of the way!

To do this you can add fiber rich foods in your daily diet. Foods that are high in fiber and packed full of nutrients are; apples, oranges, berries, beans, dark leafy greens. Mother Nature provides the best variety of natural foods and we should absolutely accept them.

Step Six - Eliminate Bad Habits

If you smoke to the point where it's difficult to go for a walk, then it's time to cut back or quit. Smoking should not get in the way of your health. If you spot any other bad habit that you believe is getting in your way of a healthy success - eliminate it. You can do this by replacing the bad habit with a good habit.

We are all habitual beings and no one is an exception. We have the ability to choose and mold a new habit at any given time. When we create new habits by reinforcing the new habit over and over again - we can keep it for life. Once a new habit is fully formed it is set on autopilot, meaning we don't have to attend to that specific habit anymore and we can reap better results daily.

Written by Russ Nagamori at: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Lose-10-Pounds-in-One-Month-(or-30-Days)&id=8142239

Raw Food Benefits - Uncommon Tips for the Uncommon Eater

If you eat raw, you're most likely idealist like me. You want the energy to do the things you want. You want to look good in your body and feel good in your mind. And you want to avoid the ailments of modern society. Experience and study have shown that these guidelines help bring about that favorable lifestyle.

Optimal Digestion: Chewing and Liquids

Digestion doesn't begin after you swallow. 80% of the enzymes that break down fats, sugars and proteins dwell in your mouth.

Cooked food doesn't usually require much chewing so most people aren't keen on using the old jaw bone. But simply chewing more makes meals more nutritious! More of the food becomes usable to the body. It goes toward building muscle and energizing you instead of being stored as fat. 

• Chew your food until its warm and sweet.

Warmth means proteins and fats are being broken down. Sweetness indicated that sugars are burning.

People usually have a beverage with their meals. But liquids swish digestive enzymes out of the mouth. It takes at least 20 minutes for the mouth the gain its normal digestive power after drinking.

• Enjoy drinks about half an hour before meals

Having green juices 30 minutes before eating solid food actually boosts digestion. The vegetable juices stimulate enzyme activity.

Food Combining: Melons are good.. ALONE

The common melon digests in about 20 minutes. Other foods take 2 hours or more. Throw a melon in with slower digesting foods and it will ferment. This doesn't exactly feel the most pleasant and might leave you gassy.

• Melons go in alone

You really shouldn't eat unsoaked nuts and seeds at all. Every one of them (except hemp) contains enzyme inhibitors that stop your digestive enzymes from properly breaking down food.

But if you do decide to eat some unsprouted almonds or some dried sunflower seeds, don't combine them with others foods. Their slow digesting proteins take the longest to digest. Other foods will be over digested, causing bloating and nausea.

• Combine only soaked nuts and seeds with other foods

Usually sweet and acid fruits (example: pears and sour apples) don't mix well. They call for two different digestion responses. A confused stomach expends a lot of valuable energy and leaves you drained.

Don't mix sweet and sour fruits.

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There is one exception. Lemons have proven themselves very versatile! They promote digestion when combined with just about anything.

We went (or are going) raw because we want to look and feel our best. Simple tips like these make all the difference. Little distinctions help you get the results you want and keep moving forward. Why try to figure it all out on your own? Experienced raw fooders want to give you their wisdom so you don't have to suffer the trial and error. So take advantage of this Free Raw Food Diet Presentation and discover the proven raw food diet strategies of thriving raw fooders.

Written by Angela R Parker at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Raw-Food-Benefits---Uncommon-Tips-for-the-Uncommon-Eater&id=6328136

Juice Weight Loss Recipes - A Sweet Way Towards a Perfect Body

Today, losing weight can now be done in a very juicy way. Unlike other weight loss methods, juice weight loss recipes do not oblige you to eat boring food and to indulge in tiring exercises. Before, the perfect juice for losing weight is a glass of water with a splash of lemon. However, there are a lot of other more exciting juice recipes that can help men and women to be perfectly fit today.
What is good about these juice recipes is that they give natural vitamins to your body that are of no question great for your health. Fruit and vegetable juices can make the stomach feel full considering the fact that it actually is not a full meal. This is actually fine since weight loss juices can give you the nutrients you can get from a full meal.
Diet juices can be made in a lot of variations, from a single fruit to a combination of two or more. It can also be a mix of a fruit and a vegetable. Whatever you wish to combine, that is fine as long as you get to enjoy it. Here are some juice weight loss recipes that can become your exciting weight loss buddy daily:

• Flying Orange Juice. This is made out of two pears, three grapefruits plus one sweet potato. Indeed, this is a sweet and refreshing drink, without any hangover.
• Papaya Passion. To have this, you must prepare a combination of one medium-sized papaya, one red apple, and five pitted dates on it.
• Strawberry Delight. This includes a refreshing blend of around four to eight strawberries, one to two bananas, and about eight to 10 dates.
• Potassium Drink. This juice differs in any other weight loss juice recipes because it is richer in vitamins and it contains potassium. This is a blend of one celery stalk, a handful of spinach, a handful of parsley, four carrots, and half a lemon.
• Joggers' Paradise.  This is another healthy juice made from a combination of one small yam, three oranges, and two pears. This juice is commonly known as muscle-blasting and power-pushing juice drink.
• Calcium Drink. A glass of calcium drink can be accomplished with a combination of three carrots, an apple, half a cup of broccoli, a handful of parsley, and half a lemon.

Moreover, these combinations of fruits and vegetables are helpful keys in detoxifying your body and are proven to be useful in internal cleansing. They also increase the vitamin intake of the body. Basically, a glass of juice done in a combination of fruits and vegetables also provides a package of vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and photochemical that is helpful for the health of your body.
So if you no longer want to suffer from your tiring exercise workouts and from your boring food diet, you can take a glass of juice and get the same results. For sure, if you have a regular intake of any of these juice weight loss recipes, you will never have to lose with your weight problem. One sip of a refreshing and sweet juice can definitely give you a sweet result.

Written by Ronald Yip at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Juice-Weight-Loss-Recipes---A-Sweet-Way-Towards-a-Perfect-Body&id=3113840