I know it’s been a minute since I last posted but don’t think I’ve forgotten about you!

As I mentioned in the past, I run two blogs and that’s a lot of work.

I use Not Quite a Vegan as a way to store my healthy eats and my other blog is full of my family favorite recipes.

Often I get off track in my healthy eating goals but I never quit!

Well, I am ready to get back on track and my Banana Nut Mango Smoothie is the perfect get back on track healthy drink!

I took frozen bananas, almond milk, mango, and pecans and turned this drink into a power house packed beverage.

You can also use chocolate almond milk if you prefer, it’s just as delicious.

Enjoy!

The post Banana Nut Smoothie with Mango appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

Hey people!

We have a Strawberry Banana Chocolate Almond Smoothie recipe for you today.

I know it’s been a minute since I last posted but running two blogs and all the other stuff I am doing keeps me very busy.

I created the Not Quite a Vegan blog because it’s a way for me to keep track of all my healthy favorite eats.

Also, it’s like a personal health journal for me. It shows me how far I’ve come and helps me create new goals.

Unlike most, I am sharing my journey with everyone, not sure if that’s good or bad, but I will keep sharing, lol.

Oh, I almost forgot, I am about to start a 30 day fast. I love completing fast.

My favorite is the juice/smoothie fast because, well, I like food and drinking a juice or smoothie makes me feel like I am eating…i.e. drinking a meal!

This is one of my favorite smoothie recipes and I hope you enjoy it.

It taste like a chocolate milk shake with almonds. It will satisfy your cravings for a sweet treat without all the fat and calories.

Strawberry Banana Chocolate Almond Smoothie

Servings: 1-2

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Silk almond milk, chocolate
2 bananas
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup ice

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until nice and creamy.

Enjoy!

Note: All almond milk is not created equally. I use the silk brand because it’s the most natural brand I can find in my local grocery store.

The post Strawberry Banana Chocolate Almond Smoothie appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

I am back people!

I know it’s been a minute but I am back and better than ever with my Cheesy Kale Quiche.

I finished off my 7 day water fast.

I broke the fast by going on juice for 3 days, then 2 days of smoothies, then veggie soups for a few days before adding any dairy or meats back into my diet.

The fast was great, my skin is clear and soft and I feel energized!

I haven’t posted in a while because I have two blogs and the other blog has been keeping me super busy.

My veggie packed dish is the perfect meal to get me back into my Not Quite a Vegan groove.

My Cheesy Kale Quiche is simple and goes together in a matter of minutes.

I pulled this organic kale straight out of my garden!

I sauteed onions, peppers and garlic in extra virgin olive oil.

Added the kale and cooked it down for a couple of minutes.

Toss the veggies with eggs, milk and cheese and that’s it!

 

After 50 minutes in the oven, it’s time to eat!

Cheesy and veggie packed, my two favorite ways to eat.

Enjoy.

Cheesy Kale Quiche

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

5 cups kale, chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup jack cheese, grated
3/4 cups milk
6 eggs, beaten
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons creole seasoning
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add onion and peppers, saute for about 4 minutes.

Add half the seasoning blend, garlic and kale, cook 2 minutes more.

Allow mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl add eggs, remaining seasonings, and milk.

Add cheeses, reserve 1 cup of cheese for the top of the quiche.

Fold in veggie mixture into eggs.

Place mixture into a 9 inch greased casserole dish, top with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered for 50 minutes or until eggs are set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting.

The post Cheesy Kale Quiche appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

image provided by smart water

Hello all, yes it’s me, the water faster!

I am still around, and still hungry! I know I said I would keep you updated on my water fast adventure on Day 1, but I’ve been a little preoccupied with hunger and forgot to write an update.

Well, as we approach Day 6 I say to myself, when is this over! Yep, it’s been an adventure and I am taking it one day or I should say one bottle of Smart Water at a time.

How am I feeling you ask? I am feeling great to be honest, I have loads of energy and the initial uncontrollable burping I experienced the first 3 days has finally disappeared.

I’ve managed to cook everyday, check out my other blog Creole Contessa to see what I’ve cooked this past week.

I am still trying to decide if I am going to break the fast with a green juice on Day 8.

I am not sure about the green juice just yet.  I was thinking about completing 10 days like I read in Dr. Fuhrman’s book Fasting and Eating for Health. Only time will tell.

I am also considering Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat to Live program after I break the fast.

What I’ve learned on this journey is that because I’ve fasted previosuly all the detox systems that most experience like headaches, nausea, joint pain. I had none of that.

I read that the less toxic your body is the less detox systems you experience.

I also didn’t weigh myself at all. I wanted to focus on the fast, not the fat, so I stayed away from the scale.

On average in the past I’ve lost between 2-3 lbs a day while water fasting. But the number on the scale is not important during this water fasting period for me.

I am focusing on my cleared up skin, my bright eyes and the fact that I am only suffering from “mind hunger.”

In my mind I want to eat up everything, but physically I have tons of energy so I know it’s in my mind.

I am trying to pray away these food cravings I have because I don’t like feeling like my cravings are controlling me.

I’ll give another update soon folks!

The post Water Fast Day 6 appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

image provided by Smart Water

It’s been a minute since I last posted due to Back to School and the fact that I was trying to get my mind right to perform a water fast.

Yep, ya heard me correctly, water fast!

No food, no juice, no smoothies, just me and my water.

Yes, it’s not easy, and NO this isn’t my first time water fasting.

I was informed about water fasting after reading Dr. Fuhrman’s book Fasting and Eating for Health.

I am not a doctor so I look to Dr. Fuhrman’s books for guidance on proper fasting.

Let me explain what happened the last time I fasted.

I fasted on water for about 7 days then I broke the fast with vegetable juice for about 4 days and transitioned into smoothies for a few days after that, then I moved on to steamed veggies and apples.

This was months ago and I’ve been healed of acid reflux and IBS.

I haven’t had one episode of acid reflux and I’ve eaten spicy foods, cooked tomatoes, and chocolate, all BTW which were triggers for me.

My IBS disappeared. And I’ve been back on a regular eating plan for awhile, not one issue.

Is fasting for everyone? I don’t know, as I mentioned previously, I am not a doctor, I am just a gal trying to figure it out.

I do know that people have been fasting for centuries and it’s not a new idea.

Do I love to fast?  Not the first couple of days, because HELLO, I am hungry.

But, it’s o.k. to be a little hungry.

I’ve pretty much eaten every type of food and I know what it all taste like so “mind hunger” isn’t the end of the world.

I will spend the next week or so updating you daily on my fasting results, the ups and downs, trials and tribulations.

I am currently on day 2 of my fast as of right now and I am not sure how many days I am going to complete.

I take it one day at a time.

I drink 12 to 16 cups of Smart Water daily and I find that the Smart Water helps me stay active.

I know it has a little electrolytes included, maybe that’s why I still have energy.

I also make sure I rest.

Proper rest while fasting is key.

Don’t forget prayer.

I pray all day because I can’t do this without the guidance of God, I am not that strong.

Until tomorrow folks!

Water Fasting

Ingredients:

WATER, LOL

12-16 cups of purified water. 

The post Water Fasting Day 1 appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

I am having breakfast for one today and I decided to make a Mango Berry Smoothie.

I love mangoes and berries and I knew they would make the perfect combination for a quick, healthy, smoothie.

I love using frozen fruit in my smoothies but today I decided to do a mixture of canned and frozen fruit.

I wanted to use canned mango because I wanted to utilize the light syrup it’s packed in for added sweetness.

You can omit the light syrup and use a little honey and water as the liquid for your smoothie if desired.

I blended the smoothie for about 1 minute and it’s ready to drink up.

Enjoy!

Mango Berry Smoothie

Prep Time: 1 minute
Servings: 1

Ingredients:

2 cups mango in light syrup
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup light syrup juice

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Garnish with frozen fruit if desire.

The post Mango Berry Smoothie appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

It’s Sunday and I am in smoothie making mode!

I told my daughter for the next two weeks I am going to create a new smoothie or juice recipe a day, wish me luck!

I purchased some Asian pears from the Chinese market and I thought they would be perfect for my smoothie making mission.

First, you can use regular pears to cut the cost of making this smoothie.

I love Asian pears, but their expensive!

Secondly, Greek yogurt, I use plain, but you could use vanilla yogurt.

Third, frozen triple berries, I purchased them at Sam’s club in bulk.

If you’re in smoothie making mode, bulk is the way to shop!

Lastly, drink up and enjoy!

I have more wonderful smoothie and juice recipes to come.

Fat Free Asian Pear Berry Smoothie

Prep Time: 1 minute
Servings: 1-2

Ingredients:

1 Asian pear, seeded, diced
1 1/2 cup mixed berries, frozen
1 cup milk, fat free
1 cup Greek yogurt, plain
2 tablespoons honey or sugar if desired
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth.

The post Fat Free Asian Pear Berry Smoothie appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

For the Disney fans out there, you all know what a Dole Whip does for ya’ on a hot summer day!

I decided to take my love of the Dole Whip which usually contains pineapple, and do a switcharoo and use mango instead of pineapple.

My Mango Coconut Dole Whip with Coconut Chips will satisfy any Dole Whip lovers appetite, until we can return to Disneyland!

This recipe is really simple, all you need is frozen mango, coconut milk, and skim organic milk.

I am a frozen fruit lover because most of the time it prevents me from having to add ice to my smoothies.

The wonderful people at Bare Snacks sent me their tasty Coconut Chips, which I can’t stop eating.

I decided Bare Coconut Chips would be perfect to top off my creamy “Dole Whip!”

I also made a Pina Colada Cake with these wonderful Coconut Chips.

Just place all the ingredients into your blender and whip this baby up!

It’s like Dole Whip magic folks!

I used organic fat free milk, but almond milk would also taste delish!

You could also use Coconut Milk if you really want to take this smoothie to another level.

Now, for the best part, top this creamy goodness off with as much Bare Coconut Chips as your heart desires!

Enjoy.

The post Mango Coconut Dole Whip with Coconut Chips appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

I love all types of cheese and I am constantly thinking of new ways to eat cheese.

My Whipped Goat Cheese Spread is one of my new favorite ways to eat cheese.

First, start off with excellent goat cheese.

Next, add the goat cheese, herbs, yogurt, garlic and pepper into a food processor and mix well.

Whipped Goat Cheese Spread

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

10 ounces goat cheese, soft
4 ounces Greek yogurt, plain
1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 clove garlic
green onions to garnish
crackers to serve
veggies to serve

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend well.

Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Garnish with green onions and serve with crackers.

The post Whipped Goat Cheese Spread appeared first on Not Quite a Vegan.

My Fat Burning Vegetable Bean Soup is my new invention!

Don’t forget the very popular Fat Burning Cabbage Tortilla Soup to my super spicy Fat Burning Thai Noodle Soup!

I love soup and I love the fact that you can burn extra fat by eating a big bowl of my Fat Burning Soups!

The secret of my Fat Burning Soup success is to add plenty of flavor without plenty of fat.

I omit all oil and stick to using low sodium broths and loads of vegetables.

The beans in my Fat Burning Vegetable Bean Soup of the day allows one to load up on fiber which helps give us that feeling of fullness that one needs when we’re trying to stick to our fat burning ways!

Enjoy.

Fat Burning Vegetable Bean Soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

4 cups northern white beans, organic, canned
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth, low sodium
2 cups red salsa
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup Italian parsley, minced
2 teaspoons creole seasoning
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder

Directions:

Drain canned beans and rinse well, drain again. Place all ingredients into a soup pot, mix well, bring to boil and reduce heat, simmer about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

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