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My China Diet

April 29, 2015 by Jillian Leave a Comment

my china diet

I just returned home to Texas after a six month stay in Beijing, where I was teaching English to little kids and cultivating my blog. Before I went, I imagined that being a vegan in China would be fairly easy. Even though China has adopted a more Westernized diet in recent years (lots of meat and dairy), I figured it would be pretty easy to find plant based dishes.

Boy was I wrong! All I ate the first two months I lived there was rice with vegetables because that’s all I could find in the way of vegan options. That got tiring after a while and didn’t give me an array of needed nutrients. Eating out was wreaking havoc on my digestive and immune systems because the quality of food is so low in China, plus they tend to over-do it with the oil. I was always sick, had headaches, couldn’t sleep well, and felt tired and light headed. I decided to stop eating out, get a blender and food processor, and make all of my meals at home. What a difference!

For anyone that plans on being abroad for an extended amount of time, here are some suggestions for quick, easy meals that are healthy and plant based.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bits & Pieces, Travel Tagged With: avocados, beijing, chick peas, china, coconut, coconut milk, compassion, compassionate women, dragon fruit, flax seed, fresh coconuts, fruit, fruits, guacamole, healthy, hummus, kumquats, longan, longans, love, nutrition, organic, peace, plant foods, plant protein, plant-based, red lentil hummus, smoothies, spirulina, travel, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, veggie, veggies

Compassion In Numbers

March 29, 2015 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Today’s blog is all about numbers! Being a compassionate, caring individual that makes a difference in the world can be as easy as 1-2-3. In my opinion, it’s all about baby steps and focusing on what you can do today. Every little choice we make and every little action we take has a ripple effect. No matter how small of a good deed, it’s worth it and it impacts someone, we just don’t always witness that impact. Here are some simple suggestions to help you get started if you are overwhelmed or not sure where to begin.

ANIMALS

puppy love

Our furry friends need our help! Working with animals in various settings, especially homeless cats and dogs left to suffer their fates alone, I really realized how much of an impact I had on them just by spending ten minutes petting them or playing with them. It means the world to them. There are other ways to help out, too. Here are a few:

13 Ways To Help Animal Shelters

7 Ways You Can Help Wildlife

For kids:

5 Ways Kids Can Help Animals

10 Ways to Save Animals

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Animals, Bits & Pieces, Environment, Tidbits Tagged With: alternatives, animal shelter, animals, body and mind, budget, cats, compassion, compassionate, compassionate women, dogs, earth, easy ways, educate, environment, factory farming, food, good deed, homeless cats, homeless dogs, local, local farmers, love, meat consumption, meatless mondays, non dairy, non-dairy milk, organic, organic farmers, peace, planet, plant power, plant protein, plant-based, protein, protein sources, ripple effect, save animals, simple ways, vegan, vegetarian, veggie, wildlife, women

Veg Head In Vietnam – Part 2

March 10, 2015 by Jillian Leave a Comment

doc let beach

Hello my compassionate friends! A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my trip to Nha Trang, a beautiful and vibrant beach town on the southeast coast of Vietnam. I had such a great time exploring the culture, the food, and the natural beauty. But my adventure didn’t end there! From Nha Trang I traveled about an hour north to Doc Let Beach and spent three relaxing days swimming, reading, eating, and meeting other travelers. Let me tell you about my veggie vacation!

 A FRUITY TRIP

My last morning in town I wanted to try out the breakfast at Lanterns, the awesome restaurant I went to a couple of days earlier for their vegetarian options. I chose the banana pancakes, coffee, and a fresh coconut. It was delicious! Their pancakes are more like crepes, very thin and light. It came with a small dish of honey rather than the traditional syrup I was used to. I personally don’t use honey because I’d rather leave bees to free roam the world and pollinate our food, rather than use them to manufacture products for us. Luckily, the pancakes were so tasty I didn’t need any honey.

banana pancakes

After that I packed up all my things, checked out of the hotel, and took one last walk down the main beach road. I grabbed one last Vietnamese coffee and watched all the barbers set up their chairs and mirrors on the sidewalk to cut hair.

sidewalk barbers

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bits & Pieces, Travel Tagged With: beaches, compassion, compassionate women, doc let beach, fishing boats, love, nha trang, ocean, palm trees, peace, plant power, plant-based, sand, seashells, sunrise, sunsets, sunshine, vacation, veg head, vegan, vegetarian, veggie, vietnam, women

Veg Head in Vietnam – Part 1

February 21, 2015 by Jillian Leave a Comment

On the beach

You know all those beautiful, tropical places you see in professional photos where the lounge chair is placed perfectly under the umbrella in the sand, with a view of a turquoise ocean that sparkles and a sun that never stops shining? That’s where I am right now. I never expected to find it in Vietnam, though. I had never given Vietnam much thought; it’s one of those overlooked destinations that stays under the radar and therefore less touched by tourists, which is exactly what I was looking for. As a teacher in Beijing, I get about two weeks off for the Chinese New Year holiday. I needed to get out of the city and to someplace warm! At first, Thailand was at the top of my list, but the flight prices were expensive and rapidly rising each day. A couple of friends had mentioned Vietnam to me and I decided to look into it. I eventually found Nha Trang, a little beach town on the southeastern coast of the country. I chose to stay there for two nights, and then make my way about one hour north to secluded Doc Let Beach. Let me take you on a magical ride through my vegetarian journey through Vietnam…

First off, the air in Vietnam smells so good! Maybe just where I traveled, but it smelled like a cross between salt water and incense, or sometimes flowers. Not bad, huh? Nha Trang is a busy little town, especially around this time of year. A lot of tourists from China come down for the holiday, and it’s a huge tourist destination for Russians and expats living nearby. Plus, it’s also Vietnam’s Lunar New Year, year of the goat. What I like is that there are just as many locals, so I felt like I got the full, cultural experience of Vietnam.

nha trang shoreline

nha trang catherdral

nha trang palms

nha tran beach

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bits & Pieces, Travel Tagged With: beach, buddha, chinese new year, compassionate, cruelty free, culture, doc let, fishing village, globetrotting, locals, love, lunar new year, nha trang, peace, pho, plant power, plant-based, plants, rice, tofu, travel, vacation, veg head, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, vietnam, women

Sweet Potato Pudding

January 25, 2015 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Sweet Potato Pudding

Sweet potatoes are one of my new favorite foods here in Beijing (the other being pomelos). They are super cheap and readily available, plus sweet potatoes are easy to prepare and very filling. Not to mention the health benefits. I’ve always loved my mom’s sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving, but I know the recipe included butter, sugar, and eggs – 3 ingredients that pretty much cancel out the good stuff in the sweet potato itself. Last year I attended an amazing vegan workshop held through PCRM (Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine) that focused on how anyone can help prevent and cure cancer through a vegan diet. I came home with some vegan recipes that were so delicious and simple to create, I was in a state of wild and utter happiness. One of those recipes was Sweet Potato Pudding. 5 ingredients, 5 minutes to make, and devoured in about 1 minute!

Before I wow you with this genius recipe, let’s take a quick look at the great health benefits of sweet potatoes:

  • They are a good source of vitamin C, which is necessary in warding off cold and flu viruses, instrumental in bone and tooth formation, digestion, and blood cell formation. It also accelerates wound healing and produces collagen, the substance that maintains skin’s youthful elasticity and helps us cope with stress. Vitamin C has been linked to fighting cancerous toxins as well.
  • They contain vitamin D, which is crucial to the immune system and linked to our energy levels and moods. Vitamin D is essential for building healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth, as well as supporting the thyroid gland.
  • They contain iron, an essential mineral that is responsible for red and white blood cell production, resistance to stress, adequate energy levels, proper immune functioning, and other duties.
  • Sweet potatoes are a good source of magnesium and potassium. Magnesium plays an important role in healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function. It’s also known as the relaxation and anti-stress mineral. Potassium is an electrolyte that regulates heartbeat and nerve signals, and protects and controls the kidneys.
  • Another perk is that the natural sugars in sweet potatoes are slowly released into the bloodstream, which creates a balanced and regular source of energy without the negative side effects associated with other types of sugar, such as weight gain and fatigue.
  • Finally, sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene and other carotenoids, as indicated by their beautiful orange color. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that fight cancer, strengthen our eyesight, and boost our immunity.

I’m impressed not only with the health benefits of sweet potatoes, but the flavor and versatility of them. Take your pick – grilled, baked, roasted, sauteed, pureed, steamed, in soups, stews, salads, or even sweet potato fries. It’s important to note something that I learned from the instructor at my PCRM vegan workshop; be careful not to cook sweet potatoes at ultra high temperatures because it diminishes the nutrients. (this is true of many other vegetables as well). My instructor suggested roasting sweet potatoes in the oven at about 200-250 degrees. It takes longer, but the nutrients remain intact and the natural sugars have more time to simmer and come out, making for an even sweeter sweet potato!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Quick & Easy, Recipes Tagged With: almond milk, breakfast, cinnamon, compassionate, compassionate women, gluten free, health, healthy, love, maple syrup, nutrition, nutritious, organic, pcrm, peace, plant power, plant-based, pudding, recipe, recipes, rolled oats, sweet potato, sweet potato pudding, sweet potato recipes, sweet potatoes, vegan, vegan workshop, vegetarian, women

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HEY THERE! I’M JILLIAN.

I live near Houston, Texas with my rescue dog Stella! I create cruelty-free recipes that are delicious, to demonstrate that it's easy to follow a plant-based lifestyle. Not only are the health and beauty benefits noticeable, but it creates a more sustainable planet and keeps our animal friends safe & happy. In our spare time, Stella and I also love watching movies, reading, snuggling, and taking long walks! LEARN MORE…

SHOW YOUR PITTIE PRIDE! This design was inspired by own rescue pittie, Stella, who defies pit bull stereotypes every day.

pittie power t-shirt

Pittie Power T-Shirt

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Feature-length documentary that uncovers the Jewish history of the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and the customs & traditions the Jewish people there have contributed to.

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compassionatewomen

Compassionate Women
How my Sunday is going 🤩 . . . #beto #texas #te How my Sunday is going 🤩
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#beto #texas #texas🇨🇱 #texasgirl #democrat #democrats #politics #abortionrights #loveislove #pridemonth #pride #pride🌈 #democracy #election #sundayvibes #rally #womanpower #womensrights #futureisfemale #feminism #feminist #vote #votevotevote #veganlife #veganblogger #veganblog #vegansofig #texasblogger
It was fun having having a table for Juneteenth to It was fun having having a table for Juneteenth today! Janet Dudding, who's running for Texas Comptroller, stopped by to say hello. I took over as President of the Texas Democratic Women of the Brazos Valley when she resigned to run for office 💙💙💙
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#juneteenth #brazosvalley #texas #democrats #democrat #womeninspiringwomen #womanpower #womenpower #gotv #vote #femaleempowerment #feminism #politics #volunteer #volunteering #texas🇨🇱 #texasgirl #community #saturday #saturdaymood #saturdayvibes #photooftheday #photo #instadaily
Tried this vegan soup from Gardein for lunch today Tried this vegan soup from Gardein for lunch today. For being store bought (and vegan) I thought it was pretty good! Maybe needed a tad more salt and it wasn't super filling but I would buy it again! It's nice to have more vegan options! 🥣
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#soup #plantbased #crueltyfree #veganfortheanimals #veganlife #veganforlife #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganblogger #veganblog #veganpower #veganeats #vegansofinstagram #vegans #veganshare #veganfood #vegansofig #vegansofinsta #vegan #veganaf #veganlove #vegano #healthyeats #foodblogfeed #foodgram #foodpic #lunch #lunchtime #foodoftheday #foodshare
Just a wee bit hot today, only 100 degrees or so 🥵 but managed to check out a garden maintained by my local university. I bet it's really nice in the spring! 🌸
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#garden #gardendesign #gardeninspiration #gardenlove #gardensofinstagram #greatoutdoors #scenic #plantlove #plants #summer #summertime #sunday #flowers #flowerstagram #flowersofinstagram #veganlife #vegansofinstagram #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #hibiscus #university #texas #texas🇨🇱 #texasgirl #texans #texasblogger #beautiful #nature_perfection #naturelovers #nature_brilliance
Can't stop impulse buying pitbull tshirts 🙈 but Can't stop impulse buying pitbull tshirts 🙈 but the last two benefit a local pittie rescue so.... 🥳🥳 
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#pitbulladvocate #pittie #pitbullmom #pitbullpride #pitbullsofinstagram #pitstagram #pittiesofinstagram #dogsofig #doglife #dogs_of_instagram #doglove #dogmomlife #dogstagram #dogmom #furbaby #animallovers #rescuedogs #dogrescue #pets #petlovers #petlove #petsofig #petstagram #dailydog #instadog #pitties #pitbulllover #tshirts #tiedye #dontbullymybreed
1 fresh pineapple, cut up - 1 can of coconut milk 1 fresh pineapple, cut up - 1 can of coconut milk - and I added about 1/2 teaspoon of an all natural coconut extract I have - blend until smooth. Perfect summer drink! 🍍🥥
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#pineapple #coconut #smoothie #tropical #healthyfood #healthyeats #healthy #glutenfree #recipe #drink #drinkstagram #veganlife #veganrecipes #veganblog #vegansofinstagram #veganshare #vegansofinsta #veganlove #vegetarian #veganism #vegansofig #vegan #foodblogfeed #foodgram #foodblog #foodpics #foodstagram #instayum #yummy #delicious
Vegan lettuce wraps with beyond beef, onions, mush Vegan lettuce wraps with beyond beef, onions, mushrooms, jasmine rice, organic butter lettuce and homemade peanut dipping sauce. So good! 💚
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#veganlife #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganrecipes #veganblogger #veganblog #veganpower #veganeats #vegana #vegandinner #vegansofinstagram #veganfood #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #vegan #veganism #veganlove #glutenfree #healthyfood #healthyeating #foodblogfeed #foodlovers #foodgram #foodblog #foodstagram #foodpics #crueltyfree #dinner #whatsfordinner #yum
Found these at a different store than I normally g Found these at a different store than I normally go to. They are really good! 🍋
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#veganlife #veganfoodshare #veganblogger #veganblog #veganpower #veganeats #vegana #vegansofinstagram #veganshare #vegansofinsta #vegans #vegan #vegansofig #veganism #veganlove #healthyeats #healthyeating #crueltyfree #yogurt #glutenfree #veganfortheanimals #vegantreats #veganfoodlovers #plantbased #foodblogfeed #foodblogger #foodpic #heb
I get my nails painted professionally once or twic I get my nails painted professionally once or twice a year, if at all. I decided that today was the day! 💅
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#nails #nailsofinstagram #nailinspo #nails💅 #nailpolish #nailporn #nailpolish #nailsnailsnails #nailsoftheday #nailsalon #coral #color #pink #treatyoself #nailart #naillove #nailstyle
I made a quick road trip to South Texas to give a I made a quick road trip to South Texas to give a presentation on my documentary. I stopped in Bastrop on the way there and got a giant soft pretzel 🥨 with vegan butter and salt at a vegetarian/vegan cafe. Found some vegan unicorn gummies 🦄 at the Sprouts in McAllen (they were really good!), a big succulent, and visited the Callandret Museum in San Benito, which was the Black school there in the early 20th century. I brought Stella along for the ride, so she could visit the RGV 💜 It was a little bittersweet being back there for the first time because it's where Stella was from. But I got to my visit my former foster girls aka Stella's foster sisters, and I was soooo happy when they remembered me right away! 💗 On our way out, we stopped at La Sal del Rey, one of my favorite places. We were the only ones there and the salt water was fun to wade in 🌊 Wish I could've stayed longer! 
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#vegantreats #veganlife #vegantravel #veganblogger #veganblog #veganpower #vegansofinstagram #vegans #vegansofig #vegan #vegansofinsta #veganism #veganlove #southtexas #texas #texasgirl #roadtrip #roadtrippin #succulent #dogmomlife #dogmom #rgv #vegana #travelgirl #traveldiaries #travelpics #pretzels #texas🇨🇱 #ontheroad #unicorn
I made tofu Panna Cotta with a coconut mango puree I made tofu Panna Cotta with a coconut mango puree 🥥🥭 I loved the Panna Cotta part - it set well (first time using agar agar), tasted very fresh, and had the perfect hint of almond. The puree tasted good but I should've strained it - it had those stringy bits of mango which I don't like - so Cece enjoyed all the puree 🤪
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#veganfortheanimals #vegantreats #veganlife #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganpower #veganblogger #veganblog #veganeats #vegana #vegansofinstagram #vegans #veganfood #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #vegandessert #veganaf #veganism #glutenfree #crueltyfree #desserts #foodblogfeed #foodblogger #foodlovers #foodstagram #foodshare #plantbasednutrition #healthyeating #healthyfood #foodpic
Are you really vegan if you don't saute extra vegg Are you really vegan if you don't saute extra veggies to put on your frozen vegan pizza? 🍕
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#veganfortheanimals #veganlife #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganblogger #veganblog #veganpower #veganeats #vegana #vegans #vegansofinstagram #vegansofinsta #vegansofig #vegan #veganaf #glutenfree #crueltyfree #veganpizza #pizza #veggies #veganlove #veganism #dinner #foodblogfeed #foodlovers #foodgram #foodstagram #foodshare #yum #foodblog
Found this vegan jello at my local health foods st Found this vegan jello at my local health foods store. It's pretty good! 🍓
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#veganlife #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganblogger #veganblog #veganpower #veganeats #vegana #vegansofinstagram #vegans #vegan #vegandessert #vegansofig #veganlove #jello #dessert #crueltyfree #healthyeats #healthyliving #healthyeating #glutenfree #foodblogfeed #foodblogger #foodlovers #desserts #foodgram #foodpics #foodstagram #yum #veganfortheanimals
I love taking care of rescue donkeys, even when I I love taking care of rescue donkeys, even when I find snakes under their water buckets, which is what happened yesterday (baby copperhead we think) 🐍 He was safely relocated and donkey cuddling could commence! ✨
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#donkeysofinstagram #donkey #donkeylove #donkeys #animallovers #animallover #animalsanctuary #animalrescue #animals #rescueanimals #rescue #volunteering #volunteer #greatoutdoors #ranchlife #texasblogger #texasgirl #texas #veganfortheanimals #veganlife #veganblogger #veganpower #furfriends #furbabies #friendsnotfood #farmlife #vegansofig #veganaf #weekend #cuteanimals
Made a vegan chocolate chip banana bread cake toda Made a vegan chocolate chip banana bread cake today 🍌🍫 
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#baking #cake #crueltyfree #dairyfree #veganfood #vegansofinstagram #veganlife #vegan #vegansofig #vegans #veganism #veganfoodshare #vegandessert #vegancake #veganbaking #veganblogger #veganfoodie #veganlove #veganfoodlovers #veganpower #foodpics #foodstagram #bananabread #foodlovers #foodgram #delicious #foodblogger #dessert #cakestagram #yummy
I spent Earth Day weekend camping for the first ti I spent Earth Day weekend camping for the first time! 🌎 But not by myself -- with 11 other women from all over Texas for a yoga & hiking retreat that I decided to organize because I thought it would be fun ⛺️ We were all strangers and yet we got along great, and I admire their adventurous spirits! Cece had a lot of fun too. This was a completely new experience for her as well, and I think she did great considering she was totally out of her comfort zone. Already starting to plan my next camping trip! 😃
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#camping #campinglife #campvibes #hikinglife #hikingtrails #hikingwithdogs #hiking #hikingadventures #hike #hikersofinstagram #greatoutdoors #nature #retreat #yoga #yogagirl #yogalife #yogalove #yogadaily #texas #texas🇨🇱 #texasblogger #texasgirl #outdoorliving #outdoors #scenic #naturegram #naturelovers #veganlife #veganblogger #veganblog
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