I have been hearing much debate about this topic, but most have claimed that oreos are in fact actually already vegan. For the sake of this blog post, I decided to take a look around to confirm this. Peta UK and Huffington Post, two I would deem as reputable sources of information, both included this fact in their 44 Accidentally Vegan Snack Foods and 12 Surprising Vegan Foods posts, respectively. However,
Oreo UK states in their FAQ page that "oreo is not suitable for vegans as they have the cross contact of milk." I could not find a statement from the US branch of the company but I did see that oreos contain
palm oil, and that was a red flag to turn away.
Regardless if they are or not, in the end, we shouldn't be eating this 'food'. Just take a look at the ingredients:
sugar, unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, high oleic canola and palm oil), cocoa, high fructose corn syrup, leavening, cornstarch, salt, soy lecithin, vanillin (artificial flavor) and chocolate. Hell to the no thank you.
My ingredients are not only simple, but also contain whole food ingredients, stuff that you can pronounce, identify, and benefit from consuming.
Quick, flavorful and easy, what more could you want?
I must say that I am biased to anything with roasted red peppers in it, especially when made fresh, but trust me when I say that this hummus is the real deal, and just so happens to be good for ya.
Last Wednesday was my last day of my short summer vacation, and what better way to spend it than laying lazy in bed all day and vegging out before all of that stress that was to come with school. I am now in my very last year at my university, and come June of next year, I will be graduated with a degree in Nutritional Science, woot woot, FINALLY! 
Last week, when I decided to make a homemade oil-free roasted red pepper hummus, I realized that I could easily roast my own red peppers at home for the recipe in under 30 minutes! Not only did I avoid the extra salt and preservatives they are often packaged with, but I also made available a new ingredient in my kitchen that I can use for so many future recipes.
Not only were these peppers awesome for the hummus (coming soon, btw!), but they also could be used in soups, sauces, sandwiches, wraps, diced into a grain dish or salad, added atop a pizza or simply tossed with herbs and spices for a delicious side dish! 
There's always a sense of comfort that comes along with enjoying thick a slice of banana bread and a tall glass of {non-dairy} milk. It's to me like sitting in front of a warm fire on a cold winter's night (if you would even consider there to be a 'winter' here in LA).
The problem with most other banana bread recipes is that they contain dairy, eggs, refined sugar, and oil -- things that I do not consume or include in what I consider a healthy diet. So, I decided not only to veganize this nostalgic recipe, but to also be sure it is a healthy version that I could guiltlessly consume and enjoy.
So here it is, a healthy banana bread that is vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, oil-free and yet still comforting & delicious. The ingredient list on this recipe is also relatively simple, I promise! 
For the first time ever last week, I was out with food poisoning! I always knew it was an unpleasant experience from the looks of others, but I never knew it would be this taxing on me, mentally and physically. I unfortunately had to spend a short while in the hospital, and they deemed the illness to be food poisoning coupled with a bacterial infection and from these, fever. What was weird is that I felt ill Wednesday, recovered with a small headache on Thursday, and when Friday rolled around, I could not even get myself to open my eyes! It took a 360 real quick and I had to head to the hospital because of it. We had no clue what had caused my illness, and at this point I really don't have the urge to try and figure that out, I am just glad that I am passed that terrible, terrible, did I say TERRIBLE experience.
The first thing I do right when I was well the following Monday? Get into the damn kitchen again and make myself some food that's what! 
A lot of people claim that green smoothies are too complex to be included in their morning routines, but I argue the opposite! Green smoothies can be made with complexity or extremely simplistic, it is all up to you. You really do not have to rely on any recipe, as I encourage you to get creative in the kitchen and include flavors YOU love <3
Today I am sharing two flavors that I myself enjoy and I encourage you to try them out. One recipe is simple, while the other is a bit more complex. Whether you follow these recipes exactly to the T or draw inspiration from them, the fact that you will be creating a green smoothie is what makes me happy.