Tasty and Easy Mother's Day Vegan Brunch Recipe Ideas

With Mother's Day right around the corner, and with no interest in eating brunch in a crowded restaurant that day, I'm sampling a bunch of easy to prepare vegan recipes. 

I aim to decide which one I'll serve to celebrate myself on Mother's Day.

If the recipes pass my flavor test, I'll gladly incorporate them into my collection of healthy, homemade plant-based recipes I serve to family and friends.

I invite you along. Perhaps you'll discover a dish or two you can take to the bank.  

I've narrowed it down to foods that are simple to make, have healthful ingredients, and rate high in good taste and satisfaction. 

Tasty and Easy Mother's Day Vegan Brunch Recipe Ideas

First up is Sarah McMinn the food blogger at My Darling Vegan. She shows us how to make a mouthwatering version of Classic Vegan French Toast. Strawberries add eye appeal and increases the health benefit. 

Photo Credit Sarah McMinn at My Darling Vegan

Next up is Alison Andrews, the blogger at 

Loving It Vegan, who shares luscious Vegan Quiche. Her recipe is high in plant-based protein and contains mushrooms and spinach, two of my favorite ingredients.

Photo Credit Jaye at Loving it Vegan

Nava Atlas, the cookbook author  and creative food blogger at The Vegan Atlas shares 

 Spring Grain Bowls with Edamame, Bok Choy and Oranges. This dish can be made with any grain you have handy, and has big flavor and wellness appeal.

Photo Credit Nava Atlas at The Vegan Atlas

Monique, the food blogger at Ambitious Kitchen shares a fabulous dish, Vegan Pasta Primavera with Creamy Garlic Cashew Sauce. 

It's a great way to eat many veggies, and young and old alike will love its creamy, deceivingly non-decadent dairy free sauce.

Photo Credit Monique at Ambitious Kitchen

I love crunchy, colorful salads. That's why I've included a special Vegan Cobb Salad from the Vegan Food Blogger Julie West at the Simple Veganista. It is yummy, simple to make, and has healthy ingredients.

Photo Credit Julie West at The Simple Veganista

Last but not least is my recipe for

The Best Vegan Avocado Toast

by Nancy Andres

Avocado toast with arugula salad

Avocados get a warm reception at my house. This green super fruit is sensually delicious, and research shows avocados are a powerful source of antioxidants and nutrients, including healthy unsaturated fat. 

    The Best Vegan Avocado Toast

Avocado toast is so versatile, it's ideal for Mother's Day breakfast, lunch, brunch, or dinner. It's colorful, tasty, and healthy too.

Ingredients:

4 slices whole grain bread or gluten free bread

1 large avocado or 2 small ones, halved and pitted

2 teaspoons fresh chopped basil or parsley

½ lemon juiced

1 teaspoon extra virgin cold pressed olive oil

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Optional Toppings: salsa, chopped or sliced tomato, chopped scallion, organic strawberries, organic raspberries, organic blueberries, toasted white sesame seeds, and/or any herbs or spices you enjoy.

What to do:

1.Toast bread in a toaster or toaster oven.

2. Cut avocado in half lengthwise. Remove the pit, and use a spoon to scoop out avocado pulp into a medium sized mixing bowl.

3. Then mix avocado with parsley or basil, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

4. Mash ingredients from step 3 together, using the side of a fork or potato masher. 

5. Divide avocado mixture into 4 parts and spread onto the toast. Place  a quarter of the optional topping on each slice of toast. Bon appétit. Serves 2. 👍

This post has been so much fun to do, and it's almost the end of my ode to Mother's Day Vegan Brunch Recipes. 

Truth be told. I can't decide which wonderful recipe to savor on Mother's Day. They all are fabulous.

Please don't forget to comment below. What recipes sound good to you? 

Do you have a favorite vegan brunch food idea that you'd like to share? Please do.

No links in your comment please, as it won't be published that way.

Wishing you and yours a Happy Mother's Day. Please stay safe and well!

For additional ideas see:

Tips to Help You Beat Mother's Day Blues

Colorful, Tasty Tucson Tacos

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Tips to Help You Use Cool Spring and Summer Colors to Relax

Want to know which colors can help you reduce stress and convert tension to calm this spring and summer?

 You're in luck. Keep on reading to discover which cool shades of blue, green, and purple help you really relax.

Tips  to Help You Use Cool Spring and Summer Colors to Relax 

TIP #1

Cool color tones work at the cellular level to evoke the relaxation response. A key reason they work so well is cool tones are ones found in nature. Cool color wavelengths are shorter than warm colored ones. Cool shades appear to recede, when seen by the human eye. This makes cool colored objects or spaces feel larger and more open. See more about color psychology principles here. 

Try this. Observe what happens when you envision water, sky, sea, or vegetation. Recall a pleasurable time you've spent in the great outdoors. Then, notice whether the mere thought of your hike, boat ride, botanical garden visit, or as a witness to a magnificent sunset melts stress away.

TIP#2

Be mindful of the colors you choose to include in your home and office. 

When you place lilac flowers in a purple vase or display a rhododendron plant in a cobalt blue flower pot, each cool color vibrates peaceful energy to help you slow down and breathe easier. 

TIP #3

Paint the living room or family room walls with cool toned pastels like baby blue, lilac, or mint to create a calming, relaxing effect. 

Neutrals including soft white, sand beige, and blue-gray can also encourage you to feel serene. Avoid paint colors or wallpaper that is too bold, busy, or frenetic. It can increase your stress level. 

Tip #4

When you are selective and limit the variety of colors and amount of furniture, rugs, drapes, and lamps in your living space, your abode will have a unified, minimalistic feel.  

Learn to simplify home décor to make daily living easier during the lazy, hazy days of spring and summer. For more on this topic read Ways to Welcome and Embrace White Space. 

Tips#5

Consider updating your bedroom colors for spring and summer. Sleep experts agree. Soft blue, the most popular bedroom wall color, is soothing and many hues of blue are well liked by both sexes. 

Envisioning cool colors as you enter your bedroom can settle you down. Think blue, pale purple, or soft green as you climb into bed, and let cool colors soothe you as you drift off into a good night's sleep.

Tips # 6

Cool shades of aquamarine, pink, lavender, forest green, night sky blue, and gray/silver evoke thoughts of summer sunrises, cool breezes, summer rain, and relaxation. 

Pair any of these muted tones with light neutrals and dusty blue or beige to freshen up guest bedroom bedding.
 

Tip #7

Take advantage of green energy. It is a combination of cool blue and vibrant yellow, and is a cool-hued color that helps open your heart for good health and abundance.

Visualize breathing in restorative green energy to reduce anxiety, and promote healing. Green is the color of the Heart Chakra, and learning how to tune into its power will help you feel more balanced and refreshed this spring and summer.

Tip #8

Don cool colors and lightweight fabrics to dress comfortably for the season. Get fresh ideas for fashion trend colors and outfits for spring summer 2021 here.

Just remember, color preferences are subjective and personal. Find and wear those colors that flatter your skin undertone, hair and eye color, and/or personality. When you feel good in the clothes you wear it's reflected in a winning smile. 👍

Please comment below. Share about colors that make you think spring and summer. 

How are you going to update your home, office, or wardrobe for spring and summer?

Please use no links in comments. They won't be published that way.

If you like what you see, please visit my Website . I offer health and wellness resources, and show you ways my writing services can reduce stress for you.

Thanks for visiting and please come back again. 💙💚💜

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Water Conservation Tips to Save Money and Green Daily Living

 

Would you like to save money on your water bill, as well as GREEN daily living? 

I am concerned about the world's diminishing supply of safe, affordable water, and the adverse effects  water pollution and misuse has on all living things. 

That's why I’ve been studying simple, economical ways to reduce water consumption, and speak out about why it's key to conserve this precious natural resource right now! 

If we do our share and act eco-smart today, we can influence the quality of life on the planet for generations to come.

I was disheartened to read a report posted by UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO). 

It indicates 1 in 3 people on our planet don’t have safe drinking water and more than half of the world population has no access to water necessary for adequate sanitation services.

In light of this news, I encourage you to take a few moments to read easy, inexpensive water conservation ideas and tips that can help all of us live more sustainably.

Don't underestimate your power and take into account small, budget-sized actions that can prevent or correct water waste. 

Consider this. Water is an important element in food production. It is essential for crop irrigation, as well as to provide drinking water for humans and all living things.

Water is necessary for industries including oil, gas, and car manufacturing, and plastic and chemical production.

When companies or individuals don't dispose of waste products properly, or radioactive material and other contaminants accidentally or uncaringly land in landfills and groundwater, we all face the consequences. 

If pesticides are used in gardening or farming on crops or for weed control, those hazardous chemicals can also seep into underground soil and eventually enter reservoirs and drinking water.

If we don't  clean this vicious cycle up, we can expect more and more illness, starvation and water deprivation, poverty, wars, and death. 

Keep on Reading to Find Hope

Money-Saving Water Usage Tips to Green Daily Living

1. Temperatures usually climb as we go from spring to summer, and we need something to quench thirst and rehydrate our bodies. 

Make your beverage of choice tap water, and it will cost less than a penny per  glass. 

If you prefer, drink tap water that has been filtered. There are many low cost water filtration methods so do some footwork and find one that fits into your budget. 

Water does a terrific job of restoring fluids lost though sweating, breathing, metabolism, and elimination. 

This spring and onward, keep a pitcher of fresh water in the refrigerator. This simple conservation measure allows you to have water handy, and avoids having to run water down the drain, each time you want a cool drink.

2. Bottled water generally is no cleaner, safer, or healthier than tap water or filtered tap water. 

The federal government is more rigorous and does more frequent safety testing and monitoring of municipal drinking water than bottled water. 

For information about rating water quality read Guide to Safe Tap Water and Water Filters.

3. Reach for a reusable stainless steel or glass water bottle, instead of a one-use plastic bottle or even a reusable plastic one. Nix plastic straws as well. Be a power of example for your family as well.

Our landfills overflow with plastics that don't biodegrade. Plastic particles that are found in every plastic item are dumped legally or illegally. Plastic elements can seep into the ground and be carried into our water supply. 

A new study reported online by NPR indicates that even if plastic water bottles, plastic bags, and the like don't contain BPA, most plastic products release estrogenic chemicals.

When these particles are ingested by humans, animals, or sea creatures or plastic gets entangled with seals, fish, and turtles it can cause serious health and safety issues, and sometimes death. See more from the Smithsonian website here.

Another study traced plastic particles all the way into human tissue. See a report  from the American Chemical Society now and read this one too to better understand why this is a looming health hazard.

Here in the U.S. the plastic bottle industry meets America’s demand for bottled water by using more than 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel 1.3 million cars for a year. 

That figure doesn't include the cost of oil needed for bringing those bottles to market and the dollars spent on transportation to get plastic bottles into your home or office. 

When we drink eight glasses of water a day from the tap, it costs about 49 cents per year; that same amount of bottled water is about $1,400.

4. Monitor your water bill monthly. Watch for sudden spikes in use, which may indicate an undetected leak. If you suspect a leak, find it and fix it right away.

Did you know a leaky shower that drips 10 drips per minute wastes 500 gallons per year?

Fix the leak and install a water saving shower head. Cut the time you spend in the shower by a minute a day, until you have a routine to clean yourself without using excess water.  

A faucet that leaks at the rate of one drop per second, can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water a year.

Replace worn out toilet parts with water-saving ones and fix toilet leaks. 

If you can afford it, replace current toilet fixtures with low flow ones to save up to 13,000 gallons of water per year. 

When you compare the price of water to the cost of installing a new energy efficient toilet you'll understand what a big savings low-flow toilets can be.

5. An easy way to assure your home doesn't have any hidden leaks is to record the number on the water meter during a time when water isn't being used. Recheck in two hours, and if the meter has changed out of proportion to water usage, you've got a leak. 

Do your own detective work or call in a plumber to search for you.

6. Brush your teeth mindfully to prevent dental problems, and save water as well. See dental hygiene tips at How to conserve water while brushing your teeth.

7. Rethink how often you use your dishwasher. You may not know it, but even though dishwashing has the rep for being more ec0-friendly than hand washing dishes, the savings in water doesn't hold true if you run only partial loads or rinse the dishes by hand before putting them in the dishwasher. 

8. If you hand wash, it's still possible to conserve. Simply fill one basin with soapy water to wash, and a second basin with clear water to rinse.

9. Keep the cost of cleaning clothes down by considering this: ENERGY STAR certified clothes washers use about 25% less energy and 33% less water than regular washing machines. To learn more about savings see this.

10. Take water conservation into your garden. Find ways to cut back on water usage. One idea is to set up a Xeriscape landscape plan. This is a type of garden design requiring little of no irrigation or maintenance. Plant native, drought resistant plants to hold soil in place, offer shade, and not be water guzzlers. 

11. Water during morning or evening hours. Consider saving for a drip irrigation system, especially if you live in an area that's experiencing drought conditions. Read The Benefits of Drip Irrigation.

12. Keep an eye on state, national, and global environmental policy. Get vocal and participate in letter writing campaigns, phone calls, rallies, and voting. Join together in groups such as 350.org, Greenpeace, and World vision clean water campaign. 

Help make the climate change movement seen, heard, and bigger than the climate crisis.

There are many ways to be proactive. Please read more about this topic on my blog, online, in the press, and in books.  

Donate to those civic, religious, or social action groups who make this issue a priority. 

Screen films (streaming on Netflix) including "Brave Blue World." This documentary explores solutions to the global water crisis. 

View the film, "I am Greta," that is now streaming on Hulu. Get inspired as you see how one teenager is making a BIG difference. The trailer is here.

Eat less meat and more veggies and fruit. See reasons why going plant-based conserves water and is good for health here.

Support candidates that have a sound  policy of environmental protection. If there are few, consider going into politics yourself.

Please let us know, in the comments section below, which things you'll be tweaking to conserve more water. 

Which new ideas have inspired you?

If you already do everything I mention or more, please let me know that too.

No links in comments please, as they won't be published that way.

Celebrate Earth Day each day of the year, and please let us know any additional eco-friendly tips that have saved money and greened daily living.

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Tips to Update Passover with Plant-based Recipes and Ideas

Photo credit Nancy Andres

When I host a Seder this spring, you can bet we'll retell the Passover story and feast on foods that feature whole food plant-based ingredients.

Passover is a festive Jewish holiday that starts this year at sundown on March 27, 2021 and ends the night of April 4th. 

Jews from around the world will gather in their homes to mark Passover in many ways.

Our gathering will be with our immediate family. One consolation of the pandemic is than even during lockdown, we can send Happy Pesach Wishes and see loved ones via Zoom, Facetime, or Skype.

The Passover story is outlined below. It shows which foods are a big part of Seder rituals, and identifies which plant-based products veganize the traditional animal-based ones. 

Discover Passover whole food plant-based recipes that are colorful, flavorful, healthy, and fun to eat. 

Do you want to learn more about Jewish culture or want to refresh your memory? There's something for you as well.

This blog highlights recipes that are low fat, low refined sugar, and low sodium. Each can easily transform ingredients including eggs, brisket, chicken soup, and capon into healthier vegan ones. 

An eating plan that uses unprocessed vegan foods is good for our health and the environment.

Eating no animal products is a great way to reduce our carbon footprint and prevent cruelty to animals as well. See more at PETA.

Note: Although foods including tofu, lentils, and quinoa may not be considered suitable to eat for Passover by some Jews, I believe these things are an update for better nutrition. They include nutrients I need to stay healthy. I prefer to eat them holiday or not.

The Passover Story and Recipes

Please understand, you don't have to be Jewish or vegan to explore them.

Passover commemorates the Hebrews’ Exodus from Egypt, and our peoples’ journey from slavery to freedom.

At the Seder, a ceremonial event/meal which takes place on the first night or first two nights of the holiday, those gathered round the table read portions of the Haggadah.

The Haggadah is a guide that sets out the rituals and steps in the re-telling of the Exodus story. It originally comes from the Jewish Bible, in the Biblical Book of Exodus. 

Our story starts in ancient Egypt, where a particularly hostile pharaoh orders the enslavement of the Jewish people, as well as the systematic drowning of all Hebrew firstborn sons.

The pharaoh's daughter spies and rescues one baby she sees floating down the Nile. 

When this baby (Moses) grows up he discovers his true identity as a Hebrew. He also recalls the Egyptians' harsh treatment of his people.

Moses kills the Egyptian slave master and escapes to the Sinai Peninsula, where he lives as a humble shepherd for 40 years.

Let my People Go.

One day, however, Moses receives a command from God to return to Egypt and free his people from slavery.

At first, the pharaoh refuses to let the Israelites go. Here are words to the song that describes the Israelites' plight.

As a result, God unleashes 10 plagues on the Egyptians including turning water to blood, boils, locusts, darkness, and death to all firstborns. 

At the Seder we re-tell an important part of the Passover story as described below.

This quote comes from the American Jewish World Service Website. 

"We spill drops of wine from our cups, mourning the suffering the Egyptians endured so that we could be free. This year, as these drops spread across our plates, let us turn our hearts toward the millions of people around the world suffering today’s plagues of hatred, prejudice, baseless violence and war."

Only then do the Egyptians convince the pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. 

                     Illustration from Pixabay has been altered

Moses guides his people to the Red Sea, but the pharaoh's army pursues them.

A miracle occurs, and the Red Sea parts long enough for the Jews to get across. The passage closes and the Egyptians drown.

The Haggadah is a book that serves as the guide to retelling the Passover story and outlines particular blessings, traditions, and symbolic foods for Seder and Seder Plate.

Passover celebrations may vary from home to home, country to country, and some customs are based on whether we are orthodox or not, and which part of the world our ancestors were born.

A staple at a Vegan Seder is Matzo, Matzoh, or Matzah. No matter which spelling you prefer, make sure it isn't egg matzo. That isn't vegan.

Matzo doesn't go on the Seder plate, but plays an important part in the ceremony. Matzo symbolizes the unleavened bread eaten when the Israelites fled Egypt, and didn't have time to bake leavened bread. 

We abstain from eating leavened bread throughout the holiday, and eat no food that is leavened (chametz). 

Maror, a portion of bitter herbs, which can be horseradish, romaine lettuce, celery, or cilantro signifies the bitterness of slavery. The Seder plate pictured above and credited to me contains celery, because I couldn't find a fresh horseradish in the market. 

Look below at a picture of horseradish. It tastes spicy and wonderful when you peel it, wash it, grate it, and combine it with a few drops of olive oil, teaspoon of black pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice.

Haroset or charoset are two spellings for the chopped nuts, apples, and grape juice or wine mixture on the Seder plate. It represents the mortar used to build the pyramids in Egypt, while the Hebrews were in bondage.

Karpas or parsley is a symbol of spring and the initial flourishing of the Hebrews during Joseph's time (before slavery in Egypt) and today as free people. 

Zeroa or Z'roa, which is a roasted beet, in lieu of a shank bone, represents the sacrifice made the night the Hebrews fled Egypt. 

Beitzah, is an avocado pit, white eggplant, wooden egg, or seeds instead of an egg, to symbolize the circle of life, spring, new beginnings, and hope. 

Now on to the Recipes...

The first one comes from Nava Atlas at the Vegan Atlas. She's a fabulous food blogger and cookbook author. Her recipe is for Ashkenazi Haroset for the Passover Seder.

Photo Credit Nava Atlas

Here's a link for vegan Cream of Leek and Asparagus Soup from Nichole Milak at VegKitchen. See uses these scrumptious ingredients for Passover, and her recipe has no cream or other fattening animal products.  

Next up is Judee Algazi, the Real Food Blogger at Gluten Free A-Z. Her recipe is a colorful main dish that's suitable for any holiday or weekday meal. See Vegan Stuffed Roasted Peppers. 

Photo Credit Judee Algazi

Next up is my recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Enjoy it at a Passover Seder or eat this nutrient dense savory side dish in-season in spring or fall. 

Photo Credit Nancy Andres

To finish off the meal on a sweet note try one of these...

One Ingredient Vegan Banana Ice Cream

Fudgy No Bake Brownies

I've shared my take on the Passover Story and what to put on the Seder Plate, and posted mouthwatering whole food plant-based recipe ideas.

Please comment about them at the link below (no link in your comment as it won't be published that way). 

I'd appreciate re-shares on social media to share the love. 

Don't forget to visit the blogger sites included above and leave comments there as well.

Wishing you Happiness and Health in Every Season. 

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