Vegetarian Zen: Nutrition, Recipes, Cooking Tips, Natural Remedies & More For Vegetarians, Vegans, & The Veg-curious.

When most people think of chickpeas, they think of hummus which is something many of us are familiar with. They also think of healthy food but do you know what the specific health benefits of chickpeas are?   In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we’re going to discuss chickpeas. More specifically, we’ll discuss what they are, what are the health benefits of chickpeas and we’ll also share some chickpea recipes brought to you by our Peas and Carrots Society.

As we’ve discussed many times on the show, food labeling needs a BIG-TIME redo. Going to the grocery store and trying to decipher labels can become an exercise in frustration since many companies intentionally try to mislead us, the consumer. Egg labeling is no exception. In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we’re going to help demystify some of those confusing egg labels. We’ll discuss, cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised eggs and provide you with some tips for choosing eggs that are humane to the animals as well as kind to the planet.

Dr. Tumi Johnson is an Integrative Holistic medical doctor.  She is board certified in Internal Medicine and is also a diplomat of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. 

CBD Oil is something I had heard about but hadn’t really done much research into until we discovered our dog, Cosmo, is having some issues with his leg. The issue may require surgery so as with anything, Larissa and I do a lot of research and due diligence before we make any big decisions especially when it comes to the well-being of our furry kids. I wrote a post on Facebook asking my friends and family for veterinarians they would recommend to provide us with a second opinion and a could of friends asked me if I had looked into CBD oil to help Cosmo with his pain. Since I didn’t know much about it, I started to research it further and discovered that many people are using CBD oil for a variety of reasons. In this episode of our podcast, we discuss CBD Oi. More specifically, what is it, how it works, how it’s used, is it legal, and potential risks for humans and pets. Please always consult your doctor or vet before taking or administering any supplements!   

Fake meat, yes it actually makes some people very angry! Why? I was really curious about this after having read some angry comments on a Tweet where someone shared a picture of a vegan brisket. While most of those comments were simply irrational people just looking to argue, I really wanted to know why something as simple as a fake brisket could spark such outrage. In this episode, we’ll share four primary criticisms along with a few speaking points should you ever find yourself in need of explaining fake meat to anyone….not that you need to!

Recently there seems to be an explosion of the number of vegan athletes who are grabbing headlines by crushing the competition in their respective sports and who cite their vegan plant-based diets as a significant competitive edge. In this episode of our podcast, we’re going to discuss this trend of athletes going vegan, some tips for how they ensure a balanced diet, and we will also provide you with a few resources to get you motivated with respect to eating foods that fuel your body for sports or just help keep you active.

In today’s episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast, we’re going to provide you with a high level summary of the Forks Over Knives online course and how it’s broken down (in case you missed episode 265) and I’m also going to discuss my top 5 take-aways from the course.

When Larissa and I first became vegetarians 5 years ago, vegan clothing was VERY different than it is today. What we mean by that is that the offerings were very slim and quite honestly, not that attractive.  Back in episode 180 of our podcast (Nov 2016) we published an episode titled, “All about Vegan Fashion”. However over the years, much like the trends we’ve seen in plant-based foods, there is a growing demand for clothing, furniture, and other products that are made without any animal products. That means, a LOT has changed since November 2016! In today’s episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we discuss: What is “Vegan clothing” for those who may be new to this concept Some reasons why vegan clothing in fashion is on the rise today. Some brands that are exclusively vegan or have vegan offerings.

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast, we’re going to share 10 meal planning tips that can help you stay on target with your health and financial goal.

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) can but challenging enough to manage in itself but as a vegan or vegetarian it can be even more challenging. In this episode, we discuss IBS, why IBS can be particularly challenging for vegans and vegetarians, and how an approach called the low FODMAP plan can help you manage IBS.In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast, we discuss the Low FODMAP Plan for Vegans and Vegetarians with IBS.

Trader Joe's is a popular store for many folks within our Vegetarian Zen community. Why? Maybe it's because of the great Vegan Trader Joe's offerings! In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, Larissa and I share our very first legit visit to Trader Joe’s. We say “legit” because we were on a mission to do our weekly shopping exclusively from Trader Joe's armed with a list of Vegan and Vegetarian Trader Joe’s must-try’s from our Peas and Carrots Society. What did we try? Find out in this episode! 

In today’s episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we’re going to discuss 8 ways that you can help animals in your community.

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, The Peas and Carrots Society present, 5 of their Favorite Veg Cookbooks!

Back in episode 78 we did our first episode on plant milks titled “The Delicious World of Plant Milks” and in a recent episode 253, we talked specifically about peanut milk. In today’s episode, we are going to discuss the plant based milk industry overall and where it seems to be headed. Hint: We think you are going to like where it’s headed! As an added bonus, we’re going to give you 5 tips to help contribute to this growing trend of reducing dairy in your diet.

In early June, I started a Forks Over Knives Cooking Course in an effort to get more creative and knowledgeable in the kitchen. Not having enough variety in our meals has caused Larissa and I to drift back into some old bad habits like relying on a lot of processed foods and even fast food. I wanted to take charge of finding ways to come up with different meals while learning and enjoying the process.

  Many Americans enjoy this time of year because it means BASEBALL. While we don’t follow a team, we do love getting outside and enjoying the activity of being at a ballpark with people, watching sports, and eating some good food. Before we became vegetarians, we ate burgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, and things of […] The post VZ 264: Eating Vegan at the Ballpark appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

  When we hit a financial rough patch it’s easy to cut back on non-essential expenses like extra cable channels or dining out. But sometimes that’s not enough and budgeting enough for basic food expenses can become a challenge. In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we’ll share some tips for affordable plant based […] The post VZ 263: Tips for Affordable Plant Based Eating appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

  We have recently started including aromatherapy using essential oils as part of our monthly massages and we both love it. In this episode of the Vegetarian Podcast, we discuss the basics of essential oils–what they as well as some benefits and risks associated with their use.   Thanks for tuning in to this episode […] The post VZ 262: Essential Oils 101 appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

  In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we springboard off of a post in our closed Facebook group, The Peas and Carrots Society, about how to know if you’re eating because you’re hungry, or if you’re just bored. We share some information about how to distinguish actual physical hunger from the desire to […] The post VZ 261: Are You Really Hungry…Or Just Bored? appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.