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Learn how to make 4 different vegan salad dressing recipes using simple ingredients! There's a dressing for everyone here - from a fruity vinaigrette to a creamy balsamic! SMOKY MAPLE MUSTARD serves 1 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard 2 drops Liquid Smoke 4-5 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce Whisk all of the ingredients together with a fork or shake vigorously in a mason jar. FRUITY VINAIGRETTE serves 1 3 tbsp Fruit Jam (any flavor you like) 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar Water (if needed to thin out) Whisk all of the ingredients together with a fork or shake vigorously in a mason jar. EVERYDAY TAHINI serves 1 1/4 cup tahini Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon miso paste 1 teaspoon garlic powder Pinch of pepper 1/4 cup (or more) water to thin out if desired Whisk all of the ingredients together with a fork or shake vigorously in a mason jar. CREAMY BALSAMIC serves 1 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons tahini 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Juice of 1 whole lemon 1 teaspoon maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Salt & pepper to taste Water (if needed to thin out) Whisk together all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. If dressing is too thick, add a splash or two of water.

These Mason Jar Salads are an easy make-ahead meal, topped with hearty roasted sweet potatoes and protein-rich quinoa. They make a convenient packed lunch for the week, or a fast weeknight dinner! This make-ahead salad recipe features several warming salad toppers, including oven roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, and a spicy orange-ginger dressing. The combination is totally addictive, and you can prepare all the cooked toppings ahead of time for a convenient option all week long. INGREDIENTS 2 cups sweet potatoes , cut into 1-inch chunks 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup quinoa, cooked 1/2 head cabbage, shredded 2 cups carrots, shredded 4 cups mixed greens 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed 1 cup sunflower seeds 4 quart-sized mason jars INSTRUCTIONS 1) Preheat the oven to 400ºF and arrange the potatoes into a single layer on the pan. 2) Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil. 3) Add the cinnamon, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss the seasonings in the oil. 4) Roast until tender, about 20 minutes. 5) While the potatoes are in the oven, cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. 6) While the potatoes and quinoa cook, chop the cabbage and greens. Shred the carrots 8) While the potatoes and quinoa are cooking, prepare your salad dressing of choice. 7) You can serve the salad right away with the warm toppings, but for a make-ahead meal, allow the sweet potatoes and quinoa to cool before assembling the mason jars. (So that they don't steam the other veggies.) 9) To assemble the salads, add a 1/4 cup of dressing to the bottom of a mason jar. 10) Then add the shredded cabbage, carrots, 1/3 cup black beans, cooked quinoa, sweet potatoes, leafy greens and sunflower seeds on top. 11) Seal with a lid and store the salads in the fridge until ready to serve, up to 5 days. 12) When ready to serve, shake the jar to help distribute the dressing, then dump the jar into a large bowl and serve immediately.

Using Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen app,has been a wonderful experience. It has forced me to think about each potential meal and making it healthier. Also, it is satisfying to check the boxes daily, lol. Linked below are videos explaining the Daily Dozen concept and app. Also, see the links to download the app for iPhone and Android. Stay tuned for a Daily Dozen challenge! Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen Checklist Video https://youtu.be/MqmSMunAtss Daily Dozen Challenge Video https://youtu.be/TRypS5hDGEw iPhone App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dr-gregers-daily-dozen/id1060700802?mt=8 Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.nutritionfacts.dailydozen&hl=en_US

Below are the many benefits that I have personally experienced since changing my diet to plant-based. It is my prayer that you start your wellness journey. I hope you find the video and blog encouraging. Dry Scalp As long as I can remember, I have always had a very dry scalp, excessive dandruff and lots of itching. Since changing my diet, I no longer experience this. I can wear dark tops without a mountain of dandruff accompanying it. Menstrual Cramps Since starting my period at age 9, I have experienced debilitating cramps. I routinely have missed school or work due to the pain severity. This is no longer the case. I have a normal life. I no longer spend days each month in bed in pain and exhausted. This unexpected change happened once I eliminated animal products from my diet. Now, I cannot imagine going back to a painful life of heavy bleeding and cramping. Healthy Food Cravings I've always had a major sweet tooth. I even went to cooking school and became a pastry chef. Now, I no longer desire fatty, sugary foods. Eating healthy plant-based foods, I am satiated and can easily turn down unhealthy options. Natural Weight-Loss To date, I have lost 46 pounds without any effort. The pounds just fell off and have stayed off. I do not worry about regaining weight because I make healthy food choices. Prior to changing my diet, I have typically gone up and down the scale. I have never consistently lost weight over a span of a year in my lifetime. Though I did not initially change my diet to lose weight, I am happy with the "side-effect" of it. Aches & Pains From my late twenties into my thirties, I often experienced seemingly random body aches. I thought it was to be expected as I age. However, I have not experienced any body aches in the past year. I did not even realize at first. When your body begins healing itself and you experience how life should be each day, the thought of going back to anything other than pain-free is unpalatable. I am truly grateful being pain-free. No More Naps! I am naturally energized. I do not consume energy drinks or coffee. I have natural energy for the first time in my life. It is so freeing! PCOS I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 23 years old. It was the primary factor in my very long, heavy and painful periods. My fibroids were the size of lemons and golf balls. My doctors encouraged me to have fibroid surgery so I could get some normalcy. Surgery scared me. I did not want to do it. ~6 months after eating a plant-based diet, I went to my regularly scheduled doctor appointment and saw how my fibroids shrunk dramatically. They were pea size and smaller. My doctor was blown away and happy for me. She encouraged me to stay on the path. I am anxious to see if they are completely gone. I'll provide an update when I get the results. Hypothyroidism I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at 20. I have been taking thyroid medications daily since the diagnosis. For the past year, I have been off of the medications. My levels are normal. More importantly, I feel amazing! Facial Hair I produced very high amounts of testosterone. My levels averaged 350 ng/dL. A normal range for women is 15-70 ng/dL. I therefore produced a lot of chin hair. I hated it. It man me feel mannish. I had to pluck chin hair daily. Now, this is no longer the case. I get ~3 hairs on my chin now. Skin My skin is no longer dry and I no longer have hyper-pigmentation. Everything is even and free of acne. Poop! If I eat 3x per day, I poop 3x per day. There is no effort when eliminating and barely a smell. Nails After a lifetime of flimsy nails, my nails are strong now. It is a new experience that I am appreciating! Ear Wax Buildup As long as I can remember, I have had excessive ear wax. I did not know the root cause of it as I never went to a doctor for it. All I know is that I no longer have leaky, waxy ears. Low Iron At 20, I was told I have an iron deficiency and I needed to take an iron supplement. I was always freezing cold and tired. For the past year, I no longer needed the supplement. Depression Depression is a monster. It can take you places you would never expect. I have struggled for many years with depression. I am not claiming to be depression-free, however, I have not been nearly as low as I have been. I recognize when my depression is triggered and I am able to purposefully take steps to combat it. Mental Clarity I am focused in a new way and I show up fully present. I did not realize how mentally foggy I was until I became mentally clear. Even when my body is tired, I am still sharp. Fuller Longer When I eat, I am full for hours. Eating a plant-based diet, I am consuming a lot more fiber. Folks are always concerning themselves with getting enough protein. I haven't met an American yet that has protein deficiency. The real question we should all ask ourselves is: 1) Am I getting enough fiber? 2) Where is my fiber coming from? Vegans can be fat and not so healthy Just saying I am vegan does not mean I am eating healthy foods. There are many many food products available that do not contain animal products. That is why I prefer to say I am eating a whole-foods, plant- based diet. I eat fresh local produce as the bulk of my eating consumption. Yes, I do consume some processed vegan foods, but, it is not the basis of my diet. Sick I have not been sick in a year. I have always been a rather sickly person with a slew of allergies to boot. However, for the first time in my memory, I was not sick for an entire year. How amazing is that! Conclusion If all of the many benefits I personally experienced still does not motivate you to switch to a plant-based diet, at a minimum, consume far more fresh fruits and vegetables. Your body, mind and spirit will thank you!

February 7th, 2016, I started my sisterlock journey. Stella Walker of Lock Journey salon was the certified Sisterlock consultant that started my journey and she continues to manage my hair. I had loose natural hair for years. I typically wore my hair in a wrap or I would have my hair braided. I wanted locks for a while. However, I was concerned about having locks in corporate America. When I saw Sisterlocks for the first time, they really spoke to me. I saw it as a way of having permanent micro-braids that could be styled in any way while allowing my hair to do its own thing, naturally. I stumbled into Lock Journey salon to get a trim for my TWA (teenie-weenie afro). I had no idea the salon specialized in locks. Stella trimmed my hair and said to me that I would be a great candidate for Sisterlocks. I was hesitant. I was concerned that my hair would be too soft to lock and I did not want frizzy locks. I thought locks were intended for 4C texture. Stella educated me and informed me that most hair types can lock and that it just may take a bit more time. She put in 4 sample Sisterlocks in my head. She said see how you feel about them and if you want to move forward, give me a call. Days after my hairstyle faded, the sample locks were still holding strong. I decided to take the plunge. I gave her a call and setup my installation appointment. I also cut my hair even shorter. This was for two reasons: 1) my locks would be installed on fresh new growth that had not been heated 2) my installation would be cheaper It was Super Bowl Sunday and Stella and I were in the shop for the installation. 13.5 hours later, my installation was complete with 612 locks! Since the day of my installation, I have had no regrets. It is the best decision I have made concerning my hair. Since starting this journey, my hair has blossomed. When I changed my eating habits in 2018, my hair really took off and grew like crazy. Check out these pictures...

Dark-leafy greens are the king of alkalization. These vegetables also contain an abundance of carotenoids-antioxidants that protect cells and play roles in blocking the early stages of cancer. They also contain high levels of fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Furthermore, greens have very little carbohydrates, sodium and cholesterol. The dark greens supply a significant amount of folate, a B vitamin that promotes heart health and helps prevent certain birth defects. Needless to say, we need to eat dark-leafy greens as much as possible. So, let's make the experience unique and delicious. Check out the recipe! INGREDIENTS 1 bunch collards, sliced 1 bunch rainbow swiss chard, sliced 1 small onion, diced 1-14oz can diced tomato, drained 1 tsp tumeric 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp coriander 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp red pepper flakes 2 tsp oil 1/4 cup vegetable broth 1. Wash your greens thoroughly. Wick away as much moisture as possible using a salad spinner. 2. Roll your greens in a cigar-like fashion and slice. Set aside 3. In a pot, add the oil, tomatoes, salt and pepper and let it sweat for about 2 minutes over medium heat 4. Add all spices to the pot and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds 5. Add in the collards and swiss chards, mix well 6. Add vegetable broth 7. Place lid on pot and steam for about 5 minutes 8. Enjoy!

These bean balls are so delicious! They do not have the same texture of a meatballs, however, they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. When switching to a plant-based lifestyle, it is easy to get caught-up in foods looking or tasting exactly the same. The focus should be on learning to expand your palette and enjoy foods that are actually good for you. There are many tasty mock meat options for you to explore. However, these bean balls are so flavorful, I don't think it will be necessary. You be the judge! INGREDIENTS 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 1/4 quick cooking oats 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon vegetable base 1 tbsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp red pepper flakes Salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Add beans and sun-dried tomatoes to the food processor pulse several times 3. Add all remaining ingredients to the food processor and process until a dough comes together. 4. Using #24 scoop, scoop out ~10 balls and place them on the baking sheet. Alternatively, use your hands and make golf ball sized balls. 5. Bake the balls for 15 minutes and then flips the balls over. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. 6. Enjoy!

This delicious a 30-minute chili is full of protein. It is a really healthy vegan recipe and the flavor is not compromised. Give it a try! INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp oil 1 red onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, diced 3 celery stalks, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 1 package super firm tofu, crumbled 2 cups butternut squash, diced 1 pack chili seasoning 1 tbsp chili powder 1 can black beans, rinsed & drained 1 can tomatoes, drained 1 tbsp cinnamon 1 tbsp garlic powder 2 tbsp Better Than Bouillon vegetable paste 1.5 cups water 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped Salt & pepper to taste DIRECTIONS 1. Heat oil on medium heat in a saucepan 2. Add onion and saute for ~2 minutes 3. Add garlic and saute for ~30 seconds 4. Add bell pepper and celery and saute for ~30 seconds 5. Crumble tofu into the pan 6. Add the butternut squash 7. Add chili seasoning, cinnamon, garlic powder, chili powder and Better Than Bouillon paste, mix well 8. Add water and mix well 9. Add lid to the pot and simmer for about 7-10 minutes 10. Add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste 11. Serve and enjoy!