Vegan Camping

     Last weekend my family and I went to Fall Creek Falls State Park and camped for two nights. We had lots of fun camping, hiking, and spending time in the great outdoors!

     Whenever we go camping, my Dad is in charge of the food, packing and planning of the whole trip! He always does a great job and we always have a good time!

     We got to the park in the afternoon and found our camp site pretty easily. The camp sites were a bit smaller and closer together than we had thought, but fairly flat, which was nice! We all helped set up the tents and my Dad got a fire started!
     Then we got busy helping my Dad make supper. He cooked some pre-made bbq on a portable stove and we wrapped russet potatoes in tinfoil and placed them in the fire to cook on the coals. They don't take very long, and fire-cooked potatoes are so much better than oven cooked ones! I ate my potato with some sauteed veggies, cooked on the portable stove! It was delicious!
     Then, for dessert, my Dad made a dutch oven pie and I made something just as delicious, but vegan. I made a campfire cooked, chocolate stuffed banana! Yes, it is just as amazing as it sounds! Here is how I made it!....

 

Chocolate Stuffed Campfire Banana

Ingredients:
Banana
Chocolate Chips (Dairy Free)
Optional Extras- Raisins, Maple Syrup, Nut Butter, or Cinnamon

     First, peel your banana and use a knife to slice down the middle. Try not to cut all the way through the banana. Then, place it on a sheet of tinfoil ( double it over to make it twice as thick) and stuff it with your chocolate chips. The first night I did just chocolate chips, which was amazing, and the second night I added raisins and maple syrup. Both were delicious!

 

 Wrap the tin foil around the banana.

 

 

Place you banana on the coals of your fire. Depending on how hot your fire is, your banana should take between 15 and 25 minutes to become soft, gooey and warm!

 

When it is done, you will have a delicious, healthy vegan camping dessert! I ate mine with a spoon straight out of the tinfoil, but I think it would be great with some vegan ice cream or some fresh berries on top!

 

 

    That first night camping, we didn't get much sleep. It rained off and on all night, which kept all of us but my little brother up! Thankfully, my Dad was quick to get the coffee going the next morning! One of my favorite things about camping is waking up in the morning to hot coffee around the fire!

     Then my Dad got going on breakfast while us females got ready for the day! The campsite had pretty nice bathrooms and showers that weren't too far from our campsite!
   For breakfast that day, my Dad made pancakes for everyone, and for me, he made some roasted potatoes! I ate them with some orange juice and mango!
After breakfast we went hiking through the park! We saw a beautiful water fall and some amazing views!

 

 

There was a pretty cool swinging rope bridge that we walked over!

 

We had to hurry back to our campsite before it started raining again! My Dad had brought an covering to go over the picnic table, so we were able to stay under that to make our lunch.

    Dad cooked burgers for everyone and I sauteed some of the leftover potatoes from our supper the night before. I ate them with some bbq sauce and it was really delicious!

Then we had to huddle into our tents and wait out a rainstorm! Thankfully our tent was water tight! After the storm, we went to the park's general store and looked around there. Then we went to the park's Inn and checked that out.

We came back to the campsite to get started on our supper! I made a sweet potato and veggie hash and my family had a chicken potpie. For dessert, I made another roasted banana and had a few oreos( which are vegan by the way!).

Then we sat around the fire and my Dad told ghost stories! Unfortuantly, around dusk, several groups of college kids showed up. They didn't settle down until well after midnight, making for another restless night.  But, once again, my Dad had the coffee ready in the morning for us!

We did pretty much the same thing as the morning before for breakfast. I also had brought some pineapple, which was super yummy!

 Since it was our last day, we packed up our tent and camping gear before heading out on another hike. It was a bit crowded, but still pretty cool! We went to the Falls, which the park is named for.

 

 

     The hike was tough at times, but my three year old little brother was able to do the whole thing and was very happy about it! :)

    After our hike, we were all pretty tired, so we headed out of the park and on home. We all had a wonderful time, even if we didn't get much sleep! If I have any advice to anyone going camping at Fall Creek Falls,it would be- don't go on the weekends, and check the weather before planning your trip!

     This was my first time camping as a vegan, and I didn't feel deprived at all! Yes, I might have eaten alot of potatoes, but that really was my own choice! I really love potatoes! And I also found delicious ways to replace the food that my family was eating! Those banana desserts are really to die for!

I hope you enjoy this post! Maybe you can gain some camping tips from it, and some great ways to eat Vegan while camping and still eat great food!

Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Getting Protein as a Vegan

     Vegans hear it all the time- "Where do you get your protein?", "Are you getting enough protein?" "How do you get protein when you don't eat meat?".... These questions are mostly asked out of concern, probaly from someone who truly cares about your welfare. Which is wonderful, we should all care about the health of our loved ones, but when it comes to vegan protein, there really is nothing to worry about!

     First, let's talk about protein. What is it? What do we use it for and how much do we need?

     Proteins are molecules made up of amino acids. They are important for many reasons like: Helping your hair grow and stay healthy, they make up part of our DNA, keep our bones strong, and helping us stay as healthy as possible!
     So you can see that it is important to get protein in your diet, but how much? The recommended amount of protein for adults is 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. Depending on a person's level of activity, they might need more than that.
    What happens if you get too much protein, or too little? If you are low in protein you might have brittle hair and nails, fatigue, constipation, skin rashes, and muscle weakness. Over abundance of protein migh cause weight gain, stomach irritation, dehydration, and kidney problems. Like everything, protein needs to be comsumed in moderation. Not too much, but not too little either!

     Most people get their protein from animal products like meat, fish and eggs. However, this tends to lead to an over dose of protein. A 6 oz steak as about 42 grams of protein, a chicken breast has around 30 grams, tuna has 40 grams per 6 oz, one egg has 6 grams and one cup of milk has around 8 grams. By the time you have eggs and milk for breakfast, chicken or tuna for lunch and a steak or hamburger for dinner, you've gotten way more protein than you need!

Vegans don't eat any animal products, so how do we get our protein? Or how does someone who wants to limit their meat intake get enough protein to stay healthy? Its actually very simple!

1. Nut Butters- 8 grams of protein per 2 TBS
2. Oatmeal- 6 grams per cup
3.Beans- 15 grams per 180 gram serving
4. Nuts and Seeds- 6 grams per handful
5. Spinach- 5 grams per 180 gram serving
6. Cauliflower and Broccoli- 5 grams per 180 gram serving
7. Quinoa- 8 grams per cup
8. Peas- 8 grams per cup
9. Tofu- 25 grams per serving
10. Nutritional Yeast- 12 grams per 3 TBS

     There are also things like Vegan Protein Powders, Portein Bars and Cookies, and other more processed foods that contain added protein. If you are interested in finding a vegan option, make sure that it doesn't contain Whey Protein or just Whey. This is a product made from milk.

     Those are just 10 of the thousands of options we have for non-meat sources of protein. Think about it for a minute. If you had oatmeal with peanut butter for breakfast, a quinoa and bean salad for lunch, a handful of nuts for a snack, and roasted cauliflower and broccoli with some tofu and spinach for dinner thats more than enough protein for an adult man! ( the total comes into around 78 grams of protein). See how easy that was? You don't have to try hard at all to get in enough protein to keep your body fit and healthy!


     I challenge you to try it for yourself and see how easy it really is to get in protein and not comsume so many(if any) animal products! It can be a fun and healthy challenge to change the way you look at protein forever!

I hope this post has been helpful to you! I hope to be in the kitchen this week and create some more recipe post for you, so be on the look out for those!

Please share this post with your friends and family and over social media to help the whole world become a healthier place!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Asian Carrot Slaw

     With the weather warming up, I have been craving lots of fresh fruit and vegetables! In the winter months, we tend to fall into a habit of eating a lot of cooked meals, which is fine because the fresh produce you can find usually isn't so great! But, when the warmer months finally get here, its important and nice to start eating more fresh foods!

     I love carrots, raw or cooked, and they are a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Potassium! So, eating lots of carrots should be a no-brainer right? But eating just plain carrots all the time can get boring! Why not eat this delicious Asian Carrot Slaw to get in your carrots for the day? Its simple, flavorful, refreshing and super healthy! What more could you want?

    This recipe is Vegan, Low Fat, Oil Free, Refined Sugar Free, and Gluten Free! All the more reason to love this recipe! I know, once you try it, you'll be making it over and over again! Its perfect as a side dish, in tacos or burritos, on top of salads, in sandwiches, or in asian noodle salads! I can see it on the table at a picnic or outdoor party!

Ingredients:

3-4 Carrots, grated ( about 2 1/2 cups)
3-4 TBS Soy Sauce ( for Gluten Free, use a Gluten Free Soy Sauce)
2 TBS Seasame Seeds
1 tsp Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

Wash and peel your carrots. I used organic carrots, so I didn't feel the need to peel them! I grated my carrots by hand with a grater, but a food processor would make the process a bit faster!

Add them to a bowl along with the soy sauce, salt and pepper, ground ginger and seasame seeds. Mix well until everything is combined. Make sure the seasame seeds get mixed in well, they have a habit of clumping up on me!

And thats it! Can you believe how simple and easy that was? The hardest part was the carrots, but you do get in an arm workout! I suggest tasting the slaw to check the salt and pepper levels. Some might want it a bit spicier and some not so much!

 

You can eat it right away or store it in the fridge for a few days. The soy sauce might darken the carrots a bit, but don't let that worry you! Also, the salt might make the carrots juice a bit, so you might want to pour that off( if it happens) before serving!

The saltiness of the soy, the spice of the ginger and the nutiness of the seasame seeds all go so well together! Its like eating a flavor explosion! Its so refreshing and delicious, I know you will enjoy it! I really hope you try this recipe and experience it for yourself!

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it with your friends and family! Also, you can share it on social media to reach even more people!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett. I look forward to conntecting with you!

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana

5 Life Changing Podcasts

     A couple of weeks ago, I suddenly found myself with a running injury! I don't know how it happened, or even if it was related to running at all, but it was there and pretty painful. Dealing with an injury was the last thing I wanted to do! I had just started some speed-training to get faster times on short distances, and here I was with an injury! Of course, its not uncommon for runners to get injuries, I just didn't think it would happen to me so early in my running career. I saw a chiropractor and he was able to help some, but I soon realized I was just going to have to give it time to heal on its own. So, since I wouldn't run, and I still wanted to get some exercise, what was I to do? Thankfully, my Dad had set up an elliptical in our garage, so I began to use that for my workouts. It wasn't the same as running, but it kept me active and it was easy on my injured leg.

     So, what is my point in telling you all this? I am telling you this because it has lead me to discover something wonderful! Something I had heard about, but never saw myself getting into. Let me explain.... When I run, I usually find a something to watch like a cooking show, documentary or something like that. But, on the elliptical, to know where I was calorie and heart-rate wise, I needed to look at my phone screen, so I couldn't watch anything. I had to listen to something. Music worked sometimes, but I wanted something that would get my mind off the workout. And that lead me to......PODCASTS!

     Podcast are basically a recording of someone talking about something. Topics range from health and wellness to comedy and cooking shows. What ever interests you, you will find at least one podcast on it! They are easy to listen to, and for me, they were perfect for workouts!
Even though I have only been listening to podcasts for a few weeks, I have already found some favorites! I want to share those with you today!

#1 The Raw Food Podcast by The Rawtarian
Don't let the name fool you or turn you away! Yes, this is a podcast about veganism and raw foodism, but thats not all. What I love so much about this podcast is how motivational, inspirational and just pleasant it is to listen to. Not only are there episodes on veganism and raw foods, there are also episodes on basic health, nutrition information, and also some recipes too! Vegan or not, Raw Foodist or not, I encourge you to check this one out! The Rawtarian .

#2 The Running Lifestyle Show
So this one might not have been the best thing to get my mind off the fact that I couldn't run, but I love it anyways! The episodes are full of helpful information, motivation for all runners, both beginner and long-time runners! There are lots of interveiws with various differnt types of people from doctors, race directors, other runners, and a few others! If you are a runner or you are thinking about running, this is a must listen to podcast! And even if you don't run, its still a great podcast to listen to for health and wellness information and inspiration! The Running Lifestyle

#3 Food for Thought
This is another vegan podcast, but that doesn't mean nonvegans won't benefit from listening to it. It is full of tips and tricks on how to live a healthier and happier life! There are episodes with interveiws, tips and tricks, traveling, and so much more! The host is also very easy to listen to, and is in no way judgemental! This podcast is all about healty living, no matter how you want to do it! Food for Thought Podcast

#4 The Good Life Project
This podcast is so uplifting and inspirational! It is all about living a better, happier and more productive life! There are episodes full of helpful tips, inspriration stories, and just plain motivaton! If you are in need of some inspritaion or motivation, look no further! Where ever you are in life, this is a podcast you don't want to be with out! The Good Life Project.

#5 The Daily Boost
This  one is alot like the Good Life Project, becasue it is all about happiness, positivity, and life boosting! They are shorter episodes, so easier for those that don't have alot of time! Each episode is full of motivation and helpful tips to make your life happier, more productive, and just over all better! Every one has 10 or 15 minutes to listen to one of these episodes, and their life will be better for it! Daily Boost Podcast

So, those are just 5 of the thousands of podcasts out there for you to discover! I hope you check out the ones I have shared, but also find your own favorite podcasts! There are so many topics to choose from! From crafts, cooking and comedy to classes on anything, there is something for everyone!

I listen to podcasts through the Podcast app on my Iphone, but most podcasts will have a website with there episodes linked there as well!

I hope you enjoyed this blog post today! If you enjoyed it or found it helpful, please share it with your friends and family!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningonfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunket.

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

10 Ways to Become Healthier this Spring

    Spring has sprung and with it comes life, color and warm weather! There are many reasons to love the Spring time and so many ways to enjoy everything that Spring means! Spring is also a great time to do some Spring Cleaning in your house, diet and lifestyle!

     Spring always gets me motivated to get my healthy lifestyle back on track. Sometimes our healthy efforts fall away during those cold winter months when the last thing you want is a workout or a cold smoothie! Getting back on track in the Spring is a great way to feel and look your best for the warmer months to come!

I wrote a 3 part series of blog post last year all about Getting Ready for Spring and I hope you will check out those post after you read this one! This post is going to be easy changes you can make to your life to help get your healthy lifestyle back on track!

1. Get Moving!
We've all heard it before, but thats becasue it really is so important! Exercise is so key to having a healthy body now and in the future! It has so many benefits that you should never leave it out of your day! Get up, stretch, go for a quick walk or just walk in place for a few minutes. Even the smallest amount of exercise is enough to keep your body in tip-top shape!

2. Smoothies!
I love smoothies and smoothie bowls, but I have a hard time eating them in the winter months! I love getting back into them in the Spring and Summer! They are so good for quick meals or snacks and are a great way to get tons of nutrients into your diet! You can pack so much health into a smoothie its crazy! Try adding leafy greens, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and even herbs to your smoothies to add extra health benefits!

3. Sunshine!
During the cold months we tend to spend alot of time indoors, away from the sun. When Spring finally shows up, its important to spend time soaking up the sun's rays! We gain some much needed vitamin D from just a few minutes out in the sunshine! Just make sure to wear some sunscreen so you don't get burned!

4. Raw Foods
You might have heard about the Raw Food movement. Its getting pretty popular, and for good reasons! Raw fruits and veggies have a lot of nutrients that are lost in the cooking process. While cooked fruits and vegetables still have plently of health benefits, the raw versions have even more! In the winter its hard to find good quality fresh produce, so we tend to go for the cooked versions. Now that the weather is warming up, make sure to add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet!

5. Ditch the Packaged Foods!
This one doesn't apply just to the Spring time, but its a good way to have a healthy diet all year long! Processed and packaged foods contain alot of added things that we don't need in our diet. While some are healthier than others, its always best to stay away from anything that comes in a box or package! Not only to most of them contain added sugars, chemicals and additives, the packages fill up the land-fills! Its better for you and for the planet if we stick to homemade over packaged foods!

6. Stretch!
While exercise is imporant, stretching is also important! Its important to stretch before you exercise because you need to warm up and loosen up your muscles. This will prevent you from hurting or pulling a muscle. Stretching after a workout helps you to cool down and relax your muscles. A full workout of stretching, like Yoga, is also really good for a low-impact way to keep your body active! Next time you go for a workout, make sure you add in a few minutes of streching before and after for a healthy body over all!

7. Essential Oils
Some people don't use essential oils and some do. Those who do know the wonderful benefits of the oils. I have a blog post about essential oils that goes into more depth on how and why to use them. Adding just a few of the oils into your daily life can have a huge impact of your day to day health, mood and happiness!

8. Sleep!
Getting sleep is important all year round, and most people don't get enough of it! Sleep allows our bodies to rest, heal and cleanse and when we don't get enough sleep, our bodies don't do enough resting, healing or cleansing. Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep each night, or take a nap during the day to give your body the much needed rest it deserves!

9. Get in the Kitchen!
Its easy for those with a busy lifestlye to fall into the habit of eating packaged, processed, and pre-made foods. While this might save time, it doesn't make for a healthy diet. Like I said before, most packaged foods contain things you do not want in your body, so its imporant to stay away from them as much as possible! Meal prepping is a great way for you to have healthy meals in a flash! Also, cooking and baking your own food for you and your family is so much fun and rewarding!

10. Eat!
I know it might sound strange, but one of the best ways to keep your body healthy is to eat! Eat enough of the healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts and you will find yourself in the best state of health you have ever been in! Too many people under eat or starve themselves in the hopes of gaining the perfect body! The 'perfect body' is a body that is healthy from a diet rich in the healthy foods and has plenty of exercise!

I hope these 10 ideas are helpful to you! I suggest you pick one thing a week to work on, and after just a few short weeks you will have a super healthy lifestlye! Each one of these points are important, so don't skip or over look one because you don't think they apply to you! Everyone can have a healthy lifestyle, even you!


Sharing these tips and tricks with your family and friends will help our world become a little healthier each day! Taking care of our bodies is an important job, one that shouldn't be taken lightly!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett!

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana