I pretty much make this recipe every time I'm trying to lean down a bit for a vacation or upcoming photoshoot. And what I love about it is that it's so damn high in protein AND low in calories. Yet it actually tastes pretty damn good. Especially when toasted and smeared with a bit of low-sugar jam and almond butter (as pictured above.)
I got the idea for this high protein bread from my vegan homies over at Plant Trainers (check my podcast interview with Shoshana of Plant Trainers HERE.)
But the more I baked it, the more I experimented with the recipe to create the perfect Jacked on the Beanstalk version that was even higher in protein and with a slightly thicker, chewier texture.
And well, now that I've finally mastered the winning recipe, naturally I had to share it with all you meatless meatheads out there, who are on a strict diet plan but in need of some variety. So here 'tis, guys! And check how easy it is to make!
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (soaked overnight or at least 3+ hours)
1.5 cups water
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Soak the quinoa in the 1.5 cups of water for at least 3 hours (I do it overnight usually.)
Place soaked quinoa in the Vitamix (or other high-powered blender) and push the sides down a few times to ensure all of the quinoa gets mixed in.
Add remaining ingredients to blender and mix some more.
Spread batter onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Feel free to experiment with the thinness or thickness depending how crispy you want it to be. But don't go too thin or it will burn.
Bake for 15 mins. Then take it out of the oven. Gently peel it off the parchment paper, flip the bread over and bake the other side for another five minutes.
Once slightly cooled, cut into pieces. I usually make it into 6 - 8 pieces and eat 2 slices per serving depending on how big they are.
Again, my preference is to toast the slices and make it PB & J style. But do keep it in the fridge in a container or a Ziplock bag.
840 calories. 45g of protein. 100g carbs. 10g fat.
So per serving, you're only looking at around 280 calories with 15g of protein, 33g of carbs and 3g of fat.
I love having this quinoa toast with jam & PB and a protein shake for a pre-workout meal or late night snack.
Let me know what you think!
- Sam Shorkey
]]>
Naturally, I was pretty stoked to skim through it. I love adding new vegan cookbooks to my collection. But this one in particular got me excited because I had been to Cuba once and despite having the time of my life there, I remember thinking just how incredibly non-vegan most of the food was.
The first day of my 7-day family vacation in Cuba...
You're damn right my archery skills significantly improved that week, this being the last night of my trip:
Yes, the hot & spicy memories of Cuba are flooding back to me as I type this blog post. But sadly, the food memories pale in comparison because so many of the authentic Cuban dishes I saw were so heavy on the animal products.
But thanks to Raydel Hernandez, a first-generation Cuban American, in 2020, he took all of his grandmother's authentic, distinctly Cuban family recipes that spanned over generations and veganized each and every one of them for all of us plant eaters to enjoy!
From churros and traditional "Cubano" sandwiches to the infamous "Cuba Libre" rum & coke recipe that I might've drank wayyyyyy too many of (no thanks to archery instructor...) this cookbook literally provides a vegan option for every famous Cuban recipe you could possibly think of.
And as bland and boring as this may sound, the one that instantly appealed to me (and I cooked almost immediately) was Raydel's neutral-flavoured seitan that was basically the go-to vegan meat featured in almost every recipe.
Yes, I almost feel bad sharing THE most plain and boring recipe in the whole damn cookbook. BUT let's not forget that this IS a vegan bodybuilding blog. And anyone reading this knows I'm all about the high protein recipes that don't go too crazy on the fats and carbs. And this recipe is macro perfection, people! Not to mention the recipe makes enough to feed a jacked vegan bodybuilder for an entire week!
I also love how versatile it is and I know my clients will too. So whether you want to slice it up to use in a "ropa vieja" (Raydel's suggestion for us macro-conscious meatless meatheads) or go all out and whip up a fat and carb-laden Cuban pot pie aka "El Pastel de Pollo y Espinaca," this simple seitan recipe goes a long way and can literally be used for any and ALL of your vegan meat needs. Much like the archery instructor...
Alright, I think I've embarrassed myself and archery instructor enough already... So without further ado, here is your new fave seitan recipe:
Makes about 2 lbs.
Ingredients:
2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
2 cups water
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
Extra water as needed
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, place all of the dry ingredients together (excluding the bay leaf) and mix them up, ensuring that all of the spices get evenly distributed.
Add to the dry mixture: the olive oil and 2 cups of water. Begin to stir with a wooden spoon and mix the ingredients into rough-looking dough. Using your hands, knead the dough for approximately 3-5 minutes, mixing it well. (When you are done, it should be smooth and have the stretchy consistency of pizza dough.)
Place a clean cloth or cheesecloth on your kitchen counter and place the "dough" onto the south end of the cloth. Begin to roll the dough into the cloth, up towards the north end. ***I didn't have a cheesecloth on hand so I broke mine into two pieces and wrapped both in aluminum foil.*** Whatever the way you roll your seitan, it/they should look like long tubes or small footballs. Tie the ends with kitchen string if doing the cloth roll and twist the ends if doing foil.
For the final step, there are two ways to cook the seitan depending on your time frame and kitchen tools...
Cooking Method #1
The fastest way is to place the entire rolled up dough into a pressure cooker (I used my Instant Pot). Then add to the pressure cooker: the bay leaf, 4 cups of vegetable broth and more water if needed to submerge the seitan completely. Cover and lock the pressure cooker lid in place. Put the pressure regulator on the vent pipe. Heat the cooker over high heat until the regulator starts to whistle and spin, indicating that high pressure has been reached. Once the regulator starts its whistle, cook the seitan under pressure for 30 minutes. After the cooking time has passed, turn the heat off and allow the cooker to cool. Unlock the lid, discard the remaining water and remove the finished seitan. Unwrap it from the cloth or foil while still warm then allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut and shape into medallions or strips etc.
Cooking Method #2
If you don't have a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot, follow the same steps above but use a pot instead. Add the bay leaf and 4 cups of vegetable stock, along with enough water to submerge the seiten completely, about 2 - 3 inches deep. Boil the seitan in an uncovered pot for two hours then discard the remaining water, and remove the finished seitan. Unwrap it from the cloth/foil while still warm, then allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut and shape into medallions or strips etc.
- Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>Seriously, why must it be so difficult to find a normal-sized can of pumpkin? Perhaps it takes a shit load of pumpkin puree to make a pumpkin pie? Personally I wouldn't know because I always add tofu to mine because well, more protein, bruh!!
And truthfully, I always thought that THIS is how pumpkin pie is made:
But anywho, this week I was desperate to use up yet another giant can of pumpkin and was inspired by a Peaceful Dumpling recipe to come up with my own sugar-free, higher protein version of their "pumpkin blondie." And I gotta say, the end result was pretty damn tasty (although probably not as tasty as their chocolate chip-filled variation.) Butt hey, mine was still moist and flavourful. And still pretty sweet (despite using Truvia).
So if you, like me, are looking for a new pumpkin dessert idea that's low on sugar but high on protein, look no further!
And if you're looking for something more decadent and exciting, then by all means, throw in a cup of chocolate chips and go to town!
Ingredients:
1.5 scoops of Jacked on the Beanstalk Vanilla Protein Powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup Truvia Brown Sugar Blend
1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup softened vegan butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 x 13 inch pan with coconut oil. In a big bowl, mix together the pumpkin, soy milk, vegan butter, Truvia and vanilla extract.
Then mix together all of the dry ingredients (protein powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder + spices) in a separate bowl. Or do what I do and just dump it all on top of the wet ingredients, do a quick sifting off the top with your spoon then mix it all in together until you've got yourself a batter.
Once combined, spread your batter evenly into the pan then bake for 35 minutes.
- Sam Shorkey
]]>I'm a published author, guys!!!!! How cool is that?!
And it just wouldn't be fair (or smart marketing) if I didn't share at least one of the 100+ recipes here on my blog.
Sooooo without further ado, here's a little taste (no pun intended) of just one of the 100+ recipes featured in my new cookbook aka "The Vegan Bodybuilder's Cookbook: Essential Recipes and Meal Plans for Plant-Based Bodybuilding."
And yes, this one recipe involves a little more prep (and ingredients) than most of the other recipes. But I promise it's well worth the effort. And it makes quite the VEGAN BODYBUILDING FEAST! An Oktober-feast to be exact.
Yes, you can break out your lederhosen for this one, vegan fit crew! We're taking a flavour trip to Germany!
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 50 minutes | Serves 4.
Fun fact: The word good in German is gut, and these Bavarian-flavored sausages made of pure gluten are so damn guten! This is our vegan take on a classic Oktoberfest dinner; we’ve replaced the standard mashed potatoes with cauliflower. Your digestion will benefit from all those healthy probiotics in the sauerkraut, too.
FOR THE CAULIFLOWER MASH:
1 head cauliflower, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1⁄4 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE SAUSAGE:
3⁄4 cup navy beans, cooked
1 tablespoon tomato paste
TO MAKE THE CAULIFLOWER MASH:
1⁄4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari
11⁄4 cups water
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons caraway
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon coriander
1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
1⁄2 teaspoon allspice
1⁄4 teaspoon red chili flakes
TO SERVE:
Sauerkraut
Dijon mustard
1. In a large stockpot with a steamer insert or steamer basket, bring water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and steam the cauliflower for 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Set the cauliflower aside in a medium bowl to cool.
2. Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor and add the garlic, rosemary, milk, and salt. Pulse for a couple minutes or until the cauliflower is smooth. You may need to stop from time to time to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Transfer the cauliflower mash to a serving bowl and set aside.
TO MAKE THE SAUSAGE:
1. In a medium bowl, mash the beans thoroughly with a potato masher or fork. They can still have some texture, but make sure the beans have broken down quite a bit. Then stir in the tomato paste, aminos, water, and garlic.
2. In a large bowl, combine the wheat gluten, yeast, caraway, marjoram, paprika, coriander, onion powder, allspice, and chili flakes. Mix until everything is well blended.
3. Transfer the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix well, using a sturdy mixing spoon or spatula. Eventually, get your hands into the mixture and knead it into a ball of dough. The dough should be slightly moist, but if it’s very wet, add a bit more vital wheat gluten. Once you have a large dough ball, slice the dough in half with a knife, and then cut the halves twice more, ending up with 8 equal pieces.
4. Prepare 8 pieces of foil in 4-by-7-inch strips. Roll 1 dough ball roughly into a sausage shape and place it in the center of the foil. Wrap the foil over the dough and twist the ends to ensure the foil is tight enough to keep the dough in place. Repeat this for the remaining 7 dough balls.
5. Place the foil-wrapped sausage into the steamer for 40 minutes.
6. Once the sausage is ready, serve it with the cauli mash, a generous helping of sauerkraut, and Dijon mustard.
NUTRITION TIP:
Look for raw and unpasteurized sauerkraut to support good digestion.
A roughly 1⁄2 cup of vital wheat gluten mixed with water or broth produces 2 ounces of seitan, which has almost 38 grams of protein per serving.
Get it in ya, bruh!
STORAGE TIP:
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The sausages freeze well and can be frozen for up to 2 months.
MACROS:
Per Serving Total Calories: 416. Total Fat: 2 g. Total Carbs: 37 g. Fiber: 9 g. Sugars: 5 g. Protein: 65 g.
For more vegan bodybuilding recipes like this, grab my cookbook HERE.
- Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>That being said, when I’m pressed for time or rushing to get my ass into the gym, my "go-to" pre-workout meal is almost always this high protein smoothie that tastes just like a strawberry milkshake.
I like that it's a protein smoothie offering a healthy dose of starchy complex carbs to help fuel a good workout. It contains good ol' oats! And oats are what also provide that smooth & creamy milkshake consistency we all know and love.
And of course, we love the macros. Check it:
Total Calories: 352. Total Fat: 15 g. Total Carbohydrate: 41 g. Fiber: 9 g. Sugars: 5 g. Protein: 29 g.
And here's the recipe already!
Serves 1. Prep time: 2 minutes | Processing time: 3 minutes
1 (1-ounce) scoop Jacked on the Beanstalk vanilla protein powder
1⁄2 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or plant milk of your choice)
1⁄2 cup rolled oats
In a blender, combine protein powder, strawberries, oats, and almond milk. Process on high speed until smooth.
Best enjoyed immediately or within a few hours.
PS: this recipe is actually one of MANY included in "The Vegan Bodybuilder's Cookbook: Essential Recipes and Meal Plans for Plant-Based Bodybuilding." Ever heard of it? All I can say is that the author is one hell of a vegan coach and a total babe.
Learn more about my new cookbook and get your copy HERE.
Happy eating, vegan fit crew!
- Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>In fact, I can very clearly remember buying wrinkle cream in grade eight! Yes, GRADE EIGHT!
I also remember the very first pimple to ever grace my face at the tender age of 10 and being absolutely horrified that I had it on "Picture Day."
Exhibit A:
I was vegetarian at the time so was mindful about buying cosmetics and skin care products that didn’t test on animals. “The Body Shop” was my go-to store for all things beauty and makeup. And I basically lived in their “Against Animal Testing” one-size-fits-all t-shirts all throughout high school.
Thankfully, I’ve always had “good skin.” Yes, I credit that in part to genetics. But mostly I’m thankful to that paranoid, insecure teenager for her daily cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturizing regimens.
Sadly, as I got older, my obsession with NOT getting older only worsened. I would literally vacation in Mexico every year so that I could hit up the local pharmacia and buy the heaviest-strength tube of prescription retinol I could find.
After all, retinol (or retin-A) had forever been touted as THE most effective topical treatment in existence for preventing wrinkles. Pretty much every skincare guru and expert recommended it as the ultimate anti-ager. And there didn’t really seem to be many studies saying it was UN-safe or toxic. Only one I found that said it **might** make you die faster. (Not that I’m downplaying it.) But retinol was essentially just vitamin A so if it were true, at least I’d die wrinkle-free so I continued using it.
Fast-forward to 2017 and reading Dr. Joseph Pizzorno’s “The Toxin Solution.” I won’t go into how this book changed my life (and skincare routine) because I already covered it in THIS BLOG POST.
But now it's 2019 and I'm 36. And sadly, my skin is starting to lose elasticity. So naturally, I sent out an SOS to the queen of holistic skincare— spa owner, skincare therapist and botanical product formulator behind “Woman Divine”— the lovely Magdalena Tomczak.
I originally met Magdalena at an Ottawa Veg Fest where we traded some of my JOTB granola for her rose sandalwood face oil and rose water mist. Yes, I definitely got the better end of that deal! BUT she successfully sucked me in like a tractor beam, wanting to buy ALL of her products so I guess she made the smarter deal after all. ;)
Fast-forward one year later to today... I finally got to experience one of Magdalena's highly-acclaimed, customized treatment facials which included an analysis of my skin, the application of many soothing oils and balms and the best part of all: a super-stimulating face massage that fired up muscles in my face I didn’t even know I had. I now fully understand why there is an eight month long waiting list for a facial with Magdalena.
Unfortunately we can’t all receive this indulgence and those of you who are using retinol might die before an opening is available anyway… But the good news is that Magdalena answered all of my questions on anti-aging in the most informative yet holistic way possible. And I’m sharing her knowledge on the blog so that you too, can keep wrinkles at bay AND remain true to your vegan hippie ways. And if you’re a fellow Canadian, you can also purchase her products. Unfortunately she does not ship to the States or internationally because she is a big believer in sourcing local plants for her skincare products (much like she believes in eating local foods.) But if you’re an Ottawa resident or living elsewhere in Canada, I highly recommend trying some of her botanical beauty products. Right now, my pregnant, dry, winter-parched face is loving the skin balm. And yes, Magdalena’s youthful skin which has never been touched by botox, fillers or harsh chemicals speaks for her formulas!
How often should we be exfoliating?
“This may seem like a straight forward question but it actually is a bit tricky to answer. A lot of skin problems stem from over-exfoliation and from the use of abrasive products. I see this all the time in my treatment room. Clients come in with red, irritated skin that feels and looks tight. After a short chat, I often learn that they exfoliate a lot and with harmful products. In these situations, it takes a while to rebuild proper skin micro flora and to improve skin health in general.
I would say that as far as exfoliation goes, less is more and the gentler the product, the better. Anything that has a sand-like texture is a “no no” in my books. People with extra sensitive skin should skip the exfoliation altogether. Most people do well with gentle exfoliation once per week.”
So what do you recommend we exfoliate with once per week? A scrub? Peel? Wash cloth? Some kind of device?!
“Since I practice holistic skincare, my take on what healthy, youthful skin is and how to get there is worlds apart from the common skincare industry approach! I must say that I don’t really like the term ‘anti-aging’ because to me, it implies that we will be working against our skin and against our body. It’s like fighting the process of life. Some colleagues in my holistic skincare circle use terms like ‘kind aging’, ‘healthy aging’ or ‘pro-aging’. I like these terms much better because they encourage us to embrace every stage of life. There is always psychology attached to terms used by the beauty industry … we want to be mindful of this.
The skincare industry promotes the use of many products which are very forceful on the skin. But skin is both resilient and very delicate at the same time. In holistic skincare, we choose to work with the wisdom of the skin. This means that we do not use anything which suppresses skin function or forces it into specific behaviours. Rather, we work with plant-based formulas based around oatmeal, nuts, medicinal herbs and sometimes fruit to gently help the skin with its renewal process.
So to answer your question, anything which strengthens skin integrity and health will encourage vitality and vibrance of the skin. Anything which is too abrasive like many scrubs, chemical peels or brushes in the long run contribute to premature aging. In fact, make sure that the cloth you choose for cleansing is very soft. Although harsh scrubbing is not beneficial to anyone, people with sensitive skin need to be particularly careful.”
How important is "cleansing" at night with a proper cleanser rather than just using one of those makeup removing wipes like so many of us tired, lazy ladies often do?
“I know that sometimes you feel so tired that you just want to go to bed but please, PLEASE always wash your face properly before sleep. Even if you don’t wear any makeup you still need to wash. Our skin collects pollution from the air and most importantly, our skin is an organ of elimination. This means that metabolic waste is eliminated by the skin and needs to be removed at the end of each day.
When we sleep at night, our skin goes through the processes of repair, regeneration and renewal. Cleaning your skin well before bed supports these essential processes. Makeup remover wipes are usually saturated with ingredients which are not desirable from the holistic skincare perspective. The ‘cleanser ingredient’ wipes which we find on the market may be useful in emergency situations like travel but in my opinion are not suitable for everyday use.”
What type of cleanser do you recommend for “kind aging?” Cream-based? Foaming? Oil-based?
“My suggestion for a night cleansing product is a gentle, organic and plant based cleansing milk or cleansing oil. These will respect the integrity of the skin and will effectively cleanse. The problem with foaming cleansers is that they are stripping and remove much more than dirt from your skin. What is very important to consider about cleansing is this: we want to remove pollution and that which our skin eliminates without disturbing the microbiome and without stripping the natural protective barrier which our skin produces. In my opinion, well-balanced cleansing oils or whole plant-based cleansing milks are the perfect medium for facial cleansing.”
What active ingredients should we look for in a good face cleanser?
“You want to look for organic, whole plant ingredients. If the product is made with whole plants rather than isolated compounds or ingredients created in the lab, every single ingredient is there to deliver results and to improve the health of your skin.”
What about hydration? Should we use a different moisturizer in the morning than at night?
“Yes, it’s a good idea. Our skin needs a different kind of support during the day than at night. When you consider our Canadian weather for example, along with proper nourishment, our skin needs tons of protection from the elements during the day. Since the night is all about regeneration, we want to use products which will support this process.”
I stopped using retinol a few years ago despite so many dermatologists promoting it for wrinkle prevention. Would love to know your thoughts on retinol and the comparable, more natural ingredients like peptides and alpha hydroxy acids. Give us the low-down on THE best (and natural) “kind aging” ingredients!
“As you can probably tell by now, none of those ingredients are part of my treatments or my products. I’m all about whole medicinal plants, not isolated compounds. Since the ingredients you have mentioned by my standards are aggressive and invasive, they do not fit into my holistic skincare philosophy. I believe that we can achieve great results and healthy glowing skin by using products formulated with whole plants and by incorporating face massage into our skincare. This will not only improve your skin health and prevent or smooth out wrinkles, it will improve your health in general. Everything that we put on our skin, we do to the rest of our body! I choose to use only that which adds vitality.”
I can attest to the power of your facials! My skin felt amazing afterward! What about eye creams? Are they crucial especially as we get older?
“If you are experiencing dehydration, fine lines or puffiness around your eyes, a well-formulated, plant-based eye product can be very helpful.”
Agreed! I'm also a big fan of vitamin C-infused products. And it’s natural. Yay or nay in your opinion?
“Remember when I talked about isolated compounds? I’m not a fan! Having said that, I love vitamin C and I love using herbs and oils which are high in vitamin C for healing the skin.”
Okay so let’s talk about things that I KNOW you love aka essential oils. Why do you gravitate towards them and what key ingredients are a must for your “kind aging” products?
“Essential oils are the most concentrated form of herbal medicine. I love working with genuine and organic essential oils because they offer incredible possibilities for improving skin health and function. Due to their molecular structure, essential oils can penetrate the tissues to the cellular level. When you can affect tissues at this level, skin miracles happen. I also love working with essential oils because of their multilayer effect. The same essential oil may be taking care of inflammation in your skin and at the same time, it will provide soothing relaxation for your nervous system. This is the beauty of working with healing plants and holistic skincare. Essential oils work in synergy with each other (and with lipid oils they are blended with) to create skincare formulas. Some of the oils that I like to work with to prevent wrinkles are palmarosa, fennel, frankincense, carrot seed and rose.”
Duly noted! Any final, need-to-know, holistic skincare tips for keeping wrinkles and fine lines at bay?
“Skincare starts from within and your skin is a reflection of the internal state of both your physical and emotional health. So it is very smart to start with a diet which is appropriate to your individual constitution. There never is one formula that fits all but we know that certain foods are an absolute detriment to our health and will cause premature aging and wrinkling of your skin. Sugar, processed foods, alcohol, soft drinks: they never add vitality and never make us younger. Fresh, pesticide-free veggies, fruits, legumes, whole grains and good fats are a great base for a healthy diet and your skin will like it too. Good sleeping habits, exercise, spending time outdoors and designating time for self-care and relaxation will support you in healthy aging.
Choose your skin and body care products carefully and read labels. You want to choose clean, organic, plant-based products without carcinogenic and hormone disruptive ingredients. Less is more so choose fewer but better-quality products. Complicated skincare routines are a thing of the past. They were good for the skincare industry pockets but not for our skin. Simple does it! And if you are feeling vibrant and happy, a few wrinkles on your face won’t matter much.”
Well said! Thank you soooo much, Magdalena! After conducting this interview, I actually think I love YOU even more than I love your products! So final question, how much granola do I need to offer you in order to secure a facial appointment sooner than eight months? ;)
I kid, I kid. Seriously though, be sure to check out www.womandivine.ca for more info on Magdalena, her products and to read her very well-written and informative beauty blog!
- Sam
Weekly, (sometimes daily) for many years, I remember going up into my bedroom, closing the door, putting on my mom’s expired 80's makeup and acting out my perfect "future life.”
In this perfect adult life of mine, I was always a wife and mom. Just like my own mother, I was always THE most beautiful, happy, perfect wife and mom a young, impressionable girl could aspire to be.
I loved pretending to be a wife and mom. And to this day, I often joke with my parents that they’re to blame for creating this stupid “white picket fence” fantasy that I’ve come to learn in my adult life, doesn’t actually exist. Or at least it doesn’t really exist anymore.
Don't get me wrong-- I LOVE that my parents are now in their 70's and after 45 years of blissful marriage, are STILL in love with each other and share the most beautiful, respectful adoration for one another. I feel both blessed and cursed that their relationship has taught me to believe in "true love" and never settle for anything less.
And for a solid 36 years (for better or for worse) I’ve held out.
But I’ve also learned (now that I'm finally a "grown up") that I'm nowhere near perfect (although much better at applying makeup.) And unlike my own mom (who at 36 was married, owned a house AND conceived four children) I followed a very different path.
Sure, I went to college, got a diploma in Journalism, got "Jacked on the Beanstalk," won a bunch of fitness competitions and created a successful online coaching biz.
I've made my parents proud. And yes, I've made myself proud too. My big sister even says on the regular that she’d love to have just 5% of my ambition. And yet, I’ve always seen her as the one to be admired—she got married and spawned two children after all.
Only twice in my 36 years have I been head-over-heels in love. One lasted four years in my late 20's. It was intense, volatile and died a long, painful, drawn-out death. The other was quite recent and although brief, felt like a fairy tale. It softly fizzled out, rendering me confused and disheartened. Yes, that was the WWE wrestler you might remember me gushing over in THIS POST. ***Note to self: you should probably stop sharing so much about your personal life on the internet.***
Yes, it was only with these two men that I ever felt a glimmer of hope that I might one day become that perfect wife and mother who my 10-year-old self so badly wanted me to be.
Together, we uncovered a lot about my childhood. For starters, I was the youngest of four kids. And being the newest addition to a very loud & opinionated, smart-assed family, I was forever trying to establish my role and "stand out in the crowd." Not an easy task when every other family member was fighting for a turn to "hold the conch.”
In this quest for attention and recognition, it was only natural that I developed habits and traits that made me seek out relationships and people who helped me to feel “important” and “seen.”
Exhibit A: one of my drawings at eight-years-old.
And it only got worse as I got older. The more immersed I became in the fitness industry, the more I believed that the only men who could help me be seen and heard had to be superhero-like: strong and mighty. No way was anyone stealing the conch from these big, scary dudes!
But alas, my relationships with this type clearly weren't working. So my therapist encouraged me to stop meeting men at the gym and instead, date outside the “meathead” circle and stop believing that this type of man was the only key to unlocking my perfect “white picket fence” life.
And like all of my life's greatest pursuits, I gave Tinder 100% effort. I scheduled two dates per week for a solid month. And as I scrolled through hundreds of men who I wasn’t really attracted to, I would try to heed the advice of my therapist and give the instant “no’s” a second glance before swiping left.
Unfortunately, Tinder also proved to be a letdown. And I would often find myself on dates with nice-enough, decent looking-enough, random dudes thinking “I really wish I were at home meal prepping, listening to podcasts right now.”
So after a number of mediocre dates, I made the decision to never again stray from meeting men in the "real world" and delete Tinder.
As I gave it one last "swipe," this one last "match" somehow convinced me to meet him before deleting the app. I guess he won me over with the suggestion of a sports bar that had an ENTIRE vegan menu to eat from! I had never been to this place so I accepted and was pleasantly surprised to see that he was better-looking than his photos. He was tall. He had nice lips and a strong jawline. He was older than the other guys I'd dated and not my usual "jacked meathead" type. But he was nice and kinda charming and seemed to have his shit together.
In comparison to every other Tinder date I’d been on, we had a good time and had several dates over the next few weeks. But deep down, my "spidey sense" was telling me this was not the happily-ever-after I was seeking.
Nevertheless, we continued to hang out and I remained open to whatever the universe had in store. Apparently it had something major to dump on me.
I love blogging and yet I put off writing this post for sooooooo long because I felt so much shame for getting myself into this less-than-ideal situation. I felt like I failed my parents for not following in their footsteps. And I felt like I failed the 10-year-old me by not living up to that fantasy we both wanted so very badly.
It’s been hard looking at all the beautiful, happy, perfect-seeming pregnant women on Instagram who are married and ecstatic about their growing families. As genuinely happy as I am for them, it hurts to feel like you got kicked off that same path and are now going through all of the same physical changes and emotional experiences but without a “soul mate” by your side.
Thankfully my parents have been incredibly supportive and I’m feeling so much love from my family, friends and the clients that I’ve told.
Slowly but surely, I’ve accepted the fact that I’m having a baby and I’m going to give this little guy the best mothering experience I can possibly give him.
It’s not easy letting go of the judgments we have on ourselves and the opinions we’ve made about things that deem our actions “good” or "bad.” But I’ve learned to stop resisting WHAT IS. And I’ve realized that resistance takes up a hell of a lot more energy than acceptance does.
I might not be living out my perfect "wife and mom" childhood fantasy but maybe I can help be a part of someone else's childhood fantasy and play the role of a "MILF" perfectly. ;)
And instead of time traveling back into the past, being that little girl in the baby blue eye shadow and frosted fuchsia lipstick, I’m embracing every new moment that comes with being pregnant. Like feeling his little kicks and hearing his heartbeat.
And what's pretty amazing is that I already feel a love for this little baby stronger than anything I’ve EVER felt for a man.
And I can now see that the universe had this plan for me all along. And that was to stop searching for my Superman. And start being my son's superhero instead.
- Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>Ingredients:
1 brick of extra-firm organic tofu (350 g)
2 Tbsp. Bragg's liquid aminos (soy sauce alternative)
2 Tbsp. Sriracha hot chili sauce
1 Tbsp. finely minced garlic (about 3 - 4 cloves)
Method:
Drain your tofu then wrap it in paper towel and press out as much water as you can. Cut the tofu into thin slices (mine were about a 1/2" thick.)
Combine Braggs, Sriracha & minced garlic in small bowl and set aside.
Line a couple of dehydrator trays with parchment paper or actual dehydrator liners if you're cool enough to own them. Arrange tofu slices on dehydrator trays then brush each side with a bit of the sauce.
Dehydrate for what seems like an eternity (and a huge impact on your hydro bill.)
Mine dehydrated for a good 4 - 5 hours. Remove once "dry and tough" (hmmm sounds like we're describing ME) then taste one, take a deep breath and reflect on how thankful you are to have found this recipe. ;)
ANYWAY, enough gloating. The truth is, I almost always tell these guest writers "no." But today's post submission was different because I knew my beloved meatless meathead readers would genuinely dig it.
It's all about complete vegan proteins - something we vegan bodybuilders get chirped about often from our animal eating friends. What does "complete protein" even mean, you ask? Well, it all comes down to amino acids aka the building blocks of protein. There are eight (some argue nine) essential amino acids that our bodies require and the key trio that helps us to maintain muscle are leucine, isoleucine & valine.
Dead animal is a “complete” protein source meaning you can acquire all nine amino acids from it. However, most plants are NOT complete sources (excluding quinoa, soy and chia seeds.) But anyway, I don't want to steal our guest poster's thunder so let's get onto the article already and let him enlighten you on the topic instead.
Today's guest post comes from Richard Lister, a vegan writer and editor living in the vegan capital of the world: Los Angeles, California. Here 'tis!
- Sam
Sometimes life is hard. The gym is too crowded, the weather is too weathery, and you’re absolutely sure that no one but you knows how to drive - there are other people on the road, jagweed! Lucky for you, some things are still easy, like getting all the protein you need from a plant-based diet. And I’m not talkin’ bland, lackluster proteins either. I’m talkin’ complete vegan proteins that taste great and will keep you ripped.
You see, it all comes down to amino acids
Amino acids are the little buggers that make up protein. Our bodies yank them from the food we eat and use them for our skin, eyes, heart, bones, and more. So much like Ron Burgundy in Anchorman, they’re kind of a big deal.
In fact, our muscles rely on amino acids for tissue growth, blood flow, fat burning, and plenty more.
There are 20 different amino acids that make up a protein, and nine the body can’t produce solo. These are called Essential Amino Acids and need to be consumed through food. Leucine, isoleucine, and valine are just a few of the aminos on that list that are important for keeping your bod on point.
Sound complicated? Let’s simplify it.
Cue the Kick Ass Complete Vegan Proteins
Listen, I love food, you love food, we all love food. Food is the best – especially when it’s easy and tastes amazing (yes, I’m looking at you pizza). Below is a list of simple, accessible, and scrumptious options for getting all of your essential amino acids in one shot.
What are you waiting for? Grab a fork and dig in!
Quinoa - Protein: 8 grams per cup, cooked
This fun little seed is so packed full of goodness that they call it a superfood (all of the other seeds are waaaay jealous). It’s loaded with fiber, iron, B6, and so much more – including protein, of course. Sub it for rice in almost any dish or dive into this bomb Quinoa & Pecan Salad that ups the ante with disease fighting cranberries.
Soy - Protein: 20-30 grams per cup
Oooo – yes please! All that protein makes me soy happy! Get it? Soy happy? No – not pun fans? Ahem, okay, moving on. The point is soy happens to be another stellar (and complete) vegan protein. Whether you’re going with tofu (20 grams of protein per cup) or tempeh (30 grams) just make sure you’re getting non-GMO products. Then get jacked with delicious dishes like Sam’s Vegan Quiche with Tempeh Bacon.
Whole Wheat Pasta and Peas - Protein: 12 g per cup pasta and ½ cup of peas
I know, I know, I should have saved my pun allowance for peas. Rookie mistake. But there’s still plenty to love about this entry – including the versatility of this complete vegan protein combo. Want it with marinara? Done. How about a little vegan pesto? No problem. Oh, you want to go old school and rock out with some macaroni and cheese? You might be my spirit animal. Regardless of how you whip it up, pasta and peas is sure to please!
Mycoprotein - Protein: 25 grams per cup
What? You don’t know mycoprotein? Well get familiar because this funky fungal beauty is packed with vegan protein. And it’s easy to find too! Companies like Quorn use it in their faux meats like burgers and “chik’n” cutlets. Just double check the label as mycoprotein is sometimes held together by egg whites.
Hummus and Pita Bread - Protein: 7 g per pita with 2 Tbsp. of hummus
Now listen, I’m listing hummus with pita bread because I know it’s a very popular dish, but personally, I’m all about that hummus on pizza. Yep, that’s right, there’s no bad way to pair hummus with grains. They complement each other perfectly and form a wholly delectable complete vegan protein.
Fun fact: Did you know that chickpeas date all the way back to 7500 BC? They were the protein that powered the Greek and Roman warriors!
Seitan and Soy Sauce - Protein: 22 g per 1/3 cup with 1 Tbsp. of soy sauce
Vital wheat gluten is one of the most adaptable vegan proteins around – you can bake it, boil it, bread it, or use it to flour bomb your little brother. Whatever you do with it, make sure to toss some soy sauce in with your herbs and spices to crank this body-shredding bad boy up to the complete vegan protein level. If you’re looking for a good place to start, check out Shani’s Seitan Recipe here.
Rice and Beans - Protein: 7 grams per cup
Simple, cheap, and packed with aminos, these two love birds are a better couple than Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward (look it up, kids). You see, what rice lacks, beans have in spades, and vice versa. But that’s not to say rice is always loyal. It’s been known to enjoy hanging out with lentils and chickpeas too. That dirty dirty rice gets around. Speaking of dirty rice…
Peanut Butter Toast - Protein: 13 g per slice Ezekiel bread with 2 Tbsp. PB
Peanut butter toast is how I kick off every morning. There’s something about that nutty little legume that just goes so perfectly with toast and a banana. Granted, I don’t stop at 1 slice, but my addiction to PB is far too big of an issue to get into here. The important thing to focus on is that with PB and grains you’re getting a lot of high-quality protein packed into a convenient little package. It’s great for picnics, midday snacks, or anytime you want to go nuts. Eh? Nuts? Still not into puns? Tough crowd.
Ezekiel Bread - Protein: 4 grams per slice
While we’re on the topic of bread, let’s get biblical. Food for Life went ahead and nabbed a recipe from the Old Testament, named it after its verse (4:9), and created a complete vegan protein that’s great for any type of sandwich you can imagine. But you don’t have to converse with the almighty to feel blessed by this sprouted charmer. Everyone can enjoy its protein, fiber, and vitamin packed goodness.
Spirulina and Grains or Nuts - Protein: 4 g per Tbsp. plus whatever you add
Spirulina is loaded with that sweet, sweet cyanobacteria protein. In fact, 60-70% of its dry weight is made up of the muscle-builder. It’s also packed with antioxidants, B-vitamins, and nutrients that can actually improve your endurance (European Journal of Applied Physiology). Mix it with some nuts, oats, or grains and you’ll have yourself an absurdly nutritious complete vegan protein.
And there you go – 10 complete vegan proteins that are as tasty and convenient as they are healthy. All loaded with the fuel you need to kick butt, take names, and live a cruelty-free life.
Happy eating!
- Rich Lister is a vegan writer and editor living in Los Angeles, California. He can be contacted at richlisterwrites.com or lister.richardc@gmail.com.
And I could tell that she really knew her shit when it came to vegan health and nutrition. She has, after all, been surviving on plants since 1999 and working as an advanced RHN since 2012! Yes, that means you can actually get her holistic coaching covered by your medical insurance! SCORE! ;)
Well, as most vegan meet-ups go, we took our newfound friendship to instagram. And it was here that I discovered Sara is also quite the little expert on all things reproductive and hormone health - something I had become more and more interested in since hitting the big 3-0.
Obviously a JOTB interview with Sara was imperative! Not only are hormonal imbalances something that I address with my own vegan clients ALL the time-- hormones DO, after all, play a HUGE role in fat loss and metabolic health. But on a completely selfish level, my PMS symptoms after 30 had literally went from a "two" to a solid "seven" on the bloated, emotional, give-me-all-the-chocolate scale.
So because this was SUCH a common topic amongst SOOO many of us PMS and menopause sufferin' ladies, I decided to put aside my podcast microphone for a quick minute and dust off the ol' website and give you guys a good ol' fashioned blog post interview!
Well, truthfully, I just wanted to give you (and me) some easily accessible hormone health literary gold that you could print/copy/paste/reference at your convenience. You're welcome!
What made you specialize in this “hormone” area in the first place?
“I’ve struggled with issues related to hormone balance pretty much my whole life, starting with being one of the first girls in my class to grow breasts and wear a bra at 9 years old; dealing with acne, migraines, and excess sweating in my teens. Right up into adulthood with having a cyst surgically removed from my ovary, and compensating for the hormonal fallout of going off of birth control pills. It’s been a ride, and I want to give other women the tools to alleviate their hormonal pain as much as I can.”
How can nutrition play an important role in having balanced hormones and minimal PMS/menopause issues?
“Being aware of what foods affect your hormones and how to integrate the right ones and avoid the wrong ones can make all the difference, whether it’s having a cycle that surprises you with how painless (and drama-free) it is at onset, or sleeping through several nights in a row without throwing off all the blankets. Recognizing that some types of foods will work for some people but not others is a large component as well. For example, some women have excellent results including soy products, while others need to avoid them altogether.”
Why do you believe the vegan diet is optimal for hormone health?
“Whether someone chooses vegan for animals (as I did) or for health first, it actually comes back to animal agriculture either way. Where industrial livestock is largely fed genetically modified crops that are also heavily treated with chemicals that have been found to be hormone disruptors at even “low” concentrations. Animals may also be treated with hormones to speed up and increase total growth for meat and production of milk. By avoiding animal products, we cut down our consumption of these hormone disruptors as well, so opting to eat more plants instead is a great place to start.”
Research shows that we’re a high estrogen society because of all the xeno-estrogens we’re exposed to via the products we use, food we eat and environment we breathe. But what does “estrogen dominance” entail for our female bodies and hormones?
“Estrogen dominance occurs when the ratio between estrogen and progesterone levels becomes too far apart, leaving estrogen to “dominate.” Estrogen contributes to such symptoms as swollen and cystic breasts, mood swings, irregular and heavy bleeding, and polycystic ovaries. In young girls it can also contribute to early breast growth and the onset of periods. High estrogen may also be linked to development of certain types of cancer of the breast, ovaries, and cervix. Choosing more foods like cruciferous vegetables and flax seeds can be a great step toward helping the body process and expel excess estrogens.”
For years, I’ve recommended DIM to my clients for helping to decrease their estrogen to help them lose weight. But I also find it’s good for PMS. Are you familiar with it at all and is this something you’ve seen any luck with?
“DIM is an antioxidant found in cruciferous vegetables that may help support the liver in processing estrogen, so it’s a great addition to an estrogen dominance protocol. In my post-surgery and post-birth-control journey, and based on my knowledge, I used a supplemental combination that included DIM (diindolylmethane), its mother I3C (indole-3-carbinol) and a few other herbs like chasteberry and turmeric to help keep my hormones in check. I saw great results when it came to balancing my period and PMS, and have recommended the combo ever since. To date, clients who have used it consistently have also reported easier periods.”
Who knew turmeric was also good for hormone health?! That's awesome news because I already add it to my daily smoothies. As for DIM, I typically recommend that my clients take one serving (100 - 150 mg) once or twice daily. I really love EstroAdapt by Aor. It contains a healthy dose of DIM plus a bunch of other good stuff like hops (to reduce abnormal cell growth in breast tissue) and D-glucarate, choline and SGS which help your body to remove excess hormones.
And while we're on the topic, how does estrogen dominance affect fat loss/fat storage anyway?
“High estrogen tends to lead to storage of fat around the hips and thighs, whereas high-estrogen women reaching menopause tend to store more around the belly – which is known to contribute to increased health risks. The liver also has to process excess estrogens contributing to its overall load. Excess estrogens may also be stored as fat.”
I’ve also heard that having too low of progesterone can wreak havoc on us especially around our periods.
“It comes back to the overall ratio of estrogen and progesterone levels. Even if estrogen is in the “normal” range, but progesterone is too low, symptoms related to estrogen dominance can still occur, but in a different manner. Progesterone is supposed to rise after ovulation, keeping the uterine lining thick in the event of an embryo attaching. Low progesterone contributes to irregular light periods, may affect fertility, contribute to anxiety and low sex drive, and even affect thyroid function. It’s also this dip in progesterone combined with a disparate ratio to estrogen that can contribute to estrogen dominance into menopause as well.”
Why is my PMS sooooo much worse in my 30s than my 20s?
“There could be a few reasons for this, usually in combination.
1) As we reach deeper into our 30s and 40s, our hormone levels start to fluctuate more as we approach the end of our most fertile stage, the number of our ova has declined, and our menstrual life is coming closer to its end.
2) The accumulation of stress (such as from work and school, exposure to environmental contaminants, overexertion without proper recovery, poor sleep habits, excessive use of alcohol or stimulants, use of high-xenoestrogen home and beauty products, and of course poor-quality food) on the body affects the adrenal system, which also affects our sex hormones!
3) The accumulation of stress on the body also affects the liver and intestines, shifting microbiome balance, slowing the liver’s ability to process everything that comes its way as efficiently, and affecting how we absorb nutrients that otherwise contribute to the health of our hormones.”
For the last couple of years, I've been relieving my period cramps with an essential oil mixture that I rub all over my teets and pelvic area. It's a combo of Ylang-Ylang and Clary Sage oils mixed with evening primrose oil. It gives off quite the potent STANK but I do find it soothing as a body rub and calming when breathed in.
Are there any herbal/hippie remedies like this that you recommend to help combat PMS symptoms?
“Thankfully, yes! For acute symptoms like headaches and cramps, I love a combo of turmeric and ginger. I’ll either have a mug of golden mylk, ginger tea, or herbal chai tea, or I’ll take capsules. I’ve also been known to throw the spices into a smoothie for breakfast! I also like magnesium glycinate, especially before bed.
Nettle leaf is great for bloating and improving skin health, and can be taken as tea. I like to cold brew about a liter of it (with hibiscus and mint) and sip it at my desk through the day.
Reishi mushroom is fabulous for taming anxiety, stress, and inflammation, and can be taken in capsules, tincture, or powder.
For long-term alleviation and prevention, increasing cruciferous veggies (think broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy), flax and chia seeds, legumes, and herbs and spices like basil, parsley, ginger, and turmeric can go a long way to keeping hormones in check throughout the cycle. Seed cycling throughout the month can also be helpful for maintaining a healthy balance of estrogen and progesterone at the right times, as certain seeds contain phytochemicals and omega fats that help stimulate and process hormones. So this means consuming 1 Tbsp. ground flax and/or pumpkin seeds daily for days 1-14 to keep estrogen humming, and switching to 1 Tbsp. sesame and/or sunflower seeds for days 15-28 for progesterone.”
How can adaptogenic herbs help to balance our hormones?
“Pretty simply, it’s right in the name! Adaptogenic herbs are called so because they help the body “adapt” as it needs to reach more normal parameters. A common thread with most is their function on stress hormones in particular. Keeping stress hormones in check keeps the adrenals nourished and happy, so that they can also perform the otherwise peripheral function of modulating sex hormones. Some of my favourites for hormone balance especially where sex hormones are concerned include maca, ashwagandha, ginseng, licorice, reishi, and turmeric.”
Yes! I too am a huge fan of both maca and ashwagandha root! I like adding maca powder to my morning smoothies for hormone regulation, a boost of energy AND because it kinda tastes like butterscotch! I'm also a big fan of FemCalm by AOR which contains both ashwagandha root AND chasteberry. I've heard that both are helpful in regulating your periods.
And speaking of disruptions, what are your thoughts on GMO soy being a hormone disruptor because it contains glyphosate?
“While soy itself is considered an estrogenic food due to its content of phytoestrogen, I believe it gets its “bad rap” due to the prevalence and coexistence of glyphosate, which is now a known hormone disruptor and carcinogen. I don’t believe in most cases that it’s necessary to completely avoid soy, but to make sure that what is consumed is organic and/or certified non-GMO, and fermented, such as tempeh or miso. Avoiding animal products as noted previously can also help reduce exposure to glyphosate. It’s also important to note that glyphosate is often used as a desiccant in some non-GMO crops, like wheat, so choosing organic grain products is important as well.”
Great answer! In fact, I love that you mentioned flax seed as a hormone helper because flax also gets a bad rap for its “estrogenic” properties. But as I always say, just because something is estrogenic doesn’t make it the enemy. But what most people don’t realize is that many skincare products contain parabens and phthalates which are estrogenic. The difference is that it’s a form of estrogen you should NEVER expose your body to because they're synthetic. These are the “xenoestrogens” we often hear about and yes, they've absolutely been linked to cancers and hormonal disruption. And of course, the average uninformed person then thinks that if flaxseed is estrogenic, it must be as evil as these synthetic estrogens found in our toxic beauty products. But NOOOOO!!! You cannot compare a plant-derived estrogen with a synthetically-derived estrogen!
Okay rant over. But while I’m all fired up, do you think that cortisol/stress levels have any effect on our hormones and more specifically PMS or menopause symptoms?
“When adrenals become overtaxed with production of cortisol, peripheral functions like the formation of sex hormones drops off, and we can start to see an increase in symptoms related to the imbalance of those hormones. Cortisol also contributes to storage of fat, which is of particular concern in menopause. With both low estrogen and low progesterone contributing to so many symptoms associated with PMS, keeping on top of cortisol helps us keep sex hormones flowing and in turn can help keep PMS and menopause symptoms in check. So if someone is experiencing symptoms like low sex drive, anxiety, and depression, especially in the days before a period, addressing cortisol primarily as well as working to improve sex hormone levels can be most beneficial.”
Are there any other vitamins or herbs you’d recommend to someone who’s REALLY struggling with hormonal imbalances?
"From my personal experience, I have seen success with these in myself, and professionally in my estrogen-dominant clients, with chasteberry as well as magnesium. Supplemental recommendations do vary condition-to-condition, person-to-person. My go-to products tend to include chasteberry, DIM/I3C, magnesium, B complex, omegas, probiotics, turmeric, ashwagandha, and maca, depending on the person’s particular symptoms and struggles.”
Oh yeah! I am ALL about a good quality B complex! The vegan diet is deficient in B12 so you MUST supplement with it or consume foods that are fortified with it. (I know we vegans all know that one!) But what a lot of peeps don’t know is that B vitamins are also crucial for regulating estrogen metabolism and providing mood and energy support! Definitely a PMSing girl's best friend (after chocolate of course...) But yeah, I’ve been consuming and recommending AOR's Advanced B Complex to my clients forever.
Just look how excited and happy I am about it! Seriously, it's the best!
And YOU'RE the best Sara, for sharing your wealth of vegan hippie hormone knowledge with us! Thank you so much for this interview. Any final tips or suggestions for our PMS sufferers?
“I often recommend clients get blood work done too (either through their physician or naturopath) to detect or rule out other factors, such as iron or vitamin D deficiency, or a thyroid hormone imbalance. These can also be contributing to symptoms commonly associated with sex hormone imbalances. As we like to say, one symptom could stem from multiple possible causes.”
Great advice once again! And I hope you kids enjoyed this information-packed blog post interview as much as I did!
And her avocado earrings!
If you do, be sure to follow her on instagram at @sara_rhn_loveplants. You can also learn more about her work via her website at http://www.saragalipeau.ca. And I'm sure she'd be happy to answer any hormonal health questions you may have via e-mail at sararhn@loveplantsforlife.com.
I don't care what anyone says! PMS is REAL and it's a serious monthly struggle for many of us. And if you're like me and crave sweets the week before your period, next month try making my PMS relief dessert recommendation:
They're tasty, symptom-relieving AND healthy! Sidenote: is anyone else getting REAL sick of reading my bold, italicized font yet? I know I sure am!
Until next time, kids! Happy periods!
Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>
I'm sure the fact that we both have the same name has something to do with it. It is, after all, one of THE most beautiful names in the English language with the most variations: Samantha, Sam, Sammy...
But it was actually her blog name "It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken" that always stood out to me. And the fact that she was one of the very first peeps to buy MY own e-Cookbook (way back in 2014 mind you) probably helped too. ;)
Well fast-forward four years to 2018 and we finally get to meet each other in the "real world" c/o Veg Expo 2018 in Vancouver, BC where we were both speaking.
Apparently Sam T. has become quite the little celeb in the vegan cooking space!
Now I won't lie. I receive complimentary vegan cookbooks from time to time and will skim through upon receipt, whip something up on occasion then usually toss it into my cabinet of vegan cookbooks only to sit there for months collecting dust.
But Sam T's "Fuss Free Vegan" was a different case. Its' pages have all been dog-eared to shit and basically hasn't left my kitchen counter all month.
It's not to say that Sam T's recipes are even "healthy" by my meatless meathead / vegan coaching standards. But what I love is that they can all be substituted both easily and effortlessly into something that would appease the healthiest of health freaks.
I loved these lettuce wraps so damned much, I asked her if I could share the recipe (including my adjustments) with my blog readers. Thankfully she said "yes" and even provided me with a high-res photo (putting my shitty iPhone recipe pics to shame of course.)
And speaking of "putting mine to shame," I fully admit that Sam T's beautifully-printed, 222-page cookbook puts my ghetto eBook to shame. And makes me laugh knowing that a published author and talented babe like her bought MY crappy eCookbook way back in the day. Nevertheless, I'm grateful for the vegan blogger support and I highly recommend that everyone reading this blog post of mine grab their own copy of "Fuss Free Vegan" ASAP!
(After you whip these lettuce wraps up of course...) And with that, here is the recipe:
Prep Time: 30 minutes or less. Cook time: 10 mins. Serves: 4
Ingredients for the Sauce:
¼ cup Bragg's liquid aminos (healthy soy sauce)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (Sam Turnbull recommends rice vinegar)
2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup (Sam Shorkey omitted this altogether)
2 tsp sesame oil (Sam Shorkey used tahini instead)
½ tsp your favorite hot sauce
(optional)
Ingredients for the Lentils:
1 Tbsp light oil, like peanut or
coconut oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 cup red lentils
2 cups vegetable broth
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Serve With:
1 head of butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated but kept whole
1 medium carrot, cut into match- sticks or grated
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (Sam Shorkey did not add these)
Method:
1. For the sauce, in a small bowl, mix the ingredients together and set aside.
2. For the lentils, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens and begins to brown.
3. Stir in the lentils and then the vegetable broth. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until all the broth is absorbed and the lentils are cooked. Stir in the walnuts and about half of the sauce mixture, or to taste.
4. To serve, take a leaf of lettuce, fill it with the lentil-walnut mixture, top with carrot, green onions, and sesame seeds, and spoon as much sauce as desired over it all. Fold it like a taco and munch away!
Enjoy!
Sam (or Sammy or Samantha) Shorkey + Sam (or Sammy or Samantha) Turnbull
** Excerpted from Fuss Free Vegan: 101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized. Copyright © 2017 Samantha Turnbull. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.**
]]>This recipe has been taken out of my eBook "Jacked on the Beanstalk: Plant-Based Fuel for Vegan Athletes" and shared publicly with you fine folks. You're welcome! Yes, I am that kind. But only because I love my meatless meathead brethren and I truly love tofu scramble. And I firmly believe (as firm as the brick of tofu used in this recipe) that the entire world must share the love for this wondrous vegan bodybuilding recipe too. And then hopefully buy my eBook. ;)
So without further ado, here's the recipe.
Ingredients (2 – 4 servings):
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves (minced)
½ cup chopped bell pepper
½ cup sliced white mushrooms
1 cup fresh or frozen spinach
300 gram package extra-firm tofu (water pressed out then cubed)
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos (healthy, low-sodium soy sauce substitute)
1 tsp black pepper
Method:
Don't forget to press the water out of your tofu if you want it to have a nice texture. You can either wrap it in paper towel / weigh it down with a heavy book OR use an actual tofu press! THIS is the one that I own (and love) from TofuBud.com and if you enter the code JACKED10 at checkout, you get 10% off.
Heat oil in large fry pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2 – 3 minutes until garlic is lightly browned. Add tofu, vegetables & remaining ingredients and cook until veggies are tender.
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk.
**Recipe photo by Christine Mcavoy**
]]>Apparently that fart post has been highly informative and beneficial to many a vegan bodybuilder! And upon this reflection, I realized that I’m actually no stranger to providing incredibly useful yet uncomfortably disgusting information to my meatless meathead brethren.
It was, after all, my “Kinda Gross Low-Down on being a Vegan Bikini Competitor” post in 2014 that really put me on the map for being a brutally honest (and crass) vegan fitness blogger.
And so today, I will not be embarrassed to share what is perhaps my most disgusting yet well-researched blog post yet: my “pre-period” prune squares.
Well folks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, an estimated 85 per cent of women experience at least one symptom of PMS every single month. And I can only speak for myself, but those symptoms only worsen with age.
Bloating, sore boobs, weight gain, back pain, horrendous cramps, just a feeling of “heaviness,” intense hunger, brutal cravings for sugar and salt, giant zits… You name it– I’ve been victim to many of ’em.
BUT for the last few months, I’ve been determined to avoid every last one of them in the first place. And that’s because I don’t believe that PMS symptoms are meant to be dulled with Midol or over-the-counter pain meds.
PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) is just what the name implies – it’s a syndrome. Which means a temporary, monthly, disorderly occurrence so that our bodies may regenerate and heal themselves (which is actually pretty cool!)
It is a time of renewal where our bodies can shed what they no longer need and start fresh & clean…
But I still think that any kind of disorder-related “symptom” should be taken seriously and addressed! And I’m a firm believer in this because I’m convinced that any kind of “symptom” is your body’s way of telling you exactly what it needs in order to feel normal again. And every ache and pain (even PMS related) is simply a trail of clues from our bodies that lead us to a root cause!
Ever notice that you’re wayyyyyyyyy more hungry the week before your period? That’s because your body uses more calories right before (and in some cases, during) your period. So rule #1: do NOT feel bad for being extra hungry right before your period and whipping up this little sweet treat. Despite PMS making you feel like a hideous, bloated whale, your body burns more calories during this time, so it’s expected that you’re going to feel hungrier. And it’s okay to eat a little bit more! Just make sure you’re indulging in foods that will EASE the PMS symptoms and not worsen them.
Yes, I have done a lot of period and PMS research over the years. Hell, I even talk about “period poops” on our “Poop Podcast” Episode. (Yet another ironic notch on my disgusting/ informative blogger belt!)
And anyway, through this extensive research, I learned that certain foods containing certain vitamins and nutrients were very helpful in minimizing PMS-related symptoms.
So before I give you the actual recipe, I will share the method to my madness. The validity behind my vulgarity if you will. 🙂
TOFU:
There is one main reason why I’m an advocate for consuming tofu pre-menstruation and it’s probably not the reason you’re thinking. I’m guessing your brain automatically went to that forever hot vegan topic (especially for us bodybuilders) and that’s the high number of phytoestrogens present in tofu.
Yes, studies do show that consuming moderate amounts of soy IS helpful for regulating women’s periods and balancing out our hormones. But the main reason I like to chow down on tofu before my period is actually because it’s so damn high in calcium!
Women actually need to consume at least 1,200 mg of calcium everyday. And get this– in one study, women who took 1,200 mg of calcium per day for three months experienced a 48 per cent reduction in their PMS symptoms!
PRUNES:
Prunes have literally become my saviour the week before my period for many reasons.
First, did you know that our progesterone levels plummet right before we get our periods, leaving us in an estrogen-dominant state? (Hence why some of us turn into bloated, highly irritable and/or depressed, crazy beeyotches?) Well, eating prunes can actually help to increase progesterone and decrease estrogen making them the perfect pre-period food.
Sugar cravings are also especially common during this time so it’s important we go for the right kind of sugar and avoid the overly-processed sweets we so often turn to during this delicate time.
Fruits and veggies should ALWAYS be our go-tos– DUH– but especially around menstruation. That’s because the fruit from sugar may help to alleviate brutal sugar cravings. And the best thing about fruit (particularly at this time) is its’ high fiber content, which will also improve regularity. Again, check out my “period poops” commentary on this episode of the podcast for more deets.
I also opt for baking with prunes (rather than dates) because they literally contain HALF the amount of sugar yet still provide that same chewy, sweet & satisfying dried fruit consistency.
The final reason I started experimenting with prunes around my period is because we women lose around 30-80 ml of blood and 15-25 ml of iron during each cycle. So I knew it was important to replenish that lost iron with iron-rich foods.
When our blood is strong, it can promote healthy skin, NORMAL periods and better energy. But when blood is deficient, it’s common for us to experience dizziness, blurred vision, low energy, weird or delayed periods, bouts of anemia, and even GASP–premature aging!
All this being said, prunes are an awesome source of iron. Plus the vitamin C in ’em helps your body to absorb the iron that much better. And did I mention that prunes are also high in calcium AND magnesium– our other famed “PMS warriors?”
TAHINI:
All nuts and seeds are energy-dense fuel sources, packed with concentrated protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other important nutrients.
Sesame seeds, in particular, are full of nutrients that have been shown to reduce cramps affiliated with menstruation. They are a great source of vitamin B6, zinc, calcium, and magnesium, and contain certain healthful fatty acids that may help relax muscles.
I even read somewhere that consuming sesame seeds can help to induce a period. So if you’re one of those chicks who has brutal PMS for a solid week leading up to their period and want to meet Aunt Flow ASAP, this could be an especially promising dessert for you.
OATS:
Oats (like prunes and tahini) also contain a good dose of magnesium, which improves nervous system functioning. And this mineral is particularly important during times of mental or physical stress because it can help you sleep, increase energy, lower anxiety, assist in regularity and prevent aches and moodiness.
Oats are also one of the best sources of dietary zinc and are fantastic for women who suffer from painful periods. Plus they provide adequate carbs to replenish lost glycogen in the body, promoting energy and preventing moodiness.
Oats are also full of easily digestible fiber, which will assist in eliminating excess estrogen to help keep your mood in check.
CACAO POWDER:
Did you know that consuming raw organic cacao powder can help your body to readily digest tnutrients? Dairy (or milk chocolate) on the other hand, is highly inflammatory and promotes unhealthy hormone levels. The processing milk chocolate goes through also kills most, if not all, of the beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Raw, organic cacao powder is, however, lower in fat, higher in antioxidants and fiber, an excellent source of iron AND helps to combat cravings.
Cacao is a natural mood elevator because it boosts serotonin in the brain and contains magnesium (which I already mentioned helps regulate mood.) It’s also a terrific source of sulfur, potassium, iron, Vitamin C, zinc, copper, and even some B vitamins.
You convinced? I know I am! So let’s get onto the recipe, shall we?!
1 cup organic pitted prunes (stay away from the ones with added sulphites. They’ll do nothing but take you to fart city!)
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
3 Tbsp. cacao powder
1 scoop Jacked on the Beanstalk chocolate protein powder
3 Tbsp. Swerve brand icing sugar (it’s made with Erythritol – could do stevia or other low glycemic sweetener of choice)
2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed butter)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup oat flour (or use rolled oats but blend in blender or food processor first)
Blend prunes and coconut together in food processor. Throw them into a medium-sized bowl and combine with remaining ingredients. Smear that shizz into the bottom of a glass baking dish and refrigerate whilst you prepare the tofu pudding.
It will appear like so:
350g package of firm tofu (I used a sprouted & organic one)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Half package of Jello fat-free vanilla pudding mix (warning: this contains aspartame but tastes really good for minimal calories)
3 Tbsp. Swerve brand icing sugar (it’s made with Erythritol – could do stevia or other low glycemic sweetener of choice)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Combine all ingredients (including the tofu water in package) in your high-speed blender. Blend! Then dump onto prune squares and try to smear it around to look as appetizing as possible. I attempted to do this with some vegan chocolate chips in the shape of a smiley face. Did I succeed?
Not really. But whatever. We’re PMS-ing vegan bodybuilders. We gave up on food presentation a long time ago, right?!
And that’s all there is to it, folks! Be sure to keep this dessert in the refrigerator if you don’t eat it all in one sitting. The good news is that it doesn’t make a massive portion and it’s pretty low-calorie so you shouldn’t feel **too** guilty or shameful for hogging out on it.
And let me know if you feel some period relief, yo! This has become a regular monthly creation for me and whether it’s placebo effect or not, it sure does make that “time of the month” a little more bearable. Hope you find the same!
Happy baking, vegan fit crew!
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>I remember when I first joined instagram and spent countless hours “hashtag searching,” I’d always make note of the #hashtags other vegan bodybuilders used. #truestory.
]]>I remember when I first joined instagram and spent countless hours “hashtag searching,” I’d always make note of the #hashtags other vegan bodybuilders used. #truestory.
As any social media fitness nerd would, I too, wanted to jump on board the vegan hashtag train.
So in addition to my usual #JackedontheBeanstalk and #veganbikinicompetitor go-tos, I’d sometimes copy other commonly used ones i.e. #vegan #vegansofig #fascinatingSam #whyamIsharingthis?
One I’d regularly encounter was #badassvegan. Well, having of course, always considered myself a “bad ass vegan” of sorts, #sorrynotsorry I’d sometimes throw in a “#badassvegan” not actually realizing that it was linked to a popular brand of vegan food and apparel, created by John Lewis of Miami, Florida.
Yes, when THE “Bad Ass Vegan” himself took notice of my careless hashtagging, I remember feeling both stupid AND pretty damned cool when he liked a bunch of my pics and followed me #nobigdeal
Fast forward two years to the Naturally Fit Games in Austin, Texas and I got to meet him in the “real world” too. What a nice guy not to mention hilarious. And being the successful owner/operator of the Bad Ass Vegan Power Cookie (found in stores across the States and available to the rest of us via his website) and HUGE celeb in the vegan fitness world (no joke, he’s like, 8′ tall) I of course, had to make him my second “Jacked Pals” interview.
So without further ado…
How many years have you been vegan?
“Went vegetarian in 2004 and totally vegan in 2008 so about six years now; 10 years meat-free.”
Where do you live?
“Miami, Florida but originally from St. Louis, Montana by way of Little Rock, Arkansas.”
Day job?
“Being a bad ass :)”
Describe yourself as a vegan in no more than five words.
“Bad Ass with a heart.”
Describe yourself as an athlete in no more than five words.
“I will not lose.”
What does it take to excel and succeed in your sport?
“Mental strength.”
Favourite healthy and/or competition diet vegan food?
“Good old quinoa with beans, lettuce, onions and tomatoes.”
Favourite unhealthy vegan food?
“Coconut cake.”
Chocolate cake or a plate of yam fries?
“Yam fries all day.”
Cardio lover or hater?
“Love it!”
Who do you think is the sexiest vegan celebrity?
“Sad but I never really thought about it!”
What vegan resource have you learned the most from?
“The China Study.”
Do you “diet” and/or always count calories?
“No, I just eat!”
Number one vegan protein source?
“Spirulina.” (blue-green algae.)
Favourite complex carb?
“Sweet potato.”
Favourite source of healthy fats?
“Avocado.”
Favourite obscure vegan specialty item?
“Yucca!” (Yucca is a root vegetable from the agave plant family that tastes similar to sweet potatoes. Go figure, the yam freak would choose this as his “obscure” specialty item.)
What exercise makes you feel like a savage vegan beast?
“Sprints.”
What exercise do you dread doing and hate with a passion?
“Sprints! LOL.”
Vegan supplement you can’t live without?
“Bad Ass Power Shake ( sorry but true).”
Favourite body part on yourself?
“My middle finger LOL.”
How many times per day do you stare at yourself and flex in the mirror?
“Too many to count LOL.”
Favourite animal charity/rescue?
“PCRM.” (The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine puts prevention over pills. Doctors here are empowering their patients to take control of their own health. Since 1985, the Physicians Committee has also been working tirelessly for alternatives to the use of animals in medical education and research and advocating for more effective scientific methods.)
Tell us something weird and/or shocking about you that might change our opinions of you now that we’ve made it to the end of the interview
“My favourite music is rock, my favourite old band is Nirvana and favourite current bands
are 30 Seconds to Mars and Breaking Benjamin. It’s funny because I know that when I am rocking out with my headphones in at the gym, that the ladies are probably listening to the same stuff LOL.”
And lastly, how can we reach/follow you?
Website: BadAssVegan.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BadAssVegan
Twitter & Instagram: @badassvegan
Well, we recently had her on the podcast discussing all things VEGAN MEAL PREP!
And if you haven’t yet heard our “Mastering Meal Prep” episode, you best go listen now!
For everyone else who already heard the vegan meal prep podcast and have been patiently waiting for me to post Amy’s famous “Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce,” you’re in luck because I finally did it (a good week after the episode aired…) 🙂 Ah well, better late than never, right?
I just whipped some up myself and I gotta say, Amy’s sauce is pretty damn tasty but I think I still prefer my own super-easy and less fatty cauliflower sauce which is literally just steamed cauliflower, nutritional yeast, almond milk and sea salt.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Amy’s version all over some lentils for dinner.
Check out Amy’s recipe below. I also suggest you check out her “Plant-Based Wedding” Recipe e-Cookbook for even tastier, fancier vegan recipes (no wedding plans needed.) 🙂
Yields 4 – 6 servings.
Ingredients:
4 cups cauliflower florets, roughly chopped (about 1 small cauliflower)
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of water or low sodium organic vegetable broth
1/4 cups cashews, soaked for at least 30 minutes in warm water, drained and rinsed**
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic and onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooked pasta of your choice (or zucchini noodles if you’re about that low-carb life)
Fresh minced parsley
Method:
Steam cauliflower and garlic in a medium to large pot with a steamer insert or a steamer basket until soft (about 8 minutes.)
Transfer steamed cauliflower and garlic to a blender, along with all remaining ingredients, and process on high speed until desired consistency is reached. You may need to add more water or vegetable broth to thin out the sauce if it’s too thick.
Serve with noodles of your choice and garnish with parsley.
**Note: To make this recipe nut free, swap in either hemp hearts or sunflower seeds in equal measure to the cashews.
Bon appetit!
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>ANYWAY… Huge props to the lovely Sylvia D. who’s been kicking ass with her “Jacked on the Beanstalk” diet and exercise programs. And huge thanks for her providing us with this super easy, super healthy and super high-protein “vegan egg salad” recipe that I know all you other clients and vegan bodybuilders in the depths of competition prep will greatly appreciate too.
Alright, here is the recipe! And for the record, I added A LOT more celery than Sylvia called for because I’m all about that “volume eating” and celery is basically a free food and adds some nice texture.
Here ’tis:
Ingredients:
15 oz. can of organic chickpeas (or garbanzo beans if that’s what you call ’em)
2 green onions, chopped (I used half of a small white onion and it worked well)
3 stalks of celery, diced finely
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil (Sylvia apparently used vegan mayo but let it be known that I did NOT okay that shizz on her meal plan!)
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard or grainy mustard of your choice
1 tsp. paprika (I definitely added a good Tbsp. because I love me some spice)
Pinch of sea salt
Method:
Drain and rinse your chickpeas then chop ’em up in your trusty food processor. You can also put the celery and onion into your food processor if you’re lazy like me and don’t feel like chopping or suck at chopping.
Dump chickpea, onion and celery mixture into a medium-sized bowl. Add remaining ingredients (olive oil + seasonings) and mix well. Refrigerate as needed and enjoy on its’ own, with fresh veggies or whatever crackers/bread you like if you’re committing carbicide. 😉
One more pic for good measure… I used the flash on this one though. Not really feeling it as much though. Thoughts, feelings, suggestions? Does anyone even read this far down my recipe posts?
Happy cooking!
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>And yes, they do look more like reindeer turds than what you’d find in a typical holiday baking spread… But they taste amazing and they’re a helluva lot healthier than your Grandma’s shortbread!
Any-ho-ho-ho, my clients often ask me how they can stay on track over Christmas with their diet and training. And let’s face it. Willpower definitely doesn’t come easy when we’re bombarded with booze and treat-filled events to attend all month long. Not to mention gift baskets galore to consume, cookie exchanges to participate in and whatever other gluttonous festivities we’re forced to do because it’s the “holiday season.”
Well, I know myself well enough to know that I can’t deprive myself completely this time of year. And I know that every Christmas, when I get to my parents’ and I’m hangin’ with the fam-jam, there will be copious amounts of Mom’s homemade, refined, white sugar and flour-filled cookies and squares just begging to be eaten.
Again, I KNOW they don’t look as cute and festive as a gingerbread MAN but technically, they could be classified as part of the gingerbread man, right?! **clears throat**
And more importantly, there is a full scoop of muscle-building, Jacked on the Beanstalk Vanilla Protein Powder in every batch. PLUS they’re made with sunflower seed butter which is very high in vitamin E, selenium and B6. BOOYAH!
Yes, these balls will also blast you a healthy shot of magnesium thanks to those sunflower seeds and the molasses in ’em. FUN FACT: magnesium is an excellent sleep aid and helps build healthy bones.
I like sweetening my desserts with molasses because it has the lowest sugar content of all the sugar cane products and it’s high in both iron and calcium. Yet another reason why these balls are good for your bones. 🙂
This recipe makes seven balls. But I suggest doubling it if you think other peeps will want to test out your vegan balls. 😉
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (and nut or seed butter would work)
1 scoop Jacked on the Beanstalk Vanilla Protein Powder
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
sea salt to taste
Method:
Mix together all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until it forms a big dough ball. Roll into balls and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Stay strong, kids! And most importantly, enjoy yourself and focus more on quality time with your family rather than quality time with the buffet table. 🙂
Happy Holidays!
Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>December is definitely cold as FRAWK here in Ottawa, Canada, eh? But I really can’t imagine being anywhere else this time of year than inside my parents’ overly-decorated log home, surrounded by Mom’s gluten-filled treats and my loud, piss and vinegar-filled family.
And it just wouldn’t be Christmas without us listening to the 90’s pop version of every classic holiday tune on my parents’ CD player (yes, CD player) whilst I warm my giant ass in front of their blazing hot, wood stove. <3
Aside from crowded malls and below freezing temperatures, there really isn’t much that I don’t love about the holidays. Well actually, that’s a lie because I do have a personal vendetta against any person who wears a Santa hat the ENTIRE month of December…
But hear me out. It’s not about the actual hat itself. But haven’t you noticed that the people who wear Santa hats almost always look so… miserable?!? I just think that if you’re going to rock a cheery, joyous, Santa hat, you need to rock that shit. And it should be a requirement that you play the part accordingly and rock a permanent smile on your face too! Right?!?!
Whatever the case, I’m still a huge Christmas nerd and really veering off-topic.
So for all my fellow vegan meatheads out there (or partners/family/friends of one) I thought I’d share my own personal Christmas gift “wish list” for 2017.
This is, without a doubt, THE coolest, most thoughtful gift EVER for the person in your life who already owns EVERYTHING and you’ve run out of ideas. Fine, this one isn’t actually vegan-related or meathead-relevant whatsoever. But I’m so frickin’ stoked on this as a gift for loved ones that I really wanted to share with anyone else who struggles to find their parents a worthwhile present that they’ll genuinely love and use. Plus it can be purchased online in two seconds flat AND delivered electronically in an instant. Perfect for all you last-minute shoppers. You’re welcome!
My siblings and I bought StoryWorth as a birthday present for my dad last year and here’s how it works. Each week, my dad gets sent a different question about his life. It’s fast and easy for him to type up his answer to that one question and every week, his response then gets emailed to us kids.
Then, at the end of the year, we receive a hardcover book of ALL his stories!
I just think that it’s such an awesome, sentimental gift to not only my dad but to his children as well. It’s a win-win for all parties involved! Dad’s been loving this as a fun & creative, new hobby. And I’ve been enjoying learning about his life. And the end-product i.e. the hard-cover book will be such an awesome keepsake for us to have forever and ever.
Price: $79. More deets: HERE.
Everyone’s always asking what my fave, cruelty-free, high-end, skincare products are. Truthfully, I’m always testing out different lines and brands (plus a bunch of DIY, homemade vegan hippie concoctions that have been hits and fails.) But one of my all-time, tried-and-true, fave vegan skin care companies is definitely Luxe de Mer.
After I read Joseph Pizzorno’s “The Toxin Solution,” I pretty much turned into an obsessive psychopath regarding every product I’d allow in and onto my body. More deets on toxin exposure HERE.
But Luxe de Mer is one of the few vegan skincare lines that passed my OCD vegan hippie beauty test. And it’s now become a regular part of my everyday routine.
Aside from using only organic, all-natural ingredients (no chemicals, perfumes, colours or additives) Luxe de Mer’s products are also SUPER concentrated (a little goes a LONG way!)
I also dig that they’re all about cleansing and moisturizing with oils. For someone like me who a) lives in a frozen wasteland b) has dry skin to begin with and c) is more terrified of wrinkles than death itself, slathering my face with these gentle products has been SUCH a great solution to not only my insecurities and vegan hippie skin woes, but to my severely dry skin too.
I recommend the “Luxe Facial” Travel Set as a holiday gift idea because you’ll get to try a bunch of their products (you get a small bottle of each) and you can see how well they all work together. I loved their products so much, I even asked for a discount code so I could selfishly save some cash (and hook my blog readers up.) 🙂
Discount Code: BEANSTALK for 10% off. More deets: HERE
If you follow me on instagram or listen to my podcast, then you already know just how much I love these!
And if you don’t yet know what they are, “Pet Legz” is exactly what you think they are:
All you do is upload some pics of your pet (or pets) to www.PetLegz.com and they send you a proof of how they’re gonna look within a day or two and then it’s only a week or so before you receive them.
I think they would make SUCH a good Christmas present for the vegan fitness freak or crazy cat lady in your life aka probably YOU too, the reader. 🙂
Discount Code: JACKED will even save you 15%! More deets: HERE
I’m sure we can all agree that organic produce is a lot more nutritious than your standard, run-of-the-mill, grocery store fruit & veggie selection. And that’s because (in the absence of pesticides and fertilizers) organic plants boost THEIR OWN natural vitamin and phytochemical production in order to strengthen their resistance to bugs and weeds. Not to mention, we OURSELVES are not consuming the many chemical-laden pesticides and fertilizers that get sprayed onto the non-organic fruits and veggies we find at a regular grocery store.
So a few months ago, (also related to my toxin exposure scare) I signed up for a weekly organic fruit & vegetable delivery service and I gotta say, I’ve been loving it! I went with Ottawa Organics because they’re local to me obviously. And I think that ANYONE would love (and make use of) a Christmas gift that entails the delivery of fresh, local produce to their door every week.
Most of these services operate year-round (even in Canada, eh?) And I really dig the surprise and challenge I’m faced with each week as I attempt to get creative and come up with meals that utilize whatever’s leftover in my box.
Bonus points: I find myself juicing more often as another way to use up whatever’s left in my box each week.
Price: I pay $35/week for a medium-sized, organic fruit and veggie box
Last year, I was introduced to this awesome piece of hip-opening, spine-lengthening equipment and I must say that I’ve been in love with her ever since. 🙂
Now let it be known that I am by no means, a “yogi.” I’ve probably done yoga less than 10 times in my entire life (as shocking as that might sound.) But remember, not ALL vegans do yoga! 😉
I do, however, deadlift like a beast on the regular. And I can honestly say that nothing has been more beneficial for stretching out my tight hips and roughed-up back than the yoga wheel.
Sure, there are a whole bunch of yoga moves you can do with it. But I just position this bad boy under my spine every morning for a couple of minutes and it’s frickin’ AMAZING.
It offers myofascial release similar to foam rolling but we’re talkin’ NEXT LEVEL shizz. Wow, that sentence sounds like pure “bro science” doesn’t it? Nevertheless, I think any bodybuilder (or yogi) should add the Yoga Wheel to their toolbox of home stretching devices. The brand I have is called “Yog Dev.”
Price: $59 More deets: HERE
And that’s it for this year, kids! Thankfully I already own all of these things so if you plan to buy me something for Christmas, please be original as I love a good surprise. 😉
And for those of you who don’t yet own any of these awesome items, I promise your vegan hippie meathead lives will be that much more enriched with ’em in your possession.
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas, vegan fit crew!
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>And I definitely giggled like a school girl as I wrote “High Protein Apple Crisp” as the post title. What can I say? You know you’re a meathead when you’re dumping protein powder into apple crisp. 🙂
The truth, my fellow meatless meatheads, is that I recently started buying fresh produce from a local, organic delivery service called “Ottawa Organics.” And I did this because I firmly believe that the best nutrition is through local, organic produce that’s in-season. And well, having a giant box of it delivered right to my door every Thursday is super convenient. Plus it’s really forced me to get creative in the kitchen and eat a wider array of fruits and veggies.
Today, my weekly order arrived and it contained apples just like last week. I do love me some apples. The only problem is that I still haven’t eaten the apples from last week. Hashtag #FirstWorldProblems 😉
My initial idea was to cook up some apple sauce in my new fave appliance: The Instant Pot.
But anywho, I decided against apple sauce because I already had some packaged stuff collecting dust in my cupboards so it seemed kinda stupid to make a fresh batch.
Instead, I decided on homemade apple crisp because my oven has also been collecting dust ever since my newfound love affair with the Instant Pot.
Not to mention, warm apple crisp just sounded oh-so-autumny on this crisp October evening. (And I figured my neighbours would appreciate me filling the hallway with smells of cinnamon and fresh-baked apples to make up for this morning’s sauteed kale.) 😉
Anyway, if you know anything about me, you know I’m all about that plant-based protein, bruh! So naturally, I had to incorporate Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder into the apple crisp mix somehow. And I gotta say, the end result was pretty damn tasty!
Did I mention there’s also NO ADDED SUGAR, not even stevia or Walden’s chemical pancake syrup?! Just real ingredients to create the perfect sweet fix for all you sugar addicted, meatless meatheads out there. You’re welcome. And here’s the recipe:
Ingredients (for the apple bottom:)
4 – 5 small organic apples (I believe these were local Gala ones)
1 tsp. ground Ceylon cinnamon
Ingredients (for the crunchy topic:)
3/4 cup organic rolled oats
1 scoop of Vanilla Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder
1/4 cup ground almonds (I used almond flour)
1 tsp. ground Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
2 Tbsp. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with a touch of coconut oil. Then core/slice up/cube your apples and toss them into the dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
For the topping, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl (dry ingredients first then wet ones.) Then stir until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over apples.
Bake for 30 minutes or until apples are cooked and topping is browned. Enjoy!
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>Perhaps it’s because this recipe has been made sooooo many times, it’s now become an ingrained part of me that I don’t even think about it anymore? Or perhaps it’s because this tempeh recipe is just so damn easy that I figured it’s not even worth sharing? Or perhaps it’s because my fave tempeh recipe is just sooo damn good that I wanted to keep it all to myself? I guess we’ll never know…
And who really gives a crap anyway because today, my vegan brethren, I’m finally sharing the recipe with all of you! (PLUS the horrible photos I took that really don’t do this tasty vegan protein any justice whatsoever…)
Apparently tempeh is a foreign (and scary) vegan protein option to most new vegans. And let’s be honest – it looks repulsive. I’m pretty sure all of us thought we got ripped off when we purchased our first-ever “this must be expired” moldy package of tempeh. Am I right? 🙂
But nope, moldy and rotten is precisely what we want from a good piece of tempeh. And that’s because tempeh is fermented soy.
Yes, I know there are probably some soy-hating vegans reading this right now. But I, for one, feel awesome eating lots of soy and I have for many, many years. Gluten (or seitan) on the other hand, makes me feel like a farty, bloated whale. So as a vegan bodybuilder, when I’m trying to consume copious amounts of protein, I prefer to make tempeh a staple in my diet.
Soy always gets a bad rap because it contains phytoestrogens (chemicals that possess hormone-like properties.) Differing views/studies exist on soy consumption (which I will not get into here.) All I know is that I’ve been consuming it almost daily for 26 years and have never had any health or hormonal issues arise EVER.
Soy is high in protein and fiber. It’s also good for bone health, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases HDL (good) cholesterol levels. And it is especially high in vitamins & nutrients when consumed in a fermented state.
As mentioned earlier, “tempeh” is fermented soy bean originating from Indonesia and has a nutty taste and meaty texture. I dig it.
And for any soy-haters reading this post, you can at least be comforted in knowing that the fermentation process actually neutralizes phytoestrogens AND improves digestibility of the soy beans.
So eat that shit up I say! And let’s get onto the recipe, shall we?
It’s super easy to make this tempeh and is both sweet and spicy. I guess you could say it has an Asian-inspired taste to it. Whatever it is, it’s frickin’ delicious and I never get tired of it.
Let me know what you think!
Ingredients:
1 package tempeh (8 oz.)
1 tsp. coconut oil (or tiny spritz depending on how strict you’re being)
1 tsp. minced garlic (or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
1 small piece of fresh ginger, grated (about the size of a finger tip) or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger)
1/2 tsp. dried chili flakes
2 Tbsp. Bragg liquid aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce)
1 – 2 Tbsp. peanut flour (or PB2 or even real PB or almond butter if not being super strict)
Method:
Cut your tempeh into strips or chunks (I usually make one package into eight squares) and set aside. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet (or non-stick pan if you don’t want to use any oil but at least read this post on toxin exposure and consider ditching your non-stick/Teflon!) 🙂
Once the oil is hot, toss in the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute then throw in the tempeh and remaining ingredients. If tempeh seems dry, you can add a bit of water to it.
Cook for 5 – 10 minutes until golden brown on each side then enjoy.
And again, my sincere apologies for the awful food pics on this one. Not that ANY of my recipes ever look THAT good. But this one in particular, is especially bad seeing as I couldn’t even “plate it” properly. Zero points for effort, I know. But if you’re a meatless meathead, we both know you don’t give a crap about appearances… food appearances that is. 😉
Happy lifting, vegan fit crew!
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>Yes, what started as a late-night Google search for “natural period cramp remedies” somehow quickly turned into a complete overhaul of every beauty treatment, cleaning product and food item in my apartment. And yes, even an overhaul of my toxic friends.
I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty healthy, well-rounded chick. I’m mindful about the foods I eat and I exercise almost every day. I rarely drink. And hell, I’m a vegan health coach for God’s sake!
I like to think that I’ve always prided myself on being healthy, getting enough sleep, having good energy and top-notch, fiber-rich digestion. 🙂
But for whatever reason (most likely because I’m in denial about aging) I’ve started to experience major hormonal swings in my 30s. Sure, we ladies can all recognize the difference between how we look and feel during our fertile “hot week” vs. our pre-period “bloated, hideous week.” But for whatever reason, as soon as I hit 33, the hormonal ups and downs became more and more noticeable. And I, of course, became more and more determined to balance that shit out!
So in my internet search for PMS SOS, I stumbled upon a variety of research and studies that revealed how peeps from all over the U.S., Europe and even my beloved Canada have absorbed a complex chemical shit storm of synthetic substances throughout our lifetimes — many of which are “endocrine disruptors” aka the likely cause of my hormonal imbalances.
I immediately purchased Joseph E. Pizzorno’s “The Toxin Solution: How Hidden Poisons in the Air, Water, Food, and Products We Use Are Destroying Our Health—AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO FIX IT” and got reading. Then got terrified. And perhaps a little toxin-obsessed.
I threw out every hair and skincare product I owned with chemically-sounding ingredients and invested in a bunch of all-natural alternatives, nearly experiencing a heart attack when I saw my total on the cash register. I even replaced my beloved, expensive perfume collection with strange, hippie-smelling, essential oils. Eau de “Ylang Ylang?” Sure, whatever.
I became diligent about eating organic foods and local produce and would analyze package labels even more anal retentively than when I was in competition prep mode.
I learned that apparently the most common chemicals we encounter on a daily basis are actually the most worrisome because they’re the ones that seriously mess with our hormones. These are the endocrine-disrupting chemicals I mentioned earlier aka “EDCs” which are synthetic compounds that mimic our natural hormones (and not in a good way!)
EDCs can either turn on or off your normal hormonal signals. And just a tiny amount of one hormone can majorly effect your other hormones AND bodily tissues by attaching to your cell receptors. Your body obviously wants to keep everything in balance but when hormonal disruptions occur in one part of the endocrine system, it can wreak havoc in other areas.
So for example, there’s a pretty good chance that EDCs will bind to your hormone receptors and trigger either excessive hormone action or block your body’s natural hormonal responses altogether. Doesn’t sound too good, now does it?
And what’s even scarier is that the long-term effects of EDCs on humans are still a frigging mystery because there has never been so many man-made, unregulated synthetics at work in our bodies before! AHHHHHH!!!!
But humans’ exposure to EDCs have, however, been linked to reproductive disorders, endometriosis, adrenal imbalances, thyroid issues, insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity and various cancers. There have even been cases of mood disorders and autism related to these endocrine disruptors.
Obviously I’m not so stupid to think that I can avoid ALL toxin exposure. I do realize that I have to leave my apartment sometimes and breathe in the outside air.
And thankfully, there is some good news for us vegans! Apparently the most toxic, pesticide residues are actually found in fatty fish, meat and dairy products. 🙂
[bctt tweet=”Good news for vegans! The most pesticide residues are actually found in fish, meat and dairy products.” username=”samanthashorkey”]
All in all, I’m pretty stoked on these changes that I’ve made. And I can honestly say that embarking on a “toxin free” life has almost become a high for me.
Everyday I’m making a solid effort to purge more and more of my toxic-filled belongings and replace them with safer, healthier (albeit more expensive) options. And let it be known that if I lose or smash my new $40 glass water bottle, I might have to murder someone.
But overall, it really does feel good to know that I’m on the path to optimal health and wellness. Call it the “Placebo Effect” if you will but it feels damn good to know that everything going into (and onto) my body **hopefully** isn’t harming me.
And low and behold: even my PMS symptoms GREATLY decreased after just one month. I’m still not sure if I should be thanking the $20 “clary sage” oil I’ve been rubbing all over my pelvis every morning or the $30 evening primrose oil I’ve been slathering all over my face at nighttime. But either way, I genuinely feel better so I’m sticking it out.
It’s been a pretty cool experiment so far and I recommend that we ALL become more conscious of these endocrine disruptors we’re constantly exposing ourselves to.
We can all do our best to reduce our daily contact with these bastards by paying more attention to the plastics, pesticides, clothing fabrics, cleansers, and cosmetics we’re using. And give the “Toxin Solution” a read. I can tell you that the knowledge and insight I’ve gained from this book has impacted my life in more profound ways than just mild PMS relief and major credit card debt.
In fact, I was talking to a new “man friend” the other day about these recent lifestyle overhauls and he shared with me some pretty deep shit that I will now share with you.
It was: “don’t be afraid of removing the wrong people from the right place in your life. You can’t go anywhere with negative people. Negative people are like cars without fuel and engines. You can only sit in them but they will never take you anywhere.”
And his message got me thinking…
I’d been on such a good spiritual path these past few months that I realized the type of people I choose to surround myself with plays an equally important role in my journey to optimal health and wellness.
So just like my skin creams and makeup, I spent some time evaluating the people in my life and deciding who to keep and who to pitch. It sounds harsh but like I said on our podcast all about minimalism, anyone who isn’t adding VALUE to my life definitely doesn’t deserve a guest star role in it.
And just like my plastic tupperware and Teflon fry pans, let someone else find value in ’em. 🙂
Happy toxin-detoxin’, vegan fit crew!
-Sam Shorkey, The Mindful Meathead behind Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>I remember thinking it was sad when people removed their birthday year from facebook. And apparently, 35 is the year that I remove it too. 🙂
In fact, I feel the same way when 20-something chicks complain about dark circles under their eyes and PMS.
But this is where I’m at. And at 35 (far more than 30) this has definitely been my most dreaded birthday yet. And it really didn’t help when one of my older, male clients so kindly noted that I’m now officially “MIDDLE-AGED.”
Middle-aged, UGH! Really?! I also remember thinking 35 was “sooooooo old.”
And well, a few moves across the country, career changes and crow’s feet later, here I am. Yet, I still feel like I’m 25! And I’m pretty sure I still act like it too…
I’m still flying solo, still renting an apartment downtown. Still blowing money on stupid, frivolous shit and swearing like a trucker. Still making yearly trips to Vegas that entail minimal sleep and maximum partying (definitely not helping with said crow’s feet situation.) I still giggle like an idiot over everything and stare at the ground whenever a hot dude passes by. And I still haven’t a clue what RRSPs are or the direction that my “career” is headed in.
And yet, in many ways, I really do feel better than ever (minus the forever-worsening PMS symptoms.) Seriously, WHY all of a sudden, must I retain water and cramp as though I’ve been bathed and drowned in pickle juice for an ENTIRE WEEK every single month?!?!
Before I ever got into vegan bodybuilding and long before I ever became a vegan coach, I actually did marketing and investor relations for various mining/oil and gas companies.
I can remember working for this one investment banking firm in particular and their “Investor Relations Manager” was quite the interesting character. He was very Scottish, very lazy, and truth be told: I could not stand him.
He was a drinker, a smoker, a womanizer and very set in his old-school ways of luring in investors.
He also had this weird, filthy habit of making his investor calls–feet up on desk–picking at his nails and cuticles with an array of manicure/self-torture tools he kept inside his desk drawer.
The very smell of his expensive designer cologne mixed with white wine and stale cigarettes was enough to make my skin crawl. And it did.
For some stupid reason, I had it drilled into my head that if I ever hit 35 and I’m a single/unmarried woman, I have failed at life. It would mean that my best years are behind me and many years of therapy lie ahead.
And yet, here I am today, celebrating my 35th birthday UNMARRIED and you’re damn right, I’m reflecting…
My immediate answer is “yes.” But just like we’re all a little “veg-curious,” aren’t we all a little “fucked up” too?
Perhaps the most “fucked up” part of all: that very same Scottish sleazeball ended up MURDERED in cold blood (because of money) just months after I had left Vancouver.
Didn’t see that one coming, eh?
Crazy, horrible and sad, YES. But my point is that given the circumstances, this man’s opinion should have NO bearing on my life WHAT-SO-EVER. And yet, it REALLY did!
Well folks, today I am 35, unmarried, no kids, no problems and healthy as can be. It is 12pm on a beautiful summer afternoon in Toronto, Ontario and I am hanging out with one of my best pals. I’m drinking gourmet coffee on her patio and I’m doing my most favourite thing in the whole wide world: blogging.
Somehow, I’ve been able to turn my passions for story telling, veganism and bodybuilding into a self-sustaining, full-time career and even employ my sister in the process. <3
I have accomplished almost every personal and professional goal that I have set out to do. And as a self-employed “entrepreneur,” I get to live out everyday exactly how I want.
Sure, 10 years ago, if you had asked me where I’d be at 35, I probably would’ve said “living in the suburbs with my perfect husband, pushing a stroller on nightly power walks with the other milfs on the block.” But imagining that scenario right now, I’m laughing because there’s no frigging way I’d have the time to run my vegan coaching biz let alone write blog posts or record podcasts.
Now don’t get me wrong, had I met the “(vegan) man of my dreams” somewhere along the line, I obviously would’ve tried to juggle everything and I’m sure I could adapt as necessary. But instead, I dated a LOT. And I traveled a lot. And I learned a LOT from every relationship and experience including what I like and don’t like and what makes me an awesome person and what things I still need to work on.
I can acknowledge and learn from the many lessons and blessings I’ve had through my relationships with people who’ve come into my life. And I can now weave stories of my own experiences into the lives of others and even actually LEARN from my mistakes instead of thinking it’s everyone else who’s fucked up like I used to think. 🙂
And thankfully, pretty early on in my adult years, I realized how much I hated working in mining & oil and gas. And how so many of us are driven by greed and the desire for power, popularity and money. And over time, I’ve learned that when we become obsessed with these external things, they become a reflection of our inner experience. Then our judgment becomes impaired and our ethics get compromised.
On turning 35, I am proud of the fact that I have created (and all by myself) a passion-based, vegan business that aligns with who I am and what I believe in.
I might be a slacker, hypocrite and procrastinator at times but I can honestly say that in this business, I have never cut corners or compromised my integrity or values for anyone or anything.
So my 35-year-old wisdom to anyone reading this post is this:
Whether you’re 20 or 60, please let us all stop being so frigging hard on ourselves and be grateful for where we are and what we have RIGHT NOW.
Let us stop thinking that external fulfillment comes from the outside world and that ONCE we have the perfect body, THEN we’ll be confident and happy.
[bctt tweet=”Let us stop thinking that ONCE we have the perfect body, THEN we’ll be confident and happy.” username=”samanthashorkey”]
I know getting older sucks but it’s happening whether we like it or not! I’m all for being the healthiest and most attractive I can be for as long as possible. But I think many of us really need to put less emphasis on our physical self-improvement and dedicate wayyyyy more time to doing the inner work. And part of that means positive reflections!
And so, despite being “middle-aged” and not happy about it, I put together a list of things that are awesome about being 35. Would love to hear any additions you have too. Here ’tis:
And yes, I realize this post is turning into a novel (which is especially ironic considering I was hesitant to even write the damn thing in the first place.) But I do want to end it with a gentle reminder to us all that a truly happy person can never be old or ugly. 🙂
“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”
Happy aging, vegan fit crew!
– Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>I’m sure the fact that I had been eating nothing but tempeh and asparagus for the last few months was a contributing factor to my level of acai bowl enjoyment. Nevertheless, I remember thinking that shizz was insanely delicious.
Acai (pronounced “ah-sigh-eeeee”) is a low-sugar–therefore low glycemic–purple berry harvested from the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. Like most berries, it’s super high in antioxidants but as luck would have it, acai is even more antioxidant-rich than your everyday strawberry or blueberry.
Acai berries are also high in omega-3 fatty acids which is something we vegans tend to be low in. And speaking of lows, it’s even lower in sugar than cranberries which means you can eat more of ’em without raising your blood sugar. All this being said, you probably wouldn’t want to eat them alone because their lack of sugar also makes them uber-tart.
Thankfully some genius somewhere had the brilliant idea to mix acai powder (or puree) into a bowl of coconut yogurt, coconut milk or banana nice-cream, then sweeten the hell out of it with either some dates, maple syrup or agave, throw some fruit and granola on top and voila: THE most sweet & satisfying bowl of creamy vegan goodness you can swallow… 🙂
I was pretty stoked to come home from Texas and start making these at home for breakfast everyday. But low and behold, no matter what kind of acai bowl I created, it was always super high in carbs AND fat and relatively low in protein. So it wasn’t long before I went back to my tried & true everyday protein smoothie breakfast.
But this week, thanks to a client request, I had a brilliant idea of mine own. And as God is my witness, I finally created a delightfully satisfying, high protein, low carb and low fat acai bowl that’s sure to make every meatless meathead’s heart sing.
My ingenious idea? Pair a crunchy TVP topping with a bean-based, creamy bottom! Mind-blowing, right?! Here’s the recipe:
Acai Bottom Ingredients (enough for one bowl:)
1/2 cup chickpeas (cooked/rainsed/drained if canned)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 scoop Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder (vanilla)
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp. Sari Foods Organic Acai Powder (discount code Shorkey15 will save you 15%)
1 tsp. maca root powder (good for energy boost and balancing hormones)
TVP Topping Ingredients (enough for a few bowls:)
2 cups organic TVP (textured vegetable protein)
2 Tbsp. organic coconut oil
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. brown rice syrup (low glycemic sweetener) or Lakanto Liquid Monkfruit Sweetener (zero calories, zero additives AND zero glycemic) **Discount code shorkey30 will save you 30% – you’re welcome** 🙂
1 tsp. ground Ceylon cinnamon
Dash of sea salt
TVP Topping Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Start the TVP “granola” first. Just mix the TVP with melted coconut oil, sweetener and vanilla in a big bowl until evenly coated then lightly grease a baking sheet with some coconut oil or put down parchment paper if you’re being really strict on fat/calories. You could also heat all of the liquid ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Then remove from heat and stir into the TVP + spices.
Spread the TVP granola onto baking sheet and bake for about 12 – 15 minutes.
Allow it to cool tbefore topping your acai bowl.
Acai Bowl Method:
Combine chickpeas, blueberries and almond milk in a blender and mix until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Stir until creamy and purple-y. 🙂
Once you’ve got an ice-creamy texture, you can add a bit of stevia if not sweet enough or some vanilla extract or fresh mint leaves or even fresh ginger (digestive health + anti-inflammatory benefits.) Get creative!
Then add your TVP granola and whatever else you want depending how healthy/hearty you want it: unsweetened, shredded coconut, hemp hearts, dried fruit, raw fruit, nuts, seeds – whatever floats your boat (I mean bowl.) 🙂
Macro Breakdown:
TVP topping (per half cup serving): 220 cal, 24 g protein, 7 g fat & 14 g carbs.
Acai bottom: 318 cal, 23 g protein, 6 g fat & 44 g carbs.
Bon appetit, vegan hippie meathead crew! 🙂
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>Well here I am, once again, airing my dirty “dating” laundry over the internet. Tears are literally streaming down my face as I type this. My breath is short and fast yet heavy and winded all at once.
My heart hurts. This was a guy who I’ve known since we were kids. Someone who I developed real, true feelings for. Someone I saw long-term potential in. And someone who despite eating animals, had a good heart and made me feel like a princess.
My family liked him. My friends liked him. And most importantly, I liked him.
For the eight months that we dated, he was open to trying my vegan food and I shut my mouth about his carnivorous ways **most** of the time when he was eating meat in front of me. Of course it bothered me that he wasn’t bothered by the cruelty and lack of compassion for his dietary choices. But I’ve always held onto the belief that it’s not my place to push my beliefs onto others and instead, live by the credo “I don’t preach, I inspire.” So I kept quiet for the most part and focused on all the good things in the relationship instead.
We both loved bodybuilding. He even liked the vegan restaurants I took him to. He respected the fact that I was vegan. And I accepted the fact that he was not.
On May 28th, 2017, we both flew to Vancouver for a short getaway (and free trip because I was booked to speak at Veg Expo.)
Everything was going great (or so I thought.) We even met his newly-vegan cousin for dinner at a funky raw place the night before the expo.
Apparently the most right reason in my mind was the most wrong thing that I could say.
The next day was of course, heavenly for me (as any vegan expo is for a vegan.)
Here I was, standing in front of a 30-foot poster of MYSELF all day long, meeting hundreds of people, flexing on stage with other vegan bodybuilders, delivering a kick-ass 30-minute talk on veganism, signing autographs and taking a bunch of photos with people.
Instead of feeling proud, he realized just how much this diet consumed my entire life and identity. I had made a career out of my passion for vegan health and fitness. And as much as every person on earth hopes and dreams of finding and pursuing their own passion, he realized that mine would never be his. And that was that.
I’ll be honest, guys. Right now, I kinda hate the fact that I’m such a compassionate person. I almost wish that I didn’t care so damn much about the cruel and unjust treatment of animals in our society. Dating sure would be A LOT easier if I could just stop caring about the billions of animals that are unnecessarily killed every year for human consumption.
Last weekend I delivered a 45 minute presentation at Veg Fest in Ottawa. I’ll be honest. It took every ounce of my mental strength to stay on task preparing for it and not lie on the couch, sobbing uncontrollably in the fetal position all week.
I will never regret my decision to be vegan but in all honesty, at times like this, it’s easy to regret being THE vegan who I’ve become. And I’d be lying if I said that I don’t sometimes fantasize about going back to a regular 9am – 5pm corporate job where no one even knows or cares WTF I eat. And when I get into these funks, I imagine what my life would be like without this blog and without my vegan coaching biz.
But whether I’m workin’ for the man in an office Monday to Friday or pouring my heart into a blog post at 2:06am on a Sunday night… This, I know for certain:
And as lonely and heartbroken as I feel right now, I’m relying on my compassion now more than ever to help me get outta this funk. So I’m acknowledging my own suffering and I’m showing compassion to both myself and to him. I’m not passing judgement either because he was being authentic in what he wanted and didn’t want in his life.
I’m definitely not looking forward to “dating” again. But I’ll remain hopeful that there are jacked dudes out there who genuinely believe that compassion is a necessity and not a luxury. And even if I never find one, I’ll at least take refuge in knowing that those who fly solo often have the strongest wings (and are a centaur in the Warriors of Compassion Calendar.) 🙂
– Sam, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>But it’s honestly kinda rare that I will go out of my way to endorse a product unless I truly and wholeheartedly LOVE it and believe that my fellow vegan meathead readers will love it too.
In fact, I almost took on a legging sponsor once whose product was quite “meh.” And instead of being lured into the tempting world of affiliate marketing, I decided that I cared more about the ass of your gym pants NOT ripping while you’re squatting. So I politely declined.
I’m sharing this story with you because I always wanna be real on my blog. And I hope I always provide valuable blog posts. So with all this being said, today I’m sharing a new fave find that I think all you dieters, plant-based health freaks, vegan bodybuilders, sugar fiends and protein powder haters will truly love.
I discovered these bad boys a couple of weeks ago at Veg Expo in Vancouver. And as an admitted candy addict AND health-conscious vegan hippie meathead, my mind was officially blown when my friend presented me with a sample bag.
When I ripped open the bag and started eating these super tasty gummies, I immediately thought of my clients who loathe the taste of protein powder. Personally, I absolutely LOVE eating and drinking Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder and bake with it all the time. But for whatever reason, so many of my clients think my “protein pudding” is repulsive. And to them, I introduce Herbaland’s Protein Gummies.
Check the profile: one 55 gram package contains no fat, next to no sugar, is only 180 calories (very comparable to a scoop of protein powder,) non-GMO, sugar and gluten-free AND contain 10 grams of protein (sourced from 100% Canadian pea protein, eh?)
They’re also the PERFECT pre-workout or travel snack for all you busy veegs who are constantly asking me what protein bars and “quick and easy” grab-n-go snacks I recommend. My answer is now a bag of Vegan Protein Gummies! You’re welcome. 🙂
I also dig that Herbaland is a Canadian company and their protein gummies are organic. And if I haven’t sold you on them already, these are a sugar addict’s savior!
Remember kids, protein helps fill you up so you crave less fat and carbs. Protein is also what increases muscle tone and definition which will help to create that lean “hard” look we all strive for!
I will say that they’re a little high in carbs (at 36 grams per package) so my suggestion would be to have them pre or post-workout. But any time is delicious because mmmmmmm vegan bodybuilder candy….
Herbaland gummies also come in a bunch of fruity flavours and are preservative free for anyone wondering. AND they make a bad-ass B12 and D3 vegan gummy vitamin that I’ve been eating every morning (and trying REALLY hard to stop myself at one…)
Okay I think I’ve praised the Herbaland team enough seeing as they’re not even paying me for all of this ass-kissing! 🙂
Herbaland was, however, kind enough to give me a discount code for you to buy (and repeatedly purchase) their amazing vegan protein gummies.
And apparently it’s free shipping for all orders over $70 in both Canada and the US! Not too shabby!
Hope you like my “fave new find” as much as I do. I’m literally eating a bag while I type this…
Let me know what you think! Peace out, vegan fit crew!
-Sam, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>I’m just gonna come right out and be honest with you (since honesty is, of course, the first responsibility that all aspiring Jedi are taught.)
Perhaps “cat fishing” isn’t the most appropriate term for this cookie recipe seeing as it has nothing to do with online dating. Click here for the actual definition of “cat fishing.”
But long story short, I bought these awesome Star Wars cookie cutters a few months ago and I was determined to use them and make some healthy protein cookies in celebration of May the Fourth.
But nevertheless, I was determined to commemorate this special day with a kick-ass cookie recipe. And well… my lack of appropriate cookie ingredients paired with my OCD “vegan health freak” morals to keep carbs & fats low basically resulted in a giant fail…
The good news, however, is that the actual cookies still turned out AND tasted quite good (for a healthy, high protein, low fat, low carb vegan cookie that is.)
And in my defense, I DID manage to get ONE decent-looking Chewbacca outta the batch (and thoroughly enjoyed eating him!) RAWWWWWWRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!
Seeing as she has kids, I knew my sister Sarah would have all the standard (not-so-healthy) cookie ingredients at her place and would be equally as excited to take ownership of my Star Wars cookie cutters. So I tossed them her way and told her to come up with a recipe that would actually do Yoda, Darth and Chewy some justice. And I told her to include our fave protein powder Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder in the recipe somehow.
Well, Sarie certainly didn’t disappoint. (Nor did she hold back on the fat.) Half a cup of vegetable shortening, REALLY?!?! Nevertheless, I thought it only fair that I include BOTH of our recipes and allow readers to use “The Force” and make their own decision whether they want to eat plain and boring-looking (but super healthy, gluten AND sugar free, high in protein AND low in carbs/fat) cookies OR bad ass-looking, rich & decadent, far-from-healthy (yet super delicious) “normal person” cookies.
Recipes are as follows:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Cream shortening with brown sugar. Add molasses and mix well. Control! Control! You must have control!
Sift flour with dry ingredients and combine with molasses mixture. Roll dough onto floured surface. Size matters not.
Bake for 10 minutes. PATIENCE YOU MUST HAVE!
Should you wish to make cookie sandwiches, Sam’s vanilla protein icing recipe is here.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup Lakanto “Classic” Monkfruit Sweetener (LOVE THIS because it’s zero calories, zero additives AND a zero glycemic sweetener!) PLUS discount code shorkey30 gets you 30% off)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder (vanilla)
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/3 tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
Cream together the room-temperature or melted coconut oil with sweetener in a large bowl then add water and vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients until a nice dough is formed.
Roll cookies into balls (do not attempt to roll out dough and use cookie cutters as per my aforementioned cookie cutter fail.)
Transfer cookie balls to baking sheet, leaving a bit of space between each and press down each ball as you place them onto it.
Bake for 15 – 18 minutes until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Allow them to cool completely before eating. Patience you must have. Yes, I totally stole that from Sarah’s instructions. Good one, Sare!
Sooooooo which recipe did YOU make?
Either way, May the Fourth be with you, vegan fit crew!
-Sam and Sarah Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>Okay, who am I kidding? It was totally this post about the disgusting side of being a vegan bikini competitor in my early days of competing that put me on the map as a crass and brutally honest fit chick with a good sense of humour and a great ass (again, self-proclaimed.) 😉
I certainly don’t hide the fact that as a vegan bikini competitor turned pro, obviously I eat a LOT of plant-based protein and fibrous, farty foods to create my plant-built physique. But apparently because I am both fit & attractive, it is an unwritten rule that hot girls don’t fart. And apparently I should be keeping my bodily functions to myself.
Well screw that! I am a REAL person and I’m getting REAL tired of having to respond to every single one of my clients who ask what they can do about the bloating and farting they’re experiencing since switching over to a vegan diet.
Sound familiar? Trust me, my bloated vegan brethren, you are not alone!
I actually hear this complaint from clients all the time. They love their customized vegan meal plans. And they’re destroying their workouts every day. They feel great, sleep great, have glowing skin BUT for whatever reason, they are farting up a serious stink storm and feeling like a bloated whale as each day goes on.
Well vegan fit crew, today I’m gonna break it all down for you. I bet you can hardly contain your excitement! Or are you just holding in a fart? 😉
Before we begin, let me first explain what exactly a fart is. Most of us can gather that a “fart” is pretty much just air that is trapped inside of us. But most peeps don’t know what exactly causes us to hold in that air and more importantly, why we vegan bodybuilders seem more farty and bloated than our animal-eating counterparts.
Believe it or not, there are many fart-causing culprits. A lot of new vegans especially notice their increasing fart expenditure upon making the switch from a standard American diet. And it’s worth noting that this is usually thanks to the increase in veggie intake.
Veggies are jam-packed full of fiber which is, of course, jam-packed full of nutrients so whether you’re farty or not, you should still include a TON of green veggies in your daily diet. I always specify “green” veggies because I personally consider them to be “free foods.” Green veggies are so low in calories and high in nutrition that if there’s anything you’re going to eat in excess, make it them greens, yo!
And remember, a diet high in fiber (i.e. vegan) ensures your digestive system is chugging along smoothly AND bonus for those of us trying to lean down: fiber keeps us feeling full for longer so green veggies really are the perfect food for anyone on a diet.
That being said, a huge serving of fibrous green veggies IS hard for your body to digest. So if you’re finding that your incessant farting and basketball-sized, protruding stomach is just way too outta control, here are a few tricks to allow for high vegetable consumption with minimal discomfort.
Sugar-free gum sounds like a dieter’s God save. And it is, don’t get me wrong. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t chew sugar-free gum ALL DAY LONG especially when I’m in hardcore competition prep mode. In fact, I’m chewing some whilst I write this post.
Chewing gum busies my hungry mouth, strengthens my jaw muscles, is a welcoming burst of flavour from an otherwise bland & boring, vegan bikini competitor food plan. And it acts as a dessert when I finish my meal but still want more food or something sweet to cleanse my bland & boring palate.
The downside of chewing sugar-free gum is that it’s made with a crap load of sugar alcohols. Yes, these added “sweeteners” can be natural like stevia or xylitol or totally unnatural like aspartame or sucralose. But whether you go full-out chemical sweetener style or not, they can ALL wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal tract AND cause not only bloating and farting, but explosive diarrhea if consumed in excess. Not speaking from experience or anything… **nervous laugh**
And something to consider next time you’re on a hot date and tell yourself that “fresh breath” is of higher concern than having to hold in your farts. It’s NOT. Trust me.
While you “Netflix & chill” with your love interest, my suggestion is to drink copious amounts of water with a teaspoon of mint chlorophyll added to it (a natural deodorizer and breath freshener) so that he won’t hear your stomach growling AND the constant pee breaks will allow you to release those farts if and when they do arise. 🙂
Next thing to consider is a probiotic and digestive enzyme supplement.
Anyone who has ever worked with me as their vegan coach knows that I’m a huge advocate for supplementing with both. I’ve detailed the importance of probiotics for bodybuilders in THIS POST but the Cole’s Notes version is this:
As vegan bodybuilders, we tend to eat a lot of protein. Not only is protein difficult for our bodies to break down, but when we’re eating more protein than we require, our bodies will actually convert most of those calories to sugar and then fat. And with increased blood sugar levels, you could possibly end up feeding bacteria and yeast, aka the “bad” kind of bacteria such as Candida. Additionally, when you’re eating copious amounts of protein (especially animal-based), digestion slows and your body struggles to perform its breaking down and assimilating processes. Plus many of us actually lack sufficient stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes to perform these basic functions– creating even more digestive upset.
Protein digestion (and digestion in general) is super energy intensive. And I’ve always believed that consuming a hefty dose of probiotics + digestive enzymes every morning greatly helps my body’s “eliminative processes” to function both quickly and more efficiently, allowing for better protein assimilation and an overall happy gut.
I regularly switch up the brand of probiotics I take because I never want my gut to get used to the bacterial strains I give it. I usually alternate between a more expensive one that contains a higher dose of CFUs in the 25 - 50 billion range with a cheaper, lower dose option.
Digestive enzymes also keep digestion moving smoothly and quickly mostly because they really help your body to metabolize the fats and carbs you’re eating. If I had a nickel for every client who has thanked me for getting them onto the digestive enzyme train, I’d be rich. I like the Organika brand Full Spectrum Plant Enzymes.
I love my little morning lemon water ritual because lemon is a natural detoxifier and helps kick-start my digestion first thing in the morning. Plus you get that little dose of vitamin C which is known to reduce swelling and water retention.
I often get asked if it’s all the soy we vegans eat that make us so farty and bloated. To this, I say: let us acknowledge the obvious! Soy is a bean and we all know how much flack beans get when it comes to farting.
Why is that, you ask? All beans (soy beans included) contain “oligosaccharides.” This sugar molecule is similar to raffinose meaning that our bodies can’t fully break it down. And much like the other undigested sugar molecules, oligosaccharides like to sit in our guts to ferment and create fart/bloat city. But before you go chalking up another reason to hate on soy, it’s worth noting that these same sugar molecules also act as a “prebiotic” meaning they support the growth of those GOOD bacteria we talked about earlier aka they assist the probiotics in performing their job in the colon/large intestine.
Hopefully I’m not getting too scientific and technical with my vast farting knowledge but basically when you supplement with a probiotic, you provide the natural bacteria that feed on the sugar and starch in the food you’re eating which in turn, improves digestion and provides better food absorption. And the prebiotics that you’re eating via beans supports the growth of those healthy, good bacterial strains.
And I know this is kinda unrelated but I think as women, we often forget just how big of a role PMS plays in regards to our bloated bodies. Think about it: the week or two leading up to our periods cause a major increase in estrogen and decrease in progesterone. And this combo can definitely make us retain water (easily a 5 lb. weight gain.)
And finally, it just wouldn’t be an award-winning, anti-fart post without including my top picks for anti-bloat veggies. So here goes!
First, a moment of silence for my most loved and hated vegetable of all time: ASPARAGUS. Anyone who has followed me for a while knows how much asparagus I’ve eaten in my career as a vegan bodybuilder. And anyone who’s ever hired me as their vegan coach knows how much asparagus I cram onto their meal plans. #SorryNotSorry 😉
I go into much greater detail about the anti-bloating, diuretic effects of asparagus in THIS POST and why competitors eat so damn much of it. But basically, it makes you piss like a race horse which helps to remove the water and waste that’s causing you to feel bloated. Parsley has a similar effect so feel free to garnish your food with it as much as possible. I’ll even toss some parsley into my smoothies if I’m feeling extra bloaty.
I’d also like to give cucumbers an honourable mention because much like watermelon, they’re a great green veggie to incorporate into your food plan because cucumbers are full of water.
In case I didn’t clarify this enough earlier, WATER IS CRUCIAL FOR DIGESTION. Aim to drink a good 2 – 3 liters everyday but be sure to spread it out because drinking too much water with your meals can actually impair digestion. And obviously you want to drink a lot of that H2O when you’re working out to replace what you’ve lost through sweat.
Well I think I’ve made this post long enough! Oddly enough, I could probably ramble on about farting and bloating for an eternity but hopefully this is a good overview and I encourage you to listen to my podcast episode ALL about farting for more info.
And whatever the case, please don’t let a little gas and bloating derail you from your vegan diet or fitness goals. Instead, every time you’re feeling discouraged about ANYTHING in life, remember the wise words of my father:
Just beautiful, Dad! Happy farting, kids!
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>Could this really be possible?!?! Or is this some kind of cruel April Fool’s Day joke? Yes, it most certainly is April 1st but I already posted a fake wedding photo on facebook earlier to celebrate it. 🙂
So to answer your is-it-too-good-to-be-true carb-deprived question, no, my hungry vegan meathead brethren, it is not. And paired with my new fave gourmet vegan cheese by Gusta, it’s even cheesier than my April Fool’s Day wedding photo.
Now if you thought you loved my high protein, macro-friendly, vegan recipes before, just wait until you whip up this seitan bread. And yes, like every other one of my high protein, vegan bodybuilding recipes, my food photos make it look both unappealing and poorly photographed. But let’s not forget I’m a meathead, not a chef. And I can still sleep at night knowing my food pics will never be featured in an issue of “Food & Wine Magazine.” 🙂
I actually messed around with this recipe for a good year before finally perfecting it. And truthfully, I wasn’t even going to share it because I knew it was so damn good, I should save it for my next e-cookbook! But I decided to spread the love in the end (mostly because I wanted to give my carb-a-holic clients a new, portable protein option that looks, tastes and acts as a carb.
Now go make my protein bread and lovingly think of me as you eat it. And as you fantasize about all the delicious sandwiches you are now going to make, play this Kool Moe Dee track:
Sooooooo? How you like me now? Macros are 142 calories per slice. 25g protein, 6g carbs & a mere 1g fat, baby! 🙂
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups vital wheat gluten
2 Tbsp. ground flax
4 Tbsp. chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1.5 – 2 cups of water (Start with 1.5 cups then add a little more if needed)
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medum-sized bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. Slowly add in water, starting with 1 cup then add the additional half cup. Knead into a dough and add a little more water if necessary. You should have yourself a big lump of dough.
Lay out two long pieces of aluminum foil and spritz the bottom of each piece with a tiny spray of avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil.
Cut dough in half then use your hands to roll into two long-ish, somewhat thick-ish cylinders. I’m thinking of a different shape to compare these to. They’re basically going to be 8 – 9 inches long and 3 – 4 inches thick. 😉
Lie each sausage shape of dough on top of the tin foil. Twist the ends of the tin foil and roll the sides around your dough but leave the top open so the bread can rise and air can get out.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before cutting into your protein bread.
I find the bread tastes the most like bread when toasted. I’ll then make it “grilled cheese” style thanks to thin slices of Gusta’s Artisanal Vegan Grating Block. Or I’ll spread on some coconut butter and serve a slice with some tofu scramble from my eBook. Talk about a high protein breakfast eh?!
Or I’ll do it up PB & banana style. Get creative! But most importantly, say thanks to the vegan bodybuilding gods that your carb-addicted prayers have been answered. And by gods, I mean me of course. Enjoy! 🙂
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>Today, I created a surprisingly rich-tasting AND delicious, high protein vegan bodybuilding meal that was both low in calories AND high in satisfaction.
I was looking for a switch-up from my usual “prep diet” Everyday Green Salad when it dawned on me that boccocini salad is basically just a bunch of cherry tomatoes mixed with feta cheese and fresh basil tossed with some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper.
Then I immediately started creating a “bikini competition prep friendly” version replacing the feta with organic, non-GMO tofu (aka swapping animal fat for plant protein) and omitting the olive oil altogether from the dressing. And well, I am a brilliant and ingenious human being.
And today, my jacked vegan brethren, I share the recipe with you.
Ingredients:
A crap load of cherry tomatoes, washed then sliced in half
1 brick of FIRM or EXTRA FIRM non-GMO, organic tofu (250 – 500 gram package works) drained and cubed
1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
4 – 5 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze if you want the dressing to be a bit sweeter
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
Method:
Slice the cherry tomatoes and put into a salad bowl. Drain and cube the tofu and add to bowl with tomatoes.
In separate small bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle onto tofu/tomato mixture then sprinkle with some basil and enjoy.
And yes, you’re welcome for this little gem, vegan meathead crew!
]]>Sure, Valentine’s Day is supposedly meant for “lovers,” but let’s be honest. It is equally as important (if not MORE important) that we give love and care to the THE most important person in our lives. And that person, should of course, be ME. Just kiddin’! 🙂
Obviously I’m referring to YOU, gorgeous! And yes, it sounds both cheesy and cliche and soooo not my usual style. But when we’re able to love and appreciate ourselves better, we can create much more meaningful relationships with other peeps too. So yeah, I’d say this is a relevant and timely post for V-Day, no?
And unlike my usual smart-assed writing style… For once, I’m actually going to share a very heartfelt and serious post– an “open letter” if you will to anyone who’s ever dieted (and felt like a failure) or struggled with body image or just given too much authority to their asshole inner critic.
Truth is, I’ve heard from wayyyyyy too many amazing women and clients over the years in my work as a vegan coach. Stunning women who express such mind-boggling dislike for their bodies, or guilt for their so-called dieting and exercise “failures.” Successful, full-grown women who account their entire self worth solely to the number that appears on their bathroom scale or dress size and come to me looking for the vegan diet plan that will finally land them the body of their dreams, confidence and of course, inner peace and happiness.
Yes, we ALL want to look our best and rock a bikini on the beach feeling like a bombshell (and without any cellulite.) But I cannot stress enough just how important it is before embarking on any kind of diet or training program that we accept who we are AT THIS VERY MOMENT and accept that IT’S OKAY TO BE WHO YOU ARE RIGHT NOW as you work toward greatness (even more greatness).
Yes, you need to allow yourself to evolve via healthy eating and regular exercise, but throughout the grind of it all, you also have to always care for yourself and be kind to yourself.
We love to have this ridiculous obsession with needing to lose any excess weight IMMEDIATELY and yet seem to forget that we didn’t gain those extra pounds in a few weeks so how the hell can you possibly expect to lose it in a couple of weeks?!
And the more you hate on your current self and get stuck in the “I’ll be better when…” mentality (which there’s never an ending to the “when” by the way), your focus is always on something negative.
A positive body image means holding yourself with integrity and always being kind, thoughtful, compassionate and loving to yourself. Easier said than done I know. And believe me, we ALL struggle with negative body image at some point or another and we ALL want instant results when we commit to a new diet or exercise program. We live in a world of instant gratification. It’s normal and a hard pattern to break!
Believe me, I am ALL for wanting to look and feel my best. Hell, I’m a vegan bikini competitor and choose to participate in the most subjective, superficial sport on Earth! And yes, I even make my living creating vegan nutrition and training plans for others. I’m shallow AF and I’m the first to admit it!
Check this blog post about my 2014 competition prep for a prime example.
What I learned (and discuss in the above post) is that when your ENTIRE focus is on transforming your body or losing weight, you actually end up doing more damage than good.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for healthy competition and a determined, winning mindset but I’ve learned that the focus HAS to be on gaining, not losing. And I’m not talking about gaining muscle or a huge walnut crushing ass.
I’m talking about gaining strength, gaining health and gaining peace. It’s about feeling lighter. And again, I’m not talking about feeling skinny or shredded. It means dropping all of those negative beliefs that we have about ourselves. All those mean thoughts we play on loop in our heads every time we decide to throw back an entire bag of chips and watch Netflix instead of going to the gym.
Accept that you had a different priority that day. Accept that you made a choice to eat oreos for dinner instead of tofu & steamed asparagus. So what if you got drunk with your friends last weekend instead of ordering water and watching them get drunk. YOU ARE HUMAN!!!
Instead of beating yourself up every time you fall off track, ditch the inner critic and instead be with “I am healing. I am learning. Who I am right now in this very moment is fine and I’m simply doing my best to live a healthy, balanced life in a manageable, maintainable way.”
And the irony is that when you accept your choices and screw-ups and understand that they served a purpose for that particular time in your life, you will find that you’re able to keep making progress AND transform your body AND yes, even lose weight! Why? Because you’re not sitting there, beating yourself up! Because your inner asshole isn’t driving your choices. Because you will have better things to do with yourself than obsess over your so-called “flaws” and “failures.”
When I’m feeling stressed or depressed and that tub of peanut butter in the cupboard is calling my name (because yes, I have weaknesses too) I usually try to ask myself:
More often than not, the **real** answer isn’t even food or my second fave coping mechanism: retail therapy. Most of the time, I’m looking for some human connection and some time away from my damn computer! Or sometimes, I’m just procrastinating and looking for an excuse to get out of writing client plans or answering emails. And sometimes I’m just plain bored and want to bake something while I listen to my fave podcasts.
And you know what? Sometimes I eat half a tub of damn peanut butter or splurge on (yet another) pair of Lululemon pants. And even if I do, I still don’t allow myself to feel like a failure or feel guilty. Why? Because I’M HUMAN! And I train damn hard at the gym **most of the time** and I’ve damn well earned a generous helping of that sweet, creamy, nutty goodness from time to time.
Nine times out of ten, I can avoid a hog fest or shopping spree by taking a hot bath and doing a facial. Or by calling a friend, painting my nails or making a batch of low-cal chocolate PB pronuts. And sometimes, I’m satisfied just by closing up my laptop and indulging in some mindless reality TV. These are the REAL self-care habits that help me feel centered and on track with my goals. Not peanut butter binges or trips to the mall.
And finally, I guess the main point I’m trying to make here is that it’s perfectly okay to be okay with who you are in this very moment instead of after you’ve apparently “accomplished” your goal weight or dream body.
You don’t have to wait to be who you are until after you’ve changed your body or your circumstances. Just be your kick-ass self NOW and thrive as HER while at the same time, constantly improving, learning, growing AND making mistakes along the way.
And with that, I wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day, vegan fit crew! I leave you with one of my favourite quotes of all-time (because this post clearly didn’t have enough quote memes in it already…) 😉
-Sam Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk
]]>