Now is the time of year when many people start to consider doing a cleanse or detox diet. With all the rain falling and flowers making everything fresh, it’s hard not to think about self-renewal. Over the years I have tried a few myself; from candida cleanse, juice fasts, and raw diets, to regimented cleanses out of a box. I can’t say they’ve all been successful, but I won’t say that it wasn’t worthwhile either. As far as the experts go, they are pretty divided about whether or not cleanses are beneficial. And after trying a few I’m kind of sure it takes the guidance of an expert to really get it right. There is whole book to read if you want to do the master cleanse properly, even though the actual concoction is quite simple. There are also times in your life when a detox diet doesn’t make sense, like if you are nursing, sick with a chronic illness, or having trouble eliminating stress and don’t have time to relax. There is one thing I can say with confidence though. It is not good to get on a cycle of binge and purge. A well seasoned detox dieter, particularly in their off season, is not necessarily healthier than someone who makes a habit of eating healthy most of the time.

the master cleanse: lemon juice, water, cayenne, and maple syrup.

If you are eating a vegan or mostly vegan diet, chances are that your insides may not need much cleansing to begin with. Most cleanses start with eliminating a group of foods, which always includes meat and dairy, and then bumping up your fiber or fresh vegetable intake. Consider it to be like keeping your house tidy all the time, as opposed to letting it get completely wasted before you clean it. If you are eating animal products, switching to an all vegan diet could be a gentler way to cleanse your body, before you make the decision to bring on a heavy duty cleanse.

For strict vegans, or if just sticking to a vegan diet for a while doesn’t make you feel better, you may want to try eliminating problem foods from your diet. For those who already eat vegan, the first step with most cleanses is to eliminate gluten, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol from your diet. If you are experiencing unexplained headaches, tiredness, indigestion, and sometimes depression, it might be time eliminate these culprits from your diet. Many nutritionists believe that sugar is poison and some even are starting to push for the regulation of sugar, just like alcohol or tobacco. It takes a lot out of the liver to digest refined sugar and wheat, which may explain why so many people feel better after giving them up. Do not replace sugar with chemical artificial sweeteners. Instead try using dates as a sweetener or just leave it out entirely. You might be surprised what new flavors you will come to love. Try replacing foods made from wheat, with those made from gluten-free whole grains like rice, millet and quinoa.

A sugar-free treat that you can make: pistachio and coconut stuffed dates. http://backtoherroots.com/2012/01/16/coconut-pistachio-stuffed-dates/

There are also a good number of foods that can be added to your regular eating habits that are good for cleansing the body. Fresh juices are full of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that help your body run clean and strong. Salads and smoothies have the same benefits as juices, but are full of raw fiber that will help to scrub out your insides. Drink herbal teas, like mint, dandelion root, burdock, and ginger. Do something to relax, breathe, or do yoga. An abundance of stress hormones can slow down the body’s natural detoxifying process. Nothing is more revitalizing to me than starting my day with a glass of fresh water mixed with lemon juice. Add cayenne to your lemon water if you need and extra kick in the morning like I often do! Make cleansing foods a part of your regular eating regimine, like this massaged kale salad on Oh She Glows! (Note: some cleanses recommend eliminating nutritional yeast from your diet and I think the tahini salad dressing tastes fine if you want to leave it out!)

If you are considering doing a detox diet, please consider trying these things first. If you can’t stick to just a gluten-free and sugar-free vegan diet, then ask yourself if eliminating even more of the things you usually eat is right for you. Breaking bad eating habits can be difficult, but pushing yourself too hard can lead to relapse binges. Coupling the shock of a fast or cleanse with the shock of a bad relapse can make the body worse off than before. If you have a hard time giving up unhealthy foods, start of slowly by limiting how often you indulge- then work your way up. Make and effort to renew your long-term eating habits and avoid binging on junk with the promise to cleanse later.

Remember last year when PETA campaigned to change the name of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District to the “Tempeh District?” That was great, wasn’t it? (Runner-up names included “Granola Flats” and “Seitan’s Lair”.) And oh, how I wish I could forget that VegNews was exposed for using edited pictures of non-vegan foods in order to promote their vegan recipes. They promised not to do it ever again. Hopefully no one else does either!

2011 was definitely the beginning of veganism hitting the mainstream. Remember when Oprah and three-hundred-something of her staff went vegan and after that, Bill Clinton? I didn’t see that coming. Bigwig celebrity vegan diets was definitely a theme of 2011. But what I see coming in 2012 is even bigger; I’m thinking we’re going to see a lot more vegan athletes and vegan bodybuilders. Venus and Serena Williams just announced their raw vegan diet. I’m guess there will probably be a few new vegan babies too!

Possibly the biggest trend on the horizon is “Flexitarianism“. No, this is not another corny reference to vegan body builders. It is a way of eating that reduces the amount of animal products consumed, without going all the way vegan. At least half of Americans are aware of the “Meatless Monday” campaign with around 27% actively trying to reduce the amount of animal products they are consuming. And the amount of meat we are consuming as a nation can be seen as plummeting in comparison to recent years.

In the media right now there is no shortage of reasons why people are striving to eat a mostly plant-based diet. Some sources are reporting that going vegan is better for the environment that going organic. Authors of the China Study report that the long-term effects of animal products on the human body are worse than smoking cigarettes. Even the Harvard School of Public Health recently cut out dairy and made meat optional in their revision of the classic food pyramid. So perhaps being a perfect vegan isn’t in the cards for some people, but if you ask me, flexitarians can still cut it with the rest of us.

If you ever think you are getting to the age where nothing can surprise you, then I say you aren’t being adventurous enough! I might not have even lived half as long as my grandparents yet, but I know there will always be something new for me to try.

I’ve always loved pickles. When I was a child, my grandmother told me I could be anything I wanted to be. She was talking about women’s liberation, but this nuance was lost my 5 year-old-brain. I declared that I would be a pickle because I loved them so much! That is why it is only natural that my single most favorite new discovery of the past year was Umeboshi.

Umeboshi a day keeps the doctor away!

Umeboshi is a pickled Nanko plum. The origin of this food is Japan, where Umeboshi is served as an accompaniment to rice, green tea, sushi, and many other things. There is also Umeboshi paste, which is great in sushi, and Umeboshi vinegar, which is actually just the brine from the pickles. Adding either of these to sauces makes them rich with sweet, floral, tart, and salty flavors. This little pink pickle is highly regarded as a super food for it’s alkalizing properties. It was even given to samurai soldiers as a part of their rations because it is believed to be a preventative and cure for fatigue and nausea. Some people recommend trying it as a remedy for your New Year’s hangover!

Ripe Nanko plums ready for pickling.

What was the best new food you tried in 2011? What will you try in 2012?

Sometimes the most miserable thing about being vegan is dealing with non-vegan CRAVINGS. In my mind cravings often take on the form of a monster under the bed or horror movie killer knocking down the door. The victim runs, but there is no place to hide. I often have no control over my cravings. Willpower, too, can be a fickle thing; at least that is how I have come to know it. One minute you have an abundance of resolve and the next minute you’re washing down grilled cheese bites with gulps of milkshake. No?! That never happens to you? Umm, Okay don’t judge me, I only did it once!

Maybe there is not much that you can do besides compost the remainder of the offensive thing that you have just ingested, if you wake up in the midst of a somnambulant lapse of judgment. The one trick I do have up my sleeve is this: I have devised a secretly unsophisticated pairing of non-vegan cravings with yummy vegan foods. Some of them I have chosen for no reason other than it satisfied my craving once. Others are based on speculations about why my body might be craving a certain thing. I have never read anything that proves that cravings for food are directly related to nutritional contents, but I don’t think it’s ever bad to keep nutrients in mind. Of course all of these are a matter of personal taste. Some of the items on the list are things that are arguably vegan, but are often excluded or limited the diet of one who is concerned about their health.

Portobello Steak from Happy Herbivore!

Beef - For some reason eating things like kale or broccoli cooked in tamari or soy sauce has helped me with this one. Black beans, kidney beans, and mushrooms are good for this craving too. Who doesn’t love Portobello mushroom steaks?

Candy - Dried fruits, Fruit Leather, and Smoothies

Cheese - Cashews, Avocado, Nutritional Yeast, and Daiya Cheese

Chicken - Seitan! It seems like i’ve had the most “wait this is vegan, right?” moments with seitan. Chickpeas are another substitute that has a name with the power of suggestion.

Vegan Lasagna is my comfort food.

Comfort - Sometimes the foods I am craving are because I am craving a sentiment that is attached with eating them. What is the feeling you are craving? Try to identify it and it may help you come up with a solution .

Eggs - Tofu! Tofu scramble, tofu eggless “egg” salad. Baked tofu bagel sandwiches are a breakfast time favorite of mine. I also hear one can make a mean crepe using chickpea flour!

Fish - Sushi or really almost anything with seaweed in it. Make a creamy lemon-dill aoli to go on a tempeh or tofu “fish” sandwich. Sea vegetables are packed with trace minerals, so start experimenting with them! I bet you didn’t know that our “Hold-the-Tuna” Salad at Nature’s Express has Dulse added to it!

Fried - Indulge in something fatty, like nuts or avocado. Add a little coconut or olive oil to whatever you’re making. Try some kale chips!

Milk - Learn how to make your own milks. I love making my own raw almond milk because it tastes fresher than any milk that ever came out of a carton. Another thing I eat when I’m craving something rich and creamy is anything made with coconut milk. Tahini can make a nice creamy sauce or dressing.

Tempeh Sausage Puff Pastries!

Pork - I’ve tried some really yummy seitan and tempeh vegan sausages. The list of types of homemade vegan bacons I have tried and liked are endless: tofu, tempeh, eggplant, seitan, and coconut, to name a few.

Rich - Try curries, miso, or roasted garlic.

Sour Cream: I am convinced that guacamole would beat sour cream in a battle on any day. If you want a rich dressing or sauce you can drizzle over something, try using tahini.

Now that so much time has passed, I remember the things I used to eat and I much prefer the vegan versions. Sometimes I think I could just use a bit more reprogramming. I’ve successfully staved off a doughnut craving with a nice hearty salad. Afterwards I felt really good because I made a healthy choice. Try to establish a new set of cravings by trying new foods and eating well.

P.S. Don’t even try and make me give up dark chocolate unless you think you’d like a knuckle sandwich!

If you’re like me then you probably left some of your gift-getting to the last minute. Shrug off the need to do anything drastic because I’ve done all of the thinking for you! Here are a few projects that I have deemed worthy of last-ditch effort gifts for vegans and friends of vegans.

Make a journal or a book of recipes.

This project seems more complicated than it has to be. It could be as easy as punching holes and using ribbon to tie the pages together, or as complicated as sewing a binding. Whatever your skill level is you can design your own cover using fabric and recycled materials. Once you are finished with the journal you can add your favorite vegan recipes and you will have a great recipe book with room for additions. Here are instructions for making a journal.

Make a Duct Tape Wallet.

It’s pretty easy to make your own wallet out of duct tape and recycled materials. Since many vegans avoid leather products, a nice wallet can be hard to find. They are pretty durable and easy to make. They make all kinds of crazy colored duct tape these days and you can use as many colors as you like. Here are some instructions.

Make your own stuffed animals.

This is a project that is good for kids, but can be cute for people of any age. Use old sweaters and shirts for material and get as creative as you want or keep it simple! We all love animals, so this is a gift that can only go endearingly awry. Check out these awesome homemade stuffies.

Find a funky container and make it into a planter.

Jars, teacups, cookie tins, and even old boots! Anything you like can be turned into a little planter for succulents and small plants. Just make sure that you use a liner if your vessel doesn’t hold water!

Mix Tape!

Who doesn’t need a little extra music to help the time go by during their holiday travels? Give your mix a theme like songs older than 30, or oldies vs. hip-hop, or good songs for singing. Collage or design your own cover for your tape or CD, or if your mix is digital, make a postcard track list to give along with it.

All else fails make cookies.

Who doesn’t appreciate a batch of homemade cookies? Add seasonal ingredients like cinnamon, peppermint, or persimmon. This is a really good gift for someone you may not know very well. Last year I took my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and spruced it up by adding pretzel pieces, pecans, and dried cherries. It was just right for the holidays. Here is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe on theppk.com. All I do is reduce the amount of chocolate chips and add in whatever else I fancy.

We hosted about 30 people for a vegan Thanksgiving Potluck at my house. It was AWESOME! For many of us it was the first all-vegan holiday dinner we had ever had.

From Left to Right in the picture:

Sweet Potatoes in Maple Syrup, Cheezy Squash Casserole, Mac and Cheeze, Seitan Roast, Ginger Pineapple Cranberry Sauce, Green Beans, Lemony Kale Salad, Pumpkin Brownies, Citrus Collard Greens, Roasted Yams and Brussel Sprouts, Lentils, Orange and Beet Salad, and Cabbage Salad.

And there’s more….

Stuffing, Roasted Buttercup Squash with a yummy West African Cilantro Sauce, Homemade Tofurkey with Roasted Veggie Stuffing, Polenta with Baked Beans, and Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom gravy.

There was even more food that didn’t make it into the picture: Butternut Squash Soup, Apple Pie, Raw Pumpkin Pie, Banana Rum Cheesecake. I spent so much time stuffing my face that I forgot to snap a photo of it. My favorite was the Raw Pumpkin pie. It was made with coconut and an almond crust.

Though it’s hard to make out in the picture, I invented a Seasonal Roasted Veggie Stuffing for the Tofurkey that I will definitely make again. Here is how I did it:

Roasted Rutabega and Seasonal Vegetables

2 smallish rutabegas cubed

1 small butternut squash, cubed

2 apples, cubed

1/3 cup of tart dried fruit, like apricot, chopped.

2 TBS coconut oil

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Melt the coconut butter in a baking pan. Toss all fruit and vegetables in coconut oil and season with thyme and any other seasonings you are using (I added a pinch of cardamom!). Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, turning half way through. When all the veggies are done, season with salt and pepper.