This episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast is all about brain-boosting foods for vegetarians. Vickie became interested in this after we recorded our last episode on MSG and really began to analyze some of the foods in our pantry. Much to our dismay, we still found more junk food than we cared to admit. […] The post VZ 145: 8 Brain-Boosting Foods for Vegetarians appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Mar 27, 2016•37 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we’ll be discussing MSG, a pervasive and toxic food additive that can pose potentially serious health risks. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a […] The post VZ 144: MSG – What Is It Good For? Absolutely Nothing (Say It Again!) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Mar 20, 2016•24 min
It’s time for high tea! This episode of the podcast contains all things tea – the types of tea, possible health benefits, types of tea to avoid, and the importance of buying organic. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and […] The post VZ 143: Tea Time with Vegetarian Zen appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Mar 13, 2016•35 min
Recently in the Peas and Carrots Society Facebook group a member posted a question about nutritional yeast. What followed was an amazing discussion among members about these mysterious yellow flakes, including some really yummy-sounding and creative ways to use them. In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we demystify nutritional yeast and share […] The post VZ 142: Nutritional Yeast – Just What Is This “Nooch” Anyway? appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Mar 06, 2016•21 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we wrap up our 4-part series on plant-based meals. This time, we’ll be sharing some plant-based dessert and snack options. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a […] The post VZ 141: Plant-Based Dessert & Snack Options appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Feb 28, 2016•27 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we continue our 4-part series on plant-based meals. This time, we’ll be sharing some plant-based dinner options. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating […] The post VZ 140: Plant-Based Dinner Options appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Feb 21, 2016•41 min
Plant-Based Lunch Options In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we continue our 4-part series on plant-based meals. This time, we share some plant-based lunch options. The amazing thing about all of the lunch ideas we talk about is that they are really limited only by your imagination and your tastes. There are […] The post VZ 139: Plant-Based Lunch Options appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Feb 14, 2016•32 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we kick off our 4-part series about plant-based meals by talking about what is often referred to as “the most important meal of the day”: breakfast. We’ll discuss some of the many plant-based breakfast options, as well as share a few easy planning tips. Thanks […] The post VZ 138: Plant-Based Breakfast Options appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Feb 07, 2016•38 min
Of all foods and beverages, you would think that alcohol would be on the list of vegetarian- and vegan-approved foods, right? Well…only partially right. Animal-derived products are used during the refining or clarifying process of many types of alcohol. In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we answer the question: Is Alcohol Vegetarian-Friendly? Thanks for […] The post VZ 137: Is Alcohol Vegetarian-Friendly? appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Jan 31, 2016•27 min
We’ve talked a lot about tofu, tempeh, and seitan in past episodes, but we’ve never put them all together side by side in a single sitting. In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we talk about all three of these popular meat alternatives: what they are, what health benefits they may have, and […] The post VZ 136: Meat Alternatives – The “Big Three” (Tofu, Tempeh, and Seitan) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Jan 24, 2016•30 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we discuss the importance of keeping the air inside your home (or office) fresh and clean. We share some of the ways in which poor indoor air quality can affect your health, and let you know about some of the most common indoor air pollutants. We […] The post VZ 135: A Healthy Home Starts with Good Indoor Air Quality appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Jan 17, 2016•25 min
Lately we’ve been seeing a lot of our Peas and Carrots Society members sharing their stories of becoming vegan. Lots of great discussions have happened as a result of these stories. In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we’ll be talking about going vegan…sharing some tips, common questions, resources, and more. Thanks for […] The post VZ 134: Becoming Vegan appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Jan 10, 2016•29 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we continue our discussion of the wide world of salads that we started back in episode 130. That episode was all about green salads; now we’ll talk about all the delicious salads you can make without greens. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the […] The post VZ 133: Salads Without Greens – How to Make Delicious Salads with Pasta, Grains, Shaved Vegetables, and More appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Jan 03, 2016•20 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we take a look back at 2015, both personally and in the world of vegetarian, vegan, and animal news. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving […] The post VZ 132: 2015 – A Great Year to Be Vegetarian appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Dec 27, 2015•43 min
Cookies! There’s really nothing more to say about this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast except…cookies!! We talk about our favorite holiday cookies, share some resources for vegan, gluten-free, and diabetic-friendly cookie recipes, and some tips for veganizing cookie recipes. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If […] The post VZ 131: Holiday Cookies – Vegan, Gluten-Free, Diabetic-Friendly and More appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Dec 20, 2015•29 min
“Salad-eater” tends to be the stereotype by which vegetarians are defined. And in general, it’s probably a fair guess to say that most people’s idea of “salad” in this instance is some lettuce in a bowl with a few tomatoes, maybe a cucumber, and some dressing. While we would venture to guess that most […] The post VZ 130: Anatomy of a Salad appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Dec 13, 2015•28 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we present our 2015 vegetarian and vegan gift guide for the holidays. It’s jam-packed with great gift ideas, and you’ll find direct links to many of the products and companies we mention in the notes below. And if we missed some of your favorite goodies, be […] The post VZ 129: To the Holidays and Beyond! 2015 Vegetarian and Vegan Gift Guide appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Dec 06, 2015•43 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we do some tart talking…all about vinegar. You’ll hear about the types of vinegar, some ways to use it in cooking, the purported health benefits of apple cider vinegar, and some ways to incorporate it into your green cleaning routine. Thanks for tuning in to this […] The post VZ 128: Vinegar Is Amazing! (Don’t Let the Sour Disposition Fool You) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Nov 29, 2015•29 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we share some tips for preparing delicious plant-based slow cooker recipes. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating and review. Please note that some […] The post VZ 127: Slow Cooker Recipes and Tips for Vegetarians and Vegans appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Nov 22, 2015•37 min
We recently put out a call to you, our listeners and readers, to ask Vegetarian Zen anything you wanted to know about us. You did not disappoint! You came up with some really great questions, and in this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we do our very best to answer them. Thanks […] The post VZ 126: Ask Vegetarian Zen Anything appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Nov 15, 2015•55 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we tackle vegetarian cooking for one (and vegan cooking, too!). Just because it’s just you doesn’t mean you should cave in to fast food, or maintain a steady diet of breakfast cereal! We share some simple tips to keep you eating healthy meals. Thanks for […] The post VZ 125: Vegetarian Cooking for One appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Nov 08, 2015•33 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we discuss what you can do if you are a vegetarian craving meat. Yes, it does happen and it’s nothing to be ashamed about. Many of us were raised on meat and it’s natural to crave it both in the physical sense and in the social/psychological […] The post VZ 124: Help! I’m a Vegetarian Craving Meat! appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Nov 01, 2015•28 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast we discuss calcium intake, a subject that concerns many people, vegetarians AND omnivores alike. There is a myth that in order to get enough calcium from our diets, we must consume milk from animals. This is simply not true! We’ll talk about this misconception and share which […] The post VZ 123: Vegetarians and Calcium – The Truth Revealed! appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Oct 25, 2015•22 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we have fun recapping Vickie’s wildly successful TED-like presentation called “Zen and the Art of Being Me”. She delivered this 16-minute speech to a group of 300 peers from her corporate job, and did a fantastic job! Once the video clip is made available to her […] The post VZ 122: Zen and the Art of Being Me appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Oct 18, 2015•38 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast you’ll learn all about tempeh, one alternative to tofu when it comes to making tasty vegetarian and vegan dishes. We’ve mentioned it in other episodes, but we had a listener request to devote an entire episode to tempeh, so here we are! Thanks for tuning in […] The post VZ 121: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Tempeh appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Oct 11, 2015•18 min
Happy World Animal Day!!! This episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast is dedicated to animals everywhere! In it we share lots of information about World Animal Day: what it is, how it got started, and ways YOU can get involved. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you […] The post VZ 120: Happy World Animal Day! appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Oct 04, 2015•31 min
We were fortunate to be able to attend a screening of the documentary PlantPure Nation this past week. The film was directed by Nelson Campbell, son of renowned researcher and whole-plant-foods advocate T. Colin Campbell. As Campbell (the younger) explains, PlantPure Nation is a grass-roots movement aimed at changing the way America eats by […] The post VZ 119: Building a PlantPure Nation appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Sep 27, 2015•39 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we’ll be talking about something that’s pretty new – vegan butcher shops! In the past couple of years these businesses have slowly been starting to pop up, and it’s really great news for the vegetarian and vegan community. We’ll talk about where you might find a […] The post VZ 118: Vegan Butcher Shops – Yes, They DO Exist (and They’re Awesome!)! appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Sep 20, 2015•37 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we discuss a topic that was suggested by a listener. She wondered if some people who became vegetarian or vegan for reasons pertaining to animal welfare suffer from depression because they feel that they are not making a difference with vegetarianism. We address some reasons for these feelings […] The post VZ 117: Making a Difference with Vegetarianism appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Sep 13, 2015•37 min
In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we’ll tackle a topic that thwarts many people in their attempts to go completely vegan: CHEESE. We’ll talk about some dairy-free ways to satisfy your cheese cravings, plus take a look at what goes into making vegan cheese. Thanks for tuning in to this episode […] The post VZ 116: The Vegan Cheese Episode appeared first on Vegetarian Zen ....
Sep 06, 2015•31 min