Vegan Foodie Review- Green Vegetarian Cuisine

Isn’t it amazing how the best restaurants in town, are always the ones you mistakenly stumble upon, totally by chance?

needs to be at the top of the

“Bad Ass Vegan Places To Stuff Your Face” List…

Last week, Sunday rolled around and our little family, had absolutely nothing to do. That is a rare occurrence in our house, so we decided to take full advantage.

We were long overdue for a

We made the 45 minute drive to Downtown Houston, jamming Sublime ’40 oz to Freedom’ the entire way. We were driving past a tiny shopping center on Richmond Avenue when I saw “Vegetarian” in big bold letters. Now, we all know, there is a BIG difference between Vegan and Vegetarian but with such few Vegan restaurant options available, we figured

 Thank Goddess we did! We were amazed to find out that ALL of the Menu items at Green Vegetarian Cuisine are in fact Vegetarian, but ANY of the Menu items can be made Vegan as well!

There were so many mouth watering dishes to choose from! We decided to order some Smoothies and take our time drooling over the menu. I finally decided on the “Fish” Sandwich, Tom ordered the Jalapeno Burger and Bre chose on the Vegetarian Tostadas. When the waitress brought our food out, I couldn’t help but admire how amazing it all looked!

We were absolutely stuffed! It is such a rare occurrence, to eat so much food that I can barely breathe. But believe me, the amazing food at Green Vegetarian Cuisine will tempt you to lick the damn plate clean. When our waitress came to check on us, she asked if we had room for Vegan Dessert.

I must be hallucinating, from all the delicious food I just devoured, but I could have sworn you said ‘Vegan Dessert.’

The waitress laughed and walked to the front of the restaurant. She brought back a huge tray FULL of Vegan cupcakes and brownies.

I nearly fainted. I am not even kidding.

One of the most difficult things about our transition to Veganism, is that we haven’t had much luck finding good Vegan desserts.

I looked over at my husband, and quickly realized that I wasn’t the only one picking my jaw up off the floor. My husband was in the “Vegan Dessert Zone.” In his trance state, he grabbed one of the “sample cupcakes” right off the tray and started to pop it in his mouth. Thankfully, having been married for 7 years, I am a master at ‘food-to-face’ interception. My ninja reflexes kicked in, I snatched that sample cupcake and plopped it right back on the tray.

My poor husband didn’t even know what hit him. The waitress stood in front of us, gripping the tray with white knuckles, mouth wide in a perfect “O.” She was in shock. Poor thing. I looked up and smiled.

---

To see if there is a “Green Vegetarian Cuisine” near you – check them out at

http://www.eatgreen.com

Namaste & Blessed be!

Winner Winner Tofu Dinner!

A few weeks ago I entered a contest on Facebook; something I very rarely do.

The contest was hosted by Ariel’s Treasure Troves

A Vegan, Organic, Cruelty Free boutique for all things health & beauty.

The contest was simple-
Do you have an idea for a new line of soap? 
The idea chosen will win a free product.

I suggested one of my all time, favorite herbs

Turmeric

And guess who Won?!? ———————->  Me!

My simple idea for Turmeric Soap was turned into a reality by

Ariel’s Treasure Troves!!

I love Turmeric! I take Turmeric in capsule form twice a day; I cook with it and I recommend it to literally everyone I meet. My love affair with Turmeric began a few years ago, in an emergency room at 3AM.

I happened to be sitting in that freezing cold cubicle of a room, with my ass hanging out of one of those ridiculous gowns that only make whatever ailment you arrived with 10x worse.

I was sitting there because in a matter of minutes, my stomach grew and expanded to the point where I appeared to be 6 months pregnant. I had no idea what was wrong with me. I couldn’t lie down without screaming from the excruciating pain.

My husband drove me to the hospital and after what seemed like forever, I was finally able to speak to a Doctor. The emergency room ran all sorts of tests. Blood work, cat-scan, x-rays and finally an ultrasound. I remember lying there, clenching my teeth, tears rolling down my face, as I watched the doctor performing the ultrasound proceed to call four more doctors over to look at the images on the screen. I knew then that something was terribly wrong.

When all of the tests were finished, I was wheeled back to my cubicle to wait for the results. A million thoughts and potential ailments crossed my mind.

What was this? How bad was it? Can they fix it?

The door opened and a very stern looking doctor walked in. He introduced himself and got right down to business.

“Desiree, you have Ovarian Cysts.”
(I already knew that. I’ve had them since I was 12. Most women do.)
“What you are experiencing is caused by your Ovarian Cysts rupturing. Your ovaries are literally covered in cysts. When one ruptures, it is like a chain reaction, that in turn, causes each one to rupture. Your stomach is filled with blood. The size of your stomach right now, should give you an idea of just how many cysts we are talking about. The excess blood will disperse and absorb with a little bit of time. But we need to discuss the options you have for having a hysterectomy.”

Shit. Shit. Shit. 

I have been told multiple times in my life, by various doctors, that I would need a hysterectomy. I have always fought the idea, for a variety of reasons. I cannot have children and since I was told pretty much as early as I can remember, I made my peace with that. Yet, I still fought the idea of a hysterectomy. I didn’t want to be on hormones and medication the rest of my life. I didn’t want to go into early menopause.

The Doctor went on to explain

“In all my years of practice, I have never seen Ovarian cysts rupture like this. I know this is a big decision for you but you cannot continue to put your life at risk. There is no miracle medication I can give you to fix this. You need to see a Doctor, make an appointment and get it done. You are very fortunate that it wasn’t worse than it is now.”

I was devastated. I went home and cried, screamed and became more and more depressed. I quickly realized that I hadn’t truly given up on the idea of one day having children. I felt like having a hysterectomy would vanquish every last ounce of hope I had.

My husband was absolutely terrified after hearing what the Doctor had to say. He tried to convince me to get the hysterectomy. After I explained my position, my husband got on board and completely supported my decision. Little did I know, he was well on his way to finding his own solution.

My husband became obsessed with finding an alternative, holistic remedy to cure my ovarian cysts. He spent day and night endlessly searching for a solution. Finally, he narrowed it down to two potential solutions. One involved a Castor Oil tincture & heat and the other was Turmeric. Turmeric was the easiest route, so we went to our local Health Food store, found Organic Turmeric capsules and I started a regimen of  2 capsules twice a day.

My heart was racing and my nerves were on edge as I entered my follow up Doctors appointment. At this point, I had been taking Turmeric twice a day every day for 6 months. When the doctor preformed the ultrasound, I closed my eyes, held my breath and prayed to the Goddess for good news.

I heard the Doctor say

“I can’t believe this. This doesn’t make sense.”

I looked over to see my Doctor vigorously scanning the computer screen, looking for any sign of my ovarian cysts.
Finally, he turned to me with a look of pure shock and said

“I don’t know how this happened or what you’ve been doing but you do not have a single Ovarian cyst.”

He shook his head and continued to mumble to himself and refresh the computer screen.
I was so relieved, I fought the urge to jump up and do the Moonwalk right there in the office.

I am eternally grateful to my wonderful husband for not only saving my life, but for finding a “Miracle” herb that continues to shock and amazed me with it’s limitless benefits to this day.

Winning the Giveaway was about more than getting a FREE product in the mail. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like if my husband hadn’t found Turmeric. I hope this new product inspires everyone to find out more information and see how Turmeric can help you in your daily life.
I am so excited to try out the new Turmeric Soap from Ariel’s Treasure Troves!

With such amazing products at shockingly affordable prices, it is easy to transition your beauty and health routine to align with your Vegan lifestyle.
I have already purchased the Organic, Cruelty Free, Vegan

Mascara, Liquid Foundation, Face Cream and Deodorant.

I cannot wait to post reviews for each product when they arrive!

Thank you to Ariel’s Treasure Troves for entering my life at just the right time, for just the right reason. Isn’t it funny how life always brings us exactly what we need, sometimes in the strangest of places? I hope I am able to pass on the good vibes. I hope this blog will resonate with you, at the perfect time, just when you need it most.

Namaste & Blessed Be!

---

What are some of the Health benefits of Turmeric? Find out here:

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html

Shop the amazing products Ariel’s Treasure Troves has to offer here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArielsTreasureTroves?ref=l2-shopheader-name

DISCLAIMER:

**The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.**

The Skeletons In Your Closet Are Masters of Tarot

The past few weeks have been a complete and total

With the end of one month and beginning of another, I found myself drowning in paperwork, deadlines and general ‘To Do List’ drudgery.

I just couldn’t seem to catch my breath.

There was a light at the end of the tunnel. I was so excited to volunteer for

event this year. The Melting Pot is the largest (FREE) Pagan event in Houston. Hundreds of Pagans, Witches, Covens and Kin all gather to learn, share knowledge and have a amazing heathen celebration that would make our ancestors proud.

A few weeks before the event, I was informed that my knowledge and experience with Tarot cards would be put on display, for the entire Pagan community.

Here’s the thing, I love Tarot cards, I really do, but I normally downright refuse to read for others.

Lets be honest, I really do not want to know the inner most private things about your life. Some things are deeply personal. So it should be your choice as my client, to tell me or to keep slamming that closet door shut and pocketing the key.

Can we all agree that Tarot has a tendency to be an awkward

encounter that drags every single skeleton out of every last closet, seats them right at the table, cross legged, begging to be acknowledged.

I have another issue with Tarot that is not so simple

I can actually see what happened to you in your past

There have only been a handful of times in my life that this has occurred, without a deck of cards in front of me, but each left me emotionally and physically drained. Yet every single time I read for someone, this “ability” kicks in full force and I find myself struggling to keep up.
It is very difficult to read for others and be a successful third party adviser when I not only see but also fully embody the actual event; weather it is drug addiction, rape or a personal life crisis. Everything you experience becomes my own.

But, I decided to shove all of my fears, doubts and worries into the back of my own closet of neatly stacked skeletons.

I would make the most of this experience. Dammit.

Now, I have to admit, The Melting Pot event was absolutely amazing! With workshops, classes, rituals and even a Pagan Scout troop- it was a helluva heathen celebration indeed! I read Tarot cards non stop from the time I arrived until the final ritual ended, with only one potty break in between.

The reaction from every single client was a mixture of surprise, joy and gratitude. I was able to help so many people open up, release and acknowledge the past trauma that still plagues their current life.

I, on the other hand, was a total emotional wreck.

My body hurt, my head hurt, my everything hurt. I don’t think I have ever been more physically and emotionally drained in my entire life. When I went home, I knew something was ‘off’ other than the exhaustion from volunteering all day. I had not only cleared the endless trauma of every client I read for, I had attached every last bit of it to me.

I immediately ran to my altar and started digging for supplies. I had to get cleansed and grounded and I had to do it fast. Holding on to your own negative energy is terrible, holding on to the negative energy and past trauma of 50+ people is insane. I started the ritual and began diligently working to release all of the pent up negative energy I had accumulated throughout the day.

After closing the circle, I made my way outdoors. With the warmth of the beautiful  Moon Goddess shining down on me, I snuggled into the soft grass. I focused on sending any excess energy to Gaia, so that she could cleanse, purify and transform it.

As I laid there, meditating on the days events, I wondered why I had been so afraid. I had spent the day reaching out to those in need, helping others in ways they weren’t able to help them self and honoring the abilities I hold within me.

Even though I didn’t shield myself at all and even though I attracted every single ounce of negativity from every person I encountered, I was still OK.

I was more than OK.

My fears began to vanish and the emptiness was replaced with gratitude. I was grateful for who I am. I was grateful for my ability to help others.

As I laid there, with the Moon Goddess watching over me, and Gaia’s strength supporting me, I opened the door and watched as the Goddesses transformed every last skeleton I had carefully hidden away.

Adventures in Chinatown….

If your boss called you today and explained that you would have to ‘help out’ at another location, one that was a good 45 minute drive from your house, for the next two months– most people would fight the urge to tell their boss

‘exactly where to shove it.’

When I received this particular tid bit of news, I was so excited that I nearly fell out of my chair.  My sister property, happens to be located off of Bellaire Boulevard which means I would be working right smack dab in the middle of

I could not wait to explore this amazing culture first hand.   I counted the days until I left for my new adventure.

 I had one hell of a time with the Street Signs…

especially since the signs in English never seemed to face the right direction.

With grocery stores, restaurants, gift shops, tea houses and literally everything – all insanely crammed into a couple of blocks worth of real estate, I counted down the minutes until my lunch break every day!

I found an amazing Gift Shop on the corner of Bellaire Boulevard and Rochester Road.

When I opened the door, I stood for a moment in utter shock and awe!  Tissue paper fans, parrots, lanterns and scrolls were delicately hung from the ceiling.  I giggled as hundreds of Maneki-neko figurines waved a warm welcome, all in perfect sync, as I entered.

Covering nearly every surface, I stood in awe of the incredibly detailed statues of Buddha, Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Dadi), Krishna, Lakshmi, Guanyin and even The Virgin Mary.  Exquisite Tea pots, tea cups, hand carved Tibetan Altars, an endless selection of incense sticks, burners and Chinese fireworks of nearly every shape and size lined the walls of this intricate little store.

The shop owner warmed up to me immediately; she was eager to walk with me, show me her items and explain the purpose and meaning behind each one.  I am eternally grateful for her knowledge and kindness.

After making a few laps around the shop together, making sure I had touched and viewed each item she offered, she allowed me to shop on my own with one last thought

Do not choose for yourself, for your choice is ignorant. The Gods will choose for you. They are wise. Listen…

We both looked around, to the various statues of deity surrounding the tiny shop.  We stood for a moment in silence, allowing the Gods to speak.  Finally, she looked at me and smiled,

“Ahhhhh… Yes! Pay attention! The Gods have something for you. Find it. Now, go!

I was in shock, anxious and actually surprisingly nervous.  My palms began to sweat as I walked down the isles, inspecting every single item on every shelf with utter scrutiny.

What if I picked the wrong thing? How do I know what is “right” or “wrong”? I can’t even speak Chinese – I don’t even know what half of this stuff is!

I was beginning to panic.  I glanced towards the door.  Maybe I could slowly make my way to the exit without her noticing.

Not. A. Chance.

I took a few deep breaths and decided to just Roll With It…

How hard could it be?

As if right on Que, I saw it….

It was a beautiful statue of the Hindu God Ganesha.

I picked up the statue and felt a warmth and sense of pure joy overwhelm me immediately.  I knew I had made the right choice.  I could just feel it.

I began skipping (yes, literally!) to the register.  I was so excited to show her what I had chosen.  Nearly halfway to the register, I glanced down and saw this beautiful

Tibetan Offering Bowl

I couldn’t imagine how something so small and dainty could stop me in my tracks.  There were literally hundreds of bowls, of all shapes, sizes and colors, lined on various shelves throughout the little store.

What was so special about this one?  

I made my way to the register and handed over my items to the shop owner.  She smiled and nodded in approval.  She rang up my items and carefully wrapped them in tissue paper.  She paused for a moment and looked up at the statues along the wall once more.  Her gaze shifted back to me and she whispered

Come with me…

I followed her to the last aisle toward the very back of the shop.  She lifted a beautiful silk tapestry and pulled out an intricately carved trunk with thick metal handles on both sides.  She lifted the lid and I peered down to see strange octagonal shaped pieces of hand painted wood with various types of circular mirrors inlaid in the middle of each one.  She looked up at me and said

“These are Bagua Mirrors. You will choose one, take it home and immediately hang it outside of your front or back door. Do NOT hang it inside your home! The Bagua will protect against Shar-Chi and will create good fortune and harmony.

 I took a moment to examine each Bagua; to hold each one in my hand.  Finally, I made my decision…

This would be MY Bagua Mirror.

The shop owner smiled and nodded.  I asked her to explain the difference between the various types of Bagua Mirrors and what each was specifically used for.  She explained that there are 3 Types of Bagua Mirrors:

The Concave Bagua Mirror – absorbs negative energy and Shar-Chi.  If it is not handled properly, it could bring IN negative energy to the Bagua owner; which would cause conflict and turmoil in their life.

The Convex Bagua Mirror – reflects negative energy and Shar-Chi.  If it is not handled properly, it could send negative energy to your neighbors and to those who enter your home; which would bring negative Karma to the Bagua owner.

The Neutral Bagua Mirror (MY Bagua Mirror) – balances ALL energy, by neutralizing it before it enters the home. This is the safest Bagua Mirror to own.

I am so grateful for the time I was able to spend in Chinatown.  What may have seemed like an inconvenience at first glance, ended up being the most amazing two months of my Spiritual journey so far this year.  The kindness, compassion and genuine giving nature of everyone I met while exploring Chinatown has had such an incredible effect on my life.  I cannot wait  for the opportunity to return and learn so much more!

I hope this inspires you to explore, experience and enjoy the amazing cultures that surround you!

Namaste & Blessed Be!

The Woman Behind the Labels

“I would like to welcome everyone out this evening. Thank you all for coming. Let’s just take a moment to go around the room for a quick icebreaker. Please stand up, state your name, tell us where you are from and say a little something about yourself…”

It is this exact moment, when seemingly normal words, perfectly align into what quickly becomes the gut wrenching

“Welcome Speech”

that every impulse in my body screams “Retreat!” Before I know it, I carve a path towards the closest

EXIT

awkwardly debuting my white girl moon walk in slow motion. I want to high-five the genius who created those beautiful neon Exit signs.

Did he feel the same panic ensue at every meeting? Maybe I’m not so weird after all.

Dammit, who am I kidding?

I put my hands behind my back and gently shift my weight towards the obnoxious metal door handle.

“Click”

Shit!

I cringe and hold my breath. Everyone in this god forsaken meeting turns…

and stares…

at me.

“Great! Dex, Thank you for being the first to Volunteer!”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

---

Namaste my fellow bloggers and readers, I have always dreaded the

“Icebreaker”

games we all are forced to play at business meetings and large events. The nerve-wracking “

About Me”

section of any social media account usually induces such severe panic that I am left wondering how I’ve managed to speak to anyone at all for the past 30 years. How the hell do you describe yourself to a group of people who know nothing about you, in just a few sentences?

---

Thankfully, I have designed an amazing Bio over at about.me that you can find here:

www.about.me/veganpaganyogi

How cool is that? Click on “Backstory” to get more in-depth details about my Vegan, Pagan, Yogi life and path.

---

Here are a few things I usually don’t include in my “About Me” section – isn’t that the kind of stuff you really want to know anyway?

•  I have studied Paganism for 3 years but have only actually practiced for a little over a year.

Why?

Honestly, I was terrified I would screw something up. My desire for perfection and mastery often ends with “No Action At All.”

• I am not a Yogi. I am nowhere near even being considered a Yogi.

Let’s just get that out-of-the-way. Ohhhh snap, liar liar pants on fire!

The truth is. I have a bad habit of being flaky, finicky and completely non-committal. Strangely, I’ve been happily married for 7 years!

What a persistent little shit my amazing husband is.

I know quite a bit about a lot of things, but I never actually master anything. This blog and its ominous title is my day of reckoning.

“Think it. See it. Feel it. Believe it. Achieve it.”

How can I write a Vegan Pagan Yogi blog if I am not aspiring to be any of those things?

I can’t.

I want to be real, to be honest, to join others who wake up every morning loving who they are (flaws and quirks included). It is my desire to inspire millions of people around the world who are constantly growing, learning, awakening and moving forward on their own path to enlightenment (Bodhi.)

Will you join me on the Path to Bodhi?