Today's Lunch Brought To You By...

Today was a huge errand day for me. So as I'm walking through the grocery store and my stomach begins growling, I decided against my magnificent plan to make a Eggplant Parmesan dish, therefore I went to the frozen aisle section of the supermarket....LOW and Behold, I found my lunch. MorningStar Farms has an EXCELLENT spicy black bean burger. It took me a while to choose which burger to purchase because they have pretty decadent choices. I cooked it on the stove in a non-stick pan on MED heat until the patty was hot throughout. I topped it with spinach leaves, Honey BBQ sauce, and a Vlasic pickle,on a Nature Owns' Multigrain Sandwich Round! The burger itself has so much flavor and the excess toppings made me forget I was not eating meat! 

Alexia's All Natural Sweet Potato fries are nothing short of AMAZING! Place them on a baking sheet while pre-heating the oven to 425 degrees. Bake them for 20 minutes, being sure to flip the fries over at the ten minute mark. 

ENJOY! 

Celebrity Pesca- Vegetarians!

Being famous or rich does not take away the fact that people STILL do care about the things they put into their bodies. There are many celebrities who do not eat meat and various reasons. Some are avid animal right's activist, while others credit their pesca-vegetarian lifestyle to their health. Below is a list of celebrities who choose NOT to indulge in a carnivore-centered diet! 

1. Erykah Badu

This neo-soul songstress lives by vegan soul food. she recently stated that " vegan food is soul food in its truest form"! We couldn't agree more Ms. Badu! 

2. Andre 3000

Andre Three Stacks was named "World's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity" by PETA in 2008, making him a top contender on our list! 

3. Angela Bassett

This fifty-five year old actress and mother of two takes the crown for ABSOLUTELY STUNNING FIGURE! She owes it all to her good genes, frequent exercise and a pescatarian diet. If this is what 55 and pescatarian looks like, SIGN ME UP!  

4. Common

This actor and rapper did his own research to find out that beef and pork were not good for his system. He believes that becoming meatless is all about finding the right balance! 

5. Joy Bryant

Known as an actress, model and vegetarian activist, Joy Bryant leads a strict vegetarian lifestyle. She has been at the forefront of a plethora of environmental initiatives. Look to her for motivation!

6. Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons has made several small steps to lead a life of positivity and zen. One of those steps were removing meat from his diet. Russell is a celebrity vegan activist, father and music mogul,  who aims to stick around for the long haul. 

7. Ariana Grande

Although a newcomer to the big screen, Ariana Grande has not only won people over with her angelic voice but also with her insight on the pescatarian lifestyle world. She finds it a lot healthier for someone on the road that is not receiving tremendous amounts sleep. 

8. Ben Stiller

 Actor Ben Stiller become pescatarian prior to filming his movie "The Watch". He explained on Conan that he was able to perform action-heavy sequences without a stunt-double due to his conversion to pesca-vegetarianism. 

Which celebrity vegetarian resonated with you the most? Who were you surprised to see on this list? Chime In Below! 

Did You Know?

1. Starting a pescetarian diet helps you to avoid high saturated fat and cholesterol consumption that comes along with eating red meat. 

2. A pescetarian diet contains B complex vitamins, including B6, B12, riboflavin, and niacin, while also providing a great source of Vitamin A and D.

3. This diet will help you build lean muscle mass, WITHOUT increasing body weight. 

4. According to the Indian Journal of Community medicine, July 2010 issue, a pesco-vegetarian diet can lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. In a study of 724 patients, the researchers reported that the risk of type 2 diabetes among pescetarians was 4.9 percent compared to 8.2 percent for non-vegetarians. 

5. Promotes cardiac health, as told by Dr. Joseph Albert in the American Heart Association journal "Circulation".  

Caribbean Jerk Shrimp

Being West Indian, from the United States Virgin Islands, Caribbean foods are one of my favorites to indulge in. This dish is delectable and very easy to prepare, even for the most inexperienced cook! = ) Enjoy! 

Ingredients:
Serves 4

1 lb of thawed shrimp
Lawry's Caribbean Jerk with Papaya Juice Marinade
Goya's Mojo Crillo Marinade
Olive Oil
Dash of Salt
Sprinkle of Paprika
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper
Salsa (of your choice)
Minced Garlic
Spinach

Directions:
SHRIMP

1. Using 1 lb of fresh thawed shrimp, peel and devein shrimp, including tail. Place clean, rinsed shrimp (with cool water) in a large bowl.

2. Add a dash of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, and sprinkle of paprika for color, to the shrimp bowl. Mix thoroughly.

3. Add 1/2 cup of Goya's Mojo Crillo marinade to shrimp being sure that all shrimp are submerged in the marinade. Cover with Saran Wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (preferably 1 hour).

4. Remove from refrigerator, place stove top on MEDIUM heat. Using a non-stick pan, add a cap full of olive oil to the pan. Once heated, add shrimp to pan, using a fork, being sure not to add excess marinade to the pan.

5. Cook just until hot and slightly brown (approximately 3 minutes on each side)

6. Add 1/2 cup Lawry's Caribbean Jerk sauce to the pan , tossing shrimp. Allow sauce to thicken before removing from the stove.

SPINACH

1. Using a non-stick skillet, place a cap full of olive oil and a teaspoonful of minced garlic in skillet over MEDIUM heat.

2. Place bag of spinach in skillet, cooking in small portions, allowing room for spinach to cook.

3. Mix spinach in skillet being sure to coat the leaves with olive oil and garlic.

4. Cook to desired texture.

Place spinach on plate, along with shrimp and top with a salsa of your choice! Bon Apetit!

Become A Pescatarian!

What Does Becoming A Pescatarian Mean to You?

Pes-ca-tar-i-an

- noun-

Pesco is derived from the Latin word for fish. Pesco-vegetarians eat fish and plants, but restrict or exclude other meats or animal products. 

Being a pescetarian includes eliminating red meat and chicken from your life. It's much easier to have more protein in your diet than if you were a vegan or vegetarian. This is because you can still have your eggs and seafood of all kind. If you were vegan, you would have nothing from animals. No eggs, no milk, no cheese, and mostly no desserts. But living the vegan way doesn't always involve gross food. It's just hard to adjust to. Therefore, becoming a pescetarian would be a easier step-wise lifestyle change toward healthier eating! 

Once you have made the decision to convert to a pesca-vegetarian life, as some like to call it, rummage through your pantry and fridge to get rid of the things you will no longer need on this journey. If any products in your kitchen are made from chicken, cow, or duck etc. by products, this is the PERFECT time to toss them! Be sure to dedicate yourself to this change to stay on track and visit us frequently for healthy recipe options! 

In the meantime, we'll just be here Fish'n Around!