Vegan Root Beer Float Recipe

Root beer float was one of my favorite childhood treats, so when Jason (my oldest son) asked for one, you already know I had to make it vegan.

 

Watch it below......

Root Beer Float

by Brown Vegan

Keywords: dessert vegan vegetarian nut-free summer spring

Ingredients (1 float)

• 12 oz of root beer
• 2 scoops vegan vanilla ice cream (I used So Delicious brand in the video)

Instructions

Pour root beer into a tall glass.

Scoop in ice cream.

Mix together root beer & ice cream with a straw or spoon.

Enjoy!

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Another reason I made this video, is to show that you can make nearly anything vegan.

You should eat as many whole ingredients as possible, but it's always good to know that you can still enjoy familiar and simple vegan treats.

The options are truly endless!

Let me know what you think once you try the recipe.

What are some of your favorite childhood desserts/treats?

Field Roast Hand-Formed Burger Taste Test Video

When I started my vegan journey back in 2010, I remember not being the biggest fan of veggie burgers made from beans. The mushy texture just wasn't my style and I wanted something more familiar. 

These days it's easy to find burgers with a firm texture and delicious flavor.

I was excited to see the whole line of Field Roast vegan products at Safeway (a regular grocery store) last week.

It's good to know that Field Roast products are becoming more accessible because I remember you could only find them at Whole Foods and other health food stores.

Their products are just too good to be a secret!

In this video, I try their hand-formed burger on camera for you. :-)

Watch it here...

When you're ready to transition your family to more vegan meals, it's helpful to have good meat and cheese alternatives to make this lifestyle change possible.

All three of my kids love this product, so I will definitely buy it again!

I paid about $6 for four patties at Safeway, so I will say this product is pricey for a family (we need 2 packs for our family).

Field Roast Hand-Formed burgers are juicy, flavorful and have the firm texture that we expect from a burger.

Using a little oil, It takes less than 6 minutes on medium heat to fry up these patties.

Simple. Familiar. Delicious.

 

Resources mentioned in the video:

Find Field Roast products near you at fieldroast.com

Just Mayo is the vegan mayo I used -- You can find it at Target.

My fave homemade vegan burger is here

 

Have you tried any of their products yet? 

Which is your fave?

Why My Kids Aren't Vegan

One of the questions I get quite often is whether or not my hubby & kids are vegan.

In this video, I share that answer and some tips on how to start a vegan journey with your family.

Click below to watch....

When we started this journey back in 2010, I wanted everyone to be vegan.

I remember being conflicted because my two older kids would go to their dad's house on the weekends, so it was hard for them to maintain there.

These days, my kids eat vegan at home and have the option to eat what they choose while dining out.

I know this may not be the most popular way to do it, but we all have to do what works best for our family situation.

 

Tips on how to get your kids to eat more vegetables and vegan meals:

• Add greens to your kids' smoothies--perfect with breakfast and as a snack. Spinach is a great start because you don't taste it.
• Add an extra vegetable to the dinner plate to help crowd out some of the meat and dairy.
• Make a vegan version of some of their favorite meals, so it doesn't feel like you're making a huge sacrifice. 
• Get your kids involved in meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking --Kids are less likely to reject something they helped put together.
• Be clear about why you're going vegan -- Have a conversation with your family and watch documentaries together.
• Be gentle with yourself and your family as your transition to vegan life -- It's a process and takes time to get adjusted to this amazing new lifestyle. You can do it!

Resources mentioned in the video:

Store bought vegan chicken nuggets are the Gardein brand -- you can find their products in the frozen section at most grocery stores.

The homemade vegan chicken recipe is here 

Is everyone in your house vegan or is your approach similar to mine?

Leave me a comment

How to Be Vegan for Life

Earlier this year, I had dinner with a lady who said she finds herself going back and forth with vegan life.

She has no problem staying vegan while doing an online challenge or as a group with her church, but goes back to a standard American diet once the challenge or Daniel Fast is over.

She asked what I think the issue is....


I believe the reason she can't move is that she isn't very clear about her why after the challenge is over.

Here's what I mean: Her only goal is to get to the end of those 30 days; not to truly embrace a vegan lifestyle. 

Your why is sooo important! It is the foundation of your vegan lifestyle.

Related: Two Key Steps You Must Take If You Want to Be Vegan

 

Tips on How to Be Vegan for Life

(1) Get clear about your why  

Why do you want to become a vegan?  Take a moment and think about it. Do you want to do it for your health? The health of your family? To protest factory farming? Do you want to protect our planet's precious resources?

Visualize what your life will look like when you transition to a delicious and long-term vegan life with your family. Take a few minutes and write down these reasons. Keep this writing on hand, so that you can refer to it when things get tough.

 

(2) Put as much of the lifestyle on autopilot as possible  

The less thinking you have to do the better. Establish easy go-to vegan recipes and keep your breakfast and snacks as simple as possible. 

Snacks and breakfast are the easiest time of the day to keep things simple...so do just that. :-)
 

(3) Always be learning & be open to experimenting  

It's not necessary to read or watch a vegan documentary daily, but it is important to stay connected with new information, recipes, and products as you move forward. Watching documentaries and reading new vegan books will motivate you to keep going and have fun in the kitchen experimenting with ingredients and cooking techniques. I have several tips on how to get confident in the kitchen on this blog post. 

(4) Find a community  

The Internet makes it sooo easy for us to connect with people from all over the world. Get inspired by like-minded people on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. Also, meetup.com will help you find local vegans to connect with as well.

Related: Where's Your Vegan Community?


 

(5) Be gentle with yourself  

Please please please be gentle with yourself as you move forward on your vegan journey.
Do you see all this Boyz II Men begging I'm doing right now?

Seriously! 

This is a process, so don't give up if it doesn't feel comfortable or when you don't feel like you're "doing it right."
There's a lot to learn (and unlearn), so don't expect everything to be perfect. 

Progression over perfection...always.

One of my favorite podcast episodes is my interview with Gail Roddy, who has been vegan for over 25 years. If you're struggling to stay on this lifestyle, check out that episode for more encouragement and tips.

>> Listen here <<

 

Share your own tips in the comments :-)

If you're brand new to vegan life, check out my previous post with tips on how to start your journey here.

What to Eat During Difficult Times

June was a hard month -- I was sick for two weeks, my cousin died from cancer (she was only 32!), and a coworker at my part-time job passed away after a short illness (also very young).

The month left me so emotionally drained that I couldn't wait for it to be over!

Now all of the news coverage this week has me literally sick to my stomach.

If you're anything like me -- when life has you down, you are probably not the best at taking care of yourself.

I know all too well what it feels like to be so overwhelmed by depression, grief and just "life" that cooking and eating well isn't a priority.

Some people don't eat enough at all during these times, but I find myself reaching for cookies, wine and chips instead of more fresh greens, water, and fruit.

The truth is, this is the time we need to be mindful of what we eat to keep our strength.

Here are some easy recipes that will nourish you when you don't have the energy or desire to do much cooking (or eating)....

Chickpea tuna salad sandwich (recipe here)

Kale Salad (recipe here)

Quinoa Salad (recipe here)

Blueberry & peach smoothie (recipe here)

Green energy soup (recipe here--requires no cooking) 

Some tips

• Be sure to keep plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains around you!
• Take a walk
• Remember to breathe/meditate
• Watch funny videos (babies laughing always seem to work for me)
•  Unplug from social media at least a few hours a day to recharge.  I use the Freedom app on my phone and computer to do this.

Sending love and light into your day!