So I could tell you long and lovely stories about all these recipes and stories from Thanksgivings past....but don't we all just want the dang recipes when we go to a recipe page?! I know I do. So I'll get straight to the point: this is my Thanksgiving menu this year. I hope you find inspiration for your own Thanksgiving dinner here!

Much plant based love to you,

~Olivia   

Starter: Pumpkin Soup

Recipe:

You’re going to start off with 6 cups baked pumpkin (you can just chop your pumpkin into quarters, scoop out the seeds, and bake at 425 for 30 minutes or so until it’s tender).

Then in a pot toss:

1 chopped onion

3 finely chopped big cloves of garlic

2 TBSP water (or olive oil if you prefer)

Sauté that on medium heat for 7 minutes until tender.

Then add:

1/2 tsp salt (or salt to taste)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Fresh ground black pepper

2 TBSP maple syrup

2 cups water or vegetable broth

2 cups plant milk...

If you're like most people you likely feel overwhelmed trying to wade through like....the entire internet....trying to find answers to your health problems or the health concerns of your children or loved ones. 

I hear you. I've been there. While this list is by no means exhaustive, I have linked books, documentaries, and products here that could be the "missing link" in your healing, or, at the very least, a tool to get you going in a more healthful direction. 

If you are struggling with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, a stress related condition, or something else then read through this list and click on whatever resource resonates with your condition. 

I trust one (or more) of these resources will land in the hands of the person who needs it, and because of it will find the healing and health we all desire and deserve. 

Books:

When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection: This book by Dr. Gabor Mate explores modern research...

Ok; dressings--such an important topic! The dressing can absolutely MAKE or BREAK a salad. Am I right? 

And as much as I wish this wasn't true, it's truly so difficult to find good, clean, oil free bottled dressings. I've looked far and wide, they hardly exist. I have recently found some good dressings at Trader Joe's (their brand), so that's encouraging to see! But if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, and you're not wanting to spend quite a bit of money on pre-made bottled dressings let me help you out. 

Here are my top 3 favorite raw vegan dressings I've been making nearly every night of the week for years. I never get tired of them! *Note: of course you do not need to be raw or even vegan to enjoy these dressings. Pour them over whatever salad, noodle dish, wrap, sandwich, etc and it will totally elevate your dish!

Ok, the dressings: 

All 3 of these dressings require nothing more than a bowl and fork to whisk them up. In fact, if I'm really in a rush...

Transitioning.

Let’s talk about it. How do you move from eating one diet—any diet—to eating a raw vegan diet? The answer?

There is no singular answer for everyone.

You see, transitioning to our natural human diet isn’t like going on any other diet—because it isn’t just a diet. When we start eating our proper diet we don’t just lose weight, clear up our skin, or improve our blood pressure.

Everything changes. Emotions come to the surface. Our minds open up. Our hearts expand.

It’s so. much. more. than a diet.

And it can be heavy. And scary. Most of us have no idea how much we use food to cope and suppress our emotions. We all do it. Every one of us at one point or another have used food to numb ourselves.

And let me tell you—it’s a lot harder to numb out or to escape eating watermelon than it is when eating burgers and fries.

Many people aren’t ready for the MASSIVE change that occurs when you start eating an abundance...

Ok- So here's the deal: bananas aren't the most magical fruit in the whole world. I didn't even eat exclusively bananas for 2 months because they have some super power to kill off parasites. I don't continue to eat up to 10 bananas on a daily basis because they're better than all the other fruit. (Sorry bananas; love you but its true.)

My philosophy is that our bodies are the magic. Our bodies are super heroes and super healers! If we "get out of the way," (meaning we stop putting in garbage that keeps our bodies from being able to do its natural healing/cleansing thing,) we're able to cure even "incurable" diseases.

Our bodies are constantly working to rid themselves of all the junk we take in- whether from food, drink, the air, the water we bathe in or play in, the toxic makeup, lotions, shampoos, etc that we use. We absorb and consume a lot of nasty stuff! And our bodies are always working for us to get rid of it.

When we consume foods were not intended to eat, we're taxing our...