Hello beautiful souls,

Let me preface this blog with a little back story. 

​Five years ago, I lost my father to cancer and it was a huge turning point in my life, spiritually. I began seeking the “higher being” and asking the age old question, “what is the meaning of this thing we call ‘life’?”  

Raised Catholic, as an adult I knew organized religion was not for me, it never quite felt right with my soul. I began to research. With my research, I began watching Oprah’s “Super Soul Sunday” on the OWN network. Watching various spiritual leaders on this amazing show was crucial in my eyes beginning to open and realizing everything is connected; we are such a small piece of such a massive puzzle but one thing remains the same, WE ARE ALL CONNECTED. 

Soon after, I took up meditation, which was life changing, to say the least. Meditation allows me to keep calm, centered and focused on seeking and reaching my ultimate purpose on this earth. This lead me to read the book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho and again my life was altered; there it was again…ultimate life purpose or personal legend, as it is named in the book. That book forced me to go deep in my introspection and find out what makes me, well, me. Soon after, I found a church called True Worship Tabernacle and another life altering moment occurred. 

In a bible study on a Wednesday night, the scales fell from my eyes and I realized who God is and once again how we are ALL CONNECTED!! I was baptized in Jesus name in November 2014. From that day forth, I have sought God and my ultimate life purpose. Which leads me to where I am now, I am a 35 year old woman who has tried every diet in the world and each has failed due to me not addressing the real problem…my emotional connection with food.

I had contemplated going vegetarian for some time, almost as a last stitch effort to lose all of this weight which I accumulated over all the years of dealing with my trials and tribulations in an unhealthy manner aka stuffing my face and drinking myself silly. 

However, as I began finding peace within myself and letting go of past hurt and anger (through God, prayer and meditation), I was able to really listen to my body and spirit and it really urged me to work on how I fuel my temple. 
That is when I received a call from the beautiful soul, Leda Beluche, and a week later I am one week into the GirlieVegan Raw Till 4pm 22 Day Challenge and three weeks without any animal meat (with the exception of Thanksgiving. I totally picked an inopportune time to start this lifestyle change…lol). 

The first week of the 22 day vegan challenge was actually pretty amazing. I lost 6lbs, I feel lighter, I wasn’t hungry and I enjoyed the vegan food. However, in a conversation I had with Leda, we realized I may have a gluten allergy (working on getting an appointment to the doctor to confirm) so we decided to also cut out gluten; which changed a few things…lol. This limits my options and gluten free bread, well, it is not very delish. LOL. 

The problem is where I live, vegans are a very very very small minority; therefore my options are extremely limited. We do have Sprouts and that has been a lifesaver for me on this journey but the selection is not vast. Which brings us today, day 8 on the challenge and I have a headache and I am hungry!!! This morning, I had my smoothie and it was great but there is a lot going on in my world and my mind is trying to get me to comfort it, as I have always done, with food. Old habits die hard. Please pray for me and I will keep you guys posted and post some pics soon. Sending light and love your way, beautiful souls!!!

Taryn De La Rosa

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Dr. Maya Angelou

I am SO EXCITED to introduce to you Taryn De La Rosa. YAY!!!
I'm super excited for Taryn because she agreed to try the GirlieVegan Raw Till 4pm 22 Day Challenge! 

Taryn lives in Corpus Christi, Texas and her options are pretty limited when it comes to having vegan restaurants or even vegan support for that matter. But like a true Leo she wasn't afraid to take on this challenge! Between my guidance and her research she was able to find a great store in Corpus Christi called Sprouts and realized they sold vegan products! Taryn is now aware of websites like VeganEssentials.com which sell all vegan products :)

I ask that all vegans new or seasoned, please join me in supporting and mentoring our dear Taryn! You can feel free to contact her through her social media which is listed below. Feel free to give her recipes, ideas, mental and emotional support. As a wellness, health, spiritual, animal rights and vegan community we should be there for each other. This GirlieVegan is sooo happy to support and coach Ms. De La Rosa!!! I have no doubt that Taryn will ace this task! 
Let's get to know her a bit better, shall we?! 

Name: Taryn De La Rosa
 
Born: Corpus Christi, Texas

Currently resides: Corpus Christi, Texas

Birthdate: July 29th 

Sign: Leo 

Education: Double major in Psychology & Sociology (Texas A&M: Kingsville) 

Career: Social Worker

Fave colors: Purple and Black

GV: What are you most excited about with this GirlieVegan Raw Till 4pm 22 Day Challenge?

T: I am excited about becoming healthy and gain spiritual clarity and good karma...lol...

GV: What are you most worried about with this GirlieVegan Raw Till 4pm 22 Day Challenge?

T: I am worried that my emotional eating may rear it's ugly head and return me to my past ways...But in this journey I pray for a healthier relationship with my emotions and subsequently with food. 

GV: What does Taryn like to do on her spare time? Besides connecting to music and singing! 

T: I love reading, meditation, new found love for yoga, makeup, and a slight obsession with Facebook...Most importantly seeking God and working on my spiritual connection with him. It is amazing...as your spiritual eyes are opened, you see EVERYTHING is connected! Everything! 

GV: What is Taryn's your favorite food?

T: Pizza

There you have it my loves! A little piece of Taryn for now until she starts blogging :) 

Please encourage, support and share recipes with Taryn by clicking the links in pink below: 

Instagram: @NYRAT245 
Facebook: Taryn De La Rosa 
Hashtag on social media: #GVRT4

Let's get to itttt!!!!! 

And remember: 
GirlieVegans Do It Better!!! 

Love and light,
Leda xxx


Photo Courtesy: Taryn De La Rosa 

A simple, easy and fun smoothie to make is a banana smoothie! 
It's so delicious and packed with potassium. 
Always great to drink a banana smoothie when you are on a transition to being vegan or if you are currently on the GirlieVegan Raw Till 4pm Challenge. 
It's easy to make, few ingredients and taste so good! 

GIRLIEVEGAN BANANA SMOOTHIE: 

2 Ripe Bananas
8oz Almond Milk (use Raw Almond Milk if on the Raw Challenge) 
2 tablespoons Vegan Coconut Creamer
3-4 Ice cubes

In a blender mix all the ingredients above until it's well blended! 


* You can substitute the Almond Milk with Coconut or Rice milk.


Serves: 2 cups 

Voila! You are ready to serve and drink your GirlieVegan Banana Smoothie! 

Share pictures of your GirlieVegan Banana Smoothie on social media using the hashtag: #GVRT4 or #GirlieVegan

And remember: 
GirlieVegans Do It Better!!! 

Love and light,
Leda xxx

Monday, July 6, 2015 GirlieVegan will begin it's first GirlieVegan Raw Till 4pm 22 Day Challenge!!! 
I hope if you are reading this, you will join us in such an extraordinary and powerful life changing challenge!
You will have the support from myself and others on the GirlieVegan Forum on Facebook. 
I will be posting different recipes for smoothies and cooked vegan meals after 4pm. 

If you are tired of being fatigued and exhausted all the time, or simply are tired of trying different diets and can't lose weight, then this is the challenge for you! 
By being Raw Till 4pm you will see a huge change in your skin, energy levels, and weight! 
They key is to stay cooked vegan after 4pm so you can experience the best results. 

What is Raw Till 4pm?
Just like with Veganism, it's not a diet it's a lifestyle. It's a vegan lifestyle that requires you to eat raw fruits and vegetables and no animal products (no exceptions). You eat whole, unprocessed raw foods until 4pm. Then after 4pm you can cook and eat cooked vegan healthy foods. 

Let's begin!!! 

What you will need:

1. Blender
Any blender that will process your fruits and veggies into a great smoothie. 
If you already have the Vitamix, Ninja or NutriBullet you are in perfect hands! 

2. Fruits
Make sure to buy as many fruits that you love. Bananas are key in Raw Till 4pm lifestyle.
Watermelon, Apple, Blackberry, Cantaloupe, Blueberry, Cranberry, Cherry, Kiwi,  Goji Berry, Mango, Pink Grapefruit, Grape, Pineapple, Orange, Pear, Papaya, Peach, Pomegranate, Raspberry, Prune, Strawberry, Pumpkin.
You are allowed to eat as many fruits as you want. No restrictions! 

3. Vegetables
Make sure to buy as many raw veggies as you can. Kale will be your best friend for the next 22 days. 
Kale, Broccoli, Romaine lettuce, Cabbage, Avocado, Watercress, Chard, Beet Green, Spinach, Chicory leaves, Parsley, Collard Green, Dandelion Green, Carrot, Arugula, Turnip Green, Mustard Greens, Cilantro, Chives.
You are allowed to eat as many veggies as you want. No restrictions! 


GirlieVegan Tips for the GVRT4 22 Day Challenge:

1. Eat ONLY plant foods. NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS. No exceptions. 

2. Eat RAW fruits and greens ONLY until 4pm. 

3. AFTER 4pm eat cooked meals like gluten-free pasta, potatoes, veggies, rice etc. 

4. After eating cooked meals after 4pm DO NOT eat any raw fruits or veggies. 

5. Drink  A LOT of water during the day. 

6. Pack as much fruits and veggies to munch on during the day at work. 

7. Raw cashews, walnuts and almonds are great snacks until 4pm. Make sure its raw. 

8. Eat as MUCH fruits and veggies as you can! The MORE the better! 

9. Give your body 20 minutes to connect to the brain that your stomach is full. 

10. Smoothies are perfect for breakfast and lunch. 

11. Make sure to add some form of physical exercise to your lifestyle. Even if it's a 30 minute walk. 

12. Avoid salt and oil as much as possible. 

13. Eat organic fruits and veggies if you can. Much better for your body and environment. 

14. Get in your vegan Vitamin D & B-12. 

15. Get enough sleep and rest. 

16. If you feel tired and exhausted after a day or two, means you are not eating enough raw fruits during the day. 

17. If you feel bloated, give it a few days for your body to clean out all the old junk that was stuck in your digestive system. Once the fruits and veggies clean out your intestinal track you should be better than ever! 


You can find support at the GirlieVegan Facebook Page under the Forum section. You can also communicate with myself or others via Instagram or Twitter under the hashtag #GVRT4 

Have FUN with this 22 day food challenge!!! It's easy, simple and fun!!! No need to stress :)

LOVE YOURSELF my rebel Starseeds, practice gratitude and peace :) 
You have the power inside to create change in your life by creating change in your body! 
Your body loves you, it carried you this far, now it's your turn to take care of it :) 

Love you all! 

Namaste Witches! 

And remember: 
GirlieVegans Do It Better!!! 

Love and light,
Leda xxx



Photo Courtesy: food-pyramid.org and thebananagirl.com

• The meat, dairy, egg industry slaughter over 9 billion animals each year
  

• All animals are confined, abused and beaten to death and then served as a meal
  

• There are 16 million vegetarians in the United States
  

• There are 8 million vegans in the United States 
  

• The UN reported in 2010 that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts of climate change
  

• Number of people who could be fed with grain and soybeans now eaten by U.S. livestock: 1.3 billion
  

• Fossil fuels needed to produce a meat-centered diet vs. a meat-free diet: 50 times more
  

• It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat
  

• 70 percent of the livestock produced annually in the U.S. are fed a diet containing roxarsone, the most common arsenic-based additive used in animal feed
  

• Arsenic has been linked to bladder, lung, skin, kidney and colon cancer, partial paralysis and diabetes
  

• Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat meat 4 times a week vs. less than once a week: 4 times
  

• Increased risk of fatal ovarian cancer for women who eat eggs 3 or more times a week vs. less than once a week: 3 times
  

• Increased risk of fatal prostate cancer for men who eat meat daily vs. sparingly or not at all: 3.6 times
  

• Heart Attack is the most common cause of death in U.S.
  

• Average US man's risk of death from heart attack while eating a meat-centered diet: 50%
  

And remember:
GirlieVegans Do It Better!!!

Love and light,
Leda xxx


Photo Courtesy: Erinred.com

How to become vegan? Sounds overwhelming when you start thinking of how to completely change a lifestyle you have been accustomed to for years! But I have good news for you, it's not that hard!!! 
Being vegan these days is a piece of cake compared to 20 years ago. We are in an era where we are lucky to be vegan!!! YAY!!! (happy dance!)

So let's begin! In my previous post I explained the difference between veganism and being a vegetarian, I am a strict vegan who also maintains a gluten-free lifestyle. In my posts I will always promote anything that is vegan & gluten-free, from vegan foods to vegan nail polish to vegan shoes. I will also be posting quick and easy gluten-free and vegan recipes for you and your family. And I also welcome people to share their vegan recipes! 

First things, first! The one thing you should quickly remove from your everyday lifestyle is any meat. YES any and all sorts of meat (beef, chicken, seadfood)...What can you have instead? Well there are so many options today! 
You have to go to your local supermarket or a health food store and find the vegetarian/vegan section. There you will find tons of different meat-substitute brands for beef, chicken or even seafood. If you don't find a vegan brand or if you live in a small town, request to speak to a manager and place an order! The more you ask and others, the more likely they will order it! 

Beyond Meat 

One of my favorite meat-substitute is the brand Beyond Meat! 
Their chicken-free strips taste and feel like chicken! You can even pull it apart like a chicken and its feels exactly the same. Best part It cooks in just a few minutes! 
The chicken-free strips come in 3 different flavors: Grilled, Lightly Seasoned and Southwest. 
It's real meat made from 100% plant protein. It's made from peas and soy. It's also gluten-free. 
For those of you that avoid soy like myself, I still make Beyond Meat chicken-free strips once in a while. 

However, their Beef-free Crumbles I do have often! They are soy-free and gluten-free! YAY!!!
They come in two flavors: Beefy and Feisty. 
The beef-free crumbles taste exactly like ground beef. It's incredible! 
Its made from peas. It's the only gluten-free and soy free beef-free crumble in the market!
I love adding them to my vegan gluten-free taco nights or to make some yummy pasta dishes. 
I will be sharing some great recipes down the road.

You can find Beyond Meat at your local Whole Foods, Publix, Sprouts or HEB markets. 
If you don't find it, remember ask the manager to place an order for you! 
www.beyondmeat.com
 
Next items you should quickly eliminate from your everyday lifestyle is your DAIRY products! 
I personally LOVE cheese, ice cream, and milk with my cereals. But once I ended my romance with dairy and switched to vegan dairy products, I felt so much healthier even though I was eating so much "dairy"! 
I noticed I no longer had to worry about catching a cold during winter season. 
During all my intensive research I discovered the link between dairy and mucus, acne, gas, osteoporosis and migraines to name a few. After all that knowledge there is no way I can ever have dairy again! Yuck! 
But now I can enjoy my cream cheese, pizza, ice cream and not feel guilty at all because its all vegan! 

Milk 

There are so many different delicious non-dairy beverages you can drink these days. 
I highly recommend drinking almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, rice milk and hazelnut milk.
I drink all of them from different brands. I switch every week to a different one.  
I love the brand Dream for coconut milk, rice and cashew milk. For almond milk I enjoy the brand So Delicious.
Pacific Natural Foods brand has an awesome non-dairy beverage selection for almond and hazelnut milk which you can find at Trader Joe's or any health food store.  
www.tastethedream.com
www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com
www.pacificfoods.com

Cheese

When it comes to vegan cheese the best one in the market is Daiya! 
Daiya products are all dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free.
The Daiya shreds style come in different flavors and they come in handy for pizza, quesadillas or even nachos.
The Daiya Wedges style are ideal for a fancy platter, melt them into your sauce or cut them for your kid's lunchbox.
The Daiya Slices style are perfect for your favorite sandwich. They feel and taste like real cheese. 
The Daiya Cream Cheese style spread is delicious to have with your favorite bagel. 
The Daiya Pizza come already prepared for you in different flavors and all you do is place it in the oven. 
After trying all their products I am hooked and can't live without them! 
I suggest you switch over to Daiya cheese products right away!!! 
us.daiyafoods.com

Bread


Believe it or not, not all breads are vegan. A lot of breads contain eggs, milk or even honey. So when choosing a vegan bread make sure it is one 100% vegan. I personally love Food for Life brand because its vegan and they have gluten-free options. They even have vegan and gluten-free English Muffins! 
You can find Food for Life products at any health food markets and Trader Joe's. 
www.foodforlife.com

Pasta

When it comes to pasta its always important to double check and make sure it is egg-free. Most boxed pasta contain eggs. 
I'm half Italian so I automatically live for pasta! I could have it everyday if I could!!! 
But I only have vegan and gluten-free pasta.
There are so many brands out there that are gluten-free and vegan. Check your local health food store to see what brands you like and taste delicious to you.
De Boles offer that Al dente taste that I so love!
www.deboles.com

Butter

Vegan butter is a sensitive subject to some. There is the famous vegan butter that everyone loves but people also seem to not realize that they use palm oil which kills the Orangutans. Most animal activists like myself have been avoiding any vegan butter brands that contain palm oil (palm fruit oil) and have resorted to making our own butter.
Of course there are different butters out there like almond, cashew and coconut butter but if you're looking for the buttery taste then I would suggest making your own. 
I will later include a delicious, easy and quick recipe for you to make! 

I hope you can you use this post as a reference and guide on how to substitute your current meat and dairy products! Being vegan these days is a piece of cake! 
I highly recommend always checking your ingredients on all your products while you are at your favorite health food store. I know it sounds like a drag but you quickly get used to it and kind of love it!!! 
I look forward to posting more information on how to become vegan and some yummy recipes. 

And remember: 
Girlie Vegans Do It Better!!!

Love and light,
Leda xxx


Photo Courtesy: Gourmandia.net, Peta.org, Veganessentials.com, Meredone.com, Naturalie.net, Daiya, Onegreenplanet.org, Deboles, Vegan.com

What is Vegan you ask? Well the correct answer is: "A person who does not eat or use animal products."
Many people correlate vegan as a diet. But being vegan is more of a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than a diet. 
What is Veganism? According to Wikipedia, It's the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, as well as following an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of sentient animals. A follower of veganism is known as a vegan. 
In other words, veganism is a lifestyle choice and a belief that one should not eat any meat, dairy, eggs, honey or anything that is an animal or contains animal by-products. The same as your lifestyle choices like what you wear and your everyday products. Being vegan means you are the person that follows a veganism lifestyle. Kapish? Comprende? YAY! 

Okay so now that you understand what being vegan means lets discuss what a vegetarian is! Hahaha
Being a vegetarian simply means restricting from the consumption of any meat (red meat, poultry, seafood and the flesh of any other animal) and any by-products of animal slaughter. 
Vegetarians still have the option of consuming dairy products including eggs. 

Why become vegan you may ask? There are a million reasons why everyone on earth should be vegan, but I will only share a few! 
Did you know that the meat, dairy, egg industry slaughter over 9 BILLION animals each year?
In 2010 the UN reported that a global shift towards a vegan diet would be vital to saving the world from hunger, fuel poverty and global warming. 
There is an increased risk of breast cancer and fatal ovarian cancer for women who consume meat & eggs 3 or more times a week, 
There is also an increased risk of prostate cancer and heart attack risk for men who eat meat on a daily basis. 
Why sometimes you have friends who tell you they have anxiety feelings in their chest, headaches or have stomach issues. 
Head over to the Vegan Facts tab and learn about more vegan facts! 

Many individuals convert to a vegan lifestyle to prevent animal cruelty, for health reasons, to tap into a higher spiritual dimension or simply to follow a cool trend...
Whatever your reason is, it is important to do it right! Many of my friends have tried being vegan for a week or two and then gave up for lack of knowledge, where to shop, what to buy, or didn't know how to cook. 
After I led some of my close friends into a vegan lifestyle, I am happy to state that most of them are still vegan! YAY!!! (Clapping hands)

That is why I have such a passion for sharing what has worked for me! GirlieVegan will show you how to be smart, cute, sassy, fun, cool, spiritual and lovable all while being VEGAN!!! ;)

And remember: 

GirlieVegans Do It Better!!! 

Love and light,
Leda xxx


Photo Courtesy of VeganFoodPyramid.com

Darling Angels, 

I hope when you are reading this you are ready to embark a new journey and realize that today, at this very moment, you have a fresh start on life. It is never too late to begin a new healthy lifestyle!

Before I was vegan, boy, did I LOVE LOVE LOVE junk food!!! All I could eat!!! I was obsessed! All my life I struggled with my weight. Gained, lost, gained, lost and gained again.
All throughout my teenage years I tried every diet there was out there from Slim Fast, to just eating cereal all day to the Atkins diet, you name it, I did it! I even did the baby food diet!!! I can’t! Aghhh!!!
Now that I am a bit wiser when it comes to food and healing, I realized that the reason I struggled with my weight was due to family issues and most importantly, what I was putting in my body. 

I lived in Texas for a few years and when I arrived I was super skinny and when I left I had gained triple the weight. How could I not? I was eating bad food all the time! I lived at Whataburger and had the nerve to Whatasize the
meals! Everyone at Cici’s Pizza knew me! I would eat 3 pies all by myself. YES, that’s right, 3 whole pies! White Pizza, Barbecue Pizza and Pepperoni Pizza! I had nooo problem eating all 3 plus dessert!!!  My own friends who were born and raised there couldn’t even believe how much I could eat! I have a stomach ache now just thinking about it!

When I moved back to NYC I realized I had to do something about my weight, I shed a few pounds just from walking in NY but I was still overweight. Working in the entertainment industry only put more pressure to lose weight and I became more stressed out. I started thinking I was eating healthier because instead of eating 3 pies of pizzas I was only eating 2 slices of pizza a week. Working crazy hours and traveling the world was just hard to pay attention to my eating habits.

I started getting bad feelings every time I ate. Like if something was wrong. I couldn’t pin point it but I knew it had to do with what I was placing inside my body. Then one day I watched a video about how the animals are slaughtered just so we can eat meat and dairy. I couldn’t stop crying and realized that I could never touch meat again. At that very moment I ended my journey with meat. I instantly became a vegetarian and within 3 months and I became vegan.
I was so fascinated with my new journey and even more baffled not only about the weight I lost, but how much energy I had and how great I felt just after 3 weeks being vegan! Was incredible!

Fast forward to today, I LOVE my vegan and gluten-free lifestyle! After years of researching veganism and helping friends and clients transition into a vegan lifestyle, I am happy to say that vegans now have much more options
when it comes to vegan products and restaurants! 
I will teach you how to simply switch from a meat-centered diet to a plant-based diet and still enjoy the luxury and taste of food! I am also welcoming other vegans to share some of their yummy vegan recipes! 

Remember you are what you eat!!!

GirlieVegans Do It Better!!!

Love and light,
Leda xxx