This is ME

Helping myself and inspiring others become stronger each day!

My journey started because I wanted to be healthy and live longer.

Now, it is more about LIVING!!!.

CHERISH YOURSELF

Find and LIKE Movement of HOPE on Facebook for uplifting posts.

YOU are stronger than you realize!

Through time, I have found that the only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.

Live life by DESIGN... not by default.

I have found my purpose and passion! That is continuously learning and then showing others how to become the best versions of themselves.!

Saturday, July 8, 2017

American tacos

This is a great meal idea and works well for small or large group. It also freezes well in case there are leftovers!

Once the sauce is done, it is great on Fritos chips or tortilla chips. Top it like you would a taco! Add lettuce, diced tomatoes, ranch dressing, salsa...etc.

Recipe for the sauce
1 can (16 oz) drained kidney beans
1 can (16 oz) drained black beans
16 oz cooked ground beef (optional) or beef replacement (I prefer gardein beefless grounds to keep this recipe kind and vegan-friendly)
1 can tomato soup
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp chili powder
4 oz salsa or hot taco sauce

Mix together and simmer.
Enjoy topping on Fritos or tortilla chips along with your favorite taco toppings!


Friday, July 7, 2017

10 reasons every parent should consider elimination communication

TEN reasons every parent should consider EC (Elimination Communication

I first heard the term EC (or Elimination Communication) when my second child was 2 and already potty-trained. I was interested in the possibility that a newborn could actually express their need to "eliminate"! Why had I never been taught that before?? It made complete sense that they can express their need for sleep and for food. Why not elimination needs as well? I was determined that when I had another baby, I was going to try it out and see if I could really do it. I consider myslef open-minded and am game for just about anything that involves saving time, money and the environment. Well, EC does all three! Here is a bit of my experience and why I would recommend it to everyone!

1: ECing makes cloth diapering so much easier
The main reason I was going to use cloth diapers with my third child was because I was astounded at the upward costs of disposable diapers. Back in 2006 when my second child was born, I could find disposables on sale for about 10 cents each. Doing the math these days, the cost of disposables had doubled! Being a stay-at-home mom, I couldn't see wasting such money on disposables when cloth diapering was a much cheaper option. When my third child was born (on 10/10/10) I used disposables for about 4 weeks since they had been given to me. Plus, I wasn't too excited about having to wash poopy cloth diapers! (What we do to save money and the environment!) After a couple weeks of rinsing and washing poopy diapers, I was fed up! I didn't know much about EC, but it was time to learn! My daughter was 6 weeks old when I started. She is now almost 8 months, and she does so good, I only have to do a load of diapers once a week since she rarely pees in them. My cloth diaper stash consists of about 15 diapers, so it's not huge. And although she does pee once in a while, she doesn't ever poop in her diaper! That makes my life, as a cloth-diapering mom, SO much easier! I MUST add that even if cloth diapering is not something you would do, you can still do EC! EC can be practiced with disposables as well! Even if your child goes on the potty only 50 percent of the time, that is 50 percent LESS diapers that you have to buy, change, and dispose of!

2: Parent/child bond is amazing
The day my 6-week old daughter and I first started EC, I could feel this unexplainable bond that was so amazing. I had not expected it to be that strong, and I knew that she felt it as well. I am sure that she was aware that I was more in tune with her signals and fusses. I did notice that she wanted to be held A LOT more, but that only lasted a few days. Many people say that the bond between a breast-feeding mother and her baby is very strong, and I am very familiar with that, having nursed all 3 of my children from birth. This emotional bond was even stronger than that! Seriously!  

3: It takes less patience than changing thousands of diapers AND potty-training a toddler
The one thing I hear the most from other momswhen discussing EC is, "I am just not that patient." I admit it does take a small amount of patience to EC at the beginning, but once mom and baby get the hang of it, it's really nothing compared to first training them to go in their diaper, then having to change the diapers frequently for years, and THEN in 2 or 3 years having to UNtrain them so they don't go in their diaper anymore. Now, that, I just don't have patience for.   

4: No poopy diapers to change!
Is there anyone out there who enjoys changing (or washing) a poopy diaper? Assuming that there isn't, then this alone should be a great reason that EC is worth the effort! I can't guarantee that you or your child will pick this up and have 100% success 100% of the time, but it sure helps!

5: It is cleaner
If you use cloth, you can imagine how much cleaner diapering would be if you didn't have to deal with all those BM's! There are many pieces of fancy equipment and different techniques that I am not familiar with. For, example, I have heard stories from others that use a "pressured sprayer" to get poop off the diaper. Some have had the experience of the pressure being too great and as they spray, poop goes places other than the desired destination (being the toilet). Let me assure you that this doesn't happen if you are practicing EC and your child goes in the toilet! No messes or stained clothes due to "blowouts", and no stinky garbage pails to worry about. Therefore, a better-smelling house and baby! 

 6: No preventable diaper rashes for baby
There are few things worse than seeing your baby in pain and not being able to help them or soothe them. Diaper rashes are seemingly very painful, and can take several days to heal. Costly creams and ointments are needed to help soothe the rash that could have been prevented in the first place. Many parents have seen diaper rashes caused by a reaction of some kind due to a certain food the child ate. Poop is not something that is supposed to be on the delicate skin of a baby. I understand that there are other causes for different kinds of diaper rashes that may not be preventable, but I am not talking about those kinds. Put bodily waste where it is supposed to go, not in a diaper where it comes in contact with baby's skin for long periods of time.
  
7: Baby learns more control, so they go less frequently
I think that pretty much sums it up, but let me explain what I have experienced about this. I have seen and read things about how often diapers are "supposed" to be changed. Having worked at a daycare for many years, I consider myself quite experienced in diaper changing. (Huge accomplishment, I know! LOL!) It is recommended that diapers be changed as soon as they are soiled. There were even daycares that required diaper changes every hour on the hour even if the diaper was not wet. Not sure why that was necessary, but rules are rules. Before I started EC with my baby, she would have dry diapers that had to be changed just because there was a tiny bit of BM in the diaper that I didn't want sticking to her skin. Since this was when I was using cloth diapers, I got a bit annoyed and was washing them quite frequently. I did start using strips of fleece for a liner that way I just had to change the liner and not the enitre diaper. However, when we started EC, this problem immediately changed. There was no more tiny amounts of poop in her diaper, she was wetting less frequently and therefore staying dry for longer periods of time. I did read that sometimes, some foods will make them urinate more often, but this only happens every so often. So as of right now, she usually goes to the bathroom every 2 or 3 hours. During the night, she wakes up when she has to go, nurses afterward and goes right back to sleep. This is usually only two or three times in a ten hour period. Many times, she doesn't even open her eyes! I love the fact that she never has to sit in a dirty diaper. I am assuming that she loves it as well!
    
8: Better for the environment
Everyone knows how bad those disposable diapers in the landfill. They take MANY years to break down, and never fully decompose. BMs aren't supposed to be wadded up and thrown way. I am pretty sure there are sewer treatment plants for a reason. But, since no one is taught that the poop is actually supposed to be dumped out of the diaper into the toilet before disposing of it, landfills are not only filled with these chemically-filled "disposable" diapers, but with human waste as well. Lovely thought, I know!So, like I said before, how about we all put it where it is supposed to go, and better yet, use cloth so these disposable diapers are not continuing to cover our earth.
9: It can be practiced no matter what your schedule looks like!
Another awesome thing about EC is that it doesn't have to be "all-or-nothing". If you work during the day and are only with your child for the evening, you can still be in tune with your baby's needs and watch for their cues while you are with them. It's never to early or late to start, and even if you can save 2 diapers a day, that adds up! Maybe you will even be able to share your knowledge with your child care provider!EC can be practiced anywhere, but if you find it difficult to do while you are out and about, it's okay to let them g in their diaper! It won't set them back or ruin your hard work. However, I have noticed that my baby does not like to be wet at all, so it's almost easier for me to stop my shopping to take her to the bathroom, than to hear her screaming throughout the store because she is wet. I, then, have to stop and change her anyway! Funny how that works.

10: Baby is happier!
I have a very happy baby. I attribute a lot of that to the fact that she knows I am trying my best to take care of her every need. I can tell that she is aware of the fact that I am in tune with her and she knows she can rely on me to help her when she is in need. Whether it is to feed her when she is hungry, to soothe her when she is sleepy, to comfort her when she is hurt, or to take her to the toilet when she needs to go potty. She is very content knowing that she doesn't need to act out in order for me to pay attention to her.

-Cherish Saurey
SAHM of 3 from Idaho Falls, ID
contact me on facebook

Are you interested in Elimination Communication or want to start it with your baby today or the day they are born? This is the site I found most helpful when I started that teaches the HOW-TO's! http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/index.php?module=article&view=8&MMN_position=237:14:224

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Vegan 'egg salad' sandwiches

This is a lunchtime favorite of mine! Great with crackers, on bread with lettuce and/or spinach leaves, wrap it up in a tortilla with lettuce and tomato, or just eat it plain!

VEGAN 'EGG SALAD' SANDWICHES
Ingredients:
1 can of garbanzo beans
1/2 tsp dried crushed dill
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup just mayo
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1-2 large dill pickles- diced
1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes (optional)

Step 1- mash garbanzo beans

Step 2- mix together mayo, mustard, dill, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast

Step 3- mix with mashed beans, pickles and tomatoes and chill mix in the refrigerator for a couple hours.


Prepare on bread, tortilla, or crackers! 
Enjoy!




Saturday, June 24, 2017

Vegan Cheezy Sauce


My favorite!!! NO-dairy cheezy sauce---

Put over pasta or nachos! 
Use with broccoli for soup! 
Great as a dip or topping! 
Sometimes I just eat it by the spoonfull! Haha! Vegan food options are limitless!

I have noticed this tastes best when it is made the day before and the flavors 
have time to mix overnight.

You will need:
Water and large boiling pot
Stove
Minced Garlic
1/2 yellow Onion
2-3 large Carrots
4-5 small Yellow potatoes
1/2 Garnet yam
1/2 Butternut squash
1/3 Eggplant
1/2 Orange bell pepper
1 cup raw Cashews
Almond or soy milk
Nutritional yeast
Seasoned salt and pepper 
High speed Blender

Here is how the magic is done:
While bringing to boil-- about 2 quarts of water in a large pot, add these ingredients to the water:
 1 Tbsp Crushed Garlic
1/2 chopped Onion
2-3 chopped Large Carrots
4-5 diced small Yellow potatoes (peeled or not)
About 1 cup chopped/peeled Garnet yam
About 1 cup chopped/peeled Butternut squash
About 1 cup chopped/peeled Eggplant
1/2 chopped Orange bell pepper
2 tsp Seasoned salt
1 tsp ground Pepper
Don't add cashews until after it boils. 
(Unless you plan to eat the sauce right away, you should boil the cashews with the veggies or let them soak overnight beforehand.)
This just helps them blend up better.
 
Let those boil and soften for about 30 minutes. The softer the better!
Add and mix in 1 cup raw Cashews and 1/2 cup dairy-free milk. 

Let cool then refrigerate overnight.
 The next day, it is ready to be blended!
 Just put the ingredients in a large high speed blender along with approx 1/2 cup Nutritional yeast and salt to taste. 

This fills my whole Ninja blender up
 and lasts a few meals. 
It freezes great as well! 
Just thaw and reblend before next use. 

To give you an idea, I cooked an entire package of elbow macaroni and used half of the sauce on it for one meal.

I have tried many variations of this recipe, and have added more veggies than most recipes like this. It turns out great each time, but this recipe is my favorite. The eggplant and garnet yam are not essential, but add extra veggies to the dish.


Broccoli cheese soup!

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Basic Vegan Bean Burgers

 There are so many varieties of Bean Burgers, and it is simple to use this basic recipe and add your favorite ingredients! I have seen some with sweet potato, quinoa, corn, mushrooms, or other veggies added. Once you get the hang of this basic recipe, you can start to experiment with different veggies or seasonings to find what you like! I love how it is simple, affordable, and so tasty!

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups cooked black beans
2 cups old fashioned oats (blended in the blender until they make a flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp McCormick hamburger seasoning
1/2 tsp McCormick Worcestershire pub burger seasoning
1/4 tsp seasoned salt (optional)

First, mash the beans. I just use a potato masher. Then add the oat flour and seasonings and mix well.

Form into golfball-sized balls and place on a greased, heated George Foreman grill. If you use a pan or griddle, just flatten the balls out to about 1 inch thick. 
 
I find the George Foreman grill the easiest because it cooks evenly, rounds the edges, and does not need flipping.

Place on bun and top with favorite bruger toppings. Great with mustard, ketchup, tomato, lettuce, avocado, pickles, onion slices, sautéed mushrooms, and more!


Enjoy!





Sunday, March 26, 2017

Olive Garden made at home! Vegan style


AMAZING DINNER TONIGHT!!! We made zuppa toscana soup, homemade garlic breadsticks, grilled pineapple, grilled asparagus and cherry tomatoes, and fettuccine alfredo! 100% vegan 100% delicious ♡♡♡

Recipes below ⤵


SOUP RECIPE

ZUPPA TOSCANA
Homemade vegan style!
serves approx 6
Ingredients:
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 6-7 yukon gold potatoes, diced
  • 8 oz Italian Seitan crumbles (pic below)
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
  • 5 large leaves of fresh kale torn into bite-sized pieces, stalk and stems removed

Instructions:
Depending on the Italian veggie sausage you use, you made need to cook the crumbles in a skillet. The ones I used (in this pic) did NOT need precooked and have great Italian seasonings already in them, so not much extra seasoning is needed.

In a soup pot, combine garlic, diced onion, diced potatoes, 'sausage' crumbles, veggie broth and water and cook on medium heat until potatoes are soft (20-25 minutes).


Add almond milk and seasonings and let simmer for 5-10 more minutes. (I actually prepared this the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight to let the flavors soak together, but this is not necessary).

After the soup has simmered, add the kale and let the soup cook for 5 minutes so the kale is heated and turns a darker green color.

Serve and enjoy!

Thursday, March 2, 2017

The year I stopped eating animals

I have always been sensitive to the feelings of others. I cry easily in movies. I am saddened by the hatred and negativity in the world. I am an empath and feel I easily connect emotionally to others around me. I want to do my best to reduce suffering and I also do my best to stay positive in times of hardship and trials. This weakness is also my strength and it has been the doorway to a life-changing experience!

MY STORY
I feel my journey as a vegan began in 2014 when our family finally was given a pet! She is the sweetest little dachshund and her name is Bella! She is my little shadow and captured my heart right away. I didn't necessarily want a pet. Mainly because I KNOW how much time and effort and dedication you have to be willing to put forth. They take long-term commitment and care. Initially, I agreed to get her because I wanted to teach my children responsibility, love, nurturing, and also compassion for animals. It is very important to me that my children grow up being KIND and CONSIDERATE of all beings (not just human beings).



It took months of convincing, but we were finally able to convince my husband that we NEEDED her in our family!

She has become such a joy in our home and I can't imagine NOT having her!!! She is pleasant, loving, snuggly, super soft, and just loves to be loved. Although she can't talk, I KNOW she has feelings and feels emotion.
I can tell when she feels love.
I know when she is afraid.
I see when she is happy.

She is able to express a variety of senses although she cannot speak to tell us about them.

So, in short, the things I wanted her to teach my children, she ended up teaching ME. Animals are very much aware of themselves and feel emotions just as we do. I am not sure how people can look at animals and believe they don't have emotions or feelings.


WHY I DECIDED TO STOP SUPPORTING ANIMAL CRUELTY
I stopped eating animal products in February of 2014 for health reasons. During a 30-day juice fast in March of 2016, I had been meditating more and had become more conscious about what I was putting into my body. I was watching youtube videos of people juicing or eating raw and reversing diseases. I was intrigued at the health benefits and was planning to do continue after my juice fast with 30 days raw. I had heard of a movie called 'Earthlings' but I hadn't yet had the courage to watch it. I knew it had something to do with veganism and the thought KEPT coming to me that I needed to watch it. Finally I looked it up on YouTube and sure enough---there it was. So I pushed PLAY! And let me tell you, it helped me realize so many things that I didn't know. As I watched, I cried. I cried hard! It was difficult to watch and I had to keep pausing it so I could gain my composure.
The thing that made it the most difficult to watch was that I had Bella on my lap. She watched me intently with a look of deep concern within her eyes. She came closer to comfort me and she looked so worried that I was so upset and crying. At that moment, I realized how hypocritical it was of me to love her so much, yet pay for the mistreatment of so many others JUST like her. It was not a matter of NEED and I had the choice to stop. So I did. That very day I made up my mind that I was never again going to support animal cruelty with my dollars. It also became very clear to me that God is not pleased with the way his precious creatures are being treated. If it is pleasing to him that we NOT use animals, then why do we continue to do so? Were animals honestly put on this earth for the sole purpose of benefiting humans, or do you think it is possible that they feel their own joy, have their own life to live and have a purpose that we cannot understand? I realized that I truly believe that animals aren't just made to be eaten and that every form of life was created with the intent that they may fill the measure if its creation and have joy therein. Animals exist for their own purposes and exist to have joy! They have souls and will be saved just as we will be!


MY FIRST YEAR AS A VEGAN
At first I was mainly surprised and saddened that no one I knew was against mass slaughtering of animals considered 'food' and no one cared that it was considered normal to see piles of dead animals neatly wrapped and placed in piles on the grocery store shelves. I thought that the reason no one else was vegan was because they JUST DIDN'T KNOW what is happening! So my first instinct was to tell everyone! If they knew, they would stop supporting it, right? So I went ALL in, learned what it meant to be vegan, and I stopped consuming all meat, dairy and eggs because I wanted to set the bar high for myself. If you realize something is not good, you don't continue to support it, do you? Even if it is a little bit, or once in a while? No! You boycott it completely because the law of supply and demand is real! If the demand goes down, then the supply is also reduced. That simple. I just wanted to share the truth with people and expected people to change. If only THAT were as simple. I was faced with resistance at every angle, and still am today, but that won't stop me! I think I have heard every reason in the book for why people can't stop eating dead body parts, and I have heard this question many times--- "What DO you eat?" My answer is simple. Everything but dead animal parts or secretions that come from animals. Does it come from an animal? No? Then I will try it!

As far as cooking goes, there is definitely a learning curve. You have to first change your mindset and belief that what may have been normal before, is no longer the case. From infancy we are conditioned to believe that some animals are 'pets', some animals are 'food', some animals are 'clothing', and some animals are 'entertainment'. When you change those beliefs and see 'meat' for what it really is (the body parts of a dead animal), it makes it much easier to NOT be tempted to eat it. Once you stop eating dead animal parts, the smell alone is enough to turn you away from it. There are countless of online support pages, videos and recipes that have made the transition super smooth! I stayed away from blogging because I was new and learning and didn't want to sound 'preachy' or judgmental. Until now, I have avoided writing on this blog and I don't think I regret it. I likely would have caused more contention than good because I was focusing on the wrong things. I have learned enough now that I am finally comfortable enough sharing my journey! Also, I now have my daughter by my side, since she also decided to join me and become vegan!

WHY I HAVE CHANGED MY APPROACH
After a year of focusing on showing people what NOT to eat, I have learned that people don't want to hear what they are doing wrong. It is human nature to get defensive and shut down, and that is exactly what many people have done. I don't blame them, I just have to learn from it. I also have to remember that it took me years to finally make the change, so I can't expect everyone else to change immediately.

So now, instead of showing people what NOT to buy and eat, I will be focusing more on the COUNTLESS options we CAN enjoy!!! I think people are more open to not eating animals when you give them tasty alternatives that are actually cheaper!
Save money AND save lives? 
Better your health AND better the environment? 
Reduce cholesterol AND reduce killing?
It seems like a win-win!


I hope many can benefit from what I will be posting from now on. Find out what I eat, new recipes I find and create, what I enjoy making on a regular basis, easy inexpensive vegan foods and maybe some inspiration on how you can make small meaningful changes.
I hope you can see that reducing the demand for animal products CAN and WILL reduce the supply which in turn will save lives! That is all I can hope for! 

Much love,



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