<![CDATA[Tanjareen - herban vixen blog]]>

<![CDATA[Tanjareen - herban vixen blog]]>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 17:01:53 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[WTF took Ben & Jerry's so long???]]>Thu, 11 Feb 2016 22:33:07 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/wth-took-ben-jerrys-so-long

Ben & Jerry's has just changed the mutha fuggin game! After 2 years of recipe testing, they're releasing their 1st dairy-free ice cream later this month! With all the other vegan frozen dairy companies out there, I'm surprised B&J's didn't do this 5-10 years ago! But, I'm certainly not complaining. I'm excited! The 4 vegan flavors set to debut are: Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chunky Monkey, Coffee Caramel Fudge, and P.B. & Cookies. Yippee!! Let's give 'em each a try and figure out our faves...Thank me later : )

]]><![CDATA[Want some vegan Thanksgiving recipes?]]>Tue, 01 Dec 2015 22:25:54 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/meat-free-thanksgiving-dinner

Last week I hosted my 11th Annual TOFURKY THANKSGIVING DINNER PARTY with the help of my mom & sis. 85% of the buffet was meat-free, dairy-free, & white sugar-free, (yet still flavor-FULL) including the Tofurky roast, yams, mac & cheese, collard greens, and stuffing. Its so simple to "veganize" your favorite holiday recipes and stay healthy during the so-called flu season. If you'd like any of my vegan Thanksgiving recipes, shoot me an email, and I'll hook you up!

]]><![CDATA[Bacon with a side of Cancer]]>Tue, 27 Oct 2015 21:19:22 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/bacon-with-a-side-of-cancer

Sorry guys. But since yesterday, there's been a new study all over the news that proves bacon causes cancer. In fact, bacon, ham, hot dogs, and lunch meats have the same cancer risk as cigarettes or asbestos! Red meat is on the list too. Remember, "If we continue to kill the animals, the animals will eventually kill us."

But don't worry; I've got your back. Click here for PETA's list of vegetarian bacons.

(My faves are Morning Star bacon strips, Tofurky Tempeh maple bacon, and Phoney Baloney's coconut bacon)

-Health is wealth-

photo cred: @piggyloverz123

]]><![CDATA[Clean out your guts and go raw]]>Tue, 01 Sep 2015 21:09:18 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/september-01st-2015

It's always good to give our digestive system a break from all the processed foods and cooked animal products normally consumed. Since I'm currently on the DHERBS 20-day herbal cleanse, all I can eat are raw vegan foods. I've posted about my RAW TACOS SHELLS before, but here's more info on the filling ingredients, plus a camera-phone pic from last night's raw dinner. The "meat" is seasoned almonds, and I made the "cheese" from raw cashews. Each were mixed in my food processor with oils & spices, spread on a romaine lettuce leaf, and then topped with mango-pineapple salsa, avocado, fresh tomatoes, and olives. Trust me; it tastes better than my amateur photo gives it credit! Hit me up if you want the full recipe.

]]><![CDATA[Best Fuggin Vegan Cheesecake Ever]]>Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:58:49 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/best-fuggin-vegan-cheesecake-ever

DAIYA FOODS had the nerve to come out with the Best Fuggin Guilt-Free Cheezecake Ever! Its dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, yet flavor-FULL! So don't worry about being lactose intolerant or too lazy to bake something from scratch; These no-bake cakes come in New York, Key Lime, Strawberry, or Chocolate. Mmmm! Thank me later :)

]]><![CDATA[The Vegana Monologs]]>Thu, 04 Jun 2015 20:52:04 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/the-vegana-monologs

Byron Allen has a new podcast network called PODCAST PLANET and my good friend Erin O'Connor invited me to be a guest on her show THE VEGANA MONOLOGS (http://www.podcastplanet.com/lifestyle/the-vegana-monologs/). We gave fun tips on how to eat vegan vegetarian food that actually tastes great! "Delici-osity" as Erin calls it. And I was renamed "The Vegana Vixen!" To give it a listen, Click here: Vegana Monologs podcast with Tanjareen

]]><![CDATA[Vegan Chicken at The Cheesecake Factory?]]>Tue, 14 Apr 2015 20:43:29 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/vegan-chicken-at-the-cheesecake-factory

I mentioned in an earlier blog that its easy to find vegetarian options while dining out. Last week I visited THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY and I wanted to show you what I meant. I ordered the PARMESAN-HERB CRUSTED CHICKEN and asked them to substitute the chicken for a portabello mushroom breaded & seasoned the same way. (They even made me a mushroom gravy instead of the one that usually has chicken broth.) Mmmm mmmph! Talk about good eatin'! And I've made this mushroom substitution with many of their dishes. Remember, portabello mushrooms are one of the only natural ways to get vitamin D besides sunshine, so its great to incorporate these hearty caps into meals whenever possible. So if you wanna have fewer calories and less cholesterol while getting your summer body ready, give this a try!

]]><![CDATA[Reeny's Raw Tacos Shells]]>Thu, 08 Jan 2015 23:26:11 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/reenys-raw-tacos-shells

Its that time of year when everyone wants to lose weight and get in better shape. An easy and yummy way to do that is with REENY'S RAW TACO SHELLS. Just substitute romaine lettuce leaves for regular taco shells to get a carb-free entree. And you can also sub vegan beef (or sautéed mushrooms), dairy-free cheese, and top it with white Tahini sauce to make it a vegan Mexican feast! Olé!!!

]]><![CDATA[Easy Pumpkin Pie Pudding]]>Tue, 16 Dec 2014 23:21:36 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/easy-pumpkin-pie-pudding

5-MINUTE PUMPKIN PIE PUDDING

I got this recipe from LiveVegan.org

(If you're brown, you may wanna sub the pumpkin for sweet potato :-) but its good both ways.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 can pumpkin puree
1 ripe avocado
3 Tbsp. grade B maple syrup or agave nectar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a blender or food processor, add all ingredients and mix until smooth.
2. Chill and then serve!

]]><![CDATA[A Yummy Vegan Cheese for Thanksgiving]]>Tue, 18 Nov 2014 23:17:24 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/a-yummy-vegan-cheese-for-thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my VERY favorite holiday because all my loved ones are home from school or work and we get to spend quality time together pigging out. Unfortunately, all the over-eating can lead to unwanted pounds and possibly the flu. (Hence, the "flu season" right after the holidays.) Well substituting vegan ingredients in a few of your favorite holiday dishes can help you stay healthy during this time of year. For example, DAIYA Cheese is a fantastic dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free cheese that melts better than most fake cheeses, and tastes great! It's really melty so I like to mix it with other veggie cheeses, like FOLLOW YOUR HEART or TRADER JOES soy blend. Try em in your mac n cheese, string bean casserole, grilled cheese sandwich, enchiladas, nachos, etc. You'll be happy you did!…and so will your abs.

]]><![CDATA[WTH is Herbal Coffee???]]>Mon, 14 Oct 2013 08:04:18 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/wth-is-herbal-coffee

COFFEE DRINKERS REJOICE!!!

Thanks to comedienne Meshelle (IndieMomOfComedy), I've discovered an herbal tea that tastes just like coffee!!! With flavors like Vanilla Nut, Hazel Nut, French Roast, or Chocolate; Teeccino is mostly organic and super delicious! Grab a box at Whole Foods or your local heath food store and enjoy this smooth taste without the chemicals, caffeine, and acidity of coffee. It pairs perfectly with a splash of So Delicious Coconut Milk Dairy-Free Creamer (in French Vanilla or Hazel Nut). Yumm! You'll thank me later.

]]><![CDATA[Healthy Fast Food]]>Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:57:07 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/healthy-fast-food

EATING HEALTHY ON THE GO

We all have great intentions on eating healthier this year, but as soon as we leave the house (or go outta town), we’re tempted to eat the first discounted McCrappy-King combo meal we see. Here are 4 tips to eating healthy on the go…

1) Bring food with you (in your purse, glove compartment, canvas bag, or luggage.)
• Stock up on HEALTH BARS, (without white sugar or corn syrup added). I like peanut butter chocolate chip Lara Bars, Kind Bars, Greens + Chocolate bars, and Organic Food Bars.

• Pack fresh whole FRUIT or dried fruit (without added white sugar). They both travel well. Or quickly blend a fruit smoothie (without yogurt) and pour it in your travel coffee mug. Or chop up various fruit to make a delicious fruit salad. Trust me; when you pull the salad out later, everyone will be asking where you bought it.

• Put your...

• put your LEFTOVER DINNER in portable containers and enjoy them even more after the seasonings have settled in the next day.

• Other easy travel choices are NUTS (like lightly salted almonds or cashews) or raw
VEGGIES with HUMMUS or GUACAMOLE.

2) Order your fast food without meat
You’ll be amazed at how good your favorite salad, burrito, taco, or burger is with just lots of veggies and sauces on it. The employees of these places are getting used to fulfilling vegetarian requests so they won’t look at you crazy. So whether you’re at the airport or just stuck in rush hour traffic, every restaurant has vegetables…and they’re affordable. Even IN-N-OUT sells a “Veggie Burger’ that’s not on the menu, but its pretty yummy.
And TACO BELL has a new Cantina menu with meatless options filled with black beans and tasty rice and veggies. CHICK-FIL-A has amazing fruit salads and green salads. And SUBWAY has a veggie patty that can be made into a sandwich, or even better, reduce carbs by making it a salad.

3) Find a market
Go to a grocery store instead of a drive-thru. Then you can quickly buy fresh fruit, produce, heath bars, deli sandwiches, or make yourself lunch from their salad bar. This doesn’t take much longer than waiting on your burger to cook at a fast food spot, and you get a little exercise by having to park your car and walk inside the store. Yaaaay, you!

4) Seek out health-friendly vendors wherever you are.
Almost every town has at least one health store/restuarant; they just don’t have any commercials. So I just grab my smartphone, go to a website like HappyCow.net, type in a zip code, and find all the places that offer foods that will keep me on my stay-fit path. You’ll be impressed with all the places that pop up that you wouldn’t have otherwise noticed. SUPPORT THEM so they can stay in business!

Eating healthy on the go is easy once you put forth a tiny bit of effort. The key is to avoid making a meal out of things you know you’ll regret later. Stick to your goals, and you’ll be swimwear-ready just in time for Spring Break!

Tanjareen
The Herban Vixen

]]><![CDATA[Stop Sucking Tits!]]>Tue, 22 Jan 2013 09:27:38 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/stop-sucking-tits

Cow tits that is...

HOW TO BE DAIRY FREE

Been thinking about becoming a vegan, but you just can't imagine giving up cheese? Yeah. I felt the same way years ago. But after studying all the dis-eases that can be prevented from eliminating animal mucus from my diet, I was determined to give non-dairy items a chance. Afterall, cow milk is for baby cows! Yup; just like human breast milk is for human babies (and for kinky husbands...but I digress).

A lot of you have asked me how to substitute animal secretions (Oops, I mean dairy products), for non-dairy alternatives. There are a lot of options out there and I've sampled almost all of them over the years. Here's a list of some of my faves. If I'm missing any good ones please let me know... ("read more" over there) -------------->>>

NON-DAIRY CHEESE:

Daiya cheddar, mozzarella, or pepper jack cheese - GF & soy free, tastes & melts wonderfully!
Follow Your Heart cheddar, mozzarella, monterey jack, or nacho cheese
Wayfare vegan cheese spread is delicious! Great for putting on crackers & dipping veggies.
Trader Joes Soy Cheese Blend

NON-DAIRY BUTTER:

Earth Balance buttery spread

NON-DAIRY CREAM CHEESE:

Tofutti cream cheese
Trader Joes "This Is Not A Tub Of Cream Cheese"
Follow Your Heart cream cheese

NON-DAIRY SOUR CREAM:

Follow Your Heart sour cream
Wayfare sour cream

NON-DAIRY MILK:

Any brand of almond milk or soy milk. Rice milk is ok too, but it's kinda watery to me.

I like vanilla flavored milks. And the chocolate flavors are great for kids or for making hot cocoa.

NON-DAIRY ICE CREAM

So Delicious Purely Decadent frozen desert-GF - various flavors. I love the Cookie Avalanche flavor!
Good Karma Organic Rice Divine -GF, soy-free. I adore the chocolate peanut butter fudge or the carrot cake flavor...oh and the coconut mango flavor too.

NON-DAIRY SALAD DRESSING:

Goddess salad dressing, tastes kinda like Caesar dressing
Follow Your Heart brand has various creamy flavors of great vegan dressings

VEGETARIAN BROTH:

Edward & Sons Not-Chick'n broth - GF
Edward & Sons Not-Beef broth - GF

NON-DAIRY CREAMY SOUP:

Imagine Foods Creamy Portabello Mushroom Soup
Imagine Foods Creamy Garden Broccoli
Amy's Split Pea Soup

If you try a brand you don't like. Don't give up. Just try a different one next time. Just remember these alternatives are processed foods and should be eaten in moderation. Fresh, raw, organic vegetation is best for staying healthy and fit. You can also make your own cheese &/or sour cream out of cashew nuts. But I'll save that lesson for another blog.

*pictured above: Daiya grilled cheese sandwich taken by Veggie-Wedgie*

xoxo,
Tanjareen - The Herban Vixen

]]><![CDATA[Kill Whitey!!!!]]>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:36:35 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/kill-whitey

Wanna lose weight but you’re too lazy to work-out ? The easiest solution is to KILL WHITEY! No, not white PEOPLE. (I love them. They’re the homies.) I mean eliminate white foods from your diet. Say no to white salt, white sugar, white potatoes, white bread, white pasta, & white rice. The really nutritious foods in the Kingdom are colorful. Most white foods have been processed, bleached, & do not digest well in our system. (Hence, the muffin top.) For maximum health & digestion, try to eat vegetables from every single color of the rainbow each week. And when you get the urge to have some white starch or bleached chemical seasoning, consider these alternatives.

• WHITE SALT
-> coarse sea salt, pink salt, or black salt (FYI Lawry’s Seasoned Salt is not ur friend)

• WHITE SUGAR
-> real grade B maple syrup, agave nectar, raw honey (is not vegan though), or at the very least, organic cane sugar

• WHITE POTATOES
-> red potatoes, sweet potatoes, purple/blue potatoes (pictured below), or squash

• WHITE BREAD
-> whole multi-grain bread (not fake wheat-colored bread), whole wheat sprouted bread, fermented sourdough bread, gluten-free grain bread, or chapati

• WHITE PASTA
->spiraled zucchini, spiraled squash, kamut pasta, quinoa pasta, brown rice pasta, or whole grain pasta

• WHITE RICE
-> jasmine rice, brown rice, black rice, quinoa, or cous cous

‘Kill whitey’ for 2 weeks & watch the inches from your waste fade away!

You’re welcome, :-)
Tanjareen
“Too Vain To Gain”

]]><![CDATA[No Meat? Well What DO You Eat???]]>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:19:21 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/no-meat-well-what-do-you-eat

Whenever I tell someone I’m a vegan vegetarian they respond with, “OK, but you eat chicken, right?” No, I reply. I don’t eat animal products. I’m a vegetarian. They say “Oh, but you eat fish at least, right?” NO! I’m a vegetarian. I eat VEGE-tation. Defeated they then ask,“Umph, then what DO you eat?” So here are examples of what I may eat in a day:

BREAKFAST – an organic fruit & juice smoothie (no ice cream, yogurt, or chemical powders added. I use bananas to make it creamy & sweeter) – or a bowl of naturally sweetened cereal w/ vanilla almond milk – or tofu scramble w/ veggie bacon & naturally sweetened waffles w/ REAL maple syrup (not maple flavored corn syrup)

LUNCH – an avocado sandwich on gluten-free bread w/ plenty of organic lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, & sprouts w/ a bag of kettle chips – or a large fresh salad of lots of chopped organic produce w/ homemade vinaigrette dressing or non-dairy Goddess dressing – or a Portobello mushroom burger...

...w/ a side salad – or veggie chili soy cheese over sweet potato french fries

SNACKS – unsalted almonds, unsalted raw cashews, organic unsulfered raisins, any unsulfered dried fruit w/ no sugar added – fresh organic fruit, jarred fruit in fruit juice (not canned fruit cocktail soaking in corn syrup) – lightly salted kettle chips – popcorn seasoned w/ sea salt – naturally sweetened granola bars w/ non dairy chocolate chips

DINNER – stir fried organic vegetables w/ homemade teriyaki sauce over brown jasmine rice – or same veggies & rice w/ curry sauce – or soy meat tacos w/ a side of Spanish rice, & vegetarian refried beans (no lard) – or whole grain or brown rice penne pasta under roasted veggies in marinara sauce w/ soy italian sausage –
or my favorite meal: vegan BBQ ribs, maple candied yams, vegan mac & cheese, curry black-eyed peas, stir fried collard greens w/ bits of seiten “meat” & vegan blueberry corn bread

DESSERT – soy cookies n cream ice cream – or vegan chocolate chip cookies – or vegan oatmeal raisin cookies – or vegan carrot cake – or a gluten-free red velvet cupcake - or vegan lemon cake – or fruit sorbet – or a chocolate almond-milk shake – or vegan brownies w/ chocolate chips

*NOTE: Fake meats, like soy burgers & veggie bacon, are processed food. I call them “transition foods” because it makes the shift from a carnivorous diet to a vegan one easier. But keep in mind, its healthier to eat organic produce, legumes, & grains in their most natural unprocessed state.

**TJ’s VEGAN TIP: You can use avocado in place of cow cheese on salads, sandwiches, & burgers.

Hope this helps,
Herban Vixen Tanjareen
“Too Vain To Gain”

]]><![CDATA[Why I Don't Eat Meat...unless it showers first!]]>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:20:08 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/why-i-dont-eat-meat

As a sistah from Inglewood, I’m often asked how I can dare pass up fried chicken, neck bones, or that plump turkey on the holidays. I’ve been hesitant to post this because there’s no quick way to answer. So alas here’s the story…

When I was 7 years old my mom’s friend was a vegetarian & she seemed super cool to me. Years later, my 9th grade health teacher was vegetarian & she was extremely energetic. Because of these 2 women, I’ve been very interested in the importance of maintaining optimal health. So at the age of 14, I stopped eating red meat. Like many Americans, I really thought a diet of poultry & seafood was Oh So Healthy, so I ate this way for years. But for some reason I couldn’t get rid of a lil pouch on my belly no matter how much I exercised. In 1999, as I began to study holistic healing, I learned some amazing facts. Even chicken & fish are harmful because human beings were not designed to be carnivores. Our teeth & intestines prove that. And our poor health confirms it! Did you know?...

...More Black people have died from degenerative dis-eases than were killed during the entire slave trade?!? We have gotten too comfortable with losing our elders to health problems & mistakenly calling it “old age”. Heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetics, hypertension, osteoporosis, gingivitis, obesity, dementia, high cholesterol, fatigue, pneumonia, the flu – ALL dis-eases are preventable! We give ourselves these dis-eases with what we put in & on our bodies. Animal flesh, animal secretions (dairy), chemicals, & negative thoughts are what create disharmony in our bodies. We’re the only animal in the kingdom that drinks the milk of another species. WTH?!? We eat mostly chemicals. No wonder 1 in 3 Americans will acquire some form of cancer in their lifetime.

My grandparents on both sides are no longer living. Most of my aunts and uncles are gone. My cousins are sick. My own father was on dialysis for 10 years before his recent kidney transplant. Dis-ease. Dis-ease. Dis-ease. I’m sure you have some relatives that were on 12 different medications for several years before they suffered some slow unsightly death. It’s the American way! So I’ve decided to break the cycle. In August of 2000 I did The Master Cleanse (only cayenne-maple-lemonade) for 10 days. And when I ended my fast, I decided to only fill my Temple with foods that would edify me. I’ve been a vegan vegetarian ever since. Afterall was there an ice cream parlor, steak house, or mini bar in the Garden of Eden? I believe health is wealth. What good is a trillion dollars if you can’t get out of bed to enjoy it?

Trust me: I was raised on eating everything ‘from the roota to the toota’, so I know what I’m missing. I love food that tastes great just like you do. But I’ve found delicious vegan substitutes so that I can still eat what I was raised on. There are vegan versions of bacon, sausage patties, hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian sausage, cheese, milk, butter, taco meat, pate, chicken nuggets, sliced lunch meat, Turkey roast, even BBQ ribs. My favorite meal is vegan soul food. Just switch the ingredients of YOUR favorite recipes & enjoy!

Tanjareen
“I don’t eat meat…unless it just got out of the shower”

]]><![CDATA[How to Have Thanksgiving Without the Turkey]]>Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:14:21 GMThttps://www.tanjareen.com/herban-vixen-blog/how-to-have-thanksgiving-without-the-turkey

Thanksgiving is this week, and as you know, I don't eat turkey. And after years of going to other people's gatherings and being offered a plate of iceberg lettuce for dinner, I decided I'd better cook my own grub. So in 2005, I started hosting an annual vegan Thanksgiving buffet at my house, to which hippies and meat-eaters show up and enjoy!

An easy way to "veganize" YOUR favorite holiday dish is to simply substitute all the meat and dairy ingredients for alternatives like soy meat, vanilla almond milk, and Daiya cheese. Try it. It's a delicious way to stay in shape during the holidays!

(pictured above: my smothered Tofurky with mixed potatoes, BBQ chik-un, maple candied yams, vegan mac&cheese, stir fried collard greens, and warm dinner rolls)

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