About Me

My name is Jiana. I've been vegetarian since 2010. I'm a foodie at heart and I'm always on the search for the best tasting, most interesting vegetarian meals that go beyond creamy pasta and giant sloppy mushrooms on a plate.  My mom always told me, "There are those who live to eat, and those who eat to live." I feel we can have the best of both worlds: health AND flavor! That's the pinnacle of a great meal for me; one where you can't stop digging in because you just want to keep tasting the food.

Many years ago I had been wrestling with the decision of whether to commit to being 100% vegetarian. So many philosophies and opinions to grapple with. So much judgement from others. Facing the long road of changing ones self. I had always eaten high quality meats from farmers I knew in my hometown and for a long time I was able to write that off as okay. (If you're going to eat meat, that's definitely the best). Some people say "cruelty is a part of life, a part of the natural cycle in the animal world."  That's true, nature is cruel. But I just couldn't get it out of my head --did I really need to be a part of that? I really questioned myself and wondered, would I eat meat if I had to kill the animals myself? Turns out I simply can't handle the thought that other creatures have to suffer for my pleasure. It doesn't seem fair. 

Then I met my husband, Joe (well, he wasn't my husband back then).  He practiced a Hindu diet and we spent many hours debating and discussing philosophy. You can read more about that philosophy below and lets just say the rest is history.

Coupled with the overwhelming science backing up the health benefits of a whole-foods vegetarian diet, dwindling populations of marine life in the oceans, and CO2 and methane output from livestock, it just makes sense on many levels to follow a whole foods vegetarian in modern times.

Why I Became Vegetarian
My journey toward a vegetarian and spiritual life all began one day when I picked up a copy of the "The Higher Taste."  It's a small book that is inspired by the teachings of an Indian Swami and spiritual leader named Srila Prabhupada.  There are so many different reasons to be vegetarian and this book covered them all: ethics, health, and environmental concerns.  For me, it was the benefits of a non-violent lifestyle that resonated with me in a way nothing else had before that point, with the bottom line being "Whatever you put into your body becomes a part of you."  The book deeply inspired me to become a vegetarian and strive to live the most compassionate life possible, and for that, I am forever grateful.  The even more powerful story of Prabhupada's journey  is what has continued to inspire me in my daily life when I face seemingly insurmountable obstacles....

(Pictured: The Original Copy of Higher Taste that changed my life)

In 1965, at the age of 69 years old, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada boarded a ship bound for the USA from India. He braved a harrowing and lengthy journey of several months by sea to come and spread the ancient Vaishnava Philosophy of attaining peace by living a natural, simple, and compassionate life rooted in spirituality.

(Pictured:  A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada chanting)

When Srila Prabhupada arrived in the US he was practically penniless and knew nary a soul on this continent. What's more, he came during the height of the 1960's liberation movement to preach about adopting a seemingly strict, clean lifestyle with a vegetarian diet, no intoxicants, and performing various types of devotional yoga. His feat seemed more than impossible given the times, and yet, a decade after he first stepped foot in America he had amassed a devoted group followers, including several famous people of the time, like George Harrison of The Beatles.  He founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) in 1966, only a year after coming to the west. Srila Prabhupada was a great scholar who worked until his last breath translating, teaching, and making Vedic philosophy accessible to English speaking people, He authored many books and educational materials as well as complete translations of Vedic texts. Currently, you can find schools, temples, farms and communities dedicated to this spiritual philosophy not only in the US, but around the world. 

The ship that brought Srila Prabhupada to the west was called The Jaladuta.  This blog is humbly dedicated to his mission of spreading a non-violent, compassionate, and natural lifestyle by providing recipes that are made according to ancient Vedic principles (no meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, or mushrooms), but are updated to modern western society and health science by being 100% vegan or raw and using whole ingredients. The recipes can be made easily and quickly by anyone to enjoy--hence Express.  In this blog I will also include other vegan, raw, and semi-raw recipes that are not 100% Vedic and do include garlic and onions on occasion. This is because I also draw from modern scientific research on nutrition which shows garlic and Alliums (onion family) to be powerful in fighting illness, disease and cancer and are also clearly vegan.

I hope that you enjoy these simple, delightful recipes!