"Egg" and Olive Sandwich Recipe

I can't Believe It's Not Eggs!


Enjoy my recipe for delicious egg and olive salad. Eat on top of greens or in a sandwich. I especially enjoy this as a sandwich using One Degree Veganic Flax and Spelt Bread with greens and a tomato. YUM! I changed up this China Study Cookbook recipe and made it my own. Try my version below and  try the original from one of my fave cookbooks:  The China Study Cookbook!

14 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and very well patted dry to get as much water out as possible.
1/2 of a white onion, diced
1/4 cup Veganaise (use to your preferred consistency)
2 tsp dill relish
2 celery stalks, diced
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black salt (black salt adds an "eggy" flavor)
1/4 cup green olives chopped

1. In a large salad bowl crumble the tofu. I like to use my hands to mash it up. Add the rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly.
2. Refrigerate or enjoy immediately over greens or in a sandwich with lettuce and tomato!

Feel free to share and please do let me know if you make this!  I would also love to know why you are, or why you would like to adopt a Freedom Lifestyle that includes eating vegan! 

Shine Bright,

Peg

Peg Haust-Arliss, LCSW-R 
Owner of Fear To Freedom Holistic Psychotherapy

Holistic Psychotherapist, Anxiety Specialist and Vegan Lifestyle Coach 

Questions about me or my services? I would love to hear from you!

Connect with me on FB and Twitter


Visit my website and grab your free Stress and Anxiety Toolkit! 

Spring Cleaning For Your Mind, Body and Spirit

Woo Hoo! It's been a long time coming, but Spring has finally sprung! I love cleaning out the closets and getting rid of stuff I don't use and giving my car and home a good tuneup. It feels amazing to de-clutter and organize doesn't it?  Why just stop there? Imagine the results of doing some cleaning up and tuning up for YOU, for your mind, body and spirit! Here are just a few quick and easy Spring Cleaning Tips that will leave you feeling amazing inside and out: 

MIND: It's time to clean up your stinkin thinkin!

It feels great to de-clutter the junk in the house, and when you clear out the  junky mind clutter, those automatic thoughts that create nothing but cobwebs, you will decrease your stress. We all know the effects stress can have on our health. If you continue to practice the following tip, you will break some bad thought habits and build emotional muscle to support overall good health. Sometimes we don't realize how our negative thinking is affecting us or that we are even thinking negatively at all. We humans have 50,000-70,000 thoughts a day! How many do you think are creating stress or bad moods? 
Here is a fast and simple way to ditch the stinkin thinkin trap: 

1. Catch and Shoot:  I don't know much about basketball, but I do know that when you receive the ball you're not supposed to hold it long. You have to hold for a bit to look for a strategically positioned player, but then you have to shoot. The next time you find yourself feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed or frustrated it's because you have caught a big ball of thoughts and you are holding them. Next time catch your thoughts. Observe your thoughts because this will build awareness and awareness is the first key. CATCH the ball by asking yourself: "What was I thinking just before I started to feel this way?" Just asking this question is good because it interrupts the negative dialogue pattern.  HOLD the ball, but just long enough to determine your next strategic action. Ask yourself:  "Is that thought true, is it possible it could mean something else entirely? What is a different perspective? Now you have a choice. You can HOLD the ball and continue to keep the thoughts that are causing distress OR you can SHOOT the ball! You can shoot that thought right out of the playing field if you can find a new meaning or simply acknowledge that it was a ridiculous thought. I have had a few of those and I bet you have too! See the truth or give it a new meaning and feel the difference. Sometimes simply catching and changing one word is enough. Here is an example I use all the time: Have you ever found yourself stressed out with all your responsibilities? I HAVE to do this, I HAVE to do that. Try this: Change HAVE to GET. Kinda changes everything doesn't it?

BODY: Release toxins and rejuvenate your health! A whole food cleanse will do your body good! It will jump start you to:

•      Reduce inflammation
•      Lose weight naturally
•      Increase your energy
•      Sleep better
•      Boost your metabolism
•      Improve your mood

If you don't want to do a full 7 day program, just adding more whole foods to your day will make a difference. An easy way to do this is by adding just one smoothie to your day. Download my FREE Smoothie Party which includes 7 smoothie recipes for 7 days. If you want to commit to a seriously delicious and results driven Spring Cleaning this year you can purchase and download my DIY Home study Clean Eating Cleansing Program. 
Get your body moving! Movement is so important for overall wellness. Just a short walk with your dog is all you need. Your dog will thank you too! Yes, gardening counts. I love to take my fur kids for walks around the property and exercise at home with DVDs. You need to find something YOU enjoy or you won't do it. Consistency and a set routine will create a new habit and before you know it you will WANT to move every day. I just read that dancing makes you smarter so what a way to improve your body, mind AND spirit! Make it easy, make it fun.

SPIRIT: It's time to shine!

In my holistic practice when I hear someone say that they feel lost or dead inside or without purpose, I help them understand that it's not that they are lost or without purpose, but it certainly can feel that way when they are not feeding their spirit. Ask yourself: "What area(s) of my life need attention, What needs reorganization?Is there anything or anyone in my life that I am allowing to dim my spirit? What needs to go or what am I missing? For example, are you involved in a relationship that you know has been hurting you, but you can't find the courage to leave? Are you choosing to have people in your life that bring you down instead of build you up? Have you forgotten about your dreams and goals, have you been too busy to do what you love or be with who you love. What can you do now that will turn up the light even a little? How can you grow, how can you give to yourself and others? The possibilities are endless and remember it's the seemingly small stuff that often times is really the big stuff. 
 

Allow light, joy and fun in! It's already here. It's already within you, all you need is some good Spring Cleaning.

Shine bright,

Peg

Peg Haust-Arliss, LCSW-R 

Holistic Psychotherapist, Anxiety Specialist and Life Strategist  

Questions about me or my services? I would love to hear from you!

Connect with me on FB and Twitter


Visit my website and grab your free Stress and Anxiety Toolkit! 

 

HOW TO MAKE EVERYDAY VALENTINES DAY

Happy February! It's the month that belongs to Valentines Day, THE day of love and romance. Wouldn't it be great if every day felt like Valentine's Day?  Read on even if your relationship is already good or if you're single because this will make your already good relationship great and your next relationship amazing. 

First, a bit of self assessment. Consider these questions about your relationship:

Do you feel good when you think about your partner? 
Do you resolve conflicts with respect and without hurting each other?
Is your communication clear and understood? 
Do you apologize when you know you need to.  
Do you put your partner first above all. Yes, even your kids! 

How did you do? How many yes's did you have? That last one is a biggie! When meeting with couples, I know there is trouble brewing (and I see it often) if one or both partners feel second to anything in their relationship.

Let's move on. You want to feel needed and important, yes? Of course you do, we all do. Your partner does too. In fact, one of the most simple yet most powerful gifts you can give your partner is your presence. And I don't mean just physically present. Have you ever felt alone even when you are together?

Here's some tips:

1. Acknowledge often. It's easy to remember to acknowledge your partner and their feelings when your happy, but we tend to forget this vital communication when we disagree. When you disagree say this first:  "Oh, yes, I can see your point, I'll consider that." And make sure you really do! Also, acknowledge your partner for the little things. It's the little things that we take for granted, but if appreciated you will see they are really the big things: "You know, I really appreciate all the things you do for me." Use examples that fit your life.  

2. Be physically and emotionally present. This is another big one! If your partner is talking to you, put the phone down, make eye contact, and do not walk away while they are trying to tell you something. Really, wouldn't you think that was rude if a stranger did that to you?  

3. Respect and accept your partners beliefs. Just because you don't agree, don't make your significant other feel wrong for their truths. The exercise coming up will help with this.

Seeing your partners point of view is not just good practice, but in my opinion absolutely necessary if you want your relationship to thrive. Below is a great exercise. Writing especially important at first because writing will condition a new habit of thinking in you. Eventually, you will think like this naturally:

Write a short paragraph about a disagreement you had with your partner. Write it first from your perspective. Now, here's the hard part that will get easy with practice, look through their eyes and write  their version. See it as they do, be their voice.When we do this we can gain clarity and understanding that we might not have had before. With that we might get somewhere. Next, ask your partner to tell you their perspective and really listen.

How did it go?

I know that sometimes there are built up resentments so thick and high that they block you from wanting to try. But, think for a moment about what is on the other side of that big mountain of fear and resentment. Is it the partner you long for? The one you love and remember before the mountain was there? Is it the new partner waiting for you? 

Believe me when I tell you that if you focus on only your part, the only part you really can control, with patience and consistency, you will see some amazing changes. To make it super easy to bust down those blocks just practice treating your partner like you would your friends, neighbors or strangers, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHO YOU ARE: a kind, thoughtful considerate person. That's not so hard now right? 

Happy Valentines EVERY Day!
 

Please feel free to contact me.
 
   
Peg Haust-Arliss, LCSW-R Holistic Psychotherapist, Anxiety Specialist and Strategic Results Coach
 
Go from Fear to Freedom with my Free Anxiety Toolkit!  PegHaust.com