Let's Get Freekeh!

Hey there my sweets!

It's almost summer time! The birds are chirping, animals are having babies and the sweet aroma of freshly grown plants is in the air. Speaking about aromas, last week I had the honour of attending Aroma Espresso Bar's private event. What did I learn at this event you may ask? All about the new Aroma-tastic super-food-filled summer salad. The salad's name is the Freekeh Salad. The salad contains an ancient grain called "freekeh" hence the name Freekeh Salad. This grain is protein-filled, which is perfect for all of us veggie lovin’, tree huggin’, animal lovin’ freekehs. 

I learned a lot about Aroma's new summer salad, because at the Aroma event a nutritionist spoke all about the freekeh grain and all its health benefits. Freekeh is an ancient grain, and is the newest superfood on the block. The freekeh grain is very similar to quinoa, as they are both a grain filled with tons of proteins.

The main benefits of Freekeh:

1) It is high in fibre.

The nutritionist at the Aroma event was explaining how in Canada many of us are very low in fibre. It is very difficult at times to eat the recommended amount of fibre as we should (especially for those who are trying to eat a low carb diet). 

2) It is low in gluten.

The freak grain is harvested early, meaning the gluten in the grain hasn't fully developed making it easy to digest. For those of you who are sensitive to gluten you will not feel bloated, or uncomfortable after eating it. Sadly, it is not gluten free so if someone is celiac you can’t eat this.

3) It is a complex carbohydrate.  

Most carbs will spike your blood sugar, and in about 2 seconds you’ll have no energy again. With freekeh, since it is a complex carb your energy and blood sugars will be more stable. You won’t get the rise and drop like you would from eating rice or any other non complex carbohydrates.

4) It is a Resistance Starch.

Resistance starch is food that bypasses our digest system and goes right through our 

gastrointestinal track and acts like food for good bacteria which is something we call a prebiotic. A prebiotic is something that helps build probiotics.

5) It is high in protein. 

Like I mentioned before, Freekeh is high in protein which is great for vegetarians, vegans, and anyone trying to eat plant based proteins. 

6) IT IS ACTUALLY GOOD!

The biggest complaint most people have when eating healthy is that healthy food doesn’t taste good. That is not the case with freekeh! Not only is it tasty but there are so many ways to enjoy it! You can make it into a soup, salad and even use it as stuffing! 

Ingredients for the Aroma Freekeh Salad: 

1) Freekeh

2) Chopped cucumbers, carrots, and tomates

3) Sliced red onion

4) Kale

5) Chopped dill pickle

6) One scoop of platene cheese

7) Light Dressing: Lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper

8) Parsley

9) Za’atar spice

The newest addition to the already amazing Aroma menu is out to every Canadian Aroma Espresso Bar, so get off your computer and go to the nearest Aroma near you! Let me know what you think, I know you will not be disappointed. 

And as always, remember to: stay caffeinated. 

We are living in a veggie world!

Hello, Hello!

I am so sorry that I haven't been as frequent with my blogging escapades lately. I've been really busy working up a storm and getting myself more established as a vlogger (video-blogger). With that being said, I've missed connecting with all of you in the meantime.

The last time we spoke, I was in Acapulco, Mexico; I am back in Canada and ready for the thrills spring has to offer. For those of you who don't already know this about me, spring is my favourite season. I love the way the world starts to bloom after the long and frigid winter Canada (unfortunately) brings to the table. My favourite thing about spring is waking up to the sun beaming through my windows and hearing the birds chirping every morning. I love knowing that spring is the time of the year where (most) flowers start to bloom and (most) animal babies are born. For me, spring brings new life and new beginnings.

I love animals. From a very young age I have had a deep passion for every animal in the world. I love them so much that I remember going to petting zoos as a child and pretending the animals were literally my friends. I can actually remember trying to kiss a couple of donkeys during those days.. Call me crazy all you want, but I love animals and no one will be able to take that love away from me. I love animals so much that I decided to become a vegetarian 3 years ago. Proudly, I can say that I haven't touched a piece of animal flesh ever since then.

Honestly, when I was growing up, I never gave the slaughter of animals much thought. I knew that what I was eating was an animal, I knew I loved the taste of it and I knew I loved animals; but other then those two facts I didn't really understand what I was feeding into (pun intended). In 2012, my sister (her name is Chiara) had to do a school project which meant being a vegetarian for an entire month. I thought, being the wonderful sister that I am, I would join her in this project and be an encourager for her and make sure she didn't fail the project. However, being the most competitive person I've ever met, I decided to not only join my sister with her project and not eat meat for an entire month, but I would also give up all animal products in the meantime. I had just become a vegan cold-turkey (pun intended....again).

I remember, February 2012, I ate my last piece of meat for the rest of my life. I thought, at first, the only thing that the project entailed was to simply stop eating meat for an entire month. I was sadly (or happily) mistaken. During those 30 days, I was tortured to watch documentaries all about the slaughter of animals. Obviously, I cried my eyes out for 30 days straight. Those documentaries are not only extremely informative, they are also extremely gruesome. For a while I couldn't believe that for all these years I had been so extremely naive. I went around telling people I wanted to become an animal rescuer and I loved animals more then anything else in the world................ AS I WAS EATING A RACK OF RIBS. I felt like a complete hypocrite. Not only is the slaughter of animals completely inhumane, but it is actually extremely harmful to the environment.

Being a veggie girl (which is what I call myself) in an Italian family is much easier said then done. Italians are known for all the different type of meats they serve on a daily basis. Thankfully, my family isn't one who eat (ate) meat everyday, but they definitely loved their meat sauce and homemade meatballs on their pasta. To this day my Nonno will cut me soppressata expecting me to eat it. Last Sunday (aka family lunch day at Nonno and Nonna's house) my Nonno pulled me aside and asked me "Amelia, if you don't eat meat... then what DO you eat?" I answered that question by saying "Well Nonno, if I don't eat meat, then I eat anything that isn't meat" he was shocked by this answer and says "Amelia, EVERYTHING is meat." Yes, being a veggie girl in an Italian family is very hard.

I see becoming a vegetarian one of the best choices I have made in all of my 21 years existence.  I was born with a form of anemia and right before becoming a vegetarian, I had my regular blood test to make sure my iron levels didn't drop since my last visit, it had but not only did my iron levels drop but my B12 levels were low as well. After becoming a vegetarian, I lost 10 pounds, my iron levels became significantly higher and my B12 level went back to normal. I had a much higher level of energy and I felt healthier inside.

There are many different types of vegetarianism: 

1) Lacto-ovo vegetarian: vegetarians that eat both eggs and dairy products.
2) Pescatarian: vegetarians who occasionally eat fish.
3) Ovo-vegetarian : vegetarians who do not eat/ drink dairy products, but do occasionally eat eggs.
4) Lacto-vegetarian: vegetarians who do not eat eggs, but occasionally eat/ drink dairy products.
5) Vegan: vegetarians who do not eat animal flesh of any kind, shellfish, dairy products and eggs.

As I said before, when I first started my veggie girl journey, I was a vegan and I loved every second of it. Unfortunately, I had to stop being a vegan because I still live at home and it was hard for me to be 100% vegan (because my mom still buys me food and feeds me). I do however, plan on returning to the vegan lifestyle once I move out of my house; but for now I am 100% ovo-vegetarian. I do not eat any animal flesh, or dairy products, but I do occasionally eat a few eggs here and there.

Today, after being a full fledge veggie girl (for exactly 3 years, one month and 10 days) I can say being a veggie girl has had it's extreme struggles, when I first started becoming a vegetarian, I hated vegetables to the very core of my soul and I craved meat profusely. Eventually I started to really appreciate vegetables (along with their weird flavours) and as for the meat cravings, they are still very much alive and well. Fortunately enough, I haven't eaten meat in so long that I think veggie patties taste like an actual meaty hamburger, so once I get my teeth in those veggie burgers, the cravings are quenched. Now when I look at a steak all I can think of is that it is literally the flesh of an animal and I get completely repulsed by it and nauseated thinking about someone eating it.

Being a vegetarian is a great choice, but a hard and life-altering decision I've made for myself. It has made me become a more caring and empathetic person. I think of the world in a completely different light and literally imagine myself in the position of the animal during each stage of their miserable life. I wish I could save each and every single one of those poor animals and make them feel loved, but unfortunately I don't have the means to do that. In the past 3 years, one month and 10 days I have happily been able to save a total of 631 animals, 609 lbs of meat and 5,027 lbs of CO2 was not released into the atmosphere (http://vegetariancalculator.com/vegetarian-calculator-monthly).

If you're thinking about joining the animal-saving crew? shoot me an email: thebeanmovement@gmail.com

meow for now!
xoxo, Amelia


Stay Caffeinated.

ps. I'm now on YouTube! Check out me first video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hADcvRrXsYI

Don't forget to subscribe to my channel!!


Don't forget to follow me on social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: @TheBeanMovement
Gmail: thebeanmovement@gmail.com
Google+: TheBeanMovement
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovement
Zomato: TheBeanMovement
Pinterest: TheBeanMovement
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsOQvQJBNeGb_uKWs6Y59Ow
Snapchat: xoxamelia

Do you have any suggestions to help improve my blog? I'd love your feedback!
Email me: thebeanmovement@gmail.com