My background

I want to start out today by giving a little bit of my background.  I grew up in Pennsylvania in a small town called Hawley.  I was overweight as a kid, and I remember hating it.  In kindergarten I weighed 95 pounds, and by the 6th grade I was 180.   The most my weight ever got was 187 and I remember this because each year when school started and we got weighed, I asked the school nurse my previous years weight.  I was self conscious, and all I ever wanted was to be "skinny".   I went on my first diet at 12 where all I ate was eggs and cereal. Then I tried  a low fat diet where everything I consumed was fat free, sugar free.  I would eat pizza, but take the cheese off.  None of these "diets" ever worked.  Finally the summer going into my senior year of high school I started exercising and walking everywhere and that is when I lost 25 pounds and felt great.  I was still not skinny (about 155 pounds), but I had energy and knew I would never let myself get back to where I was.  Once I went off to college I continued to eat healthy and exercise and averaged 140 pounds.  I graduated college with a Biotechnology degree, but ended up taking a job at a local spa.  I worked in the fitness room, and that year got my personal trainer and group fitness certifications.  I loved teaching fitness classes and motivating people to look and feel their best.  The following year I moved to San Francisco to begin looking for a real job.  Well I ended up getting hired at 24 hour fitness in Oakland, but I could not afford to cross the bridge everyday, or wait months to gain clients, so I ended up bartending in the city.  6 months later I went to visit Hawaii, met an incredible man, and never left.  I have been substitute teaching the past few years.  I decided to enroll at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition to obtain my Holistic Health Counselor Certificate.  So that is where I am today.  I felt by explaining my past it might help you see how I relate with you or someone you know.  Please if you know anyone, or you yourself would like a free health consultation make sure to email me at erica@healthylivingwitherica.com.  Now back to Vegan!!!

 Take out Vegan dishes

Mediterranean
Dolmas- grape leaves stuffed with rice and spices
Falafal- chickpeas and spices deep fried
Hummus- chickpeas and olive oil and garlic pureed served with pita
Baba Ganoush- Roasted eggplant and spices pureed into a dip
Tabouli- Grain served with lemon and spices

Indian
Dahl- Lentils simmered with spices
Lentil soup- Vegetables and lentils in a veggie broth and cumin
Spiced couscous salad
Broccoli and tofu in garlic sauce

Thai
Tofu coconut curry-  Tofu in a coconut curry sauce
Summer rolls- Rice paper rolled with vegetables, and mint.
Thai tofu noodle soup with lemongrass
Papaya salad

Italian
Brushetta- tomatoes, onions, basil served on toast
Pasta wtih tomato sauce or pesto
Salad

American
Veggie burger
Salad
Tofu burger

Japanese
Cucumber avocado roll
House salad
Vegetable tempura