Products

I’ve come to realize that many gluten-free products, are also free of dairy and eggs. Many companies who make gluten-free products tend to make products that are free of the most common food irritants. So, don’t shy away from the gluten-free section in your grocery store, it has tons to offer!
As a vegan, one thing that I have missed is waffles. If I needed a quick breakfast, I’d pop some waffles in the toaster, top it with some fruit and syrup and I’d be set for the morning. I would usually put some peanut butter on them first too :)
So, on my last grocery shopping excursion I found some gluten, egg and milk free waffles. Van's had whole wheat, plain and blueberry. I was so excited!
Leggo My Dairy free Eggo :)Some of you may have heard of the new vegan cheese Daiya. It has the promise to stretch and melt like real cheese. While this may be the case, I didn’t really enjoy the taste. It was a bit creamy and just tasted weird. Tyson loved it…but that doesn’t really count because he will eat anything. I probably won’t buy this product again, but be your own judge! I’ve been off of cheese for years so I don’t crave it as much as other vegans do. I will keep you updated on any new products that I try.
Enjoy:)

In My Own Town

Watching videos and reading books definitely solidified my choice to become vegan. I see these horrible things happen to animals, and learn about how many animals die each day…but, in the back of mind I’m always trying to tell myself “Not here, not in Canada”.

Then, the other day we were not even 30 minutes from where we live, and I saw a chicken factory farm. I saw the first huge chicken housing unit. It was a two story building, with no windows. It only had vents on the side. It was probably the length of four school buses in a row.

I imagined all the chickens stacked up, bustling around in each others excrement, never being able to see the light of day. And, this had two levels. How many chickens were in there? There had to be hundreds.

As we continued down the road, there were 4 more buildings on the right…then 5 more on the left…then another group up the hill. There was a chick hatchery and more buildings....buildings with only vents on the side.
Below is an example of a one level chicken housing unit. Think of how many chickens could fit inside this ONE building.

It hit me all of a sudden, that there were thousands and thousands of chickens getting ready to be slaughtered for meat. And, this was only 30 minutes from where I live?
We can be disgusted and appalled at this....but if there is a demand for meat, farmers need to supply it.

Then I got to thinking…
Think about the town in where you live. Do you have a Swiss Chalet? Think about how many people go in there during one day and order chicken. Think about all of the chicken that have to die to supply that ONE restaurant for ONE day.
Now, count how many more restaurants there are in your town.
Where I’m at, there are 2 McDonalds, 1 Pizza Delight, 4 Tim Horton’s, 1 KFC, 1 A&W, 1 Subway, 1 Jungle Jim’s and countless other restaurants.
The amount of chicken used at these restaurants each day is in the hundreds.

This is just ONE day…in ONE town. Put all of these towns together…and you can only imagine how many thousands of chickens have to be raised for slaughter right here in our Canadian homes. This is not mentioning how many people are buying chicken from their grocery stores…or buying BEEF, or PORK.

Seeing this one chicken farm made me picture all of this in my head, and it made me sick to my stomach. And, we could argue that abuse or suffering may not happen in these specific farms, but we can not argue about the fact that the numbers needed to supply Canadians with meat is astounding.
Something to think about…

Meatless Chick'n

I was very excited to have a BBQ last weekend because I found some PC Meatless Chicken Breasts. We had some friends over and put the fake chicken on the grill! Haley cut hers up and mixed it in with her salad… and really enjoyed it. I ate mine like a burger, but couldn’t finish my portion. I think I get my hopes high for the taste, and it just doesn’t do it for me. They are a great substitution if you really need something with that chicken texture, but I think I’d rather have a bean or tofu dish for my main meal.
My palate is changing!
My favorite meatless chicken product is still Oh Naturel! Meatless Chick’n Nuggets. Sometimes you just need some chick’n nuggets and fries. These still do the trick for me!

Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat

Okay, so back to blogging! I have been reading multiple books at the same time...trying to fit a lot of information into my brain. When you find new information, and a spark is ignited in you, you just want to learn everything you can about that subject. So, I’ve been busy reading books about veganism, animal rights, cooking, medical papers and personal stories.

The book I want to blog about today is called “Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat”, by Hal Herzog. Now, this isn’t a book about becoming vegetarian, and the author didn’t write this book to promote it. He writes about why we think about animals the way we do. He delves into the psychological reasons on why we scream when we see a snake, why our hearts melt when we see a baby puppy and why we eat some animals and not others.

“The only consistency in the way humans think about animals is inconsistency”. This is the statement Hal Herzog concentrates on with this book.
There are so many poignant parts of this book that I can’t possibly quote them all, or I’d be quoting half of the book. But, I do want to share with you some of the statements or ideas that really stood out to me. When I read books, I actually highlight or underline important paragraphs so I can go back to them later. This is why I am buying more books now than ever before (I can’t really damage a library book now can I?)

Let’s talk about cute animals. It is scientifically proven that we are more willing to donate money or save animals that have larger eyes. As humans, we are drawn to animals that have the same appearance as a human baby. We react to the cute response. Did you know that Walt Disney wanted Bambi to be as accurately drawn to a real deer as possible? But, the public did not sympathize with Bambi until the animators altered the deer to have a smaller snout, larger head and big eyes. We see the same changes in Mickey Mouse throughout the years. His head grows half the size of his body and his eyes nearly double.
When you hear the name of an animal you identify something with it. We think animals are good if they are furry or bad if they’re slimy. Our mind reacts differently to various words. It’s easier for us to eat a pound of beef instead of a pound of cow. How about eating veal instead of calf flesh? Or pork instead of pig flesh?

What if we called aquariums aqua-prisons or zoo animals inmates? Would that make us sympathize to these creatures more readily? It’s interesting to read about what our minds automatically interpret as acceptable or not. Maybe we’re making it easier on ourselves, so we don’t have to face these issues directly.

This book also touches on the downfall of breeding dogs, and why we lean towards certain breeds more than others. It also talks about the way females and males react to animals, and which one is more likely to commit animal abuse. This author also does a section on cock-fighting with roosters and experimenting on mice.

Near the end of the novel, he finally writes about becoming vegetarian. Some of the information is very contradicting. He explains that meat is bad for you, and that animals suffer...but then talks about why a vegetarian diet can be unhealthy for you, and why so many people go back to eating meat. There’s a lot of talk about “humans eat meat, we always have”. Of course a vegetarian diet can be unhealthy for some people, if they don’t do it correctly. Some people do not get all of the nutrients they need because it takes more work to do so. And, yes it is hard, but anything worth something isn’t easy.

The author also goes into the life and choices of animal activists. It was so interesting to read about animal sanctuaries and other people’s goals and beliefs. Some say that their relationships with other people end because of their different values pertaining to animals. I am so glad that I have such true friends and that they will support me in whatever I do. I don’t eat meat, and that’s fine with them.

Again, I’ll just say that this author is not a vegetarian and does not promote the diet. But, this book is more about why we choose or act the way that we do. I did find this book interesting, because I have always found the human mind so intricate. It will make you question your own beliefs as you look deeper into the ethics of animals.
“How can 60% of Americans believe simultaneously that animals have the right to live and that people have the right to eat them?” -Hal Herzog
The way humans think about animals is inconsistent…period.

Ice Cream

I just wanted to give a shout out to my favorite ‘ice-cream’: Purely Decadent. Some soy ice creams out there are really fluffy, or just don’t taste that great. I’ve been eating this ice cream for a few years now. It has a harder texture than most dairy free ice cream, and their flavors are delicious.
My favorite flavor by far is Peanut Butter Zig Zag. I love making a small ice cream cone whenever I need a chocolate fix!

Purely Decadent is:
•Dairy Free Lactose Free
•Less than half the fat of Super Premium Dairy Ice Cream
•Contains only 65% of the calories
•Cholesterol Free
•No Trans Fats
•Certified Vegan
•Certified Made with Organic Ingredients

'Reel Life' at the Farm Sanctuary

After learning about the Farm Sanctuary, and watching all of the great work that they do, I know I wanted to be a member and support their cause.
I know I have blogged about this sanctuary before, but I wanted to share some of their new “Reel Life” videos that they have made about everyday life at the farm. It’s so amazing to see how these animals live and how happy they are in this environment. I can’t wait to go visit!
They also have some informative videos on all animal subjects under their media section of their website.
http://www.farmsanctuary.org/

Rescue Chocolate Is Here!

My Rescue Chocolate has arrived!
If you haven’t heard of Rescue Chocolate before, it’s a non-profit organization where every month, 100% of the net profits are donated to animal rescue organizations around the country. When I ordered mine in December, the proceeds were donated to Austin Pets Alive!

Austin Pets Alive is proud to announce their 2010 accomplishments, including saving over 3000 cats and dogs from Town Lake Animal Center’s euthanasia list. The year’s results prove the organization’s ability to increase number of lives saved, bringing the city as close as it has ever been to its no-kill goal.

I ordered each type of chocolate bar and some dark chocolate hearts filled with raspberry ganache. I wasn’t sure if this vegan chocolate was going to be tasty or not…but, guess what: IT IS!
My favorite chocolate bar was the Peanut Butter Pit-Bull. Their Chocolate Fix bar (plain chocolate) is also delicious. I definitely recommend buying some of this chocolate, because you get to have your chocolate, and all of the proceeds go towards saving animals!
Rescue Chocolate is “the sweetest way to save a life!”

Enjoy :)!

Breakfast

Dorset Cereal is a line of granolas, muesli and porridge. They’re full of nutritious, simple ingredients to create great tasting healthy cereals. I have the Simply Delicious Muesli-and it's just that!

Hello from Dorset. We make unadulterated breakfast cereals that are honest, tasty and real. All our recipes are created here in Poundbury, Dorset. We believe life’s too short to settle for second best, and that simple pleasures are often the most rewarding. Like walking barefoot in the morning dew, an ice cream on the beach or jumping in puddles just for fun. Homemade granola is still my favorite, but Dorset Cereals are great when you don’t have the time to make your own. For breakfast, I usually have Multigrain Cheerios, topped with Kashi Cereal or Granola. I always try to have some fruit, usually blueberries or a banana. Some books talk about eating leafy greens and vegetables in the morning. I don’t think I’m ready to eat steamed collard greens when I wake up, but I am trying to break the routine and try some new more nutritious breakfasts…so I’m looking for some suggestions. What do you have for breakfast?

VeganYumYum

I must say I really like the VeganYumYum recipe book. I’ve made a lot of the recipes out of this book already. She uses so many great photos, and a lot of the recipes have common ingredients. Here are two more recipes that I have tried over the last week…

Golden Chickpea and Artichoke Salad
1 Tbsp oil, plus additional
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
5 to 7 artichoke hearts, drained and sliced lengthwise
1/4 to 1/3 c sliced almonds (toasted if desired)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Heat oil in seasoned wok or cast-iron skillet. Add chickpeas and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring only occasionally to prevent burning, until chickpeas are golden brown all over. When done, transfer chickpeas to large mixing bowl and set aside.
Add more oil to pan and sauté sliced artichoke hearts until browned. Add artichokes to bowl of chickpeas.
Toast almonds in dry skillet (if desired) and then grind them in food processor. Add almonds to artichokes and chickpeas. Season salad with lemon juice and salt and stir in chopped parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature, adjusting seasoning if needed.

This chickpea salad tastes great and it’s full of protein. It was a bit dry, so I added some more lemon juice. I ate it along with some baby bok choy that was sprinkled with umeboshi vinegar and salt and pepper.

Vegetable Fried Rice With Tofu
This recipe includes almost every vegetable under the sun. It’s a pretty basic recipe for rice, but what I love is how the tofu is prepared. You fry your tofu pieces in oil until it gets crispy on both sides. Then, mix 1tbl soy sauce with ½ tsp of ginger powder and add that to the tofu while it’s still in the pan. The result is a crispy, glazed, delicious piece of tofu. For those of you who say they don’t like tofu, it might be because it wasn’t cooked right, or it had a rubbery texture. I say it’s ALL about the texture with food. Frying your tofu like this, and then adding it to any stir fry would be a great place to start.

Christmas Dinner

Christmas has past, and the feasting was good! It was so nice to have family around…and so much food was shared. Tyson’s sister hosted a fabulous Christmas dinner. She fixed everything with Vegan Becel and made sure all the side dishes were milk free. She even made stuffing separately, so my mom and I could have it! Tyson made a Tofurkey to bring for Mom and I, and it was a lot better than the one we (my mom and I) cooked for Thanksgiving. He says, it was better because it was cooked with LOVE (from him). We ate mashed potatoes with herbs; a sweet potato dish encrusted with cranberries, brown sugar and nuts; asparagus; glazed carrots; and of course, vegan stuffing! Everything was so delicious. I brought the dessert which consisted of Apple Strudel and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. Topped off with tea and coffee, it was a perfect meal.