Friday, September 30, 2011
World Vegetarian Day
Tomorrow, October 1st, is World Vegetarian Day! Try to go the whole day without eating meat. And if you really want to go one step further, try getting rid of dairy and eggs for the day. You can do it! For more info, go to http://www.worldvegetarianday.org .
Thursday, September 29, 2011
You Can Make a Difference
I know this blog is about food and health and veganism, but I have to share a link to an amazing editorial I read in the Times this morning by Nicholas Kristof. Kristof's columns are frequently about the plight of women in third world countries and the stories he shares can be compelling and disturbing but he brings attention to situations that would otherwise remain in the shadows. Please read this hopeful editorial today.
Whether we are talking about making a difference for people in Africa, kids in the inner city, or animals on a factory farm, it is so important to show compassion by taking action. This story shows that you can make a difference by supporting a worthy cause. If you look at the big picture of global poverty, violence against women, or violence toward animals it can seem overwhelming. But just look at the difference these two young people, one Kenyan, one American, are making for the young girls in this Kenyan slum! It's amazing and I hope we can all find some way to take action that can impact individuals who need a little hope in their lives.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Slow Food, Real Food
Mark Bittman scores again...
Sometimes when I'm buying my food (whether it's at Whole Foods or Price Chopper) I start thinking about how much it all costs and at times I have to take a deep breath at the check out counter. Buying food to prepare at home can seem expensive but in actuality it is not. I don't have exact numbers but I typically pay between $100 and $150 a week for groceries for our family of three. We usually eat at home (with the exception of my husband's lunches at work) most of the week and eat out once or twice at the most. Now, depending on where we go to eat out (say Spin Pizza or Ingredient) our meal ends up costing almost $30. If we ate out every night of the week, that would be about $210 and that is just for dinner. Plus when I cook at home we will eat the leftovers for lunch or I'll freeze them for a later date.
The take home message: cooking at home as much as possible is healthier, cheaper, and more effiecient!
Mmmmm, burgers....
Two vegetarians walk into a burger joint...
Last night, Brian and I had dinner at Blanc Burger, a restaurant that specializes in burgers and "bottles," as they like to say because of their extensive collection of soda and beer. Blanc Burger is a relatively midwest establishment with two locations in the Kansas City metro area and one in Omaha, Nebraska.
So what exactly was there for us at this place? Brian had been their before and ordered a lentil burger, which he said was pretty good. Last night, we both had the vegan black bean burger, which I thought was one of the best veggie burgers I've had in the area. On their menu, they describe the burger as "mushroom and grilled corn, salsa verde, avocado, pico de gallo, baby spinach, boulevard unfiltered wheat bun" (if you're not from KC, Boulevard is a fantastic local brewery and this wheat bun made the bean burger that much more fabulous). This burger was terrific and I told the waitress so. I let her know that we are always looking for good veggie burgers and in my opinion, this one is near the top of my list. On the side I ordered sweet potato fries which were delivered in a mini shopping cart, definitely a cute touch.
Some vegans might want to deter other vegans from supporting burger places, but I think it's important to go to these places, order their vegan fare and then let them know how much you enjoyed it if it's good. It was great to see the word "vegan" actually placed in front of the black bean burger listing on the menu because it shows that it's not such a scary word to people anymore. If you are a KC resident or happen to be in town, drop by Blanc Burger and show your veggie love by trying out this fantastic burger!
Last night, Brian and I had dinner at Blanc Burger, a restaurant that specializes in burgers and "bottles," as they like to say because of their extensive collection of soda and beer. Blanc Burger is a relatively midwest establishment with two locations in the Kansas City metro area and one in Omaha, Nebraska.
So what exactly was there for us at this place? Brian had been their before and ordered a lentil burger, which he said was pretty good. Last night, we both had the vegan black bean burger, which I thought was one of the best veggie burgers I've had in the area. On their menu, they describe the burger as "mushroom and grilled corn, salsa verde, avocado, pico de gallo, baby spinach, boulevard unfiltered wheat bun" (if you're not from KC, Boulevard is a fantastic local brewery and this wheat bun made the bean burger that much more fabulous). This burger was terrific and I told the waitress so. I let her know that we are always looking for good veggie burgers and in my opinion, this one is near the top of my list. On the side I ordered sweet potato fries which were delivered in a mini shopping cart, definitely a cute touch.
Some vegans might want to deter other vegans from supporting burger places, but I think it's important to go to these places, order their vegan fare and then let them know how much you enjoyed it if it's good. It was great to see the word "vegan" actually placed in front of the black bean burger listing on the menu because it shows that it's not such a scary word to people anymore. If you are a KC resident or happen to be in town, drop by Blanc Burger and show your veggie love by trying out this fantastic burger!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Quote of the Day
"If one person is unkind to an animal, it is considered to be cruelty, but where a lot of people are unkind to animals, especially in the name of commerce, the cruelty is condoned and, once sums of money are at stake, will be defended to the last by otherwise intelligent people."
--Ruth Harrison (from Animal Machines)
The majority of people in this world do not want to contribute to animal cruelty, but that is exactly what we do when we buy that sirloin that's on sale or the generic dozen eggs for 79 cents. People just want to eat, to live their lives, and to survive as we always have. But let's face it, if we have internet access, if we have time to spend on Facebook, if we can afford to shop at any of the grocery stores in our neighborhoods, then we are able to devote some time and effort to thinking about what we eat and where it comes from.
Just take a minute to really think about the food choices you make, the buying choices you make. Find one way, just one way, that you can choose to contribute to a more compassionate diet. Perhaps it's as simple as leaving the bacon off your egg sandwich in the morning or even participating in meat-free Mondays. Or perhaps you're ready to take it one step further and go to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Whatever you choose, I urge you to think rather than to just go with the flow. Only good will come of it.
--Ruth Harrison (from Animal Machines)
The majority of people in this world do not want to contribute to animal cruelty, but that is exactly what we do when we buy that sirloin that's on sale or the generic dozen eggs for 79 cents. People just want to eat, to live their lives, and to survive as we always have. But let's face it, if we have internet access, if we have time to spend on Facebook, if we can afford to shop at any of the grocery stores in our neighborhoods, then we are able to devote some time and effort to thinking about what we eat and where it comes from.
Just take a minute to really think about the food choices you make, the buying choices you make. Find one way, just one way, that you can choose to contribute to a more compassionate diet. Perhaps it's as simple as leaving the bacon off your egg sandwich in the morning or even participating in meat-free Mondays. Or perhaps you're ready to take it one step further and go to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Whatever you choose, I urge you to think rather than to just go with the flow. Only good will come of it.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Veganize it!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Junk Food is Not Cheaper
Yet another great opinion piece by Mark Bittman in the Sunday Times today...
Saturday, September 24, 2011
On the menu
There's nothing like pancakes to start your Saturday off right! If you're like me, you probably grew up eating pancakes made with batter that you add eggs and milk to. But yummy pancakes don't have to have those ingredients to taste delicious! Here is how I made vegan blueberry pancakes for my family this morning...
2 cups unbleached flour
3 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups vanilla soy milk
3 tbsp. canola oil
blueberries
Simply mix the dry ingredients, then add the soy milk and canola oil. Ladle the batter onto the grill and put in as many blueberries as you want. If blueberries aren't your thing, substitute blackberries, raspberries, banana slices or, my personal favorite, vegan chocolate chips. Yum!
We had some other tasty vegan dishes today when we stopped at Eden Alley Cafe in Kansas City for lunch. I enjoyed the sweet potato burrito which was fabulous as usual. Brian had their veggie burger which he said was okay but not one of the better ones he's had. (We are continually sampling veggie burgers everywhere we go!). I had a Pumpkin Spice Latte with soy milk and no whip cream as an AM snack and later we'll be having some leftover vegan lasagna (recipe from The 30-Day Vegan Challenge).
It can be easier than you think to eat a vegan diet. Believe it or not, your favorite veggie sandwich can still taste good without cheese. You can ask for avocado or guacamole instead of cheese on a burrito. Most coffee shops have soy milk to replace the dairy and soy milk can also replace cow's milk in many recipes, especially for baked goods. Next time you cook or eat out, think about what you are having and give it a try without the animal products.
2 cups unbleached flour
3 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups vanilla soy milk
3 tbsp. canola oil
blueberries
Simply mix the dry ingredients, then add the soy milk and canola oil. Ladle the batter onto the grill and put in as many blueberries as you want. If blueberries aren't your thing, substitute blackberries, raspberries, banana slices or, my personal favorite, vegan chocolate chips. Yum!
We had some other tasty vegan dishes today when we stopped at Eden Alley Cafe in Kansas City for lunch. I enjoyed the sweet potato burrito which was fabulous as usual. Brian had their veggie burger which he said was okay but not one of the better ones he's had. (We are continually sampling veggie burgers everywhere we go!). I had a Pumpkin Spice Latte with soy milk and no whip cream as an AM snack and later we'll be having some leftover vegan lasagna (recipe from The 30-Day Vegan Challenge).
It can be easier than you think to eat a vegan diet. Believe it or not, your favorite veggie sandwich can still taste good without cheese. You can ask for avocado or guacamole instead of cheese on a burrito. Most coffee shops have soy milk to replace the dairy and soy milk can also replace cow's milk in many recipes, especially for baked goods. Next time you cook or eat out, think about what you are having and give it a try without the animal products.
Friday, September 23, 2011
The Glass is Half Full
Hello again! So sorry for the absence, but now this blog is back in business.
Last night, I went to see Gene Baur speak at a local college. If you are not familiar with him, Mr. Baur is the founder and president of Farm Sanctuary, an organization that rescues injured and abused animals from factory farms and allows them to live a peaceful, natural life in the rolling hills of Watkins Glen, New York. The group also does a ton of policy and legal work for the rights of animals.
Listening to Mr. Baur speak confirmed so much of what I've learned over the past two years about compassionate eating and the power we have every time we pick up our forks and dig in to eat. We have to power to choose foods that will not only make us healthier but will also save the lives of millions of living beings that currently live in squalid, heinous conditions. Gene Baur has devoted much of his adult life to documenting factory farm conditions and trying to change policy. He shared photos and experiences he has had, much of it painful to look at and overwhelming to comprehend. As my eyes were tearing up, I listened to this man speak with such equanimity and I thought, how does he find the strength to continue fighting for this cause he believes in when the odds for change are so overwhelming?
So, I asked him just that question. "How do you not become completely overwhelmed when you can only make small changes while the problem is so huge and systemic?" And of course his answer made complete sense to me, as I often try to see the glass half full rather than empty. Mr. Baur, the optimist, said, "You have to focus on the positive changes." He went on to tell us that he knows he is making a difference when he looks into the eyes of an animal at Farm Sanctuary that he saved from a certain and unnecessary death and sees that creature living a peaceful and natural life. He said that when things seem so overwhelming, you have to focus on the victories and the progress that you have made. This is so valid, both in his struggle as well as all of our own.
I am so incredibly happy that I went to hear Gene Baur's lecture last night and I highly recommend that you check out the Farm Sanctuary website (listed in my blog list) to read more about the group's work. I want to take the lessons from last night and apply them to this blog. Sure I may include an uncomfortable fact or article from time to time on here, but I want to focus on all the positive things that come with being vegan. After last night, my commitment toward living a vegan lifestyle has been renewed and positively strengthened and I am going to sit down and start reading Baur's book right now!
Last night, I went to see Gene Baur speak at a local college. If you are not familiar with him, Mr. Baur is the founder and president of Farm Sanctuary, an organization that rescues injured and abused animals from factory farms and allows them to live a peaceful, natural life in the rolling hills of Watkins Glen, New York. The group also does a ton of policy and legal work for the rights of animals.
Listening to Mr. Baur speak confirmed so much of what I've learned over the past two years about compassionate eating and the power we have every time we pick up our forks and dig in to eat. We have to power to choose foods that will not only make us healthier but will also save the lives of millions of living beings that currently live in squalid, heinous conditions. Gene Baur has devoted much of his adult life to documenting factory farm conditions and trying to change policy. He shared photos and experiences he has had, much of it painful to look at and overwhelming to comprehend. As my eyes were tearing up, I listened to this man speak with such equanimity and I thought, how does he find the strength to continue fighting for this cause he believes in when the odds for change are so overwhelming?
So, I asked him just that question. "How do you not become completely overwhelmed when you can only make small changes while the problem is so huge and systemic?" And of course his answer made complete sense to me, as I often try to see the glass half full rather than empty. Mr. Baur, the optimist, said, "You have to focus on the positive changes." He went on to tell us that he knows he is making a difference when he looks into the eyes of an animal at Farm Sanctuary that he saved from a certain and unnecessary death and sees that creature living a peaceful and natural life. He said that when things seem so overwhelming, you have to focus on the victories and the progress that you have made. This is so valid, both in his struggle as well as all of our own.
I am so incredibly happy that I went to hear Gene Baur's lecture last night and I highly recommend that you check out the Farm Sanctuary website (listed in my blog list) to read more about the group's work. I want to take the lessons from last night and apply them to this blog. Sure I may include an uncomfortable fact or article from time to time on here, but I want to focus on all the positive things that come with being vegan. After last night, my commitment toward living a vegan lifestyle has been renewed and positively strengthened and I am going to sit down and start reading Baur's book right now!
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