Cream Cheese

So I grew up in New Jersey, eating some of the best bagels in the world and topping them with some of the most delicious cream cheese you could get. But now I'm looking for alternative bagel toppings (I'm also looking for good bagels but alas, I now live in Kansas) that are not derived from cow's milk. After trying a couple different brands, I have settled on Tofutti which really is smooth and quite tasty. Since I've eliminated cheese products from my diet, any time I get even the slightest taste of cheese in something I'm eating my taste buds are very sensitive and the cheesiness can sometimes seem tangy to me. Tofutti cream cheese does not have that tanginess and it is a great way to top off your bagel in the morning!

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 .

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.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/opinion/kristof-just-look-at-what-you-did.html?ref=opinion

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. 

Slow Food, Real Food

Mark Bittman scores again...

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/shared-meals-shared-knowledge/?ref=opinion

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!

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.

Veganize it!

I don't know about you, but I love a little milk and sugar in my coffee. For years, I would make my daily stop at Dunkin' Donuts for a medium coffee with skim milk and sugar. As I started this whole vegan quest, I cut out drinking glasses of milk but had a little dilemma when it came to what to put in my coffee. I tried soy milk at first. It wasn't my favorite and I'll put a little in with sugar if I have nothing else (and I do like the Starbucks espresso drinks with soy), but I needed something else. Enter the "So Delicious" brand. They make dairy free products using coconut milk instead. You can't taste any coconut flavor and it is thick enough to give you the feeling of dairy milk without the moo factor. I personally love their french vanilla creamer (I don't even add sugar) but they also have plain and hazelnut. They make a ton of other products too including, drum roll, ice cream. So if you're looking for a way to veganize your coffee, try coconut milk or some other non-dairy milk to see what you think!