Cooking with Sarah ~ Day 2

Recipe #2 ~ No Salt Shaker page 303

This was as easy as it gets! Garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, paprika, ground pepper, dry mustard, celery seed...Viola!

PS...added the dry mustard after I took the picture because I forgot, oops!

Cooking with Sarah Day 1

Recipe # 1 ~ Wolffie's Banana Blueberry Muffins ~ pg. 274 La Dolce Vegan!

Aren't they pretty? They were super easy to make & taste really yummy! They look a little dark because I used whole wheat flour.

What I did:
1. Used whole wheat flour because apparently that's all I have in my house.
2. Cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup because 3/4 cup seemed like a lot to me with the sweetness of bananas & molasses. I think they'd still be delicious even with 1/4 cup sugar.
3. Used frozen blueberries instead of fresh.

Thoughts:
1. Easy to make.
2. Delicious...had 2 for breakfast.
3. I am going to get fat doing this contest. I'll be making many more sweet things than I normally eat...this could be a problem.
4. I'm going to go broke doing this contest. Blueberries are freaking expensive!
5. I want a bigger kitchen & this thought makes me feel really old.

Thanks Sarah! See you tomorrow!!!

BFF...Let's talk about labels.

Dear BFF,
I'm in a mood. I'm a little cantankerous, if you must know. It has been recently brought to my attention that there are some vegans who really do not like when vegetarians call themselves "veganish" or "95% vegan". I can understand to a point because truthfully, if you are 95% vegan or veganish you ARE in fact vegetarian and not vegan. Refresher - Vegan = nothing from an animal...dairy, eggs, honey, leather, wool, etc. You see the difference? Veganism goes beyond what you put in your pie hole...it's a lifestyle. And it is a wonderful lifestyle if I do say so myself.

Now, here's where I get angry. It is not a pissing contest to see who can be more vegan. I don't think these labels make all that much of a difference...if you are vegetarian, almost vegan, 95% vegan, veganish, I think it's awesome! I applaud you all for taking any step at all in the direction of saving animals lives. If you stop eating meat...I'll light up my lighter and sing you "Free Bird"; if you give up eggs...I'll do a cartwheel; if you give up dairy...Rock 'n Roll high kick for you my friend; stop wearing leather?...I'll play you "Paparazzi" on my harmonium! What I'm trying to say here is that I will cheer you on every step of the way! I'm your vegan cheerleader!! You have my support! And 2 extra cartwheels for you if you continue to read to the end.

Truth in Labeling: I'm not actually a cheerleader in this photo. I was on the Dance Team. BUT, I do still own pom-poms & I can honestly do a cartwheel. I was cheerleading captain in 7th grade. So there.


 That being said...let's talk about labels that really do matter.

1. PORK. Pork is a pig. An emotional and loving animal, who is probably smarter than your dog. When you eat a pig, you are ingesting all of the stress and fear of this animal's last horrific moments of life. Chops, ham,  bacon, sausage = carcass of intelligent and sentient being. You can't fancy up a dead pig by calling it "pork".

2. BEEF. Beef is another word for the gorgeous and furry cow. After it's been tortured and killed. Some of these animals die piece by piece because the "stunner" missed. A slow an agonizing death is what these animals endure in the name of faster production and fewer cost. All so you can stuff your face with an artery clogging burger. YOUR money is paying for others to do this to animals. And FYI there is also disease and shit in your dead cow...enjoy. Don't believe me? Look it up...in fact here's a legal petition requesting that the USDA require FSIS for DECLARE feces in meat. Gross.

3. VEAL. Veal is a DEAD BABY COW. Who was never allowed to nurse from it's mom. Never allowed to roam around, play, or even TURN AROUND. You cannot make this nicer by calling it Veal. It is horrible. Don't think calves like to play and run around? I disagree. Wanna see?

4. Let's talk dairy for a minute...know anything about how lactation works? Well then you know that in order for a female to produce milk, they first have to be pregnant. So dairy cows are impregnated, give birth, have their babies taken away (see VEAL) so that we can steal their milk, and impregnated again, and again, and again...until they don't produce enough milk for greedy milk drinkers & then they are sent to be killed (see BEEF) at around age 4 or 5 (normal lifespan is about 25). Oh and bye the way...there is pus and blood in your milk from the cows udders being pumped constantly. Want some more truth? Here it is.

5.EGGS. God don't even get me started on eggs. Chickens might be the most abused animal in America. The male chicks are unwanted because the cannot lay eggs, so they are either thrown in a grinder alive or thrown in the trash alive...and guess what? The grinders don't always kill them...they come out the other end partially ground up and fully conscious. Layer Hens are subjected to unspeakable cruelty and disease in battery cages where they cannot even spread their wings or properly stand up. The hens literally go crazy and develop psychotic behaviors in these cages. Not to mention they have their beaks and toes cut off without anesthesia. Then they are sent to slaughter. And did you know that chickens are exempt from the Humane Slaughter Act? That's right, if you thought "humane slaughter" was bad, imagine what these sensitive animals endure. AND THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE YOU EAT EGGS. Want more info? Here.

6.PROCESSING. Processing = killing. Don't church it up.

YOUR money pays for these things to happen. Think you can ignore it? Act like you aren't making a choice each and every time you buy meat, dairy, or eggs? You can pretend all you want, but this goes on every single minute of every single day in staggering number that would knock your panites off. Make the right choice...You need look no further than your heart to find it. Put your dollar into peaceful and non-violent purchases.  If you could not stomach seeing how your food gets to your plate, then how can you justify eating it?

It is easier than ever to be Vegan. And you are not alone! I'll help you! I can answer questions online. If you live within a 20 mile radius of Pittsburgh...I'll come with you on your first shopping trip! If you live within 10 miles of Pittsburgh & make a serious commitment to being vegan (truly vegan), I'll help you cook your first week of dinners! I'm serious! And it's time for you to get serious too.

I promise not to do many aggressive posts like this. I like to keep things light & fun & supportive. But I needed to vent & isn't it wonderful to have a BFF to vent to? Remember I love you. And your choices matter, YOU matter!

The 90's were AWESOME!

So...How many cartwheels do I need to do?      

La Dolce Vegan Cookbook Challenge...Weeeeeeeeee!

So....Your BFF has entered a contest to cook through Sarah Kramer's La Dolce Vegan cookbook in one year & blog about it! (Think Julie and Julia). I"m so excited!!! You can follow my progress right here on my blog...this is where I am required to post pictures & write about the recipes. The Challenge is being hosted by The Vegan Culinary Institute, check them out too as I'm sure they'll be following everyone's progress as well. Here is Sarah! And Thanks Sarah for not cooking lobsters!

Your Imperfect BFF...Mistakes I've made as a vegan.

After attending my second Farm Sanctuary Hoe Down and hearing Bruce Friedrich speak about mistakes he made as an animal activist, I decided to take a good hard look at myself. I've been a vegan for two years now and I've definitely made some "mistakes", or let's say I "created learning experiences" for myself. Hey, nobody is perfect & especially not your BFF!

Shortly after becoming vegan, I had the amazing privilege to hear some seasoned vegans/animal advocates speak at my first Hoe Down. One such speaker was Gene Baur, founder of Farm Sanctuary, and he said something that really stuck with me. He said that there is no such thing as a perfect vegan...we all somehow do harm to living creatures & the environment. Just by living & breathing, we do some harm. He called veganism an "aspiration". Something to aspire to, continuing to do the most good for animals, step by step, without beating ourselves up. Wow! So here is my list of "learning experiences" and my WWGBD (What Would Gene Baur Do) approach to actually learning from them!

Do my doughnut goggles make you want to forgive me?

1.  SAY YOU'RE SORRY!
     Say you're sorry now, or you can't have dessert. You're a vegan and making everyone here uncomfortable, and you must apologize 100 times. BFF, I'm sorry. This is just a choice I've made for myself, please ignore me, I'm obviously crazy, can we please never mention this again? Honestly, I just recently realized that I am constantly apologizing for being vegan. I apologize to friends who have to "bend over backwards" to provide something for me to eat at parties, I apologize to servers at restaurants for asking questions & for requesting no cheese on my pasta, I apologize to said server for having to take back the pasta that has arrived with cheese, and I apologize to all friends at the table for being "difficult". Ugh! I am so annoying myself! I'm not even sure I can look at myself in a mirror. Oh who am I kidding, I can always look at myself in a mirror...but let's get serious here. In my quest to be the nicest vegan you have ever met, I have "sorry-ed" away my very valid, not to mention compassionate, life choices. This has got to stop! I'm done apologizing. This is who I am, and I'm truly NOT SORRY! WWGBD? I think GB would tell me to have some compassion for myself as well. I can be mindful of animals, others, and myself without feeling the need to say "sorry" 20 times in one sitting. Thanks GB.
**Little side note** I've realized that others always feel the need to apologize to me for their life choices. A friend walks in the door & I compliment her on her outfit. She immediately apologizes to me for her leather belt. As if it's MY skin she's wearing around her waist! Ha! People will be talking about a picnic they had and will apologize to me for every food item mentioned that is not vegan. This is pretty funny...but it's also starting to piss me off!
2. THIS IS STARTING TO PISS ME OFF!
    I have realized that there are certain places where, times when, and people with whom I feel very comfortable & "let my guard down". What I mean is that in these circumstances, the central focus is not my veganism, & I admit that I like it. We don't have to spend an entire meal/evening talking about me and my life choices, but rather we can focus on more important issues like who's husband is a lazy POS, and remember that time 'Shelly' got so drunk that she fell over, and you'll never believe what my crazy MIL did at my daughter's birthday party! You know, BFF, important life stuff! In these situations I often find myself annoyed & ill-prepared to answer questions and defend my veganism. More often than not I try to get out of the situation and/or say something I end up regretting. WWGBD? I think GB would be open all the time to all possibilities of discussing being vegan. Every situation is an opportunity to share info and advocate for animals. Most people are genuinely curious and not trying to make me feel bad. Lesson learned: ALWAYS be open & prepared to discuss veganism! I also need to recognize that when others apologize to me for their own choices (leather belt, picnic food, etc.), that their own awareness is growing. They are recognizing how their choices affect animals, others, and the environment. In these situations, I am actually a representative of the animals & of the vegan movement, and if they feel the need to apologize then maybe a connection is being made. How cool is that??????
3. DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS.
     There have been times where I have caught myself in the grocery store staring at an item for 15+ minutes. What exactly IS this calcium sulfate & is it from an animal? Is this company one that I can support? Do you think they test on animals? Yada, yada, yada...the questions go on and on and on. I have beat myself up over some honey in a loaf of bread. Or buying Revlon mascara because they do not test on animals, but are not completely vegan, but I cannot justify $20 on the Urban Decay mascara right now because I have no job. Ack! It's difficult in the beginning, before you know what companies are safe, what bread is ok...it's all a learning process. At the most recent Hoe Down, Bruce, Gene, Victoria Moran, Susie Coston, and Zoe Weil all said the same thing...What will do the MOST GOOD for the animals. Meaning, you've chosen a vegan lifestyle...that is soooooooo good for animals! What if you accidentally buy a loaf of bread with honey in it? Should you throw it away and beat yourself up for it? WWGBD? Dearest GB would remember that we are not perfect and that while we are aspiring to be the best little vegan we can be, there will be minor bumps in the road of lesson learning. Oh, well! Pick yourself up, learn from it, move on, & do better next time! You cannot completely undo all the good you're doing by being vegan with 1 loaf of bread!
4. SUCKER!
    While I do believe that every question is an opportunity to advocate for animals, I also feel that there are certain situations you cannot allow yourself to be sucked into. For instance, the co-worker who says that plants feel pain too, or the steak eating woman who has had one too many glasses of wine, and many other situations...you'll know 'em when you see 'em. Some people are looking to get you fired up. Some are looking for a fight. In situations like this, when someone is purposely trying to make you mad...walk away. Change the subject. Stick another forkful of tofu in your mouth. Shut up. And then go home and vent like crazy to someone who will understand! If you know you cannot remain calm in a situation, it's best not to engage at all. WWGBD? I imagine GB to be calm and cool at all times. As a seasoned vegan maybe he never loses his cool...I really can't answer this question for GB. But I go back to what will do the most good for animals? Will coming to blows with a DB hell-bent on making you look bad help more animals? I don't think so. I remember that I am a representative of the vegan movement & realize that sometimes an argument can do more harm than good. There are lots of opportunities each and every day...it's okay to avoid certain ones.

There are many, many more mistakes I've made as a vegan & more in my future. But I remember compassion is my motivator, so some of that should be given to myself.  It's a journey...and it's your journey. Love it! Enjoy it! Eat a vegan doughnut...or three! WWGBD???

Heaven is a vegan doughnut!

PS...as you can see, I found my vegan doughnuts! I'm the happiest little vegan you've ever seen! Thank you Iron Betty!

Look Out BFF...Hubby Has Taken Over Blog!

Hey guys…it’s your BFF’s hubby.  I asked the wife if I could share a little something with you all that I realized recently.

As you probably know by now from reading this blog, I am also vegan…I am also a fairly active person.  I have done the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge (a 35 mile in one day hike) every summer for the past 10 years, many other similar extreme hikes, I’ve run full and half marathons, 5k’s, 10k’s…you get the idea.  I was doing these things before I was vegan, and I have continued to do them since I became vegan about two years ago.  I am certainly not the fastest guy (or gal) on the trail, I never was, but that’s not my point……I’m getting there.

BFF adding pictures. This one is Hubby coming off the cargo nets.

So far this summer I’ve done two events, the RCTC and The Ruckus.  The Ruckus is this crazy 4 mile, boot camp style, obstacle course with huge mud pits, 12 foot cargo nets to climb over, and all kinds of fun stuff.  It was awesome!  So typically the only time I “work out” is when I am training for one of these events.  I just don’t make the time unless I have goal…a goal like not embarrassing or hurting myself doing one of these stupid things. 

So I’m finally coming to my point.  I barely had (made) any time to train for the two events I did this summer (you know how it goes, work gets busy, the grass needs to be mowed, you’re just too damn lazy), BUT I still rocked them!  In The Ruckus, I was in the top 30% of my category (which consisted of all males under 45…I’m 34…the kid that won it was like 19 or something…so I was pretty happy with that), and that’s without training!

And I didn’t break any personal records doing Rachel Carson this year, but…my recovery time was almost zero!  I was walking around the next day like nothing happened…again, without training!  That is unheard of for me.

Hubby in the mud.

So I’m sure you’re catching my drift (despite the fact that I lack my better half’s eloquence), being vegan makes you better at sports!…No, I’m just kidding, but I do think that for me, being vegan means that I can perform at a level I was always able to before (if not a little better), and my body is able to recover from the “abuse” at a much faster and more efficient rate.  Man, do I love being vegan!

BTW…just to prove I’m not a complete nut…check out this interview with vegan, professional mixed martial artist (cage fighter), Mac Danzig.  I can’t imagine anything much harder on your body than that……except maybe iron man triathlons. 

Well, I’ll give you back to your BFF now.  Thanks for letting me hijack your blog, darling, and thanks to you for reading.  Let me know if you want to go for a hike sometime!

Finished and all smiles! Isn't he just the cutest thing?

BFF, let's talk about commitment and your hypothalamus!

So....I have been inspired to write this post by a few things: an old friend introducing me & my blog to others, a question about my veganism, and Deepak Chopra. The first two have to do with commitment & the third with the brain. I have been thinking for a while about writing on my "commitment" to being vegan, and I am now reading Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul by Deepak Chopra, which has brought it all together for me.

Sorry BFF, allow me to begin at the beginning. Several weeks ago, while at a picnic, I was asked how I can maintain my vegan lifestyle. Now, let me first say that my guard was down because I was with a group of friends who know me pretty well & eat out with me often. That is to say that I really don't get many vegan questions any more. But my friend's husband mentioned that he could never be vegan & wondered what I did when I got a craving for a big juicy hamburger (ack!). Guard down and all, I was a little annoyed at the questioning & mentioned that I never crave meat because animal corpses do not appeal to me in any way. As the questioning continued, I shrugged my shoulders and said that maybe I was never a really good carnivore in the first place, hoping to end the conversation. BUT, the last thing he said to me really gave me pause. He said that being vegan must really be a "commitment" for me. Hmmmmmmm.....

I thought about my commitments in life. First to my husband. I definitely do not wake up every day and worry about keeping my commitment to be faithful to my husband. He is so much a part of me and my life...being married to him is as essential to me as breathing air. And that is how being vegan is as well. I don't wake up every day committed to being vegan any more than I wake up being committed to breathing air. This is who I am! The day at Farm Sanctuary that I became vegan, changed me on a cellular level. There was no question or commitment...it just was. The only commitment that I made was to research foods and recipes so that we could really enjoy being vegan and get all of our nutrients. But once I stocked my kitchen...the rest was easy...and here I am, 2 years later, feeling like I've been vegan all my life.

Are you wondering how Deepak Chopra is involved? Well, in his book he talks about Subtle Action. Subtle actions are those that "involve only the mind, whereas gross actions involve direct contact with the material world". And even though subtle action comes naturally to us, it can be broken down into steps. Here is how it works according to Deepak Chopra:
         1. You go inside and make your intention known.
         2. You believe in getting results.
         3. You don't resist the process of change.
         4. Your body shifts effortlessly at the physical level.
         5. You repeat your subtle action until you have mastered the change you desire.

An example in the book is of Tibetan monks who meditate in caves at subzero temps overnight wearing nothing but a thin silk robe and emerge the next morning unaffected. Using subtle action, they tap into the hypothalamus (you were wondering where this would come in!) which controls body temp, and are able to raise their internal temperature by as much as 8 degrees F. Is that incredible or what?!? I also imagine that subtle action is what women in labor sans drugs are tapping into, especially those women using Hypnobirthing techniques. But I digress....

My apologies to Mr. Chopra if I am misunderstanding or misusing his explanation of subtle action, but this is what happened to me when I became vegan. I had a very strong reaction to the animals at Farm Sanctuary and the stories of abuse in the meat and dairy industries. I told myself that I was now vegan, I was open to that change, & BAM! I am vegan. It was easy and effortless because the change happened all the way down to my cells.

So there it is...Many thanks to Deepak Chopra for explaining what I have been feeling and unable to put into words. I would also like to renew my commitment to this blog, beginning at a once a month entry. It's at least a start, BFF. And just one more time, I'd like to say 'hypothalamus'. That was fun!

Peace, Love, and Kale,
Your Vegan BFF

PS. The second most common question I get after "Where do you get your protein?" is "Is there any food that you miss?". My answer is that I have been craving a really really good and sweet DOUGHNUT for almost 2 years now! Somebody hook me up!

These are real vegan doughnuts from Mighty-O Donuts in Seattle!!