Community

New Veggie

2010-06-20T04:46:41Z

Hi! I am very new to this whole not eating meat thing. I watched the movie Food INC and I was horrified. I feel like if I can save one animal it is all worth it. If anyone has any tips please let me know. So far ive been doing really good. I went to Whole Foods for the first time today. I was kind of overwhelmed with all of the organic, vegan, not organic stuff. I guess i need to get used to the lingo still. Im not really sure what organic means when it pertains to pantry items and baked goods. Im tried the Morningstar farms crumbles the other day in my spaghetti sauce and it was really really good!! I would recommend that product to people for sure! I got some veggie burgers and boca burgers to try next. Im really excited about this whole new eating lifestyle change. My family and some friends are not as supportive but im not doing it for them. Im really not doing it for me either, its for those poor helpless animals that suffer every day just to go and die a horrible death. Ill keep you up to date on my progress. And if anyone has any support tips feel free to shout them out. I can use all the help I can get. Thanks!!

Peruvian Alfajores: Sans Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies

2010-06-16T21:05:55Z

Pre-vegan days, these were a stable in my repertoire. Perhaps other countries will claim it as their own, but believe them not. These are as Peruvian as they come.

Peruvian style alfajores

Well, let's be honest. Alfajores are actually of Arabic origin and found themselves in South America via Spain. You will find different versions with different fillings and coatings, but the ones I make here are the typical Peruvian version.

Perhaps you know the filling as dulce de leche or cajeta. We call it manjar blanco, closest translation is "white delicacy." Typically made out of a milk reduction infused with cinnamon and vanilla with sugar, it has been difficult coming up with a dairy-free alternative that could be used as a filling.

Some of the vegan versions out there treat it more like a sauce. This is really more of a filling that binds and holds its delicious shape.

I had learned to make Alfajores from Teresa Ocampo, the Julia Child of Peruvian cuisine. She used to have a cooking show that I would watch as a child, and later purchasing her cookbook. Her alfajores recipe was heaven. I am not sure what happened to that cookbook, but what I do know is that I had her recipe scribbled on a napkin, which later I doctored up a little bit, and gave to some of my friends. Gail Hiley did a beautiful write up on her Pink Peppercorn blog. So, if you don't care for the vegan version, the original is on her site.

Alfajores are adorable, cute little sandwich cookies with an almost melt in your mouth shortbread pastry and sweet creamy center. The vegan version was a little challenging at first, not for the pastry, but for the center. Now this new version is much quicker and won't burn.

Pastry:

1 cup of flour
1 cup of cornstarch
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 and 3/4 sticks of vegan butter (I use Earthly Balance) chilled in the freezer
Pinch of salt

Place the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they are all combined. Dot the chilled butter on top.

Adding the butter in the dry mixture

Pulse until a coarse cornmeal type consistency is reached. Careful not to melt the butter.

Coarse cornmeal mixture, with a light snow color, should still feel cold to the touch

Place in a larger bowl and knead gently until the mixture comes together.

Alfajor pastry dough

Chill one half while you work with the other. On a floured surface, roll a thin sheet. Try not too roll too much, so use more pressure than usual. I sometimes use some plastic wrap on top to help the dough not stick to the rolling pin.

Rolling the alfajores

Using a round 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter, form little circles. If you have rolled it correctly, the dough will stick to the cookie cutter and you can transfer it nicely to a silpat mat on a cookie sheet.

Cutting the alfajores

Fill a whole cookie sheet. Do not be afraid of putting these close to each other as they will not grow or expand.

A sheet of alfajores ready to be baked

Put the finished cookie sheet in the refrigerator to cool and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. When the oven is ready, you can bake them for about 15-18 minutes until just barely golden. They should primarily look white with just a little hint of gold on the edges. Not more.

Baked alfajores

Cool completely prior to filling.

Vegan Manjar Blanco:

1 1/2 cup cashew butter
3/4 cup rice brown syrup
1/2 cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons soy protein powder, soy milk powder or coconut milk (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all the ingredients in a pot.

All the manjar blanco ingredients in a pot

Combine them a cook at medium heat until it pulls apart form the sides. Take of from the heat immediately, and let cool slightly prior to filling the alfajores to avoid burning yourself.

Finished vegan manjar blanco

Remember this will thicken as it cools, so it is easier to fill while warm. Sandwich all the cookies, carefully pushing them together so they do not break. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. This recipe makes a crap load of cookies, considering how small they are.

I couldn't help myself. What started as one cookie, turned into a few, well a lot more.

Truly gorgeous little guys.

Peruvian style alfajores

Howdy!

2010-06-09T08:30:04Z

Hi all! :-) Welcome to my blog.

No Meat? Where do you get your PROTEIN?

2010-05-13T18:32:04Z

When people find out that I eat very little animal product...more often than not, some sort of "protein" question is asked. This question shouldn't surprise me...We live in such a "must have enough protein" society (thanks to the meat industry and don't forget those ATKINS guys). "So you don't eat meat?" Then with a confused look on their face they ask "Where do you get your protein?" Of course I answer in a very polite, inoffensive, humble way...or at least I try to. But there are so many fun ways to answer this question- I thought I would throw some out there for the fun of it. I enjoy the logical answers, the one's that get them thinking. 1. "Where do I get my PROTEIN? The same way "meat" gets it's protein...GREENS" 2. "How are you supposed to gain muscle without eating any meat?" My answer: "You are right...we should tell the elephants that" The biggest animals- elephants, gorillas, rhinoceroses, hippos and giraffes all eat predominantly green vegetation. 3. Did you know that 100 calories of STEAK has 5.4 grams of PROTEIN? Guess how much PROTEIN 100 calories of BROCCOLI has? 11.2 grams. 4. "I have never met anyone who has been diagnosed with a "protein deficiency." Should I be worried? LOL! Most American's get TOO much animal protein (the average American eats over 100 grams a day- an unhealthy amount. Adults only require 30 grams a day). When a diet is centered around WHOLE unprocessed foods (vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts & seeds) the diet contains a healthy amount of protein. It does not need to be a concern. 5. FACT: Green vegetables are about 1/2 protein, 1/4 carb and 1/4 fat. 6. "Well I for sure don't consume my protein via ANIMALS...are you kidding me?" Did you know that ANIMAL PROTEIN promotes every stage of cancer in rates? The amount of ANIMAL PROTEIN consumption in CHINA directly correlates with CANCER incidence? (Read THE CHINA STUDY) 7. "Which has more protein - oatmeal, ham or a tomato?" The answer is that they all have about the same amount of protein per calorie. The difference is, the tomato and the oatmeal have FIBER and many other nutrients that fight disease. HAM- not only comes from a PIG, an animal that does not have sweat glands- GROSS! But it contains cholesterol and saturated fat. Now- remember...SATURATED FAT and DIETARY Cholesterol cause the number one killer in this country- HEART DISEASE. All animal products are devoid of FIBER! This is my usual answer: "Where do I get my protein? GREEN Vegetables, Beans, Nuts & Seeds. These plant based foods have more protein per calorie than meat. They also are much easier to digest and also provide me with disease fighting nutrients." My favorite: After I respond to their PROTEIN question...I ask with a confused look on my face: So...Where do you get your FIBER?

A Survival Story: The Birds and the Trees

2010-05-06T20:19:58Z

A few years ago I hired my neighbor to install a fence in my yard. He is a burly Irish bloke and I was in awe to see how fast he mealed out holes in the ground with a shovel and slammed the fence posts sturdily in. When he came around to an area that had a small pine tree "in the way" he began hacking at the tree, chopping bare all its back branches. When I saw this I pleaded for him to stop, and he laughed at me. He said "Its just a tree, why don't you just get rid of it?" I explained that I liked the tree where it was, and so he managed to work around it...or I should say, what was left of it.

A year later, I noticed a man on a ladder at said neighbors house and a van in the driveway that said "Bird Doctor." I asked the technician what he was doing, and he said there were birds' nests in the eaves that he was blocking off. I guess the technician saw the look of concern on my face, and he assured me that if the nests had eggs or babies in them he would have to leave them and come back to seal off the eaves after the fledglings left.

When I came home that night I saw the eaves sealed off, and the adult birds trying to get in. It was sad to see them so confused, but I assumed the technician found no babies and the birds would just have to build another nest in a more welcome environment. Well, a few days after this, I saw my neighbor himself, and he jokingly teased me about being so concerned about the "little baby birdies." When I asked him what he meant, because I didn't think there were little birdies in the nest, he laughed and said, "Jen don't worry about it, the babies took only a few days to die. What's the big deal?"

So there were in fact baby birds in the nest and the technician, with my neighbor's approval, sealed them in to slowly dehydrate and starve to death in 90 degree weather. When I found this out I was furious. I don't know what made me feel worse, the babies dying such a horrible death, or the mothers trying to get to their offspring in such desperation. All I could do was make calls: I called the company- the Bird Doctor in Paramus, NJ- I called the NJ Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, I called the Audobon Society. I wrote to Animal Rights groups, and I wrote bad reviews anywhere I saw this company's name online. But nothing legally could be done, I was told, because the birds were sparrows, and sparrows are an invasive species from Europe and have no protection here. When my neighbor's wife heard from the Bird Doctor company of all my protests she contacted me apologizing for her husband's insensitivity about the birds. But he was not to blamed she told me. He grew up on a farm in Ireland and he has witnessed "a lot worse," in her words.

Today, a few years after this incident I still cannot bear to talk to my neighbor whom I was once very friendly with. We even used to take walks, have lunch or tea together- and I cannot even look at him now. He and his wife had a baby last year and all I can think is how would they feel if someone prevented them from getting to their child, because I do not think a bird parent would feel any different. The sight of watching those birds trying to get past that barrier to get to their young is something that still haunts me....until yesterday, when I made a discovery that brought me some reprieve.

I went behind the little mangled pine tree that never recovered from the crude "pruning" job, to where I keep a stack of tomato cages, and to my surprise an angry little bird shot out of the tree and went to a higher up tree and continued to scold me. I looked into the little tree and found out why I was being scolded. I was too close to a nest. A nest that is full of eggs!

So there is a nest in this tree that my neighbor tried to kill, and I like to think that it is inhabited by the same sparrow whose babies he did kill. And I like to think that both the tree and the bird are defiantly surviving in the face of the attempts of an ignorant human who did not respect their lives. Who did not see that they are living things with as much a right to life as any of us. Who are here, given life by the same power that gives us all life. Why is it that some of us feel so much more entitled to this life than other living things?

Back to healthy living

2010-05-02T13:12:04Z

After several months of eating horrible junkie foods, I'm transitioning back to vegetarianism.

I'm overweight and I'm feeling it. I realize that I need to go back to a plant-based diet ASAP.

I felt so good on a vegetarian diet, even losing 8 lbs in the first week. But alas, I got tempted...and fell off the veggie wagon.

A few of my guy friends love women that are very obese, especially women with huge stomachs.

I see nothing pretty about being so big, that you can barely walk and having numerous health issues.

I want to be healthy, and live long enough to be an old woman.

Canada Seal Hunt

2010-03-09T10:53:29Z

The Canadian Seal hunt is just around the corner. This barabric killing of hundreds of thousands of seals for fur and oils must be stopped. Althought the Canadian government have yet to listen the more and more people that are educated about the hunt and the more petitions signed and letters sent then the more likely they are to stop.

Please visit the In the spotlight section on Action for our Planet for additional information, links to petitions, donation sites as well as who to send emails and letters to.

www.actionforourplanet.com

No soda for 2.5 wks now

2010-03-07T01:21:54Z

It's a step in the right direction. I still crave it sometimes and my family still drinks it's but I have not. I also gave up iced coffee as of March 6th and next will be sugar and processed foods.

New Vegan -- What a Wonderful World

2010-03-04T17:03:28Z

This past year, my family and I got royally kicked in the butt. We celebrated a B'nai Mitzvah, that's a bar and bat mitzah of my son and daughter, who are twins. As a single mother, this was a huge undertaking on my own and it was a joyous celebration, even with the usual stress of family, in-laws, and ex-husbands, it went off without a hitch and a lifetime of preparation and spiritual promises hit a highlight.

We were high on happiness for exactly three days. Then my significant other's twin sister passed away and we started grieving. Our beloved Zippy, our 16 year old English Springer Spaniel, had to be put down. Three weeks later my favorite cousin's mother passed away. My cousin, her fiance and his son stayed with us for two weeks. My cousin stayed on for another two weeks to take care of her mother's affairs while trying to make her wedding plans. Then her older brother passed away, her surviving younger brother served her with papers because he didn't like the results of the will and her fiance cancelled the wedding.

Being naturally optimistic and upbeat, this was a new world of getting knocked down and getting back up, over and over again in a short amount of time. These unfortunate incidents resulting in a whole lot of stress, emotional and entertaining eating. What do we do when we don't know what to do? Eat, of course.

Twenty five pounds later, I cried. I couldn't stop the sugar roller coaster and the late night cravings. Weight Watchers did not help. Exercise did not work. I didn't know what to do.

Then I read a magazine article about a book, "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman, MD. I picked it up and started to follow the vegan diet he suggested. Four weeks later, I have only lost 6 lbs and I feel a world of difference! The sugar and late night cravings are gone, my strength is fine and I feel great! My mind is clear, I have energy and power. By controlling my eating, I feel like I can do anything. My family is eating more fruits and vegetables and trying the new tastes and dishes I'm preparing. My optimism is back and I am very grateful.

Not many people are willing to make the leap thinking they will be missing. To me, my life has just become much easier as well as the choices. I choose life, health and happiness. Whatever happens, I'll deal with it better without it being about food.

Help Animals in Need

2010-02-20T20:00:41Z

My name is Nicky Stevens and I'm the co-founder of a non profit animal welfare organisation called IAPWA (International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals). We are based in the UK but provide help for companion animals in Sabah, Borneo. Following a trip to Borneo last April, we were shocked to see the condition of many of the dogs and cats there who face many difficulties each day in a struggle to survive. The cruelty that many of the animals have to ensure is horrifying.

Since the charity has been established we have provided hope and protection to lots of animals in need. We are currently raising funds to build a veterinary clinic to deal with the overpopulation problem and to provide free treatment to animals that have no-where else to turn. We are also working closely with a local welfare group to raise funds for a shelter for those that have been so traumatised that they are unable to cope on the streets and are looking to run responsible pet ownership clinics and education programmes as part of our long term strategy.

We have just returned from our last visit during which time we stopped building work being started on a dog pound that was due to be built which was a huge success given the awful conditions dogs are forced to live in throughout similar pounds in Malaysia. We have instead been offered this land as part of our humane solution. We also met with government officials who are open to us discussing ways forward with all of the districts of Sabah and The Veterinary Department who have invited us to review the animal welfare laws in the country.

We have made great progress since we were established and work tirelessly and voluntarily to make a difference to the animals that need help. To enable this project to move to the next step we would be really grateful for any support you could provide.

Please visit our website www.iapwa.org, joined our IAPWA facebook group or donate through www.iapwa.org/donate.

We would be grateful if you could pass this message to all of your animal friends and help to spread the word about our cause and the animals that need our help.

Challenge # 3: End Idle Waste!

2010-02-02T22:16:00Z

It's easy to let your car run unnecessarily -while looking for your purse, getting the kids settled, talking on the cell phone.... There are many things to think about, and your running car is usually the last thing to consider. But you can prevent more than 40lbs of excess pollution from going into the air each year by turning off your engine if you will be sitting for more than 30 seconds.

It is estimated that each day, Americans waste approximately 3.8 million gallons
of gasoline by voluntarily idling their cars. Now, we all know how important it is to get our country off our "oil addiction" so eliminating 'idle-waste" is a great way to help that. And another huge benefit is you will be helping those with asthma. Kids now more than ever are getting asthma in record numbers and carbon dioxide is the number 1 contributing factor. Idling vehicles do cause harm, and until electric cars are mainstream, we can do our part by driving only when we must and not leaving our cars running when we are not driving.

Many people think that restarting your car takes more fuel than letting it run but this is not true unless your car is a 1980 model or earlier. In fact, in parts of Germany it is so encouraged to turn off your car, even when stopped at lights, that the traffic lights flash for a few seconds to let you know that it's time to turn the engine back on. And in New Jersey and New York, it's illegal to let your car idle for more than 3 minutes.

Also, avoid going through drive thru windows. Parking your car and walking in instead will save many minutes of idling! And if you do not drive yourself, encourage others who you notice idling by letting them know how much they can be helping the air quality by turning off the engine.

So this challenge should be easy- all it takes is a little consideration and the turn of a key!

Yoga works at the level of your body, mind, emotion and energy

2010-01-14T21:10:25Z

Vegeterianism along with Yoga is a great way to achieve optimum health, peace of mind and spiritual evolution.
Isha Foundation's flagship program distills powerful, ancient yogic methods for the modern person to create harmony in the body, mind and emotions. It introduces Shambhavi Maha Mudra - a simple but powerful kriya (inner energy process) for deep inner transformation.

This program also emphasizes vegetarianism and you will get an opportunity to taste some of the healthiest vegetarian recipes.

The Inner Engineering program will be offered at Rennaisance Agoura Hills Hotel from Feb 10th - Feb 16th, 2010. Please click on the link for more details. http://www.ishafoundation.org/component/option,com_program/program_id,3148/task,details/

Barbecued Vegeburger Balls (Lacto Ovo, although you can substitute)

2010-01-05T12:54:18Z

Here's a great recipe for Barbecued Vegeburger Balls. Although it's lacto ovo, you can substitute ground flaxseed for the eggs and crumbled tofu for the mozarella cheese. (Vegeburger is a meatless, zero-fat and zero-cholesterol alternative to hamburger).

4 Tbsp. oil
1 (20 oz.) can Vegeburger
2 cups chopped nuts
1-1/2 cup cracker crumbs
2 onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 shakes liquid smoke
4 eggs
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 tsp. celery powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients. Form into balls and place on cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Barbeque Sauce:
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup catsup
2 tsp. chili powder
2 shakes liquid smoke

Mix all ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes until all ingredients are well-mixed. Pour over Vegeburger balls and bake at 350 degrees for an additional 10 minutes.

Also, if you like Vegeburger, you might enjoy The Vegeburger Song on Youtube.

Vegan "Special K" Roast

2010-01-04T23:29:02Z

My youngest son is vegetarian and loves nothing more than a delicious roast. While home for Christmas break he asked me to make him a Special K Loaf. I tried a new recipe I found on the Internet which contained eggs and cheese, but in retrospect we all liked our tried and true vegan recipe better. So here is the tried-and-true "Vegan Special K Roast" recipe--the one I should have made and will soon make again!

Ingredients for Vegan "Special K" Roast:

2 pounds tofu

6 packs George Washington broth

1 stick melted margarine

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 large chopped onion

1 12-ounce box Special K cereal

Directions:

Mix well and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

It's A Demeaning Word People!!

2009-12-22T02:20:07Z

According to an Advocacy Organization called Little People Of America and several Books that I have read about Dwarfism in Humans, the word "Midget"is very Demeaning, Offensive,and Disrespectful to those that are Short-Statured. In fact the Little People Of America organization banned the dredded "M Word"a s a Medical Term. The new Medical Term is "Proportional Dwarf" but the preffered Term for People Medically considared to be "Dwarfs" is Little People. As in "I am a Little Person".

Yes folks,...I Myself have one of the Proportional forms of Dwarfism .And I have always HATED the word "Midget". So You see ,it's NOT just My opinion that the dredded "M Word is Demeaning, Offensive, and Disrespecful. That word is Generally considered Demeaning, Offensive, and Disrespectful to those that are Short-Statured and that is a FACT!

So Please refer to then as "Little People" and stop using that dredded "M Word." Namaste.