Saturday, December 31, 2011

Holiday 2011

This year for Thanksgiving I did more cooking than last year and only made a couple of dishes. I made a vegan version of a family recipe and I made a potpie. The next day I made a sweet potato pie from scratch, crust and all. I loved the food I made and I have perfect confidence in my own cooking. However, I can improve in some areas with the American dishes. Like, for the potpie, the crust could have more salt in it and the filling can have more variety of vegetables and more sauce. Also, intead of using soy margarine for the potpie crust, I will use palm oil or coconut oil instead. Palm oil may not be healthier than the hydrogenated oils, but at least it's more natural. Coconut oil adds a unique flavor  crusts. I used it for the sweet potato pie. I also used agave nectar and maple syrup in place of sugar. Next time I'll add molasses to the mixture and I'll use arrowroot powder and EnerG egg replacer instead of flour as a thickener.

I don't know if I want to post the dishes yet. I want to try a different recipe without the use of store bought vegan cream cheese and with homemade vegan sliced cheddar (Uncheese Cookbook would have been perfect).

This year, I decided not to make Christmas dinner, because I wasn't feeling too well with the sinuses and allergies. However, when I have the chance, I'll be making my infamous kale soup with vegan chorizo sausage from scratch. This time I'll be adding my own touch. In addition to my original recipe based on an online recipe, I'll be adding canellini beans and maybe some carrots. Mom is out of town and grandma is in town, so I think it's the perfect time to make this soup. My grandmother loves the kale soup, even as a staunch meat-eater and my mom likes the flavor of kale, but she doesn't like the texture.

I found something pretty interesting that I didn't think that I'd find in a mainstream grocery store, let alone a mainstream company. I found a Betty Crocker gluten-free cake mix with no animal products. I was so happy about it that I went ahead an purchased it and it's going to be for the New Yr's cake I'll be making. I was going to make cupcakes, but I think a regular box cake will work. I want to do a comparison between the two brands I found of vegan box cakes.

The Betty Crocker brand comes in other flavors such as chocolate, cookies and brownies. This is perfect for those who are either gluten free, vegan or both.

I bought the vanilla cake mix and I will try the chocolate in forms of red velvet cupcakes and other recipes.

Besides the uneventful holiday season, next year I plan on having my own place anyway, so Thankgiving (which won't be called such anymore and instead celebrated as a fall festival on a different weekend), Solstice (aka Christmas) and New Year's will be much better.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Why I'm Giving Up Processed Foods and Alternatives For Them

I made the conscious decision to give up as many processed foods as possible with the exception of tofu, tempeh, Earth Balance and soy milk. Everything else such as canned foods, packaged fake meats, veggie burgers etc will be gone from my diet. I found from numerous documentaries and commentary that canned foods have animal particles in them such as rat hairs, dander, pieces of bugs and fly eggs fall into the food easily. In a large processing plant, it is extremely difficult to control what gets into the food, so the FDA regulates how much animal particles are allowed. Knowing this is very scary, because canned and frozen foods are convenient and inexpensive. Food costs are one of the reasons against veganism and with the recession, this argument against it would be better than other arguments against veganism that I heard. It's an argument similar to whether or not we give people in starving countries genetically modified food and DDT to eradicate the malaria threat. Both may cause cancer later in life, but is it better to eat well now and not care about what may happen in fifty years.

However, I created this blog to share that there is a way of eating a healthy vegan diet without having to shop at places like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's everyday.

I remember the other day, my mom went into an emotional rant about why hard work and personal accountability are not good arguments for why people are in lower class bracket . In the moment, I felt guilty for feeling that way, but now I don't. I feel like we live in a culture that makes excuses for others instead getting things done when they are supposed to be. I can understand the vegan side of the argument about food costs that there are ways to pay for a vegan diet. I agree more on this than the argument that it's too expensive to eat well. When I go to the Farmer's Market, I buy fresh breads that have only fresh ingredients in them for $3, maybe a little more, but I'm not sure. At Albertson's, I saw a package of bread that was about $4.35. I may investigate on that. Although I hate crowds of people and being around people I don't know, I enjoy going to the Market. The last time I went I got a pretty good deal, a free loaf along with a loaf that I tried. I think it's pretty good. I think if I didn't spend the money on the mutabal and the garlic basil spread, I'd have enough for fruit and veggies. I think getting the vegetables at the farmer's market may be a bit more expensive, but Food4Less should have them pretty cheap. My mom got alot from there for $20. Growing a garden on a patio or in a back yard may also help to cut food costs, but not everyone has the time or resources to grow their own food.

Alternatives to processed foods:

Homemade Tomato Sauce Italian Recipes require tomato sauce and in some cases stewed tomatoes. However, it's does not have to come from a can. (Substitute the vegan margarine for the butter)

Freezing beans and veggies etc: This is useful for left over fresh vegetables and cooked beans. Freezing is even useful for homemade veggie burgers.

Fresh from scratch: Many vegans love food made from scratch. Home cooking can be simple and unsophisticated, but it can be creative and delicious.

Red Bean Burger

Other Recipes

Vegan Tempeh Burgers : Substitutions can be made in this recipe. I plan on using potato in place of flour because I believe that it will make a better binder than flour.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Basic Sandwich Recipe and Orange Tofu Stir Fry Rice

Last Friday I went to the Farmer's Market just to scope out a few things. I haven't cooked in a while, as dormlife would not have allowed me to. Being back in Long Beack allowed me to experience fresh foods and true vegan cuisine. I made a vow to stay away from non-vegan restaurants and non-vegan prepackaged foods.

So, the other day I bought a loaf of vegan sheppard's bread, caponata (vegan), basil garlic spread (vegan), mutabel (vegan) and some tabouleh. I made some hummus earlier in the week and it a bit plain for my liking, but my mom loved it. I toned the garlic down a bit. Sometimes when I make sandwiches, I like to toast the bread. It depends on how I feel about making the sandwich, what I'm making and the ingredients going into it. If I made a vegan "cicken" sandwich, I would not toast the bread. If it's a hummus sandwich, I prefer the bread toasted with oil or vegan margarine.

Basic Hummus Sandwich

2 Tbsp Basil Garlic Spread

4 Tbsp Hummus (preferrably from scratch)

1 Tbsp vegan Margarine

1-2 pieces Vegan Sheppard Bread (if the piece is large like mine it can be cut in half before putting the sanwich together)

Romaine Lettuce, Tomato and other trimmings for typical sanwiches.

Method

1.In a skillet, spread the slice of bread with margarine on both sides. Toast the bread until it is golden brown on both sides. You want the bread to have a crunchy bite.

2. Allow the bread to cool for about five minutes. If the bread is one large piece, cut it in half. Spread the garlic spread on both pieces, then the hummus on one of the pieces. Add the trimmings such as lettuce, tomato and onion (I just used lettuce). Place both pieces together and serve with a side or on its own.

*I would not recommend adding anything like avocado to this sandwich as it will take away from the flavor of the spread and hummus. I couldn't find the tomatoes or the onions for this recipe, so I think it would be a good idea to purchase some trimmings for sandwiches next time I go to the market. Since it's so hot this summer, sandwiches are perfect for brunch, lunch and dinner.

Orange Tofu Stir-fry Rice

This recipe cuts the time in half for the stirfry portion, but it's still a bit time consuming and pricey. I got found a fresh premixed stirfry vegetable medly that was perfect for this dish. At Albertson's I purchased a vegan orange sauce (Simply Asia).

Ingredients

Tempura tofu to taste (refer to my tempura tofu recipe)

1 pkg fresh stirfry vegetables

1/2 small onion sliced

2 cups brown rice (cooked)

1 Tbsp applecider vinegar (or rice vinegar)

Soy sauce to taste

Method

1. It is best to prepare the tempura tofu while preparing the brown rice, as both take a while to cook. After both are prepared, set the rice in a cold place (refrigerator) and drain the tempura tofu on a paper towel and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, with tablespoons oil in wok, cook onions until they are barely brown. Stir in vegetables until they are slightly soft, but still crunchy.

3. Add the chilled brown rice and stir in the applecider vinegar and soy sauce. Continue to stir until the rice is toasted. Add the orange sauce to the veggie stirfry rice. Stir enough to incorporate the sauces into the mix. Once the sauce is mixed into the veggies and rice, add the tempura tofu. Carefully fold the veggies and rice into the tempura tofu until the orange sauce coats them. The key is to have crunchy tofu that is lightly coated with orange sauce. Serve hot or warm.

*This dish is so amazing that I ate the whole wok pan. I think this is a way better alternative to take-out and it's much healthier and more guaranteed to be vegan. Some vegans do not like the taste of tofu, especially firm tofu. Other meat alternatives such as tempeh, seitan or even the packaged meat substitutes may go well with this dish. A homemade orange sauce can be used as an alternative to the prepackaged sauce. A recipe (homemade or linked) or an alternative brand will be posted. I plan on trying other sauces with the tofu and tempeh. I want to cut back on packaged meat substitutes due to expense and high salt content. A tip for a more "chicken-y" texture, it's best to freeze the tofu and then thaw it when ready. Marinating the frozen tofu in a vegan chcken broth before adding batter to it may also work with the taste and texture.

*I found an alternative to tempura batter for the fried tofu. It's faster than making it from scratch. In a bowl, add 1 cup soda water to 3/4 cup flour and/or cornstarch. To season as a dry mixture, add sea salt and any spice such as garlic powder and onion. I' not sure if this will make the batter as fluffy as tempura, leaving a light, flaky coat, but it's faster for those who want to speed the cooking process.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Recipes and Some Other News

I found some recipes that I think would be great for this summer.

Red Lentil Burgers- I bought alot of red lentils while I was at the store a few weeks ago. I want to try this recipe because it's the only one that does not require bread crumbs. I would add a few spices according to how I want them.

Focaccia Buns (use vegan ingredients)- This recipe is for an Italian bread that is traditionally flat. I think making buns from scratch is a much healthier alternative to buying them from the store. For some reason, store bought breads never seize to surprise me with their peculiar ingredients that I have to look up on Wikipedia.

Raw Key Lime Pie- Key lime pie is one of those old recipes that people don't prepare much anymore. I like to think that it's up there with the fruit cake. However, this raw alternative can be a better fit than the traditional recipe.

General Tao Tofu - This is for those vegans who still love fried foods. I think the Southern part of my background can attest for this. Fried, tempura based tofu can be tricky and difficult to perfect sometimes. Still, the finish product is amazing. Making Asian-inspired dishes is better than ordering tak-out. It beats eating in mystery.


Raw Vegan Alfredo Sauce- This recipe is great for the fettucini recipe that I linked last year. For an extra richness, I would make this recipe pure vegan and no so much raw by adding soymilk or almond milk or something else for extra richness.

Watermelon Cooler (Raw) - This is a raw vegan cooler made of watermelons. For those who are just vegan, sweeteners such as turbinado sugar, agave, maple or stevia extract can be added to this along with other fruit juices. This can even be spiked with an alcohol such as hard liquor or wine or both.

Sweet and Sour Tofu -This recipe is similar to the regular sweet and sour recipe except it's vegetarian.

Tetrazzini - When I was an omni, I used to love tetrazzini and any Italian dish with cream sauce in it.

Club Sandwich (Vegan) - Club sandwiches are not traditionally vegan. Most consist of a slab of meat, lettuce, tomato, bacon and a mustard. However, this recipe is a healthier and cruelty version of the classic sandwich.


Apple Cake - This cake is an original twist because it uses apples, not as a glaze but in a cake. This a great cae for a special even such as a wedding or birthday.

Vegan Caesar Dressing- A modern, vegan version of an ancient recipe.
Some other News

Vegan Meatballs - This is another meatball recipe I found online. I want to try this recipe as opposed to the others that I posted, because this one seems more interesting and versatile.

Vegan Meatball 2- This recipe will work better for the vegan meatballs than the previous because the ingredients are easier to find. I plan on adding mushrooms, celery and carrots to this to make it "meatier".

I decided that I don't want go to this school or live in this city. I feel so detached. I never understood why until I went back home. Maybe it's better off that I live in the same place as my family. Good friends are hard to come by. Some people can handle living on their own without close friends or relatives near them. I am one of those people who could live on my own as long as if I am close to the basics and the city is good enough to walk somewhere at two in the morning. Sounds crazy, but I don't think that I should be punished for walking out late just because I'm a woman. I hope that I'll like living at home again as much as I like having my own space here in where I am now.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Living Arrangements

The economy is tanking as usual for the past six years. Gas prices are rising like a NASA space shuttle and people are losing job left and right. The economy is so bad here in the States that people are telling young highschool graduates to skip college all together and persue their dreams. Despite our economy receding back to the Great Depression and our declining culture, there should be some hope out there for our future. Each semester I am reminded of my reality and what I'll face after college.

Going "Free-Spirited" - Living in a vehicle is out of the question for most people. It is illegal to sleep in a parked vehicle in most communities and most people consider it as homeless, despite the vehicle being a home. Because we are so tied to consumerism and traditional thinking, we are in this economic situation in the first place. I know that the gas prices are soring and maintainance for a car can be expensive, it is still less expensive than living in a cheap apartment. Living in a vehicle can save thousand of dollars per year if planned correctly.  Another unconventional way of life is pitching a tent somewhere in the desert or wilderness. I cannot say that it's more or less acceptable to do this as a permanent way of living. It's environmentally friendly and for those who live the outdoors, doing this will make anyone feel closer to nature.

Freeganism - This lifestyle is based on our consumerist, postmodern society. Some may criticize this way of living with the belief that without consumerism this way of living would not exist. However, this lifestyle is still goes against mainstream society by placing value on the disposed and exploited.

Comunal Living - Communal living is more people oriented and more involved than living in a car or living in the fringes of consumerist society. anyone who should want to live or start a commune must take precaution against the encroachment of mainsteam society.

I want to try to live in a vehicle until I save enough to live in a small apartment, or at least pay off my student loans. It seems more convenient than starting a commune and if I want to be a part of mainstream society by going to work or school, I can still do those things while living in a van. My mom does not believe in the idea of living in a van or anyother vehicle when I can simply move back home. She does not understand that living alone for so long and then moving back home is a huge adjustment. At least living in a van I have my own space, even it it's on a set of wheels.

To make living in a vehicle comfortable, I do not recommend a small set of wheels such as a car. I recommend something that's at least as big as a minivan. As for a vegan lifestyle, it is going to be difficult to maintain a vegan diet without a stove or a refrigerator. There are many companies that sell packaged vegan meals such as Tasty Bite. They can be found at most major grocery stores. Hygiene is going to be another concern. A gym membership allows access to showers and public beaches have showers and bathrooms, although they are not the cleanest.

I recommend this as something temporary. Living in a vehicle can get old like any other living arrangement.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Natural Hairstyles for 4B Hair

I've been neglecting my hair regimen lately, I think due to laziness and boredom. I will argue that natural hair is hard to take care of if you want to have it the way everyone else wears their hair. Luckily, with my hair texture, I have more options for different hairstyles. Rollersetting, then doing a "Dominican method" of blowdrying should work for my hair. I bought some new vegan hair creme that works as a conditioner or leave in. I tried to use it as a styling creme for dry hair, but it has too many waterbased products. It will serve better as a conditioner that will be followed by a heat serum. I plan on still ordering the products that I listed in my natural hair products post.

Hairstyles for Blown Out Hair

Bantu Knot Out

Beach Waves

Vegan Diet Plan/ Desserts and Care Package

Vegan Diet Plan

Apparently, the semester has taken a toll on me. It seems that I went up a dress size (From 0 to 2) and my thighs show for it. I was telling my mom this over the phone last night and she wanted to go off. She was a bit dismayed at my comment about thinner legs and thighs being more attractive than thicker ones.

Since I had to drop one of my summer classes (mini-term), I can use these few weeks before my painting class to get in shape. As small as I am, I should NOT be short of breath after climbing stairs. Also, I figure that if I'm going to make food in my dormroom, I would have to make something that does not spoil so quickly. I want to throw in some fresh food into my diet plan along with some vegan nutrition bars, smoothie mixes and nuts and dried fruit. I've been buying chips everytime I want to munch on something, so if I'm going to nibble on anything I would want it to be healthy food.



I plan on buying and trying out the Vega Sports booster powder. It's vegan and it has enzymes in it (easier on the stomach).

Desserts

It's that time of the year again. I keep craving sweets through out the year. I crave them the most during the summer, or I should say at the end of the school year. Only if there was a way to make desserts healthy in my dormroom. At least I still have the Microhearth.

Vegan White Chocolate Recipe This is a printable recipe for white chocolate. I love this more than regular milk chocolate (before I became vegan). I used to go to the mall and buy Ms. Field's white chocolate cookies. Now, I can make them from scratch without the eggs, butter and milk with a chocolate chip cookie recipe. Or, you can buy these. Although some vegans out there do not want to consume white sugar (non bone-char) and hydrogenated oils. Hence the recipe listed.

Care Package:

My mom wants to send me a care package to take back to school with me, because I will pretty much be here for the rest of the summer (continuous housing). Being vegan can be very difficult considering that there is no grocery store close by and all the food places are closed until June. I've been vegan for pretty much five years (on and off again), so here is a list that I would recommend for a care package:

Vegan multivitamins- I usually do not advocate vitamins. All the food in the vegan diet should supply all needed nutrients. However, in a situation when going to the store becomes a bi-annual field trip, anything will work. The vitamins should have B12, D and Calcium.

Vegan Bars- These are recommended for women. They have all the nutrients that women need for our bodies and they taste very good. I usually buy them in Lemon, but I plan on trying other flavors.

Protein bars- These can be raw or not. Combining beans and rice for a full protein is a myth. So I recommend getting a vegan protein bar or shake or something.

Vegan Packaged Foods- Although I do not recommend the mainstream brands, Fantastic Foods and Tasty Bites have pretty good packaged products. My biggest recommendation is buying these in bulk.

Rice paper- This is great for rolling salads to make spring rolls. Hopefully when I go home, I can find these and package them.

Tempeh- Packing this in a box for shipping may or may not go well. It may go well because they are airlocked into plastic. They may spoil because they might require refrigeration. Simmer in water, grind and add to crumbled chickpeas for an awesome ground chicken substitute.


These are some of the many foods I hope to have in the care package that I will help make. I'll be adding some more items when I get a chance.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

A random rant about this semester

This semester has been pretty turbulent for me. I can't sleep at night, when I fall asleep I suddenly wake up again and I might be going through depression. Maybe I'm homesick. When I'm at home, with so many people, I'm not happy. I hate it there when I stay too long.

There is a good chance that I'll be going home. I do not regret going to UNR. I really love this school overall, interms of academics. It's mainly the city and the kind of people from here that kind of makes me want to go home. I also feel like the pressures from school are getting to me. I hope that I end this semester on a decent note. If I don't have to repeat a philosophy class, I hope to actually stay a little while longer. After this semester, I'm not taking anymore philosophy classes. I find gender studies to be much easier. I also heard that the education minor is pretty easy, except it has more required credits. I even thought about Basque as a minor. I just really want to hurry up and graduate or at least end this semester.

New Recipes/Gadgets & Vegan Supplement Powders/ Commentary

I've been away due to focusing mostly on school and everything else. I only hope that I do well at the end of this semester with two art classes and two philosophy classes taken already. I did not give up on living an inexpensive vegan lifestyle.  I was supposed to post this blog a long time ago, but with computer issues and going though so much I postponed everything pertaining to this blog.

New Recipes

Vegetarian Kofta This recipe should be pretty easy to make from microware. Getting the kofta balls to crisp should not be too difficult if I put oil on them before adding them into the microhearth. A few substitutions would have to be made, but pulling off this recipe filled with delicate flavors without a stove should not be that difficult.

Vegan Tikka Masala I made a vegan version of a Tikka Masala this Christmas with a jarred version of the sauce without marinade. It was superb. I used to remaining sauce to make a Tempeh/Garbanzo bean "sloppy joe". That was also amazing. When I get the sauce, I'll ship it back to where I go to school.

Lentil Sauce for Pasta This is a healthier alternative to the typical marinara sauce used for speghetti and other pasta. This is a basic recipe that can be tailored to anyone's taste.

Easy Pesto Sauce This is a basic pesto sauce that can be used as an alternative to the nonvegan version. Pine nuts can be expensive, although I still plan on buying them per pound at a supermarket, I can add blanched almonds along with the pine nuts to make this recipe cost effective.

Papusas : This is an El Salvadorean dish that is commonly made with meat and cheese. This recipe seems like an easy and convenient recipe that can be made in a microware dish. This food is less common than the Mexican food found in variations all over the country. I used to think these were made with flour and thought that they were rolled out with a pin. They are made with corn flour and rolled into a ball and patted flat before toasting or baking them.

Cross-Cut Fries like Chicken Nuggets : I want to seriously try this recipe. I've been trying to make veggie patties without success. Hopefully I'll be able to make them in the future.

I have recipes from every website I came across littered all over this blog. I plan on posting my version of all of the linked recipes.

Rice Vada : This is an indian recipe for what can be done to left over cooked rice. This food channel is also my favorite because the recipes are pretty easy and inexpensive, vegan substitutions can be made. I do believe that white rice does not have to be used. Barley or even brown rice can be used for this recipe.

Bankok Bean Burgers


Gadgets and Vegan Supplements

I did pretty well this semester with money considering that I ended up throwing away half of my grocery bill into the UNR dumpster behind the dorms. So, I managed to buy a microhearth. I didn't know they exist until I looked up the Tastiwave. I was going to get a Tastiwave until I read bad reviews about them. So, I got a brand that was made in Korea. It looks like it can cook everything. I think having this is going to be much more convenient than trying to use a rice cooker that I have to plug in all the time. Anyways, I ordered one and it says that it's going to come in two weeks. That's almost when finals start.

4/28/11 : I tried out the Microhearth and I love it so much. I plan on moving back home at the end of this summer and attend school in Southern California, so I won't need the microhearth. I'll only need it if I live in an efficiency apartment that does not have a full kitchen. Those are hard to find. I made several recipes. I tried to make some lentil kofta balls, but they fell apart due to the recipe. I fried tofu in it and it turned out crispy like I like them. No more anticipating trips to the Asian restaurants. I also made a soup with the fried tofu and it was amazing. I'll be posting that recipe soon. I give it 4 out of 5 stars, only because it won't cook when it's slightly overfilled. Otherwise, I love this product and if I decided to stay at my school I'll continue to buy the other two microhearths from this company.

I was supposed to order a vegan supplement powder that I can drink with smoothies. I didn't get to mainly because it was expensive, but I since I might be going home for good I purchase it from Whole Foods or somewhere. One of my vegan friends that I haven't heard from a while contacted me out of the blue. He's one of those die-hard vegans that I inspire to be like. It feels somewhat like one of those upperclass well-carried cousins that I admired as a kid randomly decides to visit me just to see how I'm doing. Or, simply put it, kind of like the ten year class reunion. So, I was almost crazy enough to order it. I'm so happy I didn't. There are better and less expensive alternatives to health drink mixes.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Recipes for the "Extended" Winter

It did not decided to start snowing here until last week. I figure that eventually this place will be covered in snow. Grocery shopping in this weather can be difficult since I do not want to be stuck anywhere. I found some recipes that may be good enough to get rid of the winter blues.

Thai Green Curry Lentils I have pretty much all the ingredients except the chard and ginger. For the sake of not having the ingredients listed, some substitutions can be made. I don't want to spend too much money on food. I still want to/have to go to summer school. Next time I try this recipe, I will add kale and make this a variation of my kale lentil recipe.

Baha Tofu Tacos With Cilantro Coleslaw This is another recipe by a user from vegweb.com. I think I'll make some substitutions for this recipe. There are some things that I can't find like the soy yogurt. I can marinade the tofu strips in a creamy homemade sauce, instead of coating in soy yogurt. A good side dish for these would be the taquila lime rice recipe (will be posted soon).

Berry Smoothie I'm one of those people who can eat alot of calories and still be rail thin. This is supposed to be a "filler" smoothie, for days that you don't want to eat. Being someone who likes to indulge and in some cases overindulge, I would add alcohol to this and serve it with the taco recipe above.

Tangy and Sweet Raspberry Vodka This is an alcoholic beverage for those who want sweetened hard liquor.

Cherry Velvet Limeade Mocktail For those who have vestal tastebuds.

I usually post recipes that I really like and try to make variations of them. When I get my own place (again) I will definately make these. For the second two recipes, I will feel bad being greedy and eating too many of them (I usually eat three vegan tacos, with a side of rice). I love my own cooking, so I'm confident that these will taste good.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Consciousness About Products (Philosophical)

One of the disadvantages of living in a capitalistic society is that when it comes to buying products, you don't know about them until years after using them. I've been working hard to maintain a vegan diet for about five years and I've been actively trying to use products that are cruelty free and are not animal tested. It's pretty sad that I live in a culture that puts the economy before integrity and humanity. I plan on being one person less that will be using products that derive from animal ingredients or have been tested on animals.

PETA can be pretty unethical at times, especially when they put unadopted animals to sleep and when they believe that they are the spokespersons for veganism, they can be annoying. However, I would trust them to tell me whether or not something is vegan over someone who works for a major corporation that supports animal exploitation.

They provide a list of companies that test on animals. You're probably thinking, "Neb, why is animal testing so bad? Isn't eating a vegan diet good enough?" The answer to that would be "No, if you are aware of supporting animal testing and still consume the products, then why be vegan in the first place?"

Dove is one of the companies that support animal testing. My mom used their soap when I was born. The hospital I was born at used their soap as well. All these years being vegan, I thought companies that used animal testing were upperclass high-end cosmetic that had customers draped in furs and basked in conflict diamonds and such. After reading the list, I think "Oh my god! All these years I supported them and called myself vegan!" Now that I saw the list, I know better and when I walk to Walgreen's and shop for soap and other household items, I will look for the logo with the bunny rabbit that says "Cruelty Free" below it.

I think the philosophical aspect of why animal testing and consuming animal products are bad should be addressed in my other blog (Ungrounded Gamer), but I think because this blog is dedicated to veganism, the lifestyle and in some sense ascetism I will address it here.

An Argument in Defense of Veganism and Not Supporting Animal Testing (Politically Incorrect Version)

People do things to animals, and what I mean by that is everyday common people who would not give veganism or even vegetarianism a second thought. Through out history and even today humans eat animals, we own them as pets, we make products with them, we use them as a source of entertainment and we espcially use them for labor. The one thing that we do not normally is have sex with animals. In most countries in the world it is illegal to have sex with animals and in most cultures, vast majority of all world cultures, beastiality is taboo. It's almost equivalent to having sex with minors, or even dead people. One argument that people give about why it's not acceptable to have sex with animals is that animals cannot consent to having sex with people.

I feel like people, if they are going to be pro-meat and use animals for all other things in life, why not go all the way with it. By the way, I give this argument credit to someone who brought it up on Youtube in the comment section of a video about veganism. It still takes forever to come up with compelling arguments about veganism, even though there are so many. This argument can make people who consume animal flesh and use the service of animals look bad. Anti-vegans like to point out our inconsistencies. It only makes sense to come up with arguments that can make them look bad. "Why do you love dogs and cats so much as pets and yet you eat meat and get mad at cultures that eat dogs and cat?"

Most people who use the argument that humans do not have sex with animals because animals cannot consent are not using a strong argument (starting to sound like Peter Singer here). Those same animals do not consent to being eaten, used as a form of entertainment and labor, have their young taken from them, being used for labor and so forth. Just like the dead and children do not consent to things being done to them, the same argument can be used for the consumption of animals. I would respect the argument that having sex with animals can spread diseases in human population. In fact, that is one argument that I would use to say as of why *I* would not do it, besides the fact that there is nothing attractive about animals and there is nothing attractive about human beings dressing up as other animals. I definately do not advocate beastiality.

They can also argue that it is unnatural but that would be the Appeal to Nature Fallacy. We all do things that are unnatural. I think a better argument is to cite how psychologically damaging it is to the individual and how it's not  "normal". A hallmate used this argument to explain why black women should not straighten their hair, but she looked ignorant. There are black women who naturally have straight hair, and this is an argument for another post. People who use this fallacy in arguments are the first people who think they get a gold star, when they really don't. Humans do so many unnatural things that using the argument of nature is a weak attempt at winning. It also implies that nature is good and flawless. Humans evolve to change their surroundings to suit them. Yes, biology does not catch up with human society, but this is why we change our way of thinking.

One can also use statitistics to point out why we should not do some things to animals, but we can do other things to them. Statistics would be a really bad argument. A hallmate tried to use statistics to strengthen his own argument, when he does not understand that statistics can be manipulated and used by anyone. I would go as far as to say that he used so many straw man arguments, that's another story. Statisticscan be a legitimate way of supporting a claim or it can be a cheap shot just to get the other person to shut up. You cannot exclusively use logic in an argument. That is what people who are against animal rights and welfare do. Some would go as far as using their religious texts to explain why it's acceptable to use animals, but that would be appealing to emotions and authority. It would not make sense, because many people do not share the same religious beliefs.

Alternatives to Animal Testing

I posted my frustration in one sentence on my Facebook page. A response was "What are the alternatives?". First, I would say that the fact that the product has to be tested on animals is telling of the ingredients that belong in the product. I suggested using volunteers or clinical studies. I do not see how testing on animals will tell me if the product is better for me or not. Vegans usually use plant-based products on their bodies. I would go as far as to say we should use products that are not only cruelty free, but are also conflict free or fair trade. These are alternatives to animal testing.

Here is a disclaimer: I know that not everything in life can be optionally cruelty-free. I know that the medicine that I consume will be animal tested, especially if they are antibiotics. I have doctors even telling me that I should give up trying to sustain a cruelty-free lifestyle, due to health and other reasons. That's probably one of the reasons why I gave up the idea of being an engineer. I gave up the chance for a job that will pay my student loans twice over in a few months, but I also gave up all those long hours of studying, exposure to math, science and engineering that will take the joy away from school, and I gave up the possibility that I will use an animal for dissecting or testing. If I went into a field such as animal science and biology, I would still be testing on animals. Most vegans know that there are some things we can't give up. It's not like being a strict Christian where people are more understanding. If that was the case then people who are vegan would not be criticised for the way we decided to live our lives.

Makeshift Sloppy Joe's Recipe/ Other Things

Sloppy Joe's (2/12/11)

I made this recipe in my rice cooker in my dorm room. I was craving sloppy joe's because I wanted to kind of make up for not attending/having a Super Bowl party.

Ingredients

1/2 can vegan sloppy joe's sauce (I used Manwich, It's vegan)

1/2 pack Boca Ground Meatless Crumbles

1 small white onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chooped

1 roma tomato, chopped

1/2 cup water

1Tbsp oil

Salt, to taste

Items to make sanwich: whole wheat vegan buns or pita bread,
avocado, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, etc


Method

1.In a rice cooker add: meatless crumbles, chopped onion, bell pepper and tomato along with 1/2 cup water and oil

2.Stir and close the rice cooker and let simmer.

3.When water is cooked out almost completely add salt and half can sloppy joe's sauce. Simmer with top of rice cooker open until the liquid is significanntly reduced.

*These turned out pretty well. I was a little worried about what happened if I used my rice cooker, but making this in a rice cooker turned out better than making it in the microwave. I would have to use a different brand of meatless crumbles because the Boca brand is not microwaveable.

Other Things

I finally went grocery shopping. My hallmate/ on and off again arch nemesis took me in his car along with his two friends. I didn't grab every single thing I needed, due to a small refrigerator, but I believe I can work with what I have. This is where canned beans and dried foods come in handy.Today I had left over sloppy joe's. Tonight I paid $6 for a box of cereal that I could have gotten for $4 or less. The next time I crave for something I don't have, I will open my refrigerator and see how much food I can make.

I'm a rather adventurous person (sort of). I should have went out this weekend alone. I think tomorrow I can do something else. Maybe I'll study and work on art first, and then go to the movies and make something. I can also try the curry recipe that I want to make in the rice cooker. I love cooked food that is not nuked in a microwave. I believe if I cut the potatoes tonight and microwave them, then I won't have to boil them in the rice cooker. I can save that for either the quinoa or the curry. I'm also scared to microwave the quinoa. They are such precious seeds. Hopefully I can make a good curry from the rice cooker like I did with the sloppy joe's.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Debunk: The Vegan Diet vs. The Raw Food Diet

I noticed that in the spectrum of vegetarianism, there have been some clashes between the vegans and the raw foodist. I personally do not have a problem with the raw food diet, or raw vegan diet or those who practice it. However, I do have a criticism when raw foodists do not specify if they are raw vegans or just raw foodists. Some raw foodists do eat animal flesh. It may be raw fish, raw milk, or even raw meat. Some claim that the raw food diet is better than the vegan diet. I'll go as far to say that they can be condenscending about it or perceived to be, just as vegans are perceived to be condenscending toward those who are not vegan. I plan on trying a raw food diet on the weekdays and eating the standard, but healthy vegan diet on the weekends or on vacations. With my current situation, a raw diet on the weekdays seems like the best idea considering that everything has chemicals in it, packaged in a can or frozen tray or has something that I'm not supposed to eat in it.

I read a blog that criticised the way PETA interprets the vegan diet. I do not know if I should link the blog here, she has a fanbase and I do not, so I think it's best that I debunk the blog post using my five year expertise on veganism.  I'm going to logically debunk this person without using too much appeal to emotion or authority.

"I get this question asked often by meat eaters:



If eating a plant based diet is so healthy then why are so many vegans still overweight?


It’s a GREAT question and it’s something I’ve noticed as well.


The reason why this happens is because most vegans substitute the VEGAN versions of the junk foods they used to eat on the Standard Diet."

First, I would like to agree with her that there are some vegans who are over weight and/or unhealthy. However, the pounds that they pack from the unhealthy vegan diet are miniscule compared to the Standard American Diet which consists of MEAT, DAIRY, CARBS and SUGARS. My mom's dietician told me about a three hundred pound vegan that walked into her office, which will lead to my second point. Some people who are starting out on the vegan diet are misinformed about what is really vegan and what is not. Even with the well-informed vegans out there, some of them do not want to miss out on what the mainstream American culture has to offer when it comes to food and social activities. A good example would be Superbowl Sunday. Every year, every dorm I stay in either has a party celebrating the championship or they have a gathering at a restaurant. I am most likely the only vegan in the hall I am staying in now. I ask them all the time last year if they can have a vegan option, and they only followed up twice. People who do not consume meat or anything are still human. There are companies that know that vegans still want to live a normal life. That's why they make foods such as veggie burgers, breads with no milk and eggs, meat substitutes, organic pastas and so forth. So for the big game, most likely I'm going to celebrate with my understanding friends or just make some tempeh and mushroom vegan sloppy joe's. We already get criticised from the meat eaters and vegetarians about our diet. There is no reason why a raw foodist should the same to vegans.

"If you guessed fresh fruits and vegetables, you’re ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.  Now in PETA’s defense they probably figured that a person becoming a vegan would already KNOW that fresh fruits and vegetables ARE vegan so I suppose I can’t fault them for that!"

The purpose of being vegan is to abstain from all forms of animal exploitation, mutilation and degradation. A true vegan is supposed to give up all animal products, which is difficult, but it can happen. Most people who are vegan do not want to participate in the industry's exploitation of animals. This is perhaps why PETA's list consists of "junkfood". They are activists, not dieticians. I know people who ask me about being vegan because they want to lose weight and I'm like "why the hell you are asking me?" I have to tell them nicely that it's a lifestyle. They do not necessarily have to adapt to the vegan lifestyle such as giving up impossible things, but giving up foods with animal products is a good step. Fruits and vegetarbles are obviously vegan. There is no need to be redundant.

"Something that vegans need to understand is that they CAN’T live primarily on vegan JUNK FOOD and expect to be healthy.



Unfortunately being VEGAN isn’t enough to get healthy. In order to experience OPTIMAL HEALTH it’s important to eat a primarily RAW diet (as close to 100% as possible)."

That is a myth about people who are vegan and vegetarians that people tend to make. It's insulting to someone who is working really hard to maintain a regular vegan diet to assume that they think they can live off of vegan junkfood. I'll admit that sometimes I do eat foods that are questionable sometimes, but I don't eat them as my everyday meal. The most that I've done too many times is make vegan pancakes everyday of the week for a week and I didn't gain a single pound. Most people who are vegan participate in a healthy vegan diet. Some of us are not perfect. Occassionally we do end up eating food that we find out later that is vegetarian and we just not patronize that particular business anymore. Most of the time we read every ingredient and we ask every waiter about the dish of choice.

A vegan diet can be enough for an individual, it is a matter of research and modification. A raw food diet is not always the optimal choice of diet because of its abiguity. If I am going to be a raw foodist, what kind am I going to be? Am I going to be a raw vegan? A raw vegetarian who drinks unpasteurized milk? Or am I going to be a raw omnivore who eats raw fish and raw red meats? I have been noticing that the rawfoodists, not all but some of them try to sale their diet as though it is the most superior. I tell people about my diet and they say that they can't do it and I just leave them alone.

I think before the woman who posted about the vegan diet on her blog needs not to judge vegans. She still uses honey, which is not a vegan product, so she cannot judge people for their way of eating a non-meat diet. A responder to her posted stated that she was turned off by the vegan diet because the people she knew who were vegan are overweight. I've been vegan for pretty much five years with the exception of eating fish once a month in the summer in 08 (which I regret). All the vegans I know are thin, lean and some cases underweight. I have never seen a vegan who was fat. To me that's like seeing a unicorn.

The best thing to do is decide for yourself which diet is the most appropriate. I plan on trying a raw diet, mainly because I do not want to live off of a microwave all the time. I think it helps to have a rice cooker. I would not have to eat out of a microwave. I want to try a half regular vegan and half raw vegan diet to eat more fruits and vegetables and to cut out raw sugar and sweets. Sometime, I'll make a menu with the vegan foods that I'll be eating on campus.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

It Is a Bloody Shame How People Are Misinformed And Judgemental

Yahoo's Shine is not a good source of information about veganism or vegetarianism. This article is an example of one of those cases of poor journalism skills, not to mention the ignorant and blood boiling comment in the response section. I had my share of dealing with people who are misinformed and do not care about what you tell them about anything. This is why alot of people have this "stick with your own" mentality.

*This post will be updated after homework*

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Moving Back on Campus/ Other News

Yeah....I made the irrational decision to move back on campus, instead of ust looking for an apartment closer to my school. Next time I'll think more rationally, because now I will be required to live out of a microwave unless I adapt the raw food diet. The raw vegan diet seems like a better alternative to a microwave that damages important vitamins and nutrients. So, I'm looking into smoothies, fruit bars and the like. I can only hope that I have a nice roommate. Hopefully. My mom suggested buying apples, oranges and bananas and cutting them up and eating them, but I was trying to tell her that those are not the only inexpensive fruits sold in stores. I can always eat salads, sprouted seeds and beans, sprouted wheat berries and the usual alfalfa sprouts. Aside from eating those foods on the weekdays, I can eat vegan soy or rice yogurt on the weekends, if I'm allowed a rice cooker, then I can use it to make soups, rice, fillings for sandwiches, etc. I will keep a microwave just to heat up a few packaged meals or instant foods. In light of the new situation, a new food list (suggestion list that I usually make) will be added for the raw vegan and semi raw vegan diet (I'll be a semi raw vegan).

Other News

I was going to save this until I'm done with at least three sketches for drawing class, but I have to put in my commentary. Jack Lalanne has died today at the age of 96. For those who do not know him, he a fitness guru that came up with the Jack Lalanne juicer and he partially accredits juicing to his health and vitality. I usually don't look up to other vegetarians and vegans because I would expect them to be perfect and not fail, but I give him credit for at least trying to healthy eating and excercise out there. If I can really choose who inspired me to be vegan, I would say COK.Net, Upton Sinclaire and one of my mom's friends who was trying out veganism. This was aside from fasting due to poor body image when I was 18. Then again, I was and still am an anti-fat person.

A friend of mine posted a question on facebook. She asked if parents of severely obese children should have their kids taken away from them. I believe that the answer is yes, they should. If it's possible for a vegan parent to have their children taken away from them for prescribing that diet to them, then someone who stuffs his or her's child to oblivion with fats, sugars and simple carbs should have his or her's child taken away. I see it on Maury too many times aside from the DNA and lie detector tests. A parent is confronted by someone because the paren't child is obese. I understand the right to not miss a meal, but there is a need for moderation. Obesity should be seen for what it is: something that can be prevented and controlled. A child's quality of life will be diminished because obese children will have a hard time catching up with the other children. Later in life he would be a candidate for diebetes and heart disease and not to mention the social implications such as being bullied by other children due to weight. So, a parent who carelessly gives a child whatever he or she wants without advocating a whole healthy diet along with excercise is neglecting the child's health and wellbeing and the child deserves to be taken away. There were others who responded to her and disagree with taking children away for being obese. I think some opposition is due to having a Libertarian philosophy when it comes to raising children. I noticed the "I don't care as long as if it does not disrupt the social fabric" mentality in this city as well. I believe that it's the parents' responsibility to raise the children also. Maybe parenting classes can help as an alternative, but I would not rule out CPS in this case.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

My New Yr's Resolution

Veganism has only been popular within the past five years. However, most food companies use chemicals to treat and process their products before putting them on the shelf. I came across some ingredients in some conventional bread that I did not know were non-vegan. My goal for 2011 is to make all my food from scratch using mostly fresh ingredients and as little processed food as possible. I think it is pertanent to read every ingredient and look up every ingredient as possible. The best way to go is making everything from scratch.

Recipes

Baby Potato and Broccoli Salad

Yoga Soup

Sunflower Seed Sour Cream

Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

Tofu Sour Cream

Essene Bread (Raw)

Coconut Whipped Cream

Enchilada Recipe

This is my take on the enchilada. Some of these ingredients are canned. Fresh ingredients can be used for the sauce or the filling.

Ingredients

Corn Tortilla Shells*

1 12oz can garbanzo beans*

1 12oz can green enchilada sauce*

1 8oz pack tempeh, any flavor

1 small white onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 1/2 cups green beans, I used french cut

1/2 peas

1/2 bag  fresh spinach

Earth balance margarine

1 cup vegan cheese, preferably rice cheese

Canned olives

Salt to taste


Method

1. In a sauce pan, place tempeh in water. Simmer in water until both sides are soft. When fully boiled, place tempeh in a bowl.

2. Drain, rinse and heat chickpeas until soft. Add into bowl with tempeh.

3. With a potato masher, roughly crumble tempeh and garbanzo beans.

4. In a pan on medium heat, add oil.

5. Add garlic, onion and cilantro. Cook until brown. Add tempeh-garbanzo bean mixture and heat until toasted. Add peas and green beans. Cook until slightly brown. Add cooked mixture into a bowl.

6. In a 9x13 baking dish, cover in foil.

7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a microwavable plate, heat the corn tortilla shells, three shells at a time for 30 seconds or until soft.
Place in baking pan and add spinach and 1/4 teaspoon margarine to each shell and add bean filling. Roll each  filled shell. Repeat until baking dish is full.

8. Pour enchilada sauce over filled rolls. Add rice cheese and sliced black olives. Bake for 15-20 min or until cheese is melted and sauce is well incorporated into the enchiladas.

Serves 4-8 (Two tortilla rolls per serving)

* Fresh ingredients can be used in lieu of canned/frozen ingredients. I also recommend being adventurous with the corn tortilla shells. I tried some tortilla shells made from corn and cactus in a taco and they were amazing. Perhaps I will use them in this recipe as well.

* A friend of mine gave me a list of ingredients that goes in the green enchilada sauce. If I can find the list, I can make a variation of this sauce and the recipe.

Condiments and Sides for this dish:

I used vegan rice cheese and tofutti sour cream as toppings. I want to try this recipe with Tzatziki sauce made vegan, using some previous recipes that I posted. To make the sauce more like sour cream and less like soy or coconut yogurt, strain it overnight before serving.

A healthy side dish would be the Taquila Lime Rice recipe with cilantro, except substitute quinoa for rice and to make this dish more American vegan, add kale or a type of mild green like spinach. Rice can be boring at times. I really love brown rice, more so than white rice. This recipe can also be used with tabouli or couscous, depending on where you are going with the main dish.

The recipe can get a bit expensive, especially if the ingredients are from Whole Foods(inc.). There are only four items from Whole Foods: Tempeh, which  can be purchased at Trader Joe's (inc), Earth balance margarine, tofutti sour cream and vegan rice cheese. I recommend making items from scratch when possible.