tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24832235346572684162024-03-17T20:03:44.687-07:00I Quit Eating MeatOne meat-eater's path to going vegan.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-63521462445739887772012-03-26T09:24:00.001-07:002012-03-28T10:59:44.382-07:002012, checking in.My diet has been evolving, but it's definitely not vegan. As people love to tell me. I'm still struggling with similar things that I detailed in my post <a href="http://iquiteatingmeat.blogspot.com/2011/08/its-not-easy.html">"It's Not Easy"</a> at the end of last year. I still get asked all the time how being vegan is going, or if I'm a vegetarian... <br />
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For people who are truly interested, I usually say something like: "I'm 90% vegan, and 100% at home because it's easy." And I usually follow that by saying I'll still eat meat occasionally, even steak, a burger here and there. Often I hear this: "You're not a vegan!!!" Ok, this is true. Technically. But, I'm vegan an overwhelming majority of the time. This type of surprise doesn't happen in analogous situations. Example: People often say they don't drink. Then, they follow it up by saying they have a glass of wine occasionally, at special events, celebrations. I've never heard someone exclaim "You drink!!!" It's understood it's a lifestyle choice to basically not drink. Same thing with smoking. I mean, c'mon. To be vegan most of the time is pretty crazily different than the average person. How about some props fictional example person!!!<br />
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I'm thinking it might be a good idea to lay out what I've been doing for the past 3 months, and what my goals are for the future.<br />
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<b>Current:</b><br />
<i>At Home: </i><br />
Pretty much 100% vegan. I've figured out all the substitute foods and have enough experience that I pretty much get along fine cooking for myself. Occasionally I may have some bread that's not vegan maybe...<br />
<br />
<i>Out: </i><br />
90% vegan. Here's my quick math. 3 meals/day is 90 meals/month. roughly 9 non-vegan meals brings it down by 10%. That sounds about right, if anything I eat meat less than that. Maybe more like once a week. I had a turkey burger yesterday for lunch. <br />
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<b>Goal:</b><br />
<i>At Home: </i><br />
Keep doing what I'm doing.<br />
<br />
<i>Out: </i><br />
I'd like to cut down to once or twice a month to have non-vegan meals. I think to get there I'll start by making a conscious effort to only have a non-vegan meal once a week. Once I have that figured out, it should be easier to cut that in half.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com222tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-69322554642407680142011-12-02T10:13:00.000-08:002011-12-02T10:14:59.585-08:00Apps for VegansI've put together a list of a few apps I find handy. I assume many of them are available on the Android Market, but I've only linked them up to the Apple iTunes store here. All of them are free as well.<br />
<br />
Vegan Steven<br />
This app is pretty cool, and I imagine it works pretty well in most major cities. It uses your current location to find local restaurants that have veggie/vegan options. It also has user reviews and star ratings all inside the app. Great for traveling or if you just wanna try something new.<br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vegansteven-be-healthy-eat/id316799910?mt=8%20">http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vegansteven-be-healthy-eat/id316799910?mt=8 </a><br />
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Vegan YumYum<br />
I love this cookbook, and amazingly she has all her recipes on the app as well. Plus, each recipe has an interactive checklist for shopping, and of course, the beautiful step-by-step photography.<br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/veganyumyum-mobile/id294390088?mt=8">http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/veganyumyum-mobile/id294390088?mt=8</a><br />
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PETA<br />
This app makes it SUPER easy to take action for various causes. Open it up, select a cause you want to help out with, it automatically populates and email with your info and a pre-written letter and you just hit send! Easy as that.<br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peta/id421236952?mt=8">http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peta/id421236952?mt=8</a> <br />
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HumaneTV<br />
In case you ever want to prove to anyone the horrific conditions that exist in factory farming and puppy mills, etc., this app aggregates all of the great work the Humane Society has done.<br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/humanetv/id351446093?mt=8">http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/humanetv/id351446093?mt=8</a>I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-23722361118028775462011-09-18T14:35:00.000-07:002011-09-18T14:35:52.226-07:00Veggie GrillIn case anyone is sleeping on the fast growing chain called Veggie Grill, you have to try it! It's not really advertised as vegan, but all their food is 100% plant-based and vegan. And most of all, yummy! They have great sides like kale salad, mac and cheese, chili and slaw. The chili is my current favorite. And my favorite sandwich? The Bali Bliss with blackened tempeh. For me, the blackened option is key. Here's what it looks like:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zs_Hg7nJwisqZEK5jCosmEOBHuSRR2lsv05XdfxUBXZxHb5QnlaEQboG7NKz8T_OVP9HMlbJc44UG-FNLlh_kqS6R2ZmufaiWal9zdIo2luUUZXqnYGxn2ooZbas3q-iUH0cJKKiiPs/s1600/IMG_2634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zs_Hg7nJwisqZEK5jCosmEOBHuSRR2lsv05XdfxUBXZxHb5QnlaEQboG7NKz8T_OVP9HMlbJc44UG-FNLlh_kqS6R2ZmufaiWal9zdIo2luUUZXqnYGxn2ooZbas3q-iUH0cJKKiiPs/s320/IMG_2634.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Check out their site for a location near you! <br />
http://veggiegrill.com/I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com209tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-4190723214970087952011-08-18T21:17:00.000-07:002011-08-18T21:17:24.465-07:00Gary Yourofsky's SpeechI finally got around to watching this video. Well, let me be clear. I finally brought myself to watch this video. <a href="http://days-like-today.blogspot.com/">Lisa's Days</a> was kind enough to leave me an inspirational comment in a previous post, and she said this video turned her from veggie to vegan. I was scared to watch it. I didn't know what to expect. Horrific slaughterhouse scenes? Screaming animals? I've seen so many videos like that, but finally I clicked the link.<br />
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It's about an hour long, and i watched the entire thing in one sitting as soon as I clicked it. It's basically a college lecture by an animal rights activist. And I stress the term "activist" because he's actually done things like breaking into labs and freeing animals. But, his rationale on being a vegan, our collective lack of compassion towards animals, and the nutritional realities of veganism are very compelling. It's impossible to argue with his points.<br />
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Towards the end of the video, he shows the students some graphic slaughterhouse and factory farm footage, about 3 minutes worth. Since seeing that, I think I've eaten meat or dairy twice. Every time I crave it or think about ordering it those images appear in my mind and I can't go through with it. He reminded me of my own compassion which I lost recently, apparently.<br />
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So, I highly recommend watching this if you're on the fence, or are looking for good talking points when discussing veganism with others. Here it is:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6U00LMmC4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6U00LMmC4</a><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/es6U00LMmC4" width="380"></iframe><br />
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I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com199tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-87330552678482633252011-08-08T12:48:00.000-07:002011-08-08T12:48:05.295-07:00It's not easy.Generally, I try to be fairly positive. But, today, I have to voice a pet peeve of mine. A loud chorus from the vegetarian/vegan community states how "easy" it is to go veg, or vegan. I understand the motivation in saying this - they want to overcome the barrier most people have in changing their diets. Or they're trying to hype themselves up - also understandable. But, the truth is, it's not so easy. It's really not easy. It's actually very difficult. And framing it otherwise does the community a disservice. <br />
<br />
In order to get proper nutrition with a vegan diet, I have to be super-on-top-of-it. We're talking daily fortified smoothies, constantly eating snacks like fruits and nuts and seeds, and trying to find things on menus when in a rush or at less-than-friendly restaurants. This is not easy. And if it's not done properly, it results in weakness or fatigue or malnutrition. Plus, regular meat eaters/lovers crave meat. This is a huge barrier to overcome. Overcoming, culture, access to vegan food, and personal discipline are all huge factors.<br />
<br />
So, what do I suggest? Truth. If you truly believe it's super easy than by all means keep saying it. But, I say it would help to have empathy for those who struggle (like myself). For example, say someone decides to try and be vegan and they find they're having constant cravings, or difficulty with their families. If they only see and hear from the community how easy it is, it's going to make people feel like failures. That's not cool. I guess that's why I started this blog - to prove it could be done, easy or not.<br />
<br />
I still hope it will inspire others to try this vegan thing, even though I'm still struggling.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com207tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-73298394967720821942011-07-20T20:18:00.000-07:002011-07-21T10:19:46.237-07:00"Eco Chef" Bryan Au - Raw Star RecipesBryan Au was nice enough to send me a copy of his new raw cookbook entitled "Raw Star Recipes" and I must say it's great. And, he's cool enough that he wrote me personal emails to support and guide my return to veganism. It's the initiative of people like him that make me feel part of a community and inspire me to do better. So, first of all, thanks for that Bryan.<br />
<br />
What I like about this cookbook is even though I haven't actually made any of the recipes yet, I've gotten a lot out of it. He spends the first 20 pages or so discussing his reasons for eating raw and vegan, and explaining what his staples are. For example, he cites research that eating miso instead of salty soy products can actually counter the toxins produced in the body that result from radiation (cell phones, etc.)<br />
<br />
Now on to the food. I love cookbooks with lots of full color pictures and this one is not lacking there. He's got everything from donuts to pho, salad dressings to gravy, sloppy joe's to sushi, and everything in between. I'm amazed that all of it is RAW!<br />
<br />
Bryan dedicates the book to "...everyone and the entire planet because I love you all...".<br />
Thanks for your support.<br />
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You can learn more about Bryan's book and how to get a copy here: <a href="http://ecochefapp.com/">EcoChefApp.com</a><a href="http://www.ecochefapp.com/"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ecochefapp.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLjgmipDCPDaZzefdXXt70jv66xMtAWkvsoHtHeEKwWMsmlbyMSm-L-eoAQoH_GmNtwwUZQaI2edOk9qn4Y8XE6g_7U9bmriVOqBZeoyZV251MRezhGx4TZ-OVVuu50SvDS9koN8rNK8/s320/New+Yellow+Cover+with+Clam+Chowder.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com202tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-25144619570467587192011-07-08T15:09:00.000-07:002011-07-08T15:09:58.936-07:00SlopSo I can't say I'm vegan yet, not really vegetarian either. I'm at about twice a week for meat at this point. For example, I just ate a turkey sandwich for lunch. But, it was on whole wheat, had fresh avocado, no mayo, just mustard, and lettuce. At least it was dairy-free. I'm really getting much better about drinking my green smoothies everyday, and that helps a lot. <br />
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I have a new plan though, and it will hopefully ease my anxiety about cutting out meat entirely. What's this plan you ask? Eating slop. I made my first batch o' slop yesterday, and it is surprisingly tasty. <i> </i><br />
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<i>Here's the theory:</i> Meat is the only way to get the complete protein chain besides quinoa. So, in order to get quinoa in my diet daily, I'll always have a slop concoction in the fridge, and I'll have a scoop or 2 every day, just like I drink a daily green smoothie.<br />
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The best part is it's super-easy to make. I throw a bunch of stuff in the crockpot, and 4 hours later it's done! My first slop contained: Quinoa, a little rice, a potato, kidney beans, diced roma tomatoes, canned stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices. It's a chili-inspired slop. But, who knows, next time it might be a squash slop. Or a mixed veggie noodle slop. The possibilities are endless!<br />
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Wish me luck...I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com228tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-78746960337049403602011-06-20T16:26:00.000-07:002011-06-20T16:26:50.977-07:00Eating out with Dad on Dad's DayI don't like being preachy about meat-eating to anybody. I do enjoy a good conversation about it when others do, but generally I try to go more subtle. So, when my Dad chose a Lebanese restaurant for a Father's Day dinner, I knew that meat was going to be all over the place. He and his wife are huge meat eaters. My Dad's more open to vegetables and nutritional education, but his wife is very much into meat and doesn't have much of a concern for the effects. I thought I'd use the opportunity to try and slickly order some tasty veggie bits and see what their reaction would be. <br />
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The place is called Cleo, on Vine and Hollywood in Los Angeles. It's some celebrity chef's venture, and although I'm not normally big into that kind of stuff, this place was really good! Their vegan options were basically nil. But, the veggie options were good. It works like a tapas bar. There are a bunch of $6 mini-plates everyone shares that come out sporadically, made to order. I ordered artichoke/olive/pepper/cheese flatbread, grilled artichokes (amazing!) and asparagus, and baba ganoush (eggplant). They ordered hummus, kibbeh (ground lamb), lamb shank, lamb kebab, chicken kebab, saffron rice. I had a small bite of each kebab, and they were damn good (sorry, i can't lie about this. Believe me, i would love to hate the taste of meat). My Dad had 1.5 asparagus, a couple artichokes, and a slice of flatbread. The only veggies his wife touched were the dips.<br />
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So, I guess the experiment went as expected. They likely would have eaten zero veggie items had I not ordered them, but in the end they only picked at them. And I suppose I did the same with the meat. Next time it's my turn to choose the spot we're going to Real Food Daily (all vegan). I wonder what will happen then? I'll let you know. He lives out of state, so it'll be a while.<br />
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Happy Father's Day pops. I plan to slowly get some veggies in you, like it or not!I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com203tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-47471095269552402642011-06-03T12:45:00.000-07:002011-06-03T12:45:59.130-07:00Walking around like my kitchen don't stinkWell, it doesn't.<br />
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One thing I think I neglected to mention since recommitting to being as close to vegan as possible, is that I cook 99% vegan at home. And one of the hugest benefits is that without meats and dairy, my trash and sink do not stink! For the first time in a long time, I cooked chicken at home recently, left the package in a tied up plastic bag for a few hours, stepped out, and when I returned home I was horrified at the awful stench! It seems much cleaner, safer, and fresher being meat-free at home. Also, I can pick up a knife or plate from the counter if I'm running low on dishes, and not worry that there's salmonella or e. coli bacteria on it. My funk-free kitchen is a huge plus.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-81588622881152778202011-05-31T16:31:00.000-07:002011-05-31T16:31:37.390-07:00Which Milk is the best?Michness made a good comment on my last post, and I thought the answer was worth explaining in detail. Here's my philosophy on dairy milk replacements: Mix it up. I rotate between Rice, Hemp, Soy, Almond, and Oat Milks. Some work better in particular applications. For example, hemp milk is the thickest, most milk-like of them all, so I like to use it make sauces, mac and cheese, and cereal milk. Rice milk is really thin and is best for smoothies since I like them as thin as possible.<br />
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The other major reason I mix them up is for nutrition. I'm not big on taking oral vitamins in pill form for various reasons, so fortified milks are a great way to get vitamins. However, for some reason they all have different balances of vitamins. Hemp milk is high in Omega 3s and 6s, Soy Milk is high in vitamin B12, Almond milk has a wider range of fortified vitamins. So, I figure when I mix them up I am more likely to get what I need.<br />
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Lastly, I try not to ingest too much soy, so I wanted soy milk alternatives. When I do buy soy, I make sure it's organic, since the majority of soybeans are genetically modified.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com199tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-64670841282147889042011-05-26T15:41:00.000-07:002011-05-26T15:41:34.529-07:00Foods I've replacedEven though I've been eating some meat and dairy, there are foods that have permanently replaced animal products in my kitchen, since they're just as tasty and easily replaced. This is a list of vegan foods I've incorporated into my diet, and the animal products they've replaced. Over time, these small changes I'm sure have added up to a much healthier diet.<br />
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1. Earth Balance soy-free spread, replacing butter<br />
2. Almond, Rice, Hemp and Soy Milks, replacing dairy milk<br />
3. Vegan "parmesan", replacing parmesan<br />
4. SO Delicious Coconut milk ice cream, replacing ice cream<br />
5. Vegan vitamins, replacing vitamins<br />
6. Amy's Dairy/Gluten free mac and cheese, replacing Kraft mac and cheese <br />
7. Amy's Dairy free frozen pizzas, replacing frozen pizzas<br />
8. Larabars, replacing various snack bars<br />
9. Nate's Meatless Meatballs, replacing ground turkey<br />
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That's all I can think of for now.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com108tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-91889775625307630982011-05-24T23:13:00.000-07:002011-05-24T23:13:16.824-07:00Starting over, slowerThe reason why I started this blog was to document and share my story, good or bad, as I decided to quit eating meat. That quickly turned into being vegan. I wanted to show that it was possible, even for a naysayer like myself who suddenly decided to make a change. Deep inside I was hoping it might inspire somebody to re-think their diet, but I didn't expect anyone to read it except my Mom. Well, now is a good time to check in, because it hasn't been working out. At least not in black and white terms. However, being vegan for a while, and doing all the research I did, my diet is changed forever, for the better.<br />
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Before and after my surgery (9 months ago) I started eating animal products again, mainly for nutritional purposes. I talked about it <a href="http://iquiteatingmeat.blogspot.com/2010/10/denial-again.html">here</a>. I've pretty much been rolling that way ever since. I've had some fully vegan weeks here and there, but that's it. I'm not fully physically healed, but I'm getting there. My body is still in the rebuilding stage, and it's important I continue to get stronger to protect my back from future injury.<br />
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Here's the conundrum. I want to be vegan. I want my body to thrive on a vegan diet. I really do. But, I felt myself lose energy. I couldn't put weight on. I lost weight. I felt weak. All the things that I had convinced myself don't happen to vegans. I don't know if I didn't eat a wide enough variety of foods, or if I didn't eat enough, or if my body genetically wasn't meant for veganism. But whatever the problem, it's a problem. And it's one I'm intent on solving. I want this blog to lead to a happy ending, where I figure out the vegan diet I need and can thrive with. I'm a little afraid that it might not happen.<br />
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Now that I've had some time to heal, and to think, I've decided to recommit to being vegan. This time though, I'm taking it slower. Instead of stopping all at once, I'm going to phase out animal products. And I'm really going to listen to my body and watch my weight. I will not compromise my health for this. Hopefully it won't come to that.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com96tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-11202545488870833522010-11-21T22:03:00.000-08:002010-11-21T22:03:06.049-08:002 Responsibilities (Dhamma)I came across the following passage recently, and it sure gets me thinking.<br />
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<i>"Having the precious opportunity of human birth, I have 2 responsibilities into the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_%28Buddhism%29">Dhamma</a>: (the teachings of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha" title="Gautama Buddha">Buddha</a>) The benefit of myself and the benefit of others. All other beings, whether they be human or non-human, visible or invisible, great or small, far or near, all these beings I shall treat with gentleness and wish that they may dwell in peace. May they be happy... May they be happy... May they be happy...! I shall help them when they experience suffering, and be glad with them when they are happy."</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">– <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Explained-Laurence-Khantipalo-Mills/dp/9747100851/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1">Buddhism Explained, Second Edition</a></span>I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com202tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-45590515114305250082010-11-02T20:28:00.000-07:002010-11-02T20:28:34.124-07:00Awwww, Poor Meat Industry :(As reported by the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/30/AR2010103000071.html%20%20%20and%20then%20this">Washington Post</a>, the meat industry is unhappy with<i> possible</i> new FDA <i>recommendations</i> governing the use of antibiotics in animals. We're not even talking about regulations here. And still, they are fighting this tooth and nail.<br />
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<i>Problem:</i><br />
Pumping animals with antibiotics their entire lives to avoid infections caused by their filthy living conditions is creating resistant strains of bacteria that concern the medical industry. These strains are making their way into the human food supply. Animals are fed antibiotics when they aren't sick—70% of all antibiotics in the U.S. are fed to livestock.<br />
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<i>Bigger problem:</i><br />
The FDA does not regulate the amount or type of antibiotics used, and this regulation seems to be far from happening. In the meantime, antibiotics used for humans are becoming less effective.<br />
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Unfortunately, the U.S. is behind the times. Surprise, surprise. The EU has had regulations for the past 10 years limiting the use of antibiotics. We can't even recommend this, apparently. Why is this hardly mentioned when there is an E. Coli outbreak or meat is recalled? Why aren't meat eaters sickened by these facts and opting to purchase organic meats, or, even more extreme, to stop eating it and feeding it to their kids? I think the answer is education.<br />
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Good job, Washington Post. Keep it up.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com203tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-49200160289264592192010-10-26T17:27:00.000-07:002010-10-26T17:27:53.874-07:00No Such Thing As a VeganThe article <a href="http://www.good.is/post/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-vegan/">"There is No Such Thing as a Vegan"</a> has been spinning around the internet pretty quickly in the last couple of days. And it's spawned a whole lot of smack-talking on message boards and comment fields. Not surprisingly, it's making it easy for people to demonize vegans, or say that we're not really vegans, or say that we're doing it all for nothing. It's not exactly helping the cause.<br />
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Here's the illustration that is the focus of the article:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1SAgz64CRsQYe4AJUsclIYQV8awyyJFbtbAS3-UwxbskHa5fnLPtDtr9NmvlhKws8bQAbmTMhALgyY1EAeKYmSMXhLhqSkQNTjO8w8SSH3OYfyiEIL3k-Re3b0ZspvyDa9Y1uXIeI64/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-10-26+at+4.15.00+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1SAgz64CRsQYe4AJUsclIYQV8awyyJFbtbAS3-UwxbskHa5fnLPtDtr9NmvlhKws8bQAbmTMhALgyY1EAeKYmSMXhLhqSkQNTjO8w8SSH3OYfyiEIL3k-Re3b0ZspvyDa9Y1uXIeI64/s320/Screen+shot+2010-10-26+at+4.15.00+PM.png" width="320" /></a><br />
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The truth is that most vegans ARE aware of those and all products derived from cows, fish, and all animals. But, as the founder of veganism, Donald Watson, himself explained, being a vegan does not mean being perfect. The definition is as follows:<br />
<i>"..."veganism" denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude — as far as is possible and practical — all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment."</i><br />
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Note the words possible and practical.<br />
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Here's a particularly scathing response in the comments, from "David":<br />
<i><span class="js-singleCommentText jsk-ItemBodyText">"Vegans are stupid. <br />
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Everything has to die eventually, even you. What do you think it's proving to avoid animal products? I don't condone the unnecessary torture and suffering of animals, but under normal regulations, the life of a cow is hardly insufferable. And even if it is -- oh well. It's a cow. Who gives a shit? Life feeds on life -- you think bacteria feels bad when it eats your decomposing ass? Stop with the bleeding heart nonsense and find bigger issues to worry about rather than where your crayons came from. Forget the cows, there's a lot of PEOPLE that need your help, if you wanna be all compassionate about something. Or just get rich -- f* it, you live once. The world is fine. Enjoy it and die. That's life."</span></i><br />
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<span class="js-singleCommentText jsk-ItemBodyText">That guy, David, is stupid. His logic is as follows: Animals are suffering and people are suffering. People are more important than animals. Therefore helping animals is stupid. This argument is flawed on so many levels. By this logic, spending time, money, or effort on anything other than helping suffering people is a bad idea. Somehow I think he would disagree with that.</span><br />
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<span class="js-singleCommentText jsk-ItemBodyText">But, there were a lot of positive comments, too.</span><i><span class="js-singleCommentText jsk-ItemBodyText"></span></i><span class="js-singleCommentText jsk-ItemBodyText"> </span>And, once the back and forth escalated, the author of the GOOD.is article, <a href="http://www.good.is/community/siobhan">Siobhan O'Conner,</a> explained her intentions in the comments section:<i><span class="js-singleCommentText jsk-ItemBodyText"> </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="js-singleCommentText jsk-ItemBodyText">"Wow what an amazing response, people. Just to clarify—our intention here was not to actually say it's impossible to be a vegan (that is, however, what the drawing says), but to highlight how HARD it is to avoid animal-derived products altogether. I knew about some of this stuff (particularly cosmetics and non-animal-seeming food products that contain cow parts) but a lot of it was news to me. I guess it raises an interesting question, though, about how far people can go, realistically, in the name of veganism. I myself adhere to a vegan diet most of the time, but I also mindfully indulge on occasion in other things. After years and years of varying degrees of vegetarianism, that's what's worked for me. Vegan cosmetics, when you are using only natural products anyway, can be relatively easy. Eating vegan, to me, is easy. Non-leather shoes, however, I have found to be a little tricky. How far do you go?"</span></i><br />
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<span class="js-singleCommentText jsk-ItemBodyText">So, she is basically a vegan. As good of one as any of us can hope to be. Maybe a different title would have been better. Maybe not, though. I'm sure it would have fired up the same haters. All I can do, and anyone can do, is our best.</span>I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com203tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-25280437650928320082010-10-23T17:04:00.000-07:002010-10-23T17:05:07.481-07:00Meat Cheat (denial)I'm roughly 2 weeks away from when my surgeon said my body will be physically healed from the spine surgery I had back in August. Until then, I've told myself that I <i>could</i> eat meat if I felt I needed to, physically. I have done so, when I thought necessary, but usually with chicken. This is the first time I've had red meat in quite some time. I had <a href="http://www.estanciabeef.com/">Estancia beef</a> from 8 oz., a burger. I talk about this place in an <a href="http://iquiteatingmeat.blogspot.com/2010/06/8-oz-ofmeat.html">earlier post</a>. I was craving it, and I figured I must have needed the proteins found in that kind of meat.<br />
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Since going back to work, I've had less time to prepare and eat right, plus I'm just tired sometimes, and I want to be sure I'm doing all I can to heal properly. My spine is so important to my health and comfort for the rest of my life that I wanted to take no chances. <br />
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If I was rich, it would be awesome, and I could pay someone to feed me a plant-based diet that supplied me with everything I needed. The reality is, when left to my own devices, I don't always come through. Meat is my "cheat." It still apaulls me as much as it ever has the way the animals are treated, and I have no desire to eat animals long-term. I plan to be mostly vegan for the rest of my life.<br />
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<i>Denial:</i><br />
This brings up a similar feeling I once had about meat: denial. <a href="http://iquiteatingmeat.blogspot.com/2009/11/reflections-on-my-denial.html">I wrote about it here</a>. And now I'm doing it again. Only this time I'm not in denial about the origins of the meat I'm ingesting. I'm fully aware. Hyper-aware. Sickened. Still, I travel to a place in my mind, surprisingly easily, where I can forget these horrible things and eat meat when I know it's for my health. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CQNy5a33VNTReyEjj1IGqEZ1XQ_xBgOx9oQ3HSuVRNR8plcmmtvNqxDKSDN6A3X6B34ltP_k03QWIZuHBJnXbXa5w3embIrSP5SETMmxsiCSLa6OAb00wX5EZba_ZMeY2Q9poq6NaGU/s1600/Book_TP.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CQNy5a33VNTReyEjj1IGqEZ1XQ_xBgOx9oQ3HSuVRNR8plcmmtvNqxDKSDN6A3X6B34ltP_k03QWIZuHBJnXbXa5w3embIrSP5SETMmxsiCSLa6OAb00wX5EZba_ZMeY2Q9poq6NaGU/s1600/Book_TP.gif" /></a></div><a href="http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html">The China Study</a>, which lays out a convincing scientific argument for a plant based diet, details the proteins that our bodies need. It's just a fact that eating animals, needing what we need, supply us with the proteins we need much easier than can be done with plants. I think like any other "cheat" there is a trade-off. And I'm speaking purely physically here, not about the treatment of the animals. The trade-off as I see it is this: Eating meat supplies certain vitamins and proteins that we need, easier, to fill in the gaps we might miss otherwise. But, too much of it is harmful. It leads to high cholesterol, cancer, etc.<br />
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So, I think, in the long run, I'll be good to go. But, still, denial. I wonder why it's so simple for me to turn it on and off. I'll have to get back to you on that one.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com201tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-72397814942842407552010-10-22T16:53:00.000-07:002010-10-22T16:58:38.918-07:00Steve-O is a VeganI'm a big fan of laughing. And I've been a fan of laughing at guys doing stupid and crazy crap before the <a href="http://www.jackassmovie.com/#/home">Jackass</a> guys got together. I used to watch old skate videos like<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Building-Anderson-Maldonado-Templeton-Steamer/dp/B000MDFM08"> Jump Off A Building</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/CKY2K-Chris-Aspite/dp/B00005MGBR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1287790343&sr=1-1">CKY2K</a> where similar dangerous stupid things were going down. Here's some footage from CKY2K in case you don't know what I'm talking about.<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZXSu4oeEgwU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZXSu4oeEgwU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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Interestingly, one of the crazier performers from Jackass and the new <a href="http://www.jackassmovie.com/#/home">Jackass 3-D</a>, <a href="http://www.steveo.com/">Steve-O,</a> is a vegan. He's done<a href="http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2007/10/16/SteveO-Id-Rather-Go-Naked-Than-Wear-Fur.aspx"> ads for PETA</a> in the past, has been a vegetarian or pescetarian most of his life, but has recently gone full vegan. He's brought it up in numerous interviews and on the <a href="http://www.sirius.com/howard100">Howard Stern show on SiriusXM Radio.</a> Howard's co-host,<a href="http://twitter.com/rqui"> Robin Quivers</a>, is also a vegan and so they chatted about it for a bit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGp_X9lDzPViJcrLncbYpNOFCvqpJOASe1HrL7wEcOZ6evG-ff7g0C9AJw6h2hGrZuetifFSm9B_5btx3TE2TZVjmhB62QC9mfX7i6qkXPXPJUAQ0zbgFcE3ZvgA-3OheOIpPGk5c_80/s1600/steveo-mental-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGp_X9lDzPViJcrLncbYpNOFCvqpJOASe1HrL7wEcOZ6evG-ff7g0C9AJw6h2hGrZuetifFSm9B_5btx3TE2TZVjmhB62QC9mfX7i6qkXPXPJUAQ0zbgFcE3ZvgA-3OheOIpPGk5c_80/s320/steveo-mental-b.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />
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Steve-O was recently interviewed, along with the whole Jackass crew, by <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2010/10/the-stars-of-jackass-3d-talk-about-god-cancer-and-homosexuality.html">Vanity Fair</a> magazine and he makes some interesting points. Here's an excerpt:<br />
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<i>I remember when the movie started, I said, “I don’t want to work with animals. That’s not what I’m about.” But then I did the ram scene anyway, and I justified it in my head, like, “O.K., this is for work. I’ve got to put my own personal beliefs aside.” So I got into the pen and my instincts took over. The ram charged towards my nuts, and I put my hand down to block it. That happened a bunch of times, and as a result the tendons in my right hand are totally messed up. This was back in February, and we’re now in October and it’s still not healed. I feel like it’s a permanent reminder that I compromised my beliefs.</i><i></i><br />
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I can totally relate to what he's saying there. I've noticed that trying to be vegan often creates situations where I have to weight my beliefs vs. practicality. <br />
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But, it's awesome that he's bringing awareness to veganism. It would fair us well to have as many celebrities as possible speak out. And everyone isn't so aware of people like Alicia Silverstone and other high profile vegans. way to go Steve-O! I'm a big fan of your, er, work, and glad to know you're spreading the word! (And Jackass 3-D was hilarious)I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com111tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-87111139666942655802010-10-20T20:39:00.000-07:002010-10-20T20:39:54.786-07:00A vegan staple of mine: spaghettiBefore becoming (mostly) vegan, one of my favorite home made meals was spaghetti with sauce from scratch, with ground turkey meat. I'd have fresh garlic bread on the side. And if I had it around, a glass of milk. It was always so filling and satisfying.<br />
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Thankfully, that feeling remains when I cook the vegan version of this meal. Nothing is lost, in my mind. It's still super tasty. And just like before, it changes depending on what I have around the kitchen.<br />
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There are 2 differences between the old and new versions of this meal. First, the ground turkey is replaced with un-meats, like vegan sausage or frozen meatballs. Secondly, I use wheat pasta. That's pretty much it.<br />
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<i><b>Here's the basics:</b></i><br />
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Fry up some red onion and garlic while the pasta is boiling. Add the frozen meatballs and reduce heat. I add them now so they thaw by the time my pasta is ready.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMT9Y-o3gLcjOk0mO5tuXExI9ZQfGJS671X1iAk_0clM6GrX43Adwfl4_q-HKkhkMv07PqxZwKOrlwt0rFJszYEOAj1xb2YwJidYlT0eENm2W1sd4rsjX2TSMpvHRZgV7T5n3ysw6nyj4/s1600/IMG_1804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMT9Y-o3gLcjOk0mO5tuXExI9ZQfGJS671X1iAk_0clM6GrX43Adwfl4_q-HKkhkMv07PqxZwKOrlwt0rFJszYEOAj1xb2YwJidYlT0eENm2W1sd4rsjX2TSMpvHRZgV7T5n3ysw6nyj4/s320/IMG_1804.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Add whatever veggies I have - I prefer either zucchini or yellow squash - chopped bite size. Add fresh chopped tomatoes and kinda smash them around. Lately I've been enjoying the locally grown heirloom tomatoes. It might look like one of these pictures at this point:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidl5BDvMyuW6m6luanv4o8N-zRbkftle8ypfDgChHiT-yVlLnDKXl6wmiTW2P9DoPQWphjCMx6ZsIyxEduiYwNVaPAR3CCqgWgZ3AwlstiTPuZTb1oLJidZRVhkceSlHCP64JfniO-GTY/s1600/IMG_1941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidl5BDvMyuW6m6luanv4o8N-zRbkftle8ypfDgChHiT-yVlLnDKXl6wmiTW2P9DoPQWphjCMx6ZsIyxEduiYwNVaPAR3CCqgWgZ3AwlstiTPuZTb1oLJidZRVhkceSlHCP64JfniO-GTY/s320/IMG_1941.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIGWQmaoskH6gLofw8VJyj_n17TqfNomVwbaIsONcqhPKH3GqrBWAZC9kpf6OSUj2lunXkbLhfM7RRXw3m-h3AUUv1vGje6aLbbPOuCYZKBN9tnuzT8A5CuUxPD4-g2XUzcCsL8cVYXM/s1600/IMG_1805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIGWQmaoskH6gLofw8VJyj_n17TqfNomVwbaIsONcqhPKH3GqrBWAZC9kpf6OSUj2lunXkbLhfM7RRXw3m-h3AUUv1vGje6aLbbPOuCYZKBN9tnuzT8A5CuUxPD4-g2XUzcCsL8cVYXM/s320/IMG_1805.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Add 1 small can of tomato sauce, plain, no salt added.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwX9s1j6fwLbYL4MdbszwX6QStVuj6AW-jFmeBSo1y4S_q2nWYGZAR33EMHjTUFw2idJktxwBx5rpUMbu8hCJ26xT3hPB1249gxwd0klOM-XByD0ch0gUYVjPQI-NdEfwhQUQibzxQGzM/s1600/IMG_1806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwX9s1j6fwLbYL4MdbszwX6QStVuj6AW-jFmeBSo1y4S_q2nWYGZAR33EMHjTUFw2idJktxwBx5rpUMbu8hCJ26xT3hPB1249gxwd0klOM-XByD0ch0gUYVjPQI-NdEfwhQUQibzxQGzM/s320/IMG_1806.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Throw some vegan parmesan style cheese on top and I'm good to go.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkFBxEM0RYrgywqnH331GuoQvrDhLU4aRr9X0F-8C8RwVomZ9YsCjhBA5EisSgYKX3eXYDnHy-9MBbXOGtzfEHVYmqS8q-gTJBwPOBgnZ18DVKqZwWQHlfMdqM5oAa4fM4OAYbIKV6Ys/s1600/IMG_1809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkFBxEM0RYrgywqnH331GuoQvrDhLU4aRr9X0F-8C8RwVomZ9YsCjhBA5EisSgYKX3eXYDnHy-9MBbXOGtzfEHVYmqS8q-gTJBwPOBgnZ18DVKqZwWQHlfMdqM5oAa4fM4OAYbIKV6Ys/s320/IMG_1809.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here's another version I made recently with a spicy soy sausage, made by <a href="http://www.fieldroast.com/">Field Roast Grain Meat Co.</a>, I cooked separately and added at the end.Yes, GRAIN meat. No soy in these bad boys. The ingredient list isn't even scary:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWWRSdbAR6iQdrNHAY0qh5nR5CtABMqwAebsu286noYqugQwUhBYlPEZRIWxpDxr0IDXpVsPcT9WR3ucSiKU_VAlCgOS1JG-JYe2hEFDTsCnenX4jZQT3evUIb5ajEo_zZ9q5CPVXdqg/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-10-20+at+8.27.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWWRSdbAR6iQdrNHAY0qh5nR5CtABMqwAebsu286noYqugQwUhBYlPEZRIWxpDxr0IDXpVsPcT9WR3ucSiKU_VAlCgOS1JG-JYe2hEFDTsCnenX4jZQT3evUIb5ajEo_zZ9q5CPVXdqg/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-10-20+at+8.27.23+PM.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbw4oGs90F8WT5AavUj2TYb6NcIIiaXQlp5Xv1Wi8xYKah5lEj0Hitw8E4O_WacMhG5v6XpcNHBAOm3d6PR_6I_AGXovzJ9eaEX2AeoHO86EZEjePabS-SApkV2uQyIY_mJqHA0y6HtA/s1600/IMG_1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbw4oGs90F8WT5AavUj2TYb6NcIIiaXQlp5Xv1Wi8xYKah5lEj0Hitw8E4O_WacMhG5v6XpcNHBAOm3d6PR_6I_AGXovzJ9eaEX2AeoHO86EZEjePabS-SApkV2uQyIY_mJqHA0y6HtA/s320/IMG_1942.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Mmmmm. that garlic bread looks so yummy. Earth balance vegan spread, fresh crushed garlic, a dash of dill and garlic salt. Quickly baked then broiled.<br />
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When eating veg seems too hard, I can always fall back on a trusted meal: Spaghetti.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com114tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-77377848692943055522010-10-15T16:48:00.000-07:002010-10-15T16:48:34.781-07:00A Taste of LifeWhat's my favorite place to eat at the <a href="http://www.hollywoodfarmersmarket.net/">Hollywood Farmer's Market</a> on Selma and Cahuenga every Sunday? Thanks for asking. It's <a href="http://atasteoflifellc.com/A_Taste_of_Life/index.html.html">A Taste of Life's</a> booth, featuring Vegan Soul Food! That's right. Vegan soul food. Gotta love it.<br />
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My 2 favorite things are the breakfast sandwich and the mac and cheese. The sauteed kale looks good, although I haven't tried it. The BBQ Tofu is spicy and crispy and mega-yummy. But, The mac and cheese is a-ma-zing. It's thick and non-traditional, and I love it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSQ5fwIMwwFEVXfJ2WsFE6dx_Yo2LkoLeSzov7nu0kxFZe87cc56BWnHkU8OeJQwi5vbG3lIdKnrqEv8D71NXINoQe7hMGpc6eu7PshbIiMC0ViAnG9GpeyYX_JoGP1jOwjk2zW5Bg3k/s1600/photo+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSQ5fwIMwwFEVXfJ2WsFE6dx_Yo2LkoLeSzov7nu0kxFZe87cc56BWnHkU8OeJQwi5vbG3lIdKnrqEv8D71NXINoQe7hMGpc6eu7PshbIiMC0ViAnG9GpeyYX_JoGP1jOwjk2zW5Bg3k/s320/photo+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Apparently this place used to have a restaurant that closed down. I'm bummed I never knew about it or checked it out. But, the good news is the booth is here to stay and they are still distributing their foods via grocery stores and other venues.<br />
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So, if you're ever in the Hollywood area, check it out! But be sure to get there early. The mac and cheese goes fast!I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com89tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-7333936448517080222010-10-14T21:11:00.000-07:002010-10-14T21:11:00.495-07:00I'm being interviewed on Animal Voices RadioI'm going to be interviewed by the lovely people over at <a href="http://coopradio.org/">Animal Voices radio</a> on Friday, October 15th, at 12:10 pm PST. Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Eating Animals and my inspiration for becoming vegan, will be interviewed immediately following at 12:30. It's going to be live and anyone can listen online at <a href="http://coopradio.org./">coopradio.org.</a><br />
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I'm extremely honored and excited for the opportunity to share my story.<br />
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The radio station is <a href="http://coopradio.org/">Co-Op Radio, 102.7 FM</a> in Vancouver, BC. This is their mission statement from their website: <i>Vancouver Co-operative Radio, CFRO, 102.7FM is a non-commercial, co-operatively-owned, listener-supported, community radio station. Located in the heart of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, Co-op Radio is a voice for the voiceless that strives to provide a space for under-represented and marginalized communities. Co-op Radio aims to increase community participation by encouraging examination of the social and political concerns of the geographic and cultural communities of BC. </i><br />
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I'll let you know how it goes! <i><br />
</i>I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com199tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-78303221207874900482010-10-13T15:30:00.000-07:002010-10-13T15:30:07.748-07:00Spread the Evol™I just had a tasty vegan burrito for a snack—a <i>frozen</i> burrito. <a href="http://evolfoods.com/">An Evol burrito.</a> If you're in a pinch, it's a good, pretty healthy option. Here's why I find them superior to other frozen burritos.<br />
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1. They're vegan, and there are 2 flavor options<br />
2. You can put them in the fridge for up to 7 days, which makes it much easier to cook without using a microwave (pan fry), or easier to microwave so the tortilla doesn't turn into a rock hard crispy shell<br />
3. The packaging looks good<br />
4. The copy is clever <br />
5. They're pretty<a href="http://evolfoods.com/green-manufacturing/"> green</a><br />
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I like the Veggie Fajita flavor:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Pb1YoaaRpInM3o70B5oYuV1WgtIF34wI3w_sFdzsLGchpFqqQdkj77tNz1vwDULqhZg7PPa2M4RCjjBCHRY28FcnNffjbugb8PVf0xWoS46L3wEsburx8wfdVRRgB7s4jOZkybW1Gag/s1600/vegfaj_classic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Pb1YoaaRpInM3o70B5oYuV1WgtIF34wI3w_sFdzsLGchpFqqQdkj77tNz1vwDULqhZg7PPa2M4RCjjBCHRY28FcnNffjbugb8PVf0xWoS46L3wEsburx8wfdVRRgB7s4jOZkybW1Gag/s400/vegfaj_classic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
There's also a Tofu and Spinach flavor that I haven't tried:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvN4OqMo6zwLA4ViwBfGMqlYghn-HqcstZQedNpTlq6LKRybS3sEuyL1o0ccvjK3bM9XI6_MsUVS9cidp14JmdunSUcp7JrmMC9RDcjuFtmLN4jT3dc6Fyct4vs9j_IgI37OHfyrHUo8/s1600/tofu_classic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvN4OqMo6zwLA4ViwBfGMqlYghn-HqcstZQedNpTlq6LKRybS3sEuyL1o0ccvjK3bM9XI6_MsUVS9cidp14JmdunSUcp7JrmMC9RDcjuFtmLN4jT3dc6Fyct4vs9j_IgI37OHfyrHUo8/s400/tofu_classic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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The ingredients are pretty natural and healthy, considering it's a frozen burrito.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9bMUenCt3ol058lsBbIKub3bZ2QFlFHUQvI8crOvf7ie7LpMrDfN8Xmp9ngcx9NeMAV5x_d66XF_2kmiR5uAZ-zW5lWUe_61tXcGH8x-WP3zLNjAUXigb1d9O1p8Q4gpvaJ7QGmeV8c/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-10-13+at+3.18.39+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9bMUenCt3ol058lsBbIKub3bZ2QFlFHUQvI8crOvf7ie7LpMrDfN8Xmp9ngcx9NeMAV5x_d66XF_2kmiR5uAZ-zW5lWUe_61tXcGH8x-WP3zLNjAUXigb1d9O1p8Q4gpvaJ7QGmeV8c/s400/Screen+shot+2010-10-13+at+3.18.39+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Enjoy! And keep it full of Evol.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-81494688076808649702010-10-04T12:58:00.000-07:002010-10-04T12:58:30.204-07:00Soy milk at StarbucksWtfiuwsb?!<br />
<br />
(My spell check just suggested ethogram, whatever that is.) Clearly it wasn't yet familiar with the shorthand for "What the F is up with Starbucks"!?<br />
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Lately I've been drinking coffee again. It probably won't last long because I'm not a big fan of caffeine. But I go through phases. Anyway, the drink I usually order is an iced coffee with soy milk, unsweetened. Simple enough.<br />
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Some baristas were charging me $2.45, but others were charging me $2.95 (an extra .50 for the soy). But, the menu doesn't specify it. It says iced coffee, or iced coffee with milk, same price. A manager corrected the transaction once because he said it wasn't an up-charge. So, I thought that to be true. Occasionally, someone would charge me for the soy and I'd say it wasn't extra, and they'd fix it. That's until I tried this at one particular Bucks to the wrong barista. She wanted to make it into a whole big thing, telling me the menu says soy is extra, and I was wrong. I just said I order it a lot and it's not an extra charge. I don't want to make anyone's day suck.<br />
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But now I was curious. I called up Starbucks corporate outside on the sidewalk drinking my coffee. I explained to the gentleman from their customer service department that I enjoy an iced coffee with soy milk, and I've been charged inconsistently. I wanted to know if the extra .50 should be charged.<br />
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Drumroll please?!..........yes.<br />
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Hmm. Well, from now on, when I don't get charged the extra change, it's a bonus. That makes the whole experience better.<br />
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This leads me to another question. Why is soy milk an extra charge? Dairy milk is from an animal that needs to be raised and fed and milked and pasteurized and shipped cold and on and on. It's crazy soy milk, from plants, is pricier. What a world.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com114tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-61493139163814667492010-09-25T14:43:00.000-07:002010-09-25T14:43:35.363-07:00I stand correctedI thought for sure it was the last we would have heard of Bill Clinton's diet. But, after hearing his claims, CNN did a follow-up segment with actual experts! "The Situation Room" with Wolf Blitzer on CNN followed up on Bill Clinton's plant-based diet. Amazing clip!<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="374" id="ep" width="416"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=politics/2010/09/24/tsr.blitzer.clinton.doctors.cnn" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=politics/2010/09/24/tsr.blitzer.clinton.doctors.cnn" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="416" wmode="transparent" height="374"></embed></object>I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com201tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-63999074096219558572010-09-24T16:48:00.000-07:002010-09-24T16:48:57.568-07:00Bill Clinton, Vegan!I don't think he's going to stop wearing leather or anything, but diet-wise, it sounds as though he's pretty much vegan, with an occasional piece of fish here and there. Pretty darn cool. He revealed his change in diet on CNN, and said it was to lose weight, repair his heart, and be healthier overall.<br />
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I'm surprised this hasn't gotten more attention in the media. It raises awareness for cardiovascular health as well as a plant-based diet. It shows how skewed our media is and what they consider worthy of follow-up. For example, we see stories going into the minutia of everything from chemicals in toys to genetically modified salmon. But, for some reason, this gets almost nothing.<br />
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I was happy to hear him give a shout out to the Campbell's, authors of <a href="http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html">The China Study</a>. Check it out:<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="374" id="ep" width="416"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=us/2010/09/21/intv.clinton.blitzer.weight.loss.cnn" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=us/2010/09/21/intv.clinton.blitzer.weight.loss.cnn" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="416" wmode="transparent" height="374"></embed></object>I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com204tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483223534657268416.post-9708450846613520972010-09-20T16:07:00.000-07:002010-09-20T16:07:26.224-07:00I'm back (post-surgery)It's been a long time since I've posted here, but I'm back! I've had a lot to say so I've delayed posting until I had enough time to really get it all out.<br />
<br />
I had surgery on my spine 6 weeks ago after a long battle with a ruptured disc that ended in a complete rupture. I was bed-ridden for the month of July in a lot pain, and have been recovering from surgery since the beginning of August. I'm just now getting back to work and my daily routine. The good news is the surgery was successful, the pain is gone and I'm recovering quickly. I see it as an opportunity given to me to get healthy from the inside out. I was in great shape, but there is always more to do. I need to concentrate on my core now.<br />
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How did the veganism go during this period of pain and recovery?<br />
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Definitely not perfect. Not even close. But, I did my best and I have no regrets. It was a very trying time for me mentally, physically and spiritually. It still is. It wasn't easy for me to leave my exercise routine and the martial arts, leaving my job, have my muscles atrophy, have my mind worrying about healing and the possibilities of not healing. On top of that, I was taking 7 Vicodin (pain killers) a day just to be able to get out of bed long enough to walk a bit, eat. and do simple household tasks. That medicine messes with your body chemistry affecting hunger, sleep, stress, mood and who-knows-what-else.<br />
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My appetite was dwindling fast. I got scared. <br />
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I was happy to be hungry, when it happened, rarely, because I wanted to be as strong as possible going into surgery. I was drinking my smoothies in the morning still. And at times I was craving meat. Nothing else was satisfying me or sounding good. And I had to eat. I think it was because I couldn't handle the volume of vegetables and vegetarian foods to give me adequate nutrition. Meat was a way to "cheat" and get the nutrients I needed in a concentrated fashion. And my mind and body were constantly sending me signals of what it wanted. That's not to say it's impossible to do it another way, but it's the way I chose to do it. I had meat a few times a week, sometimes more, and some cheese, in the month leading up to my surgery. And I've done the same since the surgery for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
It's safe to say I panicked. I was scared of surgery. I was scared of not being strong enough to fully recover from my surgery. I was afraid if I didn't have the proper nutrition my body would not heal correctly. Or that I might have complications under anesthesia. And with my goal of teaching and learning martial arts for life, it was, and is, a scary prospect that my body may have been damaged and jeopardized my physical abilities. So, in my panic, I went back to what was familiar to me, and did what I had to do to make it work for me.<br />
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I still feel the same way I did when I started this blog. I'm against factory farming and I don't want to support it. I know animal consumption is generally unhealthy in large amounts. My injury and surgery have been somewhat of a test for my new diet, and I had too much at stake to risk it. However, it was always in my thoughts. I did my best to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits as I knew those things I needed to be strong also.<br />
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6 weeks post surgery, I'm gradually returning to my vegan diet. I still have meat a couple times a week. However, I'm not sure now if I will go 100% vegan. After reading<a href="http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html"> The China Study</a>, it seems reasonable to ingest some meat to be sure my body gets all it needs. I could see eating meat as 1-5% of my diet. And of course I would seek meat not factory-farmed. I haven't made up my mind completely though. I may decide to go back to 100% vegan. I just want to know that I get all I need, and I have to be realistic.<br />
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At the very least, even while not being vegan, my diet has changed immensely from where I was a year ago. I eat way more vegetables and fruits and a much wider variety of them. I didn't even know what kale was, and now I eat it almost every day- and usually raw. I'm way more open to new foods. I cook vegan at home 100% the time. I eat way less meat - I used to eat it daily in large amounts. I almost always order the vegetarian option anywhere I go - from a taco truck to Pho to whatever. I don't think I ever ordered a vegetarian meal in a restaurant until last year.<br />
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Overall, I'm proud of how far I've come and the changes I've made. I'm extremely happy to be well and to be recovering quickly. I know my diet has changed for the betterment of myself and the planet.I Quit Eating Meathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004912750588887366noreply@blogger.com201