I Quit Eating Meat

Apps for Vegans

2011-12-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

I'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.

Vegan Steven
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.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vegansteven-be-healthy-eat/id316799910?mt=8

Vegan YumYum
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.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/veganyumyum-mobile/id294390088?mt=8

PETA
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.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peta/id421236952?mt=8

HumaneTV
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.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/humanetv/id351446093?mt=8

Veggie Grill

2011-09-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

In 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:

Check out their site for a location near you!
http://veggiegrill.com/

Gary Yourofsky's Speech

2011-08-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to watching this video. Well, let me be clear. I finally brought myself to watch this video. Lisa's Days 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.

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.

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.

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:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6U00LMmC4

It's not easy.

2011-08-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

I still hope it will inspire others to try this vegan thing, even though I'm still struggling.

"Eco Chef" Bryan Au - Raw Star Recipes

2011-07-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

Bryan 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.

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.)

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!

Bryan dedicates the book to "...everyone and the entire planet because I love you all...".
Thanks for your support.

You can learn more about Bryan's book and how to get a copy here: EcoChefApp.com

Slop

2011-07-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

So 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.

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.

Here's the theory: 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.

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!

Wish me luck...

Eating out with Dad on Dad's Day

2011-06-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

I 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.

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.

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.

Happy Father's Day pops. I plan to slowly get some veggies in you, like it or not!

Walking around like my kitchen don't stink

2011-06-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it doesn't.

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.

Which Milk is the best?

2011-05-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

Foods I've replaced

2011-05-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

Even 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.

1. Earth Balance soy-free spread, replacing butter
2. Almond, Rice, Hemp and Soy Milks, replacing dairy milk
3. Vegan "parmesan", replacing parmesan
4. SO Delicious Coconut milk ice cream, replacing ice cream
5. Vegan vitamins, replacing vitamins
6. Amy's Dairy/Gluten free mac and cheese, replacing Kraft mac and cheese
7. Amy's Dairy free frozen pizzas, replacing frozen pizzas
8. Larabars, replacing various snack bars
9. Nate's Meatless Meatballs, replacing ground turkey

That's all I can think of for now.

Starting over, slower

2011-05-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

The 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.

Before and after my surgery (9 months ago) I started eating animal products again, mainly for nutritional purposes. I talked about it here. 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.

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.

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.

2 Responsibilities (Dhamma)

2010-11-21T22:03:00.000-08:00

I came across the following passage recently, and it sure gets me thinking.

"Having the precious opportunity of human birth, I have 2 responsibilities into the Dhamma: (the teachings of the Buddha) 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."

– Buddhism Explained, Second Edition

Awwww, Poor Meat Industry :(

2010-11-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

As reported by the Washington Post, the meat industry is unhappy with possible new FDA recommendations governing the use of antibiotics in animals. We're not even talking about regulations here. And still, they are fighting this tooth and nail.

Problem:
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.

Bigger problem:
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.

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.

Good job, Washington Post. Keep it up.

No Such Thing As a Vegan

2010-10-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

The article "There is No Such Thing as a Vegan" 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.

Here's the illustration that is the focus of the article:

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:
"..."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."

Note the words possible and practical.

Here's a particularly scathing response in the comments, from "David":
"Vegans are stupid.

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."

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.

But, there were a lot of positive comments, too. And, once the back and forth escalated, the author of the GOOD.is article, Siobhan O'Conner, explained her intentions in the comments section:

"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?"

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.

Meat Cheat (denial)

2010-10-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

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 could 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 Estancia beef from 8 oz., a burger. I talk about this place in an earlier post. I was craving it, and I figured I must have needed the proteins found in that kind of meat.

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.

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.

Denial:
This brings up a similar feeling I once had about meat: denial. I wrote about it here. 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.

The China Study, 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.

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.

Steve-O is a Vegan

2010-10-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of laughing. And I've been a fan of laughing at guys doing stupid and crazy crap before the Jackass guys got together. I used to watch old skate videos like Jump Off A Building and CKY2K 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.

Interestingly, one of the crazier performers from Jackass and the new Jackass 3-D, Steve-O, is a vegan. He's done ads for PETA 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 Howard Stern show on SiriusXM Radio. Howard's co-host, Robin Quivers, is also a vegan and so they chatted about it for a bit.

Steve-O was recently interviewed, along with the whole Jackass crew, by Vanity Fair magazine and he makes some interesting points. Here's an excerpt:

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 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.

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)

A vegan staple of mine: spaghetti

2010-10-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

Before 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.

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.

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.

Here's the basics:

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.

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:

Add 1 small can of tomato sauce, plain, no salt added.

Throw some vegan parmesan style cheese on top and I'm good to go.

Here's another version I made recently with a spicy soy sausage, made by Field Roast Grain Meat Co., I cooked separately and added at the end.Yes, GRAIN meat. No soy in these bad boys. The ingredient list isn't even scary:

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.

When eating veg seems too hard, I can always fall back on a trusted meal: Spaghetti.

A Taste of Life

2010-10-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

What's my favorite place to eat at the Hollywood Farmer's Market on Selma and Cahuenga every Sunday? Thanks for asking. It's A Taste of Life's booth, featuring Vegan Soul Food! That's right. Vegan soul food. Gotta love it.

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.

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.

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'm being interviewed on Animal Voices Radio

2010-10-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be interviewed by the lovely people over at Animal Voices radio 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 coopradio.org.

I'm extremely honored and excited for the opportunity to share my story.

The radio station is Co-Op Radio, 102.7 FM in Vancouver, BC. This is their mission statement from their website: 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'll let you know how it goes!

Spread the Evol™

2010-10-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

I just had a tasty vegan burrito for a snack—a frozen burrito. An Evol burrito. If you're in a pinch, it's a good, pretty healthy option. Here's why I find them superior to other frozen burritos.

1. They're vegan, and there are 2 flavor options
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
3. The packaging looks good
4. The copy is clever
5. They're pretty green

I like the Veggie Fajita flavor:

There's also a Tofu and Spinach flavor that I haven't tried:

The ingredients are pretty natural and healthy, considering it's a frozen burrito.

Enjoy! And keep it full of Evol.

Soy milk at Starbucks

2010-10-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

Wtfiuwsb?!

(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"!?

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.

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.

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.

Drumroll please?!..........yes.

Hmm. Well, from now on, when I don't get charged the extra change, it's a bonus. That makes the whole experience better.

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 stand corrected

2010-09-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

I 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!

Bill Clinton, Vegan!

2010-09-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

I was happy to hear him give a shout out to the Campbell's, authors of The China Study. Check it out:

I'm back (post-surgery)

2010-09-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

How did the veganism go during this period of pain and recovery?

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.

My appetite was dwindling fast. I got scared.

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.

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.

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.

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 The China Study, 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.

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.

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.

Home made, sort of, vegan value meal

2010-06-18T17:25:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was craving a chicken tender value meal from Wendy's. I contemplated going through the drive through and just getting fries, then going home and eat something else. I've done that before. But, that's kinda nasty. I resisted.

Instead, I dug into my freezer for a quick fix. I'm not always in the mood for the most healthy vegan meals. So, I made my own fast-food type vegan value thing.

Sweet Potato Fries

Soy "Chicken" Nuggets (Trader Joes)

Organic, Unsweetened Ketchup

Put it all together, and I got this after about 20 minutes in the oven:

It was not quite as satisfying, but by the end I didn't care. I was super full. I liked it. It was easy and prep free. Sometimes, that's all I want.

8 oz. of...meat

2010-06-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't feel great about this, but this is what this blog is all about for me. Documenting my successes, failures, all of it. It's to motivate me, and hopefully help others.

2 weekends ago, I wasn't feeling great. I was hungry. I needed something satisfying. I was craving a burger from this place, 8 oz., I had been to many times in my omnivore days, and a few times since for a veggie burger. But, this time, my nostalgia for a real burger came over me. I really wanted one. So, I researched where they got their meat from, and it was from Estancia ranch. They claim the following on their website:

"We only sell beef from animals that graze in pastures on fresh green grass – no feedlots, ever... At Estancia, we raise healthy animals without using any growth hormones or growth promoting antibiotics. Our animals live their entire lives on the free range."

This was good enough for me, at the time. I know from reading Eating Animals that no matter how the animals live, even in the best of circumstances, of which I believe Estancia qualifies, the kill floors in the processing plants are a horror show. This did not deter me this time.

It's the first time I've had actual meat since going vegan. And it went down as easily as it would have a year ago, before going vegetarian. Satisfied.

I can't really say I regret it. I wouldn't have done it if I was going to beat myself up over it. It's crazy how what used to be something that required no thought now is a huge endeavor. What it showed me is how powerful my habits and rituals involving food are. They really drive my behavior. It's like an imprint in my brain that craves to be remembered. I just need more practice and it will get easier with time.

BP Protest in L.A.—on bikes!

2010-06-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

This happened over a week ago, but I'm a bit back logged on my blog. And this isn't really a vegan story. Rather, something I was happy to see as someone who is concerned about the environment. That's a major reason I became vegan.

I was driving to the West side of L.A. on a Friday (maybe Saturday) night, and right as I was approaching Olympic and Robertson I saw a huge group of bicyclists in the intersection. This sometimes happens since there are riding groups in L.A. But, they didn't go anywhere. They just kept coming and coming, blocking the intersection, and chanting "F*ck BP"! Cars were honking, passersby were looking, cars were turning around—it was awesome. I was happy to be inconvenienced in this traffic. Apparently they went all around Hollywood and West Hollywood. Here's a video of a similar scene from that night:

This corner is also the location of BP's ARCO station that's "greener" than other stations. It actually looks really awesome. BP is going to have to do a lot more than build one awesome gas station to be a green company now.

100!

2010-06-08T23:22:00.001-07:00

I just reached a milestone—100 followers on Twitter! And I'm pretty sure none of them are spam. They're legit. OK, I know. n00b.

http://twitter.com/iquiteatingmeat

All About Vegan Mac & Cheese

2010-06-08T22:34:00.000-07:00

Guilty. I've always loved Mac and cheese. And this is probably my 5th post about it. But, I do have 2 great finds to report for my fellow mac-and-cheese-heads. So, without further ado:

Number 1: Leahey's Vegan Cheese Sauce Mix

I read about this stuff on another blog, Vegan Incognito, and decided to give it a try. There's no limit to the ends I'll go to to find a good mac and cheese. So, I bought it mail order, it was back ordered, but I finally got it. And let me tell you, this stuff rocks! Is it the yumminess that Kraft has? No. But that's impossible.

This stuff was super easy to make. I just put the powder in a pan and mixed it with Rice Milk once my noodles were almost done cooking. It takes like 3 minutes. There's no powder poppin' either. The stuff just melts right away, and gets creamy fast. I tried a finger dip and I got excited. I poured it on my noodles and was delighted. It was creamy, yummy and easy. Two thumbs up.

Ok, next up.

2: Mac & Cheeza

I heard about this place on NPR. I think it was a show called "Good Food." The guy was going off on how good the stuff was, and all the toppings they had to go along with it. It drove me nuts. Then, he mentioned at the very end of the story that they had a vegan and gluten-free option. Wha-wha-what? I walked in that place's door within 3 days of hearing this. It's in downtown L.A. (and they have a Bakersfield location)

First things first. This place is a bit pricey. It's 10 bucks for the medium sized portion, which is big but it's also 10 bucks. There is a 5 dollar option. But the medium (Momma Mac as they call it) is worth every penny. I got the vegan cheese (regular noodle) with sauteed collard greens, and crushed toasted walnuts on top for crunch (included). I almost got the veggie sausage. Anyway, this place crushes any vegan mac and cheese there is. That's it. It's the best. Next time, I think I'm just gonna go straight up cheese. No nothing. Pure.

Review: Chipotle Vegan Meat

2010-06-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

When I walked into Chipotle last week, I was surprised to see this sign:

I knew that they were testing it, but didn't expect to see it at the Woodland Hills location (near my office) this soon. Usually, I just get the veggie burrito which consists of black beans, rice, peppers and onions, guacamole and salsa. But, I wanted to support Chipotle's decision to have a vegan meat option. I figure at this point it's still in the testing phase, and will get killed if not enough people buy it.

Well, for all I care they can get rid of it. I'm sticking with my veggie version. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of fake meats. But this stuff was just weird. It's small little rectangles, pretty chewy and almost flavorless. It must be highly processed so nutritionally it's not doing much for me either.

I say, try it if you want. I've read some people love it. It's just not for me.

New vegan water bottle

2010-06-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

I love my new tk: aro water bottle. It's about the cost of a Sigg bottle at $32, but far superior for a few reasons.

I used to have a Sigg, but I dropped it a few times, and it dented a bit. no big deal. But one day I happened to drop it and pour the water into a glass when I got home. There were little metal shreds in it from the inside of the bottle bending/cracking. No good in my book. Plus, they're super hard to clean. The mouth is so small. And I've left it upside down on my dish rack to dry for days and it never seems to get completely dry. That must breed bacteria.

So, when I was on one of my favorite sites, coolhunting, I found the tk: aro. Below is a picture of it, drained, on my desk.

It just looks bad ass for one thing. That counts in my book. But, it has many advantages. For one thing, it's a glass. So, there's no metallic taste or worries of plastic ingestion from traditional water bottles. The mouth is wide like a drinking glass so it's easy to clean. And the thing is about 80% metal once the top is screwed on. The bottom is thick like a wine bottle, so it's pretty darn durable. Drawbacks? I won't be taking this thing on a hike.

Lastly, and very importantly, it's made of recyclable materials: metal and glass. And vegan.

Vegan consequences: New jeans

2010-05-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

Since going vegan, I've lost a few inches in my waist. I was not (and am not) interested in losing weight. In fact, I'd like to build more lean muscle mass. But, apparently, it was inevitable. So, I've dropped from a 33"/32" to a 30"/32"

Thankfully Marshall's was stacked with jeans in my size! So I picked up 2 pair for $50, and another pair of Levi's from Target for $30. I don't know if I just got lucky, or if my new size is uncommon. I hope so! My old size was so common they were the first to sell out. Now, if I can only get my feet to shrink or grow by a size I'd solve my shoe problem, too.

Bestest, fastest vegan breakfast ever

2010-05-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

When I have this breakfast in the morning, my day is always better. I feel it when I walk down the hallways at work. I'm a bit lighter, quicker, happier. It gets me excited and wakes me up in the morning faster. It's almost like a shot of coffee. But whereas coffee used to wear me down eventually and dehydrate me, this drink and bread nourish and hydrate me. I don't ingest caffeine at all, and I haven't for a long time. I don't like my body or mood to be effected so drastically by a chemical that's not giving me any value.

Back to the breakfast. Green Drink. Toast. Earth Balance Spread. Simple as that. I pop the bread in the toaster, and make my drink while it's toasting. It's done before the toast, usually. My green drinks vary but a typical day's recipe would be:

3-4 medium size organic kale, stems cut out.
4-5 frozen mango pieces (or berries)
10 oz. Fortified rice milk
A splash of juice.
2 tbsp. ground flaxeed.
1 banana.

Follow my vegan adventures on Twitter!

2010-05-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Since I now know my computer isn't coming back for at least a week, I'm going to be updating my Twitter feed a lot more than usual instead of blogging. Think of it as mini-blogging. Or twogging. Or bleeting. I keep it mostly veggie related. Anyway, check it out.

My laptop died

2010-05-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks for not posting for a while. My laptop died a week ago and it's gonna be another week before I get it back, fixed. So, I'll have to give a brief rundown.

Bollocks. I ate cheese twice. Both times on pizza. And both times at the Delancey. (Yes, this is the place I said I was going to avoid since I was craving it.) The first time I was next door at a mexican place, and ended up at Delancey and sharing a pizza with a friend, and I gave myself permission. Then, it was kinda weird, but it started be down a slippery slope. I was craving it again and went just days later and ate another one. So, for reals, I'm avoiding this place now.

Apparently, for me, cheese really does have an addictive effect.

What else? I'm still lovin' my morning kale smoothies. I'm still eating a bunch of avocados and beans. I'm still loving how I feel. I feel better than ever.

That's all the time I have for now. More vegan adventures coming soon once I get my laptop back.

File under "WTF?!"

2010-04-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

So, apparently the milk industry is lobbying hard to define milk as a product that comes from a lactating animal. Never mind of course the pesky dictionary whose 3rd definition of the word milk is:

"A liquid, such as coconut milk, milkweed sap, plant latex, or various medical emulsions, that is similar to milk in appearance."

It was the topic of discussion on a FOX NY morning show today. One anchor offered up "Soy Juice" instead of soy milk as an option. The other is whacked out of her skull. Check it out.

Cheese-less pizza drama

2010-04-29T23:24:00.000-07:00

I used to love going to the Delancey in Hollywood for great pizza and a wide selection of Belgian beers on tap. I avoided it for a while after going vegan because I figured it would be too tempting, and there was no reason to go without eating the pizza.

Along came an idea. I'll just order a cheese-less pizza! Problem solved. I'm not 100% sure it's totally vegan, but I think it's close enough. I get the "Fulton" pizza, with braised artichoke and roasted garlic. It's really, really good. So good I don't miss the cheese.

Well, it was a good idea the first couple times. But the last time I was there, one of my favorite pizzas was sitting not more than 12 inches away at the table next to me. Covered in multiple awesome cheeses. My advice is this: If you are teetering on wanting a conventional, non-vegan pizza, avoid drinking Belgian beer and sitting a foot away from one. I didn't give in, but it's gonna be a while before I go back. I'm gonna have to get that image of that pizza out of my head.

Vegan Meal at a wedding

2010-04-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I went to a great wedding. There wasn't a meal choice on the invitation, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Well, there were great vegan foods! There was hummus, pita and veggies for appetizers. And for the main course there was rice, pita, salad, and roasted veggies. It was definitely a full meal, and pretty tasty. (There was feta cheese on the salad and I tried to avoid it in my scoop. But, I caught a bit on a kalamata olive.)

However, I have to admit, I stuffed a couple bags of trail mix in my jacket pocket, just in case.

Snail Saver

2010-04-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

C'mon, snails. I read up on you, and I'm aware you don't have a spine or a brain. Apparently, you have a "set of ganglia (groupings of neurons) that distribute the control...to different areas." Well, these ganglia need to distribute your slow crawling butts off the sidewalk and into the grass. The sidewalk in front of my apartment is a snail minefield.

Every time I see one, I pick it up and move it into the grass. Usually, it slips partly back in its shell as I do this. I wonder what they are not thinking in their non-brains as this is happening. Are their ganglia reacting as if I were wind? An earthquake? Are they terrified? Thankful? Well they should be thankful. I wouldn't eat them. I didn't eat them when I wasn't vegan, either. But now I'm the local snail saver. Their Superman®. Respect.

Recall: Fatburger Post. It ain't vegan.

2010-04-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

Well, it turns out my post regarding Fatburger was factually incorrect. As someone pointed out in the comments, it must have animal products since it has cholesterol. So, on my lunch break and in the Fatburger parking lot, craving a veggie Fatburger, I called them. I asked if the veggie burger was vegan, and the answer was no. It has cheese IN THE PATTY. What the hell? A veggie burger with cheese in it. Why not keep it out of the patty and put it on top if people want it? Well, that's not their style. So I had to go elsewhere that day. And Fatburger lunches are no more.

I'm probably better off anyway without it.

Earth Day, dog treat

2010-04-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

It was a very, very busy earth day for me. Slammed at work and worked late. And, I couldn't find my "we" shirt I wanted to wear.

But, what a treat! My dog, Lark, was featured in an article for earth day about vegetarian and vegan diets for canines: Meat-free dogs give meaning to Earth Day. And there are few other good lookin' veggie pups as well!

Vegan Tempeh Tacos

2010-04-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Soft tacos used to be a staple when I was eating meat. I'd Foreman Grill up some chicken, make some beans, top them with avocado and/or cheese and that was it. Easy, quick filling. But, I stopped eating them after going vegan because they seemed like they'd be empty. So I'd go with chips and guac and beans instead.

But a couple nights ago, I made something new: tempeh tacos. (by the way, I've never cooked tempeh before). They were awesome! And they're even faster to make than the chicken ones. I used LightLife three grain tempeh, cut it into 1/4 inch slices, and pan fried the strips til they were crispy.

While that was frying up, I put black beans in a small pot with some corn salsa, hot sauce, garlic, and red pepper. I mash them up a bit so they are sort of halfway between refried and regular beans. That's my fave. I flipped the tempeh. The, I made my guac with lemon juice, garlic, a dash of salt, red pepper and fresh jalapeno. That's it! My dinner was done.

I have to say, no b.s., they were awesome. The tempeh filled in perfectly for the chicken. It didn't taste like chicken, or much of anything, but it didn't need to. The beans, guac and hot sauce had tons of flavor. The tempeh just gave it texture and weight. Perfect. Plus, just a half package of tempeh has 20 grams of protein.

Recent eats, and some loose vegan recipes

2010-04-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

1. Pasta
I've made whole wheat spaghetti, plain spaghetti, and other noodles in funky shapes. Sometimes I go all out and make a veggie sauce from scratch. Other times, I toss in a bit of olive oil spinach and/or and garlic and that's it. It's easy, fast, and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day.

2. Guacamole, beans, chips
I eat enough to fill me up for dinner. I'll mash up pinto beans and they look sort of refried. Other times I use the refried black or pinto beans from a can. I add some salsa and hot sauce and cumin to liven it up. While that's heating up, I make my guacamole. Usually I use 2 avocados, a few cloves of garlic, a splash of lemon juice, and a tiny dash of salt. Half a bag of chips, 2 avocados, and half a can of beans pretty much does it.

3. Hummus and pita
These are 2 ingredients I pretty much always have in the fridge. I'll garnish the hummus with sesame seeds, crushed red pepper and olive oil.

4. Indian food
I've been working a lot and eating out a lot lately, which I don't love. But, I do love Indian food. So I guess they cancel each other out. And lunch specials are the best cause you get lentils, rice, veggie dish, naan and a salad for about 7 or 8 bucks.

Review: California Pita

2010-04-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

I had a surprisingly good vegan lunch the other day at California Pita. I ate some kabobs there once in my omni days and was not impressed. And Daphne's falafel sandwich leaves a lot to be desired. But, I was craving a sandwich, this place was close, and so I decided to give it a try. How bad could a falafel sandwich be? (Pretty bad, actually)

I was pleasantly surprised. It was large enough for my hefty appetite, and the falafel was fresh and hot. It also had some spinach mixed into it which was a nice touch. And they spared nothing when it came to ingredients. Plenty of falafel, hummus, tahini, cucumbers, tomatoes and a large (not really a pita in my book) wrap. It's one of those sandwiches you have to eat with a fork at first if you have any hope of getting it small enough to fit in your mouth and eat it like a normal sandwich. And at $5.99, you can't beat the price with a stick.

Lastly, I was impressed with the real plate and real metal fork. Not only does it give the food more respect and make it more appetizing, it's better for the environment. It's pretty rare to see this in a strip mall joint so I give them a big plus on that front.

I'll definitely be back. +1 California Pita.

Confessions of a Non-Vegan Roll Eater

2010-04-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

Yep, yours truly. Those frickin' delicious dinner rolls from Miceli's that aren't quite vegan. I claimed back in February I wouldn't eat these rolls again. I referred to them in that post as "hot, fresh, gooey, crispy, delicious dinner rolls". That pretty much sums it up.

I've been back to Miceli's every other week as a little tradition. And every time I asked the waiter not to even bring them to the table. This time, I didn't catch the waiter in time, and...bam. There they were. I resisted them all throughout my meal.

But when I finished my pasta, I was still hungry. I looked at the rolls. I wasn't crazy about the idea of ingesting the dairy in them, albeit a very small amount. And I knew I had vowed to not eat them again. Then, I ate three of them. I rationalized it this way: being vegan to me means avoiding animal products by all practical means. Well, it wouldn't be very practical to throw away a basket full of rolls when I was sitting there hungry. So, I ate them, pretty guilt free. I'm still going to avoid them in the future.

I felt obligated to document this occasion. Next time I go I'll be sure to ask for no rolls, and maybe a salad to make sure I'm full.

A beautiful Sunday

2010-04-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

I'm always surprised and delighted when I find out I've had an impact on anyone's life for the better, for any reason. And, it's even better when it's my Mom. We had a vegan breakfast Sunday morning at Mani's, and she mentioned she was tending to eat more vegan meals since I decided to change my eating habits. Awesome. It can only lead to good things!

I know I always say how great Mani's is, but it really is. They have so many vegan options, even vegan desserts, that it's hard to resist. It's a little pricey, but not outrageous. $10 - $13 for most breakfast items. I had the breakfast wrap (Black beans, guacamole, spinach, mushrooms, vegan tofu scramble in a whole wheat tortilla. Served with our Ranchero Sauce and Pico de Gallo.) And after a great meal at Mani's, what better way to spend the afternoon than browsing the Melrose Trading Post.

My dog's a vegetarian

2010-04-06T22:06:00.000-07:00

And her kibble is vegan. I've been slowly transitioning her off of meat based kibble and she's doing great! She still scarfs it down, loves the taste, and has tons of energy. And I have veggie treats that I've always given her. And her, um, business is just fine also.

This is the food she eats:

And these are the treats:

I add a few carrots and veggies and kitchen droppings in the mix now and then, and she's good to go! One happy pup.

Green Juice and Randomness

2010-04-05T22:57:00.000-07:00

Here's what the contents of my green juices have been lately. Rice Milk, Pom/Blueberry juice, ground flaxseed, collard greens, frozen goji, blue and strawberries and a banana. It comes out sorta greenish brown. And tasty.

Also, I recently posted my McCruelty poster from my FREE McCruelty action pack in my office at work. It fits nicely between my "I SAVE" ING Direct bumper sticker and my "Follow a mind freed by massive choice" Veer stock photo page. And my elephant photo. It's the little things.

And, finally, I took a picture of my dog Lark today and she just was looking ultra-cute. That's my last bit of randomness.

Cutie Chameleon

2010-04-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

My neighbor has a chameleon, and it was a perfect opportunity to try out my new iPhone photo filter. This thing is so cute.

Vegan Menu Review: The Desert Rose

2010-04-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

Thursday night was a great experience at The Desert Rose in Los Feliz (Los Angeles). Be sure to ask for the vegan menu, they don't give it to you automatically. There's soups, salads, pizzas, tapas, and all kinds of good stuff. It had a guy playing the sax in the background, dim lighting, and outdoor patio with heat lamps, and a little bar. It's a nice ambiance.

And, it's right next door to Cruzer Pizza which boasts 100% animal-free, vegan ingredients. So, we got one. I'm in to pizza right now. It was a veggie special, and it was awesome!

But what really stood out was the eggplant soup I had for an appetizer. It was so unique and fantastic. Cream of eggplant with falafel dolops, Check it out:

I highly recommend the place, but at the very least get a pizza delivered from Cruzer.

Highlights of the week (so far)

2010-03-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

I've done a couple new things this week that worked out pretty well. But first. Amy's. Mac. And. Cheeze. I know I reviewed this already, but I ate it before I could take a picture. So, of course, I had to have another, and here's the proof. The picture says it all.

I also made some spaghetti sauce this that varied from my usual concoction. Usually, I saute zucchini and fresh tomatoes for a fresh, chunky veggie sauce. I didn't have any fresh veggies other than tomatoes, so I decided to make a vegan "meat" sauce. I cut up some roma tomatoes pretty small, then added garlic and olive oil. After simmering for a bit, I added some frozen veggie meatballs. Once they softened up, I smashed them into tiny bits and it looked like a meat ragu. And it tasted great. Satisfying.

Another thing I've gotten into lately is baked sweet potatoes. My aunt's neighbor, who is over 100 years old, says she has eaten a sweet potato almost every day for as long as she can remember. I take that as a good sign.

I'll throw them in the oven, wrapped in foil, with a bit of canola oil to keep them from sticking. I don't skin them or anything, I just scrub 'em and bake 'em. I put some Earth Balance buttery spread on top and that's it. They're really good. They take about 45 minutes to cook, but that doesn't have to suck. For example, I'll get home from work and throw them in the oven right away. Then I walk the dog, read my mail, make the rest of my meal, and then the potatoes are done. And I have an extra for work the next day.

"How's the vegan thing going?"

2010-03-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

"Are you still a vegan?"

To me these question sounds a lot like Sarah Palin's recent speech asking, "How's that hopey, changey stuff working out for ya?"

I'm sure some people mean well, but I sense sarcasm and/or cynicism in there sometimes. And both being vegan and the hopey-changey stuff are working out very well, thank you.

Lately I've been answering in the simplest terms possible.
"For life."
"Forever."
"Love it."
"Fantastic."
"Great."
"Never felt better."

And to those being sarcastic, I always see a look of surprise at the confidence in my answer. It's like they expected me to say:
"Man, this vegan thing sucks. I had to eat a burger the other night cause I'm so weak. It's really hard. I'm not sure anymore. I'm changing my mind."

And then there's usually no follow-up besides "Really? Wow. Alright, see ya later."

I handle it like the mature adult that I am. I don't get upset. So to the sarcastic nay-sayers I say:
In your face.

Eating Animals Forum

2010-03-29T22:52:00.000-07:00

I recommend joining the Eating Animals forum.

There's lots of good discussions going on there, but it could use more members and activity. It can be frustrating because some threads are very anti-vegan, but most of it is helpful, thoughtful discussion. For example, here are some inspiring stories from people who went vegan after reading the book—like me!

Food Revolution

2010-03-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

I'm no fan of reality TV, but I saw this clip on the Huffington Post and was shocked. On Jamie Oliver's new Reality Show he attempts to educate children about their food, and making healthy choices. He doesn't advocate for veganism, but it's a huge step in the right direction. He advocates for fresh, unprocessed diets, high in fruits and vegetables.

In this clip, he thinks showing the kids the nasty process in which chicken nuggets are made will turn them off. Well, it doesn't quite work out that way. Check it out:

I saw another clip recently where the children couldn't tell him what he was holding in his hand: a tomato. Scary.

After seeing this, I realized what and uphill battle this is really going to be. The next generation of kids in this country don't have even the most basic knowledge about food. I didn't think it was possible not to recognize a tomato.

What I want to see next is a vegan reality show. Let's put a bunch of nay-saying-omnis in a house and make them go vegan for 30 days. It'd be interesting to see how many stuck with it after it was over.

Doctor approved!

2010-03-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

I recently got the results of my bloodwork—and it's all good. I have no deficiencies, no evidence of anemia or any other problems. In fact, my overall condition has improved. As I said in my earlier post, I've lost 14 lbs. I'm trying to gain that back by increasing my weightlifting and protein intake (more lentils and nuts).

Here's what the American Heart Assoc. considers healthy.

Here are the highlights of my results:
142 - Total Cholesterol (desireable < 200)
42 - Triglyceride (fat) Level (desirable < 150.
58 - HDL good cholesterol (desirable level above 39)
76 -LDL bad cholesterol (desirable level < 130)
83 - Blood sugar (normal 69 - 99)

Here's my favorite part:

Review: Amy's Mac and Cheeze

2010-03-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

Yea, that's cheeze with a "z".

Since going vegan, I've tried non-dairy, boxed mac and cheese. Nice try, but no. I've seen the recipes on Vegan Yum Yum and other recipes people have been so kind to offer me, but I haven't made them. For me, mac and cheese is a tradition of making something really quick for immediate satisfaction. Gooey, gooey satisfaction.

Needless to say, I had high hopes for the mac and "cheeze" of Amy's. The picture on the box looks fantastic. And I feel lucky I even got a box of it, since there were only a few left in the store's freezer.

I had it for a snack at work. And...we have a winner! This stuff will never be like the real thing, but it's really damn close. Mmmmm, cheesy, salty, not really good-for-me goodness. Thanks Amy's!

Another recipe idea

2010-03-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

Some of my friends who've been inspired to eat less meat have said it's hard for them. But, they've also said pictures from my blog sometimes pop in their heads and give them ideas. So, here's one for the vault that I've made quite a few times.

Usually, I don't add the veggie sausage, but it was surprisingly good. I put the sausage on the Foreman Grill til' it was crispy. For my sauce, it was almost all fresh. I chopped up yellow squash and zucchini, a tomato, an onion, and added a can of unsalted diced tomatoes. I didn't cook it for too long cause I like the veggies crispy. I also used some olive oil and garlic. Toss that on your pasta and you're good to go! Dinner in less than 20. And it's a familiar meal.

Some of you may want to know why the photo is only of 2/3 of the plate. Me too.

A Hearty Dinner

2010-03-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was craving meat. I didn't crave the taste, and I don't know if I could have even eaten it, but I wanted the feeling in my stomach it gave me. Also, I had a case of the after-work-I'm-tired-don't-want-to-do-shit feelings. So, I was on a mission for heartiness and fullness.

I quickly decided, arabic/mediterranean food, with lentils instead of meat. The whole thing took less than 30 minutes. Maybe even 20.

First things first, I threw the rice in my rice cooker. I wanted that going while I was prepping the rest of the meal. (I find my rice cooker essential. It's so easy, and I wouldn't make it otherwise). Then I boiled about 1/3 cup of dry green lentils (about 1 1/2 servings). I toasted a couple wheat pitas, put some hummus and olives on the plate, and dropped a handful of pine nuts and almond slivers on for texture. The rice and lentils finished it off.

It looked kinda brown—not the most appetizing. Not bad either. But with the brown rice, wheat pita, hummus...you get the picture.

Regardless of how it looked, it definitely did the trick. It could've used a salad, but I didn't have the fixings. It filled me up. I was stuffed. Whew.

Meatless Monday.

Review: The Pizza Cookery

2010-03-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

I went to The Pizza Cookery with friends from work on Friday afternoon, and was surprised and delighted by their extensive vegan and gluten-free menu! Who knew Topanga Blvd. was so hip? I had a 6-inch pizza with artichoke, olives, and vegan cheese. The cheese was melted and crispy on the edges. Yum. And it didn't get all weird as it cooled off either. This is the best vegan pizza I've had to date.

A Check-up from the neck-down

2010-03-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

I saw my doctor this week. The last time I was there was in September, for a physical. This week, I had my bloodwork done to be sure I'm healthy, and getting all my nutrients with my new, vegan diet. It's been almost 5 months since going vegan. I feel great, and I have no reason to believe that I'm deficient in any way, but I just want to be sure. I don't have the results of my bloodwork yet, but my doctor said I look healthy.

However, I can report on my weight. In September, I weighed 162 lbs. Now I weigh 148 lbs. That's a loss of 14 lbs. I don't think I've weighed this much since I was a teenager. I checked my BMI and I'm well within the normal range for my age and height. And my doctor wasn't concerned, either.

I don't feel skinny, but my pants are getting a bit looser around the waist. I've gone from a 32 to a 30 inch waist. I feel energetic. I feel strong. I feel fit. I can still train hard. As I continue on my new weightlifting routine, I hope to put on some lean muscle mass and weight.

I'll report on my bloodwork as soon as I get the results. It shouldn't be long.

Found my Nikes

2010-03-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

These are 100% synthetic. And they're super light. It wasn't too hard to find them, but they only had 2 styles in stock at the Nike Town here in L.A. I'm a sucker for kicks. My options are a lot more limited, but that just makes the hunt that much more fun.

McCruelty

2010-03-14T21:36:00.000-07:00

I just got my FREE McCruelty Action Pack! It's got a bunch of stickers, leaflets and a poster. I'm gonna spread the word. In case you didn't know, McDonald's has a system in the U.S. for killing chickens that skins and boils them alive. There is a pain free way to kill chickens using gas, and McDonald's already uses this system in Europe for some facilities. This campaign by PETA is to have McDonald's end the horrific cruelty in the U.S.

The poster's going up in my office, for sure. I'm not so sure about the stickers and flyers. Any ideas?

I said something smart

2010-03-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

A lot of people I know ask me why I'm vegan when they get the chance. And I've found the best answer is as follows.

"I'm vegan for three main reasons. For my health, for the environment because factory farms are horrible for the environment, and for compassion for animals."

This is the best way to go because it's simple, concise, says it all and it's hard to argue with. Well, maybe it isn't so hard to argue with. But it almost always creates a long pause before I hear the usual questions and/or statements about lack of protein, calcium, no cheese, etc. I attribute that pause to realizing being vegan makes sense.

Well, a few days ago, a couple good co-worker friends of mine and I had a couple beers and it came up. I gave my usual answer, but got very thoughtful replies.

I'm getting closer to where I say something smart.

My one friend, I'll call him "Pablo", said he admired what I was doing. He wanted to do it but wasn't disciplined enough. I said it doesn't have to be all or nothing, and that he could just try eating vegetarian here and there and see how he feels. It felt good to be admired though.

And then, I heard something new. This guy, I'll call him "Jerry", said that vegans eventually lose bone density from lack of calcium and nutrients, and were likely to have arthritis and other chronic problems. On the topic of veganism, being combative doesn't work out well.

I'm getting even closer to where I said something smart.

I instead said to Jerry that what he said is surely true in some cases, but that The American Dietetic Association concluded well planned vegan diets are healthful for all people, young, old or pregnant. To belabor the point: Read their statement here.

OK, here's where I said the smart thing. And it was totally freestyle, dude. I said most people don't eat balanced diets, and usually they don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. I don't think vegans are automatically worse off. We eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Who's to say which possible deficiency is worse? And research shows vegans live longer and have less disease.

The reply was "good point, good point." And that was that. Confrontation avoided. Conversation civil. Points communicated reasonably. Time not wasted. A smart thing was said. More beers ordered. Done.

Gigant-o Eating Day

2010-03-09T22:50:00.000-08:00

I think it's worth mentioning that I ate like a monster today. For lunch, I had an Indian lunch special with lentils, vegetable rice, wheat vegan naan, chana masala (garbanzo beans) and a green salad. Usually I can barely finish it, but today I powered through it, no prob.

For dinner, I had pasta. I made enough to take for lunch tomorrow. And then I ate all of it. 2 full plates. The sauce I made had a small can of tomato sauce, 4 whole tomatoes, half an onion, a zucchini, garlic, and 8 "veggie" meatballs. It filled up my whole huge saucepan, and then apparently, my stomach.

I guess I needed the fuel!

Review: Amy's Frozen Vegan Pizza

2010-03-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

I know frozen pizzas aren't the greatest thing to put in my body, but everyone once in a while I need a pizza fix. And this time is usually around 11:00 pm when pizza spots are closed, especially any with vegan options.

In comes Amy's. In my ongoing quest for non-dairy Amy's Mac & Cheese, I discovered Amy's Rice Crust, Gluten Free, Non-Dairy Cheese pizza. I know, it sells itself!

It was really good! It satisfied my craving. Here's how it works: You bake it for about 8 minutes, and then broil it for about 1 minute to melt the cheese. I was skeptical about the cheese, as I haven't seen a lot of melted non-dairy cheese be successful. But, I got excited when I saw it starting to melt and crisp up! Thumbs up Amy's! It's not like the taste blew me away, but it did the trick.

Mani's Bakery

2010-03-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

I love Mani's Bakery! On my way to the Chiropractor yesterday, I stopped in for a quick breakfast snack. I remembered that they had vegan options, but I hadn't been there since going vegan. To my delight, they had 1 last vegan muffin left, the "morning glory." And it was quite glorious. It's a carrot, raisin, maple concoction of epic proportions. It's topped with sunflower seeds. Soooooo tasty. Glad I stopped in! I'll be back there soon for a proper meal.

Anatomy of a Green Juice

2010-03-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

I get asked this a lot, so here's an example of my typical breakfast juice/smoothie.

And once it's blended it looks like this (except there are 2 glasses full, 32 oz.)

I try to put in multiple greens, so some days it might be spinach and kale. I put tomatoes in there cause I won't eat them otherwise, usually. Whenever I drink one of these, it makes a huge difference in my day. My mood is better, and I have more energy. Cheers!

I Chose to Slip

2010-03-04T22:54:00.000-08:00

This has been a crazy work week. Lots of late nights and early mornings and eating lunch at my desk. So, when my co-worker offered to pick me up something for lunch yesterday, I appreciated it. I had nothing and I had no time to go anywhere. He was heading to Baja Fresh, so I asked him to pick me up a veggie burrito, no cheese. And he did just that.

I had meetings. and the thing sat on my desk for an hour. I finally got to it around 3 in the afternoon. I was starving. Well, after 1 bite, I saw it had sour cream on it. Choice: Throw it away and eat whatever scraps I had (some nuts and an apple for a snack later), or eat the burrito with the sour cream. I ate the burrito. It wasn't enjoyable, but I needed the fuel. I gave in.

This was a case that I won't beat myself over it. I wasn't thrilled to have the dairy in my system, I didn't like the taste, but my needs trumped my values. Life's about choices and balance. This choice worked for me.

But, I learned my lesson though. Think ahead and be specific.

Nikes

2010-02-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

I know it's materialistic and expensive, but a guilty pleasure of mine is sporting Nikes. And specifically, Air Max 90s. They just make me feel good knowing they're on my feet. I really like shoes.

Today I stopped by Undefeated, a small shoe store that carries a lot of limited edition and unique shoes from Nike, Adidas, New Balance, etc. I stop by now and again to check things out, but rarely actually buy anything. But, today, I was actualy looking for some shoes. And I temporarily forgot about them being made from leather until I walked in and picked up the Air Max 90s that caught my eye. These:

They're simple, awesome, and my favorite color combo—black and red. And they're leather. There wasn't a question of whether or not I was going to buy them. I knew I wasn't. But I just had to pause, breathe, and experience the loss. It passed quickly. Then, some Adidas caught my eye. From a distance they looked like they could be synthetic. They were also extremely awesome looking:

But, The stripes and heel trim were leather. Damn! So, I was on a mission to see if they carried any vegetarian shoes. I found a few, even a pair of Nikes, and they were all wack. The Nikes were all black and plain with a blue stripe. No thanks.

When I got home, I searched for vegan Air Max 90s. Nothing. Then I searched for vegetarian and vegan on Nike's site. Nothing. Then I clicked "live chat" on Nike's site, and immediately got some vegan suggestions from the rep. They were all hideous, but they existed. I picked out a few I had found that looked synthetic-ish earlier, and they're going to research and get back to me whether they're vegan. Pretty cool. Fingers crossed...

And note to self: Stay away from kick-ass shoe stores filled with shoes you can't buy. That's just not fun.

Fatburger

2010-02-26T15:46:00.000-08:00

I used to hit this place pretty regularly. There's one close to my office so I'd go there for lunch once or twice a month. I told myself since the ingredients (besides the meat) were fresh, it was healthier than fast food, and nutritious and fairly affordable. I still think that's partly true. I could have done worse. If you don't know what Fatburger is, it's a CA classic, 50's style burger joint with shakes, wide fries, and charcoal grills.

So, since going vegan, I've driven by the Fatburger sign many times around lunchtime with the feeling of loss. Not so much that I wanted a burger, but that I wouldn't have that type of meal again. And to date, even the best veggie burgers I've had were nothing like an actual burger.

Well, today I decided to see if they had a veggie burger. I wasn't sure if they did. I had ordered cow, chicken, fish and turkey burgers there, but never noticed if they had a veggie option. I figured even if they did it would be nasty, but at least the fries would be satisfying, and I'd know to never go there again and accept my Fatburger-free fate.

Hello Fatburger Boca Burger! Where have you been all my life?! Or, the last 3 months anyway. This thing is amazing. Nothing like a frozen boca. Before I go on, let me stress that you must order this "on the char". This means they cook it on the actual charcoal grill, not just the flat cooktop. It adds a flame broiled flavor. This burger had almost an identical texture to their turkey or cow burgers. It wasn't all soft and mushy and nasty. It satisfied just as much as a regular burger! I'll be going back there for sure.

Then I was curious, what's the nutritional difference between the two? I downloaded the nutritional facts from the website and here's the highlights:

Calories: Cow- 590g, Veggie- 510g

Fat: Cow- 31g (9g saturated, 1.5g trans fat)
Veggie- 20g (4.5g saturated, 0g trans fat)

Cholesterol: Cow- 105g, Veggie- 20g

Sodium: Cow- 1190g, Veggie- 1560g

Fiber: Cow- 2g, Veggie- 11g

Protein: Cow- 33g, Veggie- 33g

As you can see, the veggie burger is comparable in protein and calories, and only loses nutritionally to cow when it comes to sodium content. But neither one is to be envied. So, there you have it. It's pointless to get anything other than a veggie burger here. And I haven't lost a guilty lunch-time pleasure—Fatburger.

Meat and dairy cause cancer

2010-02-26T15:10:00.000-08:00

How? Colin T. Campbell, author of the groundbreaking and best-selling book The China Study breaks it down in this video. His findings show that cancer tumor growth can be turned on and off with the introduction and reduction of animal protein.

This following video is 45 minutes long. It's Campbell at a podium with a slide machine. However, I find it fascinating. He covers a lot of the major points of the book. So, when you have time, watch it in full. It answers a lot of questions, some of which I didn't know I had. And it reinforces the health reasons for living a vegan lifestyle, scientifically and unequivocally. (scroll down to the bottom of the page for the link to the video)

Watch the video here

No more fast food

2010-02-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

I used to eat pretty healthy before. But, there were times where I was in a hurry and would stop for fast food. I'd be on my way out on a Friday night, or my way in, or after work or after the gym, or whenever. OK, and there were times when I wasn't in a hurry whatsoever and would get fast food. I usually got a burger, or a chicken sandwich, or nuggets, etc. Barf. Since going vegan, I haven't gotten fast food once. But, I needed a way to fill that gap in those situations where having time and/or the desire to cook falls short. That's where my local Los Burritos comes in.

It's only 2 blocks from my apartment, and it's open late, and they can crank out my veggie burrito in under 5 minutes. +1, +2 and +3. This place is not that great, especially if you're interested in meat. But, they have really good salsa, and it's pretty much impossible to mess up a veggie burrito. Beans, guacamole, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and rice. They don't use lard in their beans, either. I hit this place at least once a week and it does the trick. It works for me in my panic-no-fast-food-what-do-I-do situations.

Mac and Cheese

2010-02-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm on a mission. Now that I know this exists, I must try it. I always had a guilty pleasure of mac and cheese. The yellower and cheesier and faker and creamier the better. This stuff looks like it just might fit the bill. And I can't find it anywhere. Eek!

Yes, I know, there are some fantastic vegan mac and cheese recipes. But, they don't look like this. I can only hope it lives up to this amazing photograph.

Vegan UFC Fighter Wins

2010-02-18T23:11:00.000-08:00

Vegan UFC pro fighter and Ultimate Fighter Season 6 winner Mac Danzig scored a win in his latest fight, UFC 109 on Feb 6. Scores were 29-28 by all judges for Danzig, whose record now stands at 20-7-1. He's the only pro vegan fighter I know of.

That's him, punching the other guy in the face. Not exactly tiny. He's 5'8" and cuts weight to fight at 155 lbs. He's now secured his spot in the UFC and will try and work his way up to a title shot. I'm rootin' for him!

Vegan Dog Food

2010-02-18T22:49:00.000-08:00

The idea of my dog eating meat has been lurking in my head for a couple months now. Purchasing dog food with meat is supporting factory farming, so I really need to give it up. But, I of course will not sacrifice my dog's health. I've finally researched it and have decided to give it a go. Lark (my dog), has a somewhat sensitive stomach so it took some time initially to find the right food for her. I'm hoping she transitions to this new vegan one OK.

I've been giving her about 10% of her vegan food a day for the past 2 days, and I plan to slowly increase it over the next 2 weeks. So far, she's had no issues. I went with Natural Balance. It has good reviews online, and my local pet store's employees also said they've heard good things.

If she seems to be OK with the food, the next step will be veterinarian approval. I'll have them do a full blood screening to be sure she's 100% healthy. I'm hoping this works out!

PeopleTowels™

2010-02-15T12:47:00.000-08:00

I love the idea behind PeopleTowels. The mission is to stop using disposable paper towels in public facilities, in order to save trees, water and the environment. "How" you ask? This handy graphic from their website breaks it down.

What does this have to do with being vegan? Nothing, really. But, since becoming vegan and being more aware of my environmental impact, things like this excite me. And to get me even more excited, I won their Facebook "How Green is Your Love" contest and scored 3 free PeopleTowels! I'm giving them away as gifts so I can order different designs for myself. I'm ordering this set:

I'm really impressed with the quality. They are 100% Fair Trade, organic cotton. Here's how my fun-filled PeopleTowel day went: They arrive! I'm happy.

This design is for Valentine's Day, but works year round.

The back side has a soft, terry feel to it. They're really lightweight, so they dry super fast.

I plan on using PeopleTowels from now on, or if I don't have one with me, I'll use the good ol' hands on the pants method. And if you're like me and the idea of bathroom door handles grosses you out, use the towel or your sleeve.

And no, I'm not getting paid or anything to promote this company. I just really like they're style, designs, mission, and idea. Hopefully you'll check 'em out!

More Vegan Meal/Snack Ideas

2010-02-13T16:17:00.000-08:00

Man, I've come a long way since eating veggie burritos, salads and green beans when I first went vegan. Here's a few meals and snacks I've had lately that I've really enjoyed. Enjoy!

Yesterday, I had lunch at my favorite Thai-Japanese restaurant: Pink Elephant. I got the green curry with eggplant, bell peppers, mixed vegetables and a side of brown rice. I was extra hungry, so I also had a salad and veggie egg roll to start. And I ate every last scrap. If you're ever around Topanga Blvd. and Sherman Way, check it out. I've never been disappointed.

I made some pasta the other night, and wanted to incorporate a bunch of veggies into my sauce. It worked out well. I used fresh tomatoes, onions, broccoli and zucchini. I used to put ground turkey in my Ragu and call it a day. This is sooooo much better, and makes a much lighter, fresher pasta.

Today, I made a tasty little snack that I make a lot. I garnished the hummus with olive oil, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds. I love olives, so I put some kalamatas on there too. I threw the pita on my gas stove to heat it up, and added some carrots for dipping.

Tips for new vegans

2010-02-11T22:18:00.000-08:00

Some new vegans have been asking me for advice on what to eat. Here's a list of some things I've found helpful to have around. This is just a start, but hopefully it sparks some ideas. It will be continued in the future I'm sure. And I'd like to get ideas from the readers, too!

Trader Joe's mixed nuts "to-go" packs
I throw these in my pocket, keep a pack in the glovebox, and have them around at work. It's good to eat a handful of nuts and seeds every day, and these do the trick. And they have enough calories to satisfy a hunger urge.

Fortified Rice, Almond, Soy & Hemp Milk
I stress fortified because all of the above milks have fortified versions that are much better for you. They have added B12, Calcium and other essential vitamins. I like to use them all, so I keep them in a rotation. I can't really tell much of a differnce between them, honestly, since they're usually in my smoothies or cereal.

Kale & Collard Greens
Kale and collards have some of the highest nutritional content of any vegetable. I mostly put them in smoothies or pan fry them. I had some collards in my smoothie this morning, and it put a serious pep in my step!

A Blender
Seriously. I use mine every day. And it's nothing fancy. It's amazing how quickly I go through my greens and fruit. No more throwing out what's gone bad because it's all been blended. I wouldn't be able to get enough raw greens in my diet without it.

Larabars
Not all of them are vegan, but most of them are. They're also great pocket stuffers, and good before or after workouts. They satisfy the need for something sweet and crunchy, with minimally processed ingredients. There's no added sugar, just dates.

Earth Balance Buttery Spread
I love toast, and I love it with butter. I was no fan of margarine, but I'm telling you this stuff is nothing of the sort. It's fantastic.

Earth Balance Peanut Butter
On apples, celery, or on it's own. 'Nuff said.

A Crockpot
I never considered getting one of these, but it's great! And they're only $20 at Target. I basically toss in a bunch of random veggies and beans, and it comes out pretty good! It's a great way to get in your veggies.

Jonathan Safran Foer on The Colbert Report

2010-02-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

This is not to be missed. Foer is still on the media trail, and he recently made it to one of my favorite shows. Enjoy.

I'm really glad Eating Animals is still getting public attention. This book has been life changing in varying degrees for everyone I know who's read it. If you haven't read it, read it. There's a link to buy it on Amazon somewhere on the right side of this blog.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Jonathan Safran Foer

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Economy

I need a cup with a lid

2010-02-09T23:25:00.000-08:00

Lids prevent spilling half your morning green smoothie all over your car and your pants when you're kinda running late to work. And, just as an example, it could very well make a mess very similar to this:

But, on the bright side, with the exception of spilling one all over myself, those green smoothies make my mind extra sharp. That's how I was able to crush the high score in Ms. PacMan at the laundromat this weekend. 84,920. Oh yeah.

I didn't get my roll on

2010-02-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, this was tough. I resisted the dinner rolls at Miceli's. Yup. That means it'll only be easier next time. There is something about dinner rolls at an Italian place that makes them hard to resist...crack?

Vegan Restaurant Review: Cru

2010-02-03T20:47:00.000-08:00

Think you can't get some amazing vegan cheesecake that'll satisfy your urge for a giant, sweet, creamy cheese slab? Think again. And what you should be thinking the second time is "I'm going to Cru Restaurant in Silverlake." I know I'm starting this review with dessert, but it was just amazing. This is a picture from their website of what it looks like:

Yeah, it looks like that. But, back to the main meal. The place is really small, and they don't take reservations. But, it's so worth it. I only waited about 15 minutes on a Saturday night, which isn't bad at all. And once we had our seats, I was delighted by the menu. It was mostly raw food, but they also had a decent amount of cooked items. I had the pesto ravioli with cashew cheese and arugula salad. That was a raw meal, believe it or not. I wasn't sure what to expect, and what I got was a refreshing dish with loosely made "raviolis." It was great. Check out the photography on their website and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Eating out vegan is just super fun. I love seeing what the creative chefs come up with, since I'm likely to never cook anything of the sort at home. So, try it, and I hope you enjoy this place as much as I did.

Downsides: I don't recommend going to this place if you're really hungry. The portions are not big. They aren't small either, but just don't expect to leave stuffed. Plus, you'll want plenty of room for the cheesecake, or any of the other desserts that look fantastic. It's a bit pricey, but not crazy.

I caved. Thrice.

2010-02-02T22:15:00.000-08:00

Last night, I caved. I knew that the hot, fresh, gooey, crispy, delicious dinner rolls on my table at Miceli's Italian Restaurant most likely had butter and/or milk in them. But that didn't stop me. And it didn't stop me the last two times I've been there since going vegan. But, at least I never buttered the rolls.

In those moments, I allowed myself to put the suffering of animals behind my immediate desires. I was totally aware of this as I was doing it. It reminded me of the state of mind I used to be in as a meat eater. It's an odd and not-so-good feeling, and one I prefer to avoid. So, that's it—you ridiculously yummy dinner rolls. Never again! I'm going to refuse you from now on. Yep. I am. Uh huh. Boom. (OK, I'm gonna ask the waiter if they're vegan first...just in case.)

I love my blender

2010-01-30T18:13:00.000-08:00

My blender is this vegan's best friend. And my friends aren't usually inanimate objects. For my blender I make an exception. It's the easiest way to get my raw fruits and veggies in for the day. It's slightly different every time, and always delicious. If I want something more sweet I add more juice. If I want something fresh and green I'll use more greens and less fruit.

Here's what's recently made its way into my juices: Rice/Almond/Soy Milk, Orange Juice, Lemon Juice, Pomegranate-Mango Juice, Cranberry Juice, Tomatoes, Bananas, Apples, Pears, Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Frozen Pineapple, Ground Flaxseed, Spinach, Kale.

The more kale you use, the more likely it will be bright green. I made one with a pear, banana and strawberries (added to the usual rice milk and flaxseed) and it came out like a thick, yummy shortcake. If you like them cold, use frozen fruit. Personally, I prefer room temperature so it's easier to slam down the hatch.

If I have time, I'll make my juice in the morning and it's a great way to start the day (I don't drink coffee or caffeine, but it's a real pick-me-up). And I'll follow it up with wheat toast or oatmeal a bit later. Or, if I get home from work and realize I've had mostly cooked foods all day, I'll make my juice to get in my raw greens and veggies for the day.

So, thank you blender. You make it easy for me to get my nutrients. You save me time. You're easy to clean. You're the best, blender!

Talkin' Sh*t

2010-01-28T16:36:00.000-08:00

I can't say I ever expected to write a post involving Oprah. But, darn you Oprah, you've sucked me in. This video of her and Alicia Silverstone talkin' about their bowel movements is great on so many levels. And at 1 minute and 6 seconds, it's the most Oprah I think I've ever watched in my life.

It gives more exposure to the vegan lifestyle via celebrity endorsement, it makes people giggle, it's honest, and it points out one of the benefits of being vegan: your sh*t don't stink. And it don't clog you up. And it's "fabulous." Wow. Check it out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/27/alicia-silverstone-oprah_n_439218.html

The Veg-mobile

2010-01-26T14:29:00.000-08:00

My VGN stickers arrived from PETA! You can get them here, and they're on sale for 50 cents. They're perfect for Sigg bottles, laptops, cars, fridges—whatever. And if you know me, and you're veg, you'll most likely be getting a gift from me very soon (hint, hint).

Plus, oooooooohhh yeah, scope out the newly VGN-ised veg-mobile:

Blood Pressure Dropped

2010-01-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

Yet another benefit I've experienced since going vegan: my blood pressure dropped. I've had a pretty consistent blood pressure range of 135/80-ish. I always assumed it being slightly high was genetic, since I exercised a lot and "ate well" (as well as one can while still consuming animal products). I saw a doctor yesterday and he was happy to see it had dropped to 118/73! This takes me out of prehypertension and puts me into the normal range. He was confident it was the diet that made the difference. So am I.

Unintended, but good, consequences

2010-01-24T14:38:00.000-08:00

One reason I became vegan was to contribute less to the global machine that perpetuates the destruction of the planet, namely factory farming. I didn't think of myself as being wasteful before, but now I'm very conscious of my environmental impact when it comes to things other than food. Going vegan has brought these issues to the top of my mind. First, I noticed it in clothing. While shopping, I realized I couldn't buy wool or leather anymore. Now, I do all I can to avoid using plastics. Here are some things I now do my best to avoid: Anything made of plastic. And there's a lot of it. Bottled water, cutting boards, packaging, shopping bags, kitchen utensils and on and on.

The Onion just published a hilarious, yet sadly true, article on the subject of bottled water plastic waste: "How Bad For The Environment Can Throwing Away One Plastic Bottle Be?" 30 Million People Wonder.

I don't want to be part of this system. Living in the modern world, especially the U.S., doesn't make it any easier with the constant bombardment of conveniences and socially acceptable environmentally destructive behaviors. But as the article above points out, what we choose to do in our daily lives, no matter how small, add up to make a big difference. This means the choices we make of what to eat, when and what to drive and what we consume in general, matter. Being vegan has given me an awareness to these things I didn't focus on heavily in the past. Unintended consequences can be good, sometimes.

+1 again for veganism.

It's time to get ripped

2010-01-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

And by getting ripped, I mean gaining roughly ten pounds (of pure muscle, of course). Why ten pounds? That's about how much I've lost in the 3 months I've been vegan. I have a unique issue when it comes to weight gain: I haven't been able to do it before. Even when I was an omnivore, I had the same problem. But now? Now, I'm new and improved.

I theorize this weight loss is a shedding of extra, unwanted matter in my digestive system and toxins stored in my cells. Good riddance, I say. My energy level is still very high, I recover quickly from workouts and I don't have any food cravings. My body is telling me everything is going great. So, the weight loss isn't attributed to any sort of lack of protein or vitamins. I eat a broad range of vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes.

As usual, I have a plan. Ready for it...Ready for it.............My plan is to eat more. I know. Shocking. I'm a loose cannon. But seriously, it's more nuanced. I'm going to eat more earlier in the day, and within 15 minutes of a workout. Also, I'm cutting down on my cardio workouts. I'm limiting my cardio workouts to Tae Kwon Do, 3-4 days a week. All other cardio will be for warm-up purposes only. And I'm going to focus on lifting at least 5 days a week. For example, a day could look like this:

8 am, Breakfast:
2 slices Ezekeil multi-grain toast with Earth Balance spread
20 oz. homemade fruity green juice (Fortified rice milk, spinach, kale, OJ, flax seed, lemon juice)

9 am, Arrive at work

11 am, Snack 1:
Hot oatmeal
1 apple

12:00 pm, Workout (5 minute cardio warm-up, 25 minutes lifting, 5-10 stretching)

12:45 pm, Post Workout Snack:
Hot oatmeal (or Larabar)

1:15 pm, Lunch:
Salad with mixed greens, spinach, various nuts and seeds, black beans, brown rice and raw broccoli

4:00 pm, Snack 2:
Hummus and 2 pita breads
1 Banana

6:00 pm, leave work, Snack 3:
Pack of mixed nuts, seeds, dried cranberries

7:30 pm, Dinner:
Sauteed mixed vegetables with various seeds over brown rice
Small lentil soup
Small raw salad

9:30 pm, Snack 4:
Leftovers from dinner

That's a lot of eating, right? Well, I've actually eaten this exact lineup before, and I love it. It's an all out eating extravaganza. Now, I just need to be sure I eat like this every day. Sometimes I'm rushed, or stuck in traffic, or don't have all the ingredients, or forget to eat. And sometimes, I just don't feel like eating what I've brought for a snack. Some days I workout after work and have even less time to prepare meals. Well, these guns ain't gonna get all huge by themselves. They need fuel. And rest. And training. The tripple-dog-Jones, as it were. Poundage, here I come.

Green Drink

2010-01-19T23:47:00.000-08:00

I was a little hungry after dinner, so I decided to make a green juice. I didn't have any raw greens yet today, so I wanted to get some in. It was really good, healthy, fast and filling. I just threw it all in a blender and that was it. It yielded just over 16 oz. of juice.

8 oz. Fortified Rice Milk
2 oz. Cranberry Juice (unsweetened)
4 oz. Orange Juice
6 oz. Baby Spinach
4 oz. Kale
2 tbsp. Ground Flaxseed

Chef AJ's new DVD

2010-01-18T23:47:00.000-08:00

I love Chef AJ! I have my second vegan cooking class with her on Saturday, and I'm sure it's going to be great. She is really fun and is full of great ideas. She makes everything simple, fast and most importantly—scrumptious! Even more interestingly, she advocates not only a plant based diet, but all of AJ's vegan creations are free of all processed ingredients including sugar, flour, oil and salt. Following a plant based diet over 32 years, AJ is currently the Executive Vegan Pastry Chef at Sante in Los Angeles. She has been a Culinary Instructor in the Los Angeles area for the past 10 years.

Chef AJ just released a new vegan cooking DVD: Healthy Made Delicious with Matthew Lederman, M.D. of Exsalus Health and Wellness Center where she is the Consulting Chef. Ordering info: chefaj@att.net

OK, hold on now...

2010-01-18T23:32:00.000-08:00

I know I just posted the other day that pointing out how gross meat is isn't helping. Well, I can't help myself with this one. I imagine most people reading my blog don't need convincing to stop eating animal products, but it always helps to have more information. I recently read an article about PETA's complaint filed to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) regarding the California Milk Board's misleading ads for milk products. You can read it here. I plan to file a complaint as well. There's a link in the PETA article.

I noticed these ads on TV recently, as well as billboards and magazines and also found them extremely misleading and troubling. It's one thing to sell products from mistreated animals, but another to completely misrepresent their treatment and lie to the public. Here's just one of many TV ads:

So, in reading the PETA article, I linked through to milksucks.com. Specifically, the page where it explains the unhealthy, unsafe amount of pus in America's milk supply. Yes, pus. Pus. Pus! An excerpt:

Posilac is now widely used by dairy farmers to increase the amount of milk that their already overburdened cows produce. Because cows are not built to produce this much milk, they are prone to a painful udder infection called mastitis. When they are milked, pus and bacteria from the infection flow right along with the milk.

Plus, just look at how cute this little girl is. She shouldn't be living her life in this box. I know giving up dairy is the hardest part of going vegan, but it's worth it!

Why isn't honey vegan?

2010-01-14T14:47:00.000-08:00

I have similar problems with honey as I do with meat and dairy, which is why I turned vegan: environmental destruction and animal suffering.

Honey is factory farmed. Bees are fed a mixture of high fructose corn syrup and water instead of pollen to create their honey. And even in cases where they are allowed to pollinate, the plants are covered in pesticides and chemicals. Have you heard of bee colonies disappearing? That's why.

PETA has a great article about it.

It's not that hard to avoid, if you avoid packaged foods. Some breads have honey in them, but I always check the ingredients anyway since some have milk products also. Plus, the extra sugar isn't doing any of us any favors. Have some fruit instead.

"Hey, peoples—leave them bees alone!"

BBC's Animals & Us, Part II

2010-01-12T22:27:00.000-08:00

I again recommend this podcast. It's Part II of a fascinating series by the BBC, Animals & Us. I linked to Part I a few posts ago. The BBC can do a better job of describing it than I can:

It was 28 years ago that the documentary maker Victor Schonfeld produced The Animals Film about the way humans exploit other species. He returns to the subject in a two-part documentary to give a very personal view on what, if anything, has changed since then.

In part two he focuses on the scientific establishment's attachment to using animals, and considers the future. Might social justice for other species actually benefit humans?

Meat's gross, but does it matter?

2010-01-12T22:11:00.000-08:00

Yeah, meat's gross. I could go on for days and cite all the bacteria, cancerous flesh and other disgusting contaminants in it. (Of course that's on top of the animal suffering and pollution it creates.)

But, I don't think that's convincing any omnivores to change their minds about meat. It doesn't hit home. I liken it to the police ads that are trying to reduce drunk driving. They usually claim if you drink and drive, you'll get caught. But we all know this isn't true. People drink and drive all the time, and the vast majority of them don't get caught. And if they do, it's one time out of hundreds or thousands of times driving after drinking.

The same goes for meat. Everyone has heard about salmonella in chicken, E. Coli in beef, and being sure to cook it hot enough, and not cross contaminating utensils, etc. I always knew that it had all this disgusting bacteria and cancerous flesh, but it never made me ill. I ate meat thousands of times and didn't have a problem. So, I concluded that regardless of the process by which meat was contaminated, it didn't matter to me. The argument doesn't stand to reason. If meat were so disease ridden, wouldn't I have been ill all the time?

My point? Pointing out how gross meat is isn't a good tactic, since it a) tastes "good" and b) doesn't make people ill, usually. In my short experience, I've found global warming and personal health to be more compelling reasons to switch.

Vegan Cooking Course

2010-01-10T18:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I attended my first vegan cooking course. Come to think of it, my first cooking course ever, vegan or not. A friend at work suggested it after she discovered I was going vegan and I tasted her awesome kale salad. It was put on by the fabulous Chef AJ. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was excited to learn some new recipes and get ideas for a variety of foods. It was me and about 15 other people, plus plant-based dietition Julieanna Hever MS, RD who was available to answer the scientific questions. Check out her blog here.

In the 3 hours, we watched 9 recipes prepared from scratch! And all of them were tasty. It was really helpful to see the foods prepped and prepared in front of me because it showed how easy it was. We had some great smoothies, soups, salads and desserts. And her energy is really exciting. It's a really fun class, and I highly recommend contacting her to see when her next series is coming up. I'm going to class number 2 of hers in a couple weeks.

Interestingly, in addition to being vegan, Chef AJ also prepares all her foods without oil, salt or sugar. Basically, oil is stripped of all vitamins and minerals and is digested as pure fat, and sugar is processed and refined and unnecessary as well. Makes sense to me. I haven't been a big fan of salt for quite a while, so I rarely cook with it anyway.

I already made a smoothie today based on ideas I got from the course. And I have the ingredients for some other stuff, too.

Post-work freakout

2010-01-05T20:16:00.000-08:00

This happens to me a lot. It happened just as much when I was an omnivore. I get home from work, I'm hungry, I'm impatient, and something needs to get eaten quickly before I freak. Today it was pretty easy. I polished off the rest of my sweet potato and potato mash, and stir fried up some asparagus and broccoli with garlic, Braggs, sesame seeds and sesame oil, and chili flakes. It only took about 5 minutes, and was delicious. Then I ate a piece of toast. I'll most likely have a snack later. I'm thinking guacamole. Or maybe an apple and peanut butter. Hmmm.

75 lbs.

2010-01-03T17:22:00.000-08:00

That's how much meat I estimate I haven't eaten since going vegan. It's been roughly 50 days, and I probably ate at least 1 lb., but surely more on most days. 75 lbs. That's a lot of chickens, fish, cows, etc. This number of course will only grow, and doesn't include the poundage saved in cheese, milk, and eggs. And I still weigh the same now as I did 2 months ago. I don't miss it. I haven't craved meat yet. Not eating dairy is somewhat inconvenient when at a restaurant, but really fairly easy. I'm sure part of that has to do with living in L.A. where it's more prevalent.

I've noticed on some web forums as well as in person, some vegans are very extreme in their avoidance of all animal products and foods. I am as well. I seek all options in my food, bath products, clothing, etc. that don't use any animal byproducts. However, there's no need to be critical of vegetarians, or chastise those who may consume occasional products not deemed vegan. I think the man who coined the term vegan and created the first vegan society, Donald Watson, said it best. He emphasized that being vegan is limited to what is "possible and practical." In our modern world we have so many options that there is hardly a situation where it seems impossible or impractical. But, I appreciate the flexibility, and I know my intentions are good. And when it all shakes out, I'm on the right side of things.

"The word '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. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals." Donald Watson

Vegetarianism in the news

2009-12-31T16:03:00.000-08:00

It seems vegetarianism has been in the news a lot lately. Or possibly I'm just more aware of it now. Either way, it' great, and encouraging. This morning, I heard a great piece by the BBC World Service called "Animal & Us." I highly recommend listening to the podcast. The science behind human's cravings and need for (or lack thereof) of meat products is fascinating. I would continue to describe it, but they do a much better job on the BBC website (see below). I look forward to part 2 next week

It was 28 years ago that the documentary maker Victor Schonfeld produced The Animals Film about the way humans exploit other species. He returns to the subject in a two-part documentary to give a very personal view on what, if anything, has changed since then.

In the first programme he looks at the use of animals for food and turns to experts in fields such as psychology, history, language and neurology to find out why humans seem so attracted to eating meat.

Next week, he focuses on the scientific establishment's attachment to using animals, and considers the future. Might social justice for other species actually benefit humans?

Today's Eats

2009-12-29T23:46:00.000-08:00

breakfast:
2 slices multi-grain toast with earth balance buttery spread
OJ

snack:
berry medley (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries)

lunch:
sauteed green beans, yellow beans and broccoli
brown rice

snack:
yellow beet and red onion salad from Whole Foods on top of baby spinach

snack in the car driving home from work:
banana

dinner:
my awesome guacamole with chips
chopped onion and tomato
refried beans
brown rice
1 tortilla