Highlights of the week (so far)

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?"

"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

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

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!

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

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

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.