Vegi Lover

Awesome Vegan Food Products I Like

2012-01-21T19:31:00.000-08:00

Do you remember the first pair of sneakers you bought that molded to your feet and hardly felt like shoes at all? You wore them long past the time you should have thrown them away. Or maybe instead you have a favorite book, one that you return to over and over, simply because it speaks to you like no other book does.

When you find something you love, it's hard not to keep coming back to it. I hope you finally found the will to toss the sneakers, but chances are you'll never pitch the book. That's the way I feel about foods I've grown to love. Now, don't get me wrong. I'd much rather eat whole foods that I've prepared myself, but I'm also realistic. Some days I just don't have time to prepare an entire meal from scratch. Or maybe I can, but I don't want to also bake a loaf of bread from scratch every time I put together dinner. There's something to be said for the age of convenience.

That doesn't mean, though, that all convenience foods are equal (you know exactly what I mean). When I buy those types of foods today, I'm looking for products that are healthy, preferably organic, and vegan (of course!). Here is a list of some of my favorite brands:

Alvarado Street Bakery breads: Not all of their breads are vegan (some contain honey), but many are. My local grocery store right now only carries their breads, but I hope they begin carrying some of their other products soon (like bagels and tortillas). What I really like about their products is that many of their breads are made from sprouted seeds (like sprouted rye or sprouted wheat). When you eat sprouted seeds rather than flour, your body digests it more easily. They also don't use GMO (genetically modified) foods, and that is a huge plus for me. Most of their products contain no dairy or eggs, so most of their goods are vegan. YAY! If you're curious, you can check out Alvarado St. yourself!

Amy's Kitchen products: Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while will find this entry as no surprise. Not all of Amy's products are vegan, but a good many are. More than that, though, Amy's prides itself for using natural and organic ingredients, and none of their ingredients are genetically modified. Amy's makes frozen foods, canned foods (like soups), and other products. Those products of Amy's that are not vegan are vegetarian. Some of my favorite Amy's products include the Bean and Rice Non-dairy Burrito (I will never grow tired of these!), the Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada entree, and the No Chicken Noodle Soup. And what would I do without their Roasted Vegetable Pizza? They label their vegan products so you can find what you need without wondering. Want to see their website yourself? Amy's Kitchen.

Kashi: Not all of their products are vegan, but like Amy's, they label the ones that are. I have to admit it: I love several of their frozen vegan entrees. On nights where I feel like I just can't do another thing, it's nice to be able to pop one of their entrees in the microwave. My faves include Black Bean Mango (so unusual but really good!), Mayan Harvest Bake (again, strange, but in a good way), and the Tuscan Veggie Bake (more traditional if your taste buds just want good old-fashioned comfort food). You can check them out here: Kashi.

Galaxy Nutritional Foods Rice Vegan American Flavor "Cheese" Slices: Most vegans I know worship at the alter of Daiya. Daiya's not bad, but it doesn't taste like cheese to me. I don't know how to describe it, but my taste buds are not fooled for one second. I still use their cheddar and mozzarella shreds, but I just can't embrace them as the vegan cheese. I've tried lots of vegan cheeses, and few have satisfied that occasional craving I get. That is, except one. When I use Galaxy's rice vegan American slices in a sandwich, I can believe I'm eating a good ol' slice of American cheese. I can't just have a grilled cheese sandwich, but if I have a veggie sandwich with a slice of rice vegan (or make a plate of nachos with refried beans, salsa, and rice vegan), I am happy! I have to go out of town to buy this cheese, so I'm glad I don't eat it a lot, but I'm looking forward to the day when my local health food store carries Galaxy products.

Boca: I'd almost bet there isn't a vegetarian out there who hasn't heard of Boca (well, American veggies, at any rate). I don't like all Boca products, but they do have a few I like. If you buy Boca, you'll notice that they package their non-GMO soy products differently, and those are the ones I buy. They are in brown packages, whereas their regular products are in red. Sometimes, dang it, I want a burger and fries, and I don't care how unhealthy they are, but my burger still has to be vegan. Some Boca products I love (all the non-GMO soy versions): Vegan Meatless Burger, Original Chik'n Patties, Original Chik'n Nuggets, Spicy Chik'n Patties, and Ground Crumbles. I don't know what I'd do if they didn't have non-GMO versions! I used to love Morningstar Veggie Patties, but they use egg products (and probably GMO products as well), so I hope someday Morningstar jumps on the vegan, non-GMO soy bandwagon...but I'm not holding my breath. Thank goodness Boca did!

505 Southwestern: I'm a sucker for a good salsa. Heck, I'm a salsa junkie. There. I admitted it, and I feel better now. 505 products aren't targeted toward vegan audiences, so I guess they're what PETA would call "accidentally vegan." My favorite products are both of their medium salsas, regular and chunky. I use them in and on so many foods. Their products are all natural, and any products that has just a few ingredients is better than a food that has dozens! For instance, that medium salsa I told you about? Seven ingredients, and one of them is water! So it's not an entire meal...but it can make any blah meal awesome! Check out 505 yourself and see what you think.

As I complete this list, I realize I've left off some products that aren't registering with me right off the bat. I think this list will give you a good idea, though, so next time you're too tired to whip up an entire meal from scratch, consider one of these products!

A Slight Diversion

2011-12-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays! Some of you might know I am a published author elsewhere (poetry, fiction, and articles). Anyway, I recently had a poem published in a print journal (The Final Note, Volume 3), and a couple of my friends asked to see it. So here it is. If you're not here for poetry, please feel free to skip this post. :) Also, just a quick disclaimer--I am a notorious rewriter, and this version is slightly altered from the published version (but I like this one much better!)

Luggage
Cindy Jones-Shoeman

I have two bags.

One is full of regrets, like
the time I chided my mother, telling
her the email she sent me was
racist, or that time in high school when
that cute boy I had a crush
on put his arm around
me and I just stood there
slouching.

The other is a lot bigger. It’s

full of guilt, guilt for not sitting on
the floor longer with my daughter, playing
that boring building game; for not
visiting my grandma more often that last
summer, newborn in tow or not; for things said
and unsaid, done and not done, for glares and
sighs, for coldness and anger.

At various mile markers, I stop and
look through the bags, pulling out a few
items while realizing they’re fuller than last
time. They get heavy. Once in a while, I
set them by the side of the road, done with
them once and for all, but just a few yards
away, I run back for them.

I guess I’ll never know who I could
be without my luggage.

Soup Recipes

2011-10-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend I couldn't help myself. I went to the store and bought more vegetables than usual. But the broccoli and the butternut squash just looked sooo good. I couldn't help myself. And fall is in full swing too, so I thought I'd go ahead and try perfecting some soup recipes. Well, this time I was able to do it! Here are two soup recipes I'm proud to share with you. I hope you enjoy them. The flavors really come through, and there's nothing wimpy about them!

Butternut Squash Soup

2 medium butternut squash, peeled and seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cups vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt Earth Balance in large pot. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add vegetable broth and squash. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place in food processor. Puree until squash is smooth. Add back to pot of broth and stir until blended well. Add salt and pepper.

All three of my sons really liked this one and even came back for seconds and thirds:

Cream of Broccoli Soup

6 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine, divided

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

3 cups vegetable broth

2 large bunches of broccoli, chopped into florets

3 Tbsp white whole wheat flour

1 pint Silk creamer

Melt half the Earth Balance in large pot. Saute onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a food processor. Blend the mixture until it is smooth. Then in the original pot melt the remaining margarine. Once it’s melted, stir in the flour, then add the creamer. Stir until it gets thick, and then add the blended soup and stir until blended well.

Happy eating!

Huge Inspiration!

2011-09-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

Okay...so over the last few weeks, many of us vegheads have watched Forks over Knives (which I recommend). It's inspired many of my old friends (no, they're not old--I've just known them a long time!!) to convert to veganism or close. That is AWESOME! So, in spite of computer problems throughout the summer and then lack of inspiration, I'm inspired again. I'll finish my 52-week project; it'll just be a little delayed. :) I know I still have some readers out there who haven't given up on me. Thanks!

Update on the garden: It's been okay, but I'm still building up the soil to be self-sustaining. I now have two humongous compost piles, and they'll be part of the garden next year. So my fingers are crossed.

So stick around. I'm back!

Vegan Menu for Week Thirty-Two

2011-04-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

Again, I'm delayed and I'm so sorry. Still dealing with the consequences of some massive viruses on our computer. My resourceful hubby cleared up the problem, though, so we're finally back in business and I can start writing again.

Sunday
Mexican

Vegan "cream cheese" enchiladas (made with tofu cream cheese)
Spanish rice
Refried beans

Monday

Wilted greens and grains (all the rage lately, and they're GOOD! Think romaine and rice, spinach and quinoa--the possibilities are almost endless and totally delicious!)
Canned pears

Tuesday

Seitan stew (think beef stew but with seitan and veggie broth instead)
Cornbread

Wednesday

Mock meatloaf (check out this recipe from Compassion Over Killing)
Mashed potatoes
Green beans
Garden salad

Thursday
Chinese

Vegan pot stickers
Brown rice

Friday

Jamaican red bean stew
Sliced pineapple

Saturday

Couscous (with margarine and herbs)
Green salad
Sliced tomatoes

Snack of the Week

Multigrain Chips (by Food Should Taste Good)

Dessert of the Week

Vegan pumpkin pie

One of Those Things That Really Ticks Me Off!

2011-04-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, I need to rant. I went shopping on Saturday (that's not enough to irritate me, although some days, it comes close). I still buy meat-based foods for the family when I shop. I don't like it, but I can't force them to eat the way I want. I'm leading by example and I can at least be happy that, when I cook and they eat it, it's vegan!

Anyway, one of the things on my list was pot pies. I grabbed the pot pies they asked for and brought them home. Yesterday, the pies got cooked, and when I looked more closely at the box, I thought, "Oh, that's nice." I'm not going to name the company here, but suffice it to say, it's a big one. Anyway, the box said that, by buying the box of food, money would be donated to a particular (also nameless) homeless charity. That's why I thought that was nice. By buying the pot pie, the company was going to contribute money to people in need.

Ah, if it were only that simple. But, no. When I read the fine print, I realized that we needed to type in a code online. Only then would the company contribute money to feed the homeless people.

So what's wrong with this picture? Plenty of things. First of all, the company (and they make plenty of money) really isn't doing anything out of the kindness of their heart. They want us, the consumer, to take the time to read the fine print and then do what they've asked us to do. Otherwise, no money will be donated to this cause. So some people, I'm sure, will buy these pot pies, feeling all warm and fuzzy that their purchase is feeding not only their family but also other hungry people across the country. Some of these people think that and don't bother reading the fine print. Other people will read the fine print and take their precious time to type in the codes. Still others (like myself) will get really angry and then type in the codes anyway, knowing that--if they don't--they will suffer horrible guilt.

But that's not right.

If the company were truly charitable, they would contribute money directly to the organization. But, instead, they have to make a big show of it and also force their customers to buy their food in order to feed other people. I don't buy their show. Until they decide to simply give money to this organization without the games they feel the need to play, I don't buy it. And I won't buy their crappy products ever again.

Vegan Menu for Week Thirty-One

2011-04-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

My most sincere apologies...our computer has been ailing from some dreadful viruses, and I wasn't able to touch the computer this weekend while it was being worked on. It's still not perfect, but we're getting there. It's frustrating!!! So, if any of you actually try to follow along with every suggestion I post, I hope you were able to make do yesterday! Anyway, without further ado, here is the belated weekly menu:

Sunday

Better Homes and Gardens' Portobello Pasta Bowls
Corn on the cob
Garden salad

Monday

Chef Chloe's Panang Curry
Chef Chloe's Pad Thai noodles (recipe on same page)

Tuesday

FatFree Vegan's Collards Stuffed with Red Beans and Rice
Garlic bread
Green salad

Wednesday

Healthy.Happy.Life's Spicy Lasagna Verde 2011
Green salad
French bread with roasted garlic

Thursday

Pandor's Yummy Rice Sauce over jasmine rice
Vegan egg rolls

Friday

PETA's "Hamburger" Macaroni Casserole
Vegan biscuits
Sauteed spinach

Saturday

VegWeb's Potato-Top Curry Pie
Basmati rice

Breakfast of the Week

Moosewood Restaurant's Potato & Asparagus Hash

Dessert of the Week

Vegan Thyme's Vegan Boston Cream Pie

Vegan Menu for Week Thirty

2011-04-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

This week I'm going to continue my "best of the web" recipes, drawing from my favorite vegan and vegetarian websites. Some of these websites are devoted to vegan and vegetarian living. Some are bloggers who write and create delicious recipes. If you click through to the recipes, I encourage you to check out the sites too! For instance, Saturday's suggestion comes from one of my new favorite websites--blogger Kelly develops new recipes frequently and always has interesting things to say.

Also, I have a new company to love. Food Should Taste Good makes healthy snacks. I've eaten two of their chips now, and they've been vegan, made with non-GMO ingredients, no trans fats, no preservatives, no MSG, gluten free, and all natural. Even though I haven't tried all their chips, if they're as good as the two I've tried so far, they're ALL good! So...that's one of the featured menu items this week. Happy eating!

Sunday

Pandor's Peacefully Spicy Noodles (leave out the egg to make it vegan--and use your best judgment, because there are no measurements)

Monday

FatFree Vegan Kitchen's Barbecued Tofu and Vegetables (scroll down past the recipe for info)

Tuesday

Artichoke Pesto Pasta
Garden salad

Wednesday

Rosemary-Black Olive Focaccia
Green salad

Thursday

Pasta with Hummus Sauce
Sliced tomatoes
Brussels sprouts

Friday

Easy Quinoa Chili
Tortillas

Saturday

Vegan Thyme's Tofu: Mandarin Orange Style

Dessert of the Week

Chef Chloe's Raspberry Tiramisu Cupcakes (might I just say, "YUM!")

Snack of the Week

Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips by Food Should Taste Good

Gardening--The New Compost Pile

2011-03-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

So...I've always been a composter, and that's probably thanks to my grandma and grandpa. Their farm was huge, and all the vegetables they ate were grown by hand (no machines or grocery stores). It was impressive. I remember my grandma putting vegetable scraps in a jug that she'd carry over to the large garden area (although she often gave them to her chickens too), and I also remember grandpa putting corn stalks in a pile for composting, along with other vegetable matter. What a great garden that was. What was cool was their land--between the chickens (plus their eggs), the cows (plus their milk), their vegetables and fruits, and wild game--fully sustained them. I know my grandma bought sugar, coffee, and flour, but even then, I'm sure their earnings from making Christmas wreaths and selling firewood allowed them those amenities.

Anyway, back to composting...I started composting on my own right after I got married. I became active in environmentalism and realized that I could send less trash to the landfill if I composted all vegetable scraps. I've gotten better at my techniques over the years, but I really like the Biointensive way of doing it.

Your bottom layer is comprised of sticks and twigs, because they allow the air to circulate. Then you have a layer of brown (mature dead vegetation) and then green (fresh grass trimmings, garden clippings, and kitchen scraps--immature). Then you have a thin layer of dirt (which contains the microbes that will cook the compost into humus). I'll keep adding to this pile, layer by layer, until it's about four feet high (although it's already starting to compress). It's under a tree, which is recommended by this method as well. I won't use the compost from this pile until probably next year, but I'll start a new pile once this one gets big. I won't turn it or anything. Again, that's because Biointensive advocates mimicking nature as much as possible. Turning the pile would make it compost faster, but I would end up with less carbon in the compost, so it's better to let nature take its course.

If you're interested in Biointensive gardening, their website is at Ecology Action. If you're interested in these techniques, you can buy the book How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons, which is what I'm basing all my gardening on this year. I can't wait to see how this year's garden compares to those of the past.

Gardening--Week One

2011-03-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

So last week I started working on my Biointensive garden. The first thing I had to do was plot out the area. My old garden area was not wide or long enough (though it was probably big enough in square feet). I needed an area that was 5 by 20 feet. So I plotted out the area (which last year was overrun with weeds). The next thing I had to do was soak the ground for up to two hours (I did it about one hour and had to move the sprinkler several times to get it all).

Then, two days later, I had to start loosening up the soil. The idea with Biointensive is to disturb the soil as little as possible (like nature), so there's no turning of the soil or anything like that. However, my dirt is hard and clay-ey, so I have a lot of work to do. So, two days after the soak (so it's not too wet and not too dry), I had to start working the pitchfork in to start breaking up the soil.

Now, I just have to let the sun, wind, and rain continue doing the work on the land. In about a week I'll start the double digging process. I've already started a pretty significant compost pile, and I have an old compost pile I can draw from for this year's garden.

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-Nine

2011-03-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

When I'm looking for cooking inspiration, I go to three places: 1) I have a collection of "recipes to try"--recipes torn out from newspapers and magazines or given to me by friends or family; 2) my collection of cookbooks (I still have a bunch from my carnivorous days, and they still have things I can try!); and 3) the internet. I have to admit I go to the internet more often than not, because if I have a specific craving or specific ingredients I want to use, it's pretty easy to narrow my search down. I can't always do that with my other two sources.

So, as a tribute, this week and possibly for several weeks after, I am going to do my version of "Best of the Web." I want to share with you some of my favorite websites and some recipes I either intend to try or have tried and like!

Sunday

Chef Chloe's Flatbread with Roasted Apple, Butternut Squash, and Caramelized Onion
Green salad

Monday

FatFree Vegan's Hot Skillet Salad
Vegan crackers

Tuesday

Healthy.Happy.Life's Vegan White Bean Burgers with "cheese and bacon"
Kettle chips

Wednesday

Vegan Thyme's Vegan Wild Rice Soup en Croute
Garden salad

Thursday

Moosewood Restaurant's Spicy Carrot Peanut Soup
Vegan crackers

Friday

Vegan Taco Soup (from VegWeb.com)
Warm tortillas

Saturday

PETA's Scalloped Parsnip Baja Tacos
Spanish rice

Breakfast of the Week

Toast with homemade Low-Sugar Plum Spread (from Eating Well)--I made this and loved it (I used turbinado sugar).

Dessert of the Week

Vegan apple pie (I liked this one)

Changing the World

2011-03-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

Those of you who read my blog fairly regularly know that I also write for Natural News as a Citizen Journalist. Recently, I wrote an article about Biointensive Gardening. In January, I went to a local workshop on this method of mini-farming here in my community and I got excited. Why? Because it appears to be a way to sustain the planet. The method focuses on sustainable agriculture, and it mainly focuses on mini-farms, that is, backyard gardens that you and I can grow ourselves. What excited me about this method is that we can use less space and less water, yet grow more in a sustainable, healthier environment. I plan to begin gardening this way this year, and I have, in fact, started my compost pile (not the way I used to but following the method I learned in the workshop). I have since purchased organic seeds and planned my entire season; I will begin growing seeds indoors in about two weeks. Since Vegi Lover deals on occasion with our impact on the environment, I thought this might be a good forum in which to share this info. If time permits, I will probably also be blogging about my ventures in this new realm. I think it promises to be fun!

If you'd like to read the article on Natural News (which provides more information about Biointensive gardening), you can click on this link:

Biointensive Agriculture Could Save the Planet

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-Eight

2011-03-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

This week, I was missing quesadillas...and I still haven't found a vegan cheese I really like (although there is one that's promising--I need to try it a few more times, and then I'll let you know). Vegan cheese just usually has a weird taste, and it's not even a soy taste. It's just odd. It tastes salty to me and not cheesy at all. I've had cashew/nutritional yeast cheese, and I like that okay, but cheese made to imitate cheddar, mozzarella, or American slices isn't so good.

Anyway, I was craving quesadillas. Yes, I know quesadillas actually require cheese (considering "queso" in Spanish means cheese), but I thought I'd get as close as possible. The fried tortilla with the warm beans dipped in salsa made me happy, and I guess that's good enough for now! That's the first entry this week, along with a mini "how to." Have a great week!

Sunday
Mexican

Bean "quesadillas"--I adapted a recipe I found on the back of a can of Rosarita Vegetarian Refried Beans. Take a flour tortilla and spread a few spoonfuls of beans on it. Sprinkle vegan cheese on the beans if desired. Fold in half. Heat about 1/2 tablespoon of vegan margarine in a skillet (I use Earth Balance). Fry the quesadilla lightly on both sides. Serve with salsa.
Spanish rice

Monday
Quick and Easy

Amy's Teriyaki Bowl ("made with organic tofu, brown rice & broccoli")
Pineapple slices

Tuesday

FLT sandwich--"Fakin", Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich: Made with vegan bacon (I used Lightlife's Smart Bacon), lettuce leaves, tomato slices, toasted vegan whole grain bread, and mustard. I made these yesterday, and my entire family loved these and asked for more, and I'm the only vegetarian in the house! Hooray!
Pasta salad
Strawberries

Wednesday

Slow-cooked black beans
Tortillas
Rice

Thursday

Tempeh stew
Garden salad
Biscuits

Friday

Vegan Monte Cristo sandwiches
Kettle chips
Pickle spear

Saturday
Chinese

Fried tofu in black bean sauce
Steamed rice

Breakfast of the Week

Vegan English muffins and margarine or jam (or both)

Dessert of the Week

Strawberry rhubarb pie

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-Seven

2011-03-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here's to another half a year of creative, inspiring, and healthy vegan menus. Happy eating!

Sunday
Quick and Easy

Tofurky Italian Sausage on a whole wheat bun, smothered in grilled peppers and onions and mustard
Kettle chips

Monday
European (French)

Tempeh bourguignon
Baked potatoes
Salad

Tuesday
Chinese

Sesame tofu
Steamed brown rice

Wednesday

Tofu spinach calzone
Green salad

Thursday
Indian

Vegan mulligatawny soup
Naan

Friday

Deep dish vegan pizza
Green salad

Saturday

Tofu and veggie pot pie
Green salad

Snack of the Week

Popcorn popped in oil, lightly salted with sea salt

Dessert of the Week

Churros (be sure to use vegan sugar!)

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-Six

2011-03-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

Another celebration! This week's post marks half a year of menu ideas.

This will be my last week going crazy with soup. Good idea since spring is right around the corner. But I'm really loving soup right now!

Sunday

Vegan ramen soup
Biscuits

Monday

Seitan piccata
Garlic bread
Garden salad

Tuesday
Italian

Ribollita soup
Breadsticks

Wednesday

Tempeh chili
Tortillas

Thursday

French onion soup (made with wine and vegetable stock instead of beef stock--and no cheese!)
French bread

Friday
Chinese

Vegetables Delight
Vegan stir-fried rice

Saturday

Cream of broccoli soup
Crackers

Breakfast of the Week

Vegan frittata (use vegan "bacon" and substitute tofu for eggs)

Dessert of the Week

Vegan ambrosia

Attacked by Carnivores

2011-02-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

The other day, I was talking to a new vegetarian friend of mine (she's not newly vegetarian, just a new friend!). She was talking to another woman at work about vegetarianism in general. I was passing by and she stopped me, asking how long I'd been a Vegi. She and her husband have been vegetarians for a couple of years. I told her that (as of now!) I've been vegetarian for two years and purely vegan for about seven months now (I did have vegan days and weeks during my vegetarian days--heck, I even had them when I was an omnivore!).

She then asked me something like this: "Have you ever noticed that non-vegetarians are sometimes kind of nasty when you mention that you're vegetarian?"

"Yes! Absolutely. Why is that?"

My friend then went on to say that she thought it is probably because non-vegetarians feel like we're judging them automatically, because of the choice we've made (which, by the way, is not a decision we took lightly). That's not entirely true. If anyone asks, I will tell them my thoughts, feelings, and rabid opinions about my eating choice, but you know what? I was a regular American for a good chunk of my life, eating everything the American diet had to offer. How can I judge someone who is living a life like I did? Do I think meat eaters are bad people? Absolutely not.

So...it was nice to hear another Vegi's thoughts on the whole attack issue. Do I sometimes feel attacked by people when I tell them I'm vegan? Sure, yeah. Does it break my heart? Not even. But it is nice to have a better understanding of perhaps the motivations behind the anger. And, I guess, if my presence makes them a little uneasy, that's fine too. Maybe that will lead them to question their decisions. And a little thought never hurt anyone.

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-Five

2011-02-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

While patiently waiting for spring to arrive, I continue my soup kick this week. There are so many delicious soups we can eat that warm the belly and the heart. So, until the sun's rays can warm me up, I'll delight in more soups! I hope you're inspired by this week's list too.

Sunday
Japanese

Miso soup
Rice

Monday

Sweet and sour tempeh
Steamed rice

Tuesday

Vegan cream of celery soup
Warm rolls

Wednesday
Indian

Vegan dal makhani
Naan (flatbread)

Thursday

Parsnip soup
Triscuit crackers

Friday

Barbecued seitan
Baked potato
Green salad

Saturday

Spinach soup
Warm tortillas

Breakfast of the Week

Blueberry soy yogurt

Snack of the Week

Celery and peanut butter

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-Four

2011-02-20T11:54:00.000-08:00

This week, I was grocery shopping and, in a "bargain bin," I found a cookbook that focused just on soups. Now, spring might be just around the corner, but we still have a few chilly days and weeks left, so soup is on my mind. This week's focus will be on lots of soups serving as meals. What a great way to warm bellies and hearts. I hope you enjoy this week's menu ideas.

Sunday

Lentil tofu soup
Biscuits

Monday
Chinese

Spicy Kung Pao tofu
Fried rice

Tuesday

Corn chowder
Crusty bread

Wednesday
Caribbean

Caribbean jerk tempeh
Jamaican cabbage salad

Thursday

Red lentil soup
Flatbread

Friday

Cauliflower soup
Cornbread

Saturday

Vegan cream of mushroom soup
Warm tortillas

Breakfast of the Week

Banana muffins

Dessert of the Week

Fruit soup

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-Three

2011-02-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

This week we have a variety of flavors to tempt your taste buds and help you enjoy your kitchen again. There are menu ideas that span the globe, from China to the Caribbean, and links to seriously easy recipes that will taste like you spent forever in the kitchen.

Sunday
European (Russian)*

Vegan red borscht soup
Rolls

Monday
Caribbean

Caribbean black beans and rice
Baked papayas
Vegetarian rolled greens

Tuesday
Greek

Fasolia gigandes (butter bean stew)
Pita bread
Kolokithankia Tiganita (fried zucchini)

Wednesday
Northern Africa (Algeria)

Loubia B'dersa
Rice salad

Thursday

Spicy lentil casserole (see the recipe here under "Main Meals")
Pasta salad (a little vinegar and oil, some chopped veggies like onions and tomatoes, tossed with rotini)

Friday
Cold weather favorite

"Cheesy" broccoli soup (see the recipe here)
Biscuits

Saturday
Chinese

Vegetable Chop Suey
Steamed brown rice

Sanck of the Week

Tortilla chips and salsa or pico de gallo

Dessert of the Week

Vegan fudge

* Just a silly note--I had a heck of a time deciding if I wanted to place Russia under European cuisine or Asian. Russia's land mass, after all, falls more in Asia than in Europe. It's huge! What finally made the deciding factor for me was a Wikipedia article on "European Cuisine." It included Ukranian Borscht as a European dish. So...I had been toying with the idea of putting this Russian dish under "Asian cuisine," but now I'm comfortable labeling it as "European," in case you wanted to know!

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-Two

2011-02-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

This time of year is always quite busy for me, as it may be for a lot of you. Sometimes dinner ideas are hard to come up with, especially unique, inspiring ones. I hope you find some ideas here that make you hungry and eager to cook (and eat)!

Sunday
Latin America (Cuban)

Moros y Cristianos (Cuban black beans and rice--translated means "Moors and Christians")
Tortillas

Monday
Indian

Dal palak
Rice

Tuesday
Greek

Fasolada (bean soup)
Sourdough bread

Wednesday

Moosewood Restaurant's Mushroom Pecan Burgers
Sweet potato fries

Thursday
Italian

Pasta e fagioli soup
Tuscan bread with roasted garlic

Friday
Chinese

Broccoli with garlic sauce
Brown rice

Saturday

Pasta salad (use lots of veggies and your favorite bean to move this to entree status)
Steamed Brussels sprouts
Green salad

Breakfast of the Week

Warm bran muffins slathered in margarine

Dessert of the Week

Oatmeal raisin cookies

Vegan Menu for Week Twenty-One

2011-01-28T18:50:00.000-08:00

How exciting!!! I just keep piling on the dinner ideas. I hope they inspire you as much as they do me!

Sunday
European (Spain)

Arroz negro
Steamed artichokes
Marinated mushrooms

Monday

Vegan rueben sandwich (search and you will find!!!)
Vegetable soup

Tuesday
Asian

Szechuan Tofu
Steamed rice
Spring roll

Wednesday
Mexican

Black bean tacos (add your favorite ingredients)
Spanish rice
Calabacitas

Thursday
Indian

Rajma Masala
Saffron rice
Chole (curried chickpeas)

Friday
Greek

Faki soupa (lentil soup Greek-style)
Spanakorizo (spinach and rice)
Warm pita bread

Saturday

Mushroom and rice pilaf
Garden salad
Sauteed squash and onions

Breakfast of the Week

Cinnamon toast

Dessert of the Week

Vegan gingerbread cookies

Week Twenty Menu

2011-01-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

Week twenty? How exciting is that? My daughter would say it's "legit"!

Sunday
Italian

"Chicken" marsala (try seitan or tofu instead of chicken)
Garlic bread
Salad with Italian dressing

Monday

Vegan Guiness stew
Biscuits

Tuesday
European (Spain)

Vegetarian paella
Rolls
Stir fried zucchini and asparagus

Wednesday
Chinese

Vegetable pan fried noodles
Vegan wonton soup
Steamed rice

Thursday
Mexican

Potato tacos
Spanish rice
Refried beans

Friday

Green bean casserole
Garden salad
Pinto beans

Saturday

Baked pocket sandwiches (can be pure veggie or can also use soy cheese and/or soy meat)
Potato chips
Salad

Breakfast of the Week

Mixed fruit compote

Dessert of the Week

Vegan peanut butter cookies

The Truth about Becoming a Vegetarian: Myths About Making the Switch from Eating Meat to Mainly Plants

2011-01-17T16:02:00.000-08:00

This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety and its original state (along with original embedded sources), click on this link: The Truth about Becoming a Vegetarian.

Some people have considered changing to a vegetarian diet but hesitate because of the myths they've been told. Here are some myths debunked.

Myth 1: People must have large amounts of protein to survive and thrive.

Fact: Protein - particularly protein from animal sources - is overrated. Yes, it is necessary to survival but vegetarians do just fine on vegetable protein alone. Vegetable protein is complete and is truly all vegetarians (any human beings, for that matter) need to survive. It is difficult, if not impossible, to not get all the protein needed in a vegetarian, vegan, or any other type of plant-based diet.

Myth 2: Vegetarian diets are severely lacking in necessary vitamins and minerals.

Fact: Most necessary nutrients are available through a vegetarian diet. Even Vitamin D can be obtained just by spending a few minutes in the sun every day. There was a time when people believed that strict vegans could become deficient in Vitamin B12, but health professionals tell vegans that B12 deficiencies have been disproved.*

Just like meat-based diets, vegetarians should rely on variety - in this case, different types of fruits, vegetables, and grains. They will get all the nutrients they need through their plant-based diet.

Myth 3: Vegetarian diets are boring.

Fact: Simply not true! While it does take time to adjust one's diet from being meat-centric to based solely around vegetables, once a person rethinks his diet, he is amazed at the variety! Vegetarians (even vegans) need never be bored, there is such variety in the plant world. New vegetarians would do well do check out vegetarian websites, buy vegetarian cookbooks, and find recipes online. People can also rethink some of their favorite recipes that are already vegetarian - can they now perhaps become a main, rather than side, dish? And what about adapting old recipes? For example, products using TVP (textured vegetable protein) such as Boca Crumbles and Morningstar Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles can be substituted for ground beef in dishes. The texture and taste are similar to ground beef in these products but so much healthier and less fatty.

New vegetarians also discover the beauty of simplicity. A few steamed vegetables, a salad, and some rice with a few spices and herbs can become a tasty, satisfying meal. Really, for most people it just takes a little imagination and rethinking the way they were raised to prepare meals.

Fact: Vegetarian Diets Can Be Healthy, Satisfying, and Delicious

People who have shied away from vegetarian diets simply because they believed they lacked variety or were unhealthy or tasteless can discover that none of these things are true. While some people convert to vegetarianism because of ethical or environmental reasons, plenty of people stop eating meat for their health. And they discover that it is, in fact, a delicious way to dine!

(Original article publication date: January 14, 2010.)

* I have since changed my stance on this issue somewhat. A good many vegan foods (such as soy milk) are fortified with Vitamin B12, and because our food is super-clean today, this vitamin is difficult to get in a vegan diet. Supplementing is recommended by nutritionists, doctors, and vegan experts.

Beware of Hidden Animal Ingredients in Food

2011-01-16T15:49:00.000-08:00

This article was originally published on Natural News.com. To see the article in its entirety (along with sources cited) and its original state, click on this link: Beware of Hidden Animal Ingredients in Food.

Vegetarians and vegans are usually known for making wise food choices, seeking healthy foods. They, along with other consumers, might be surprised to find out that some seemingly harmless foods actually contain hidden animal ingredients.

Some newer nutrition labeling has helped vegans. For example, if a person looks at the ingredients list of a product, at the end of the list is a summary of sorts that warns people of some of the basic ingredients found in the product, whether or not they are obvious. One such label might read this way: "Contains Wheat, Peanuts, Milk." These labels will alert a vegan immediately that the product contains non-vegan ingredients such as fish, milk, or egg products; consumers will then know to avoid the product. However, this type of labeling is created only to address food allergies, meaning other animal products (such as ingredients derived from beef) and other foods avoided by vegans (such as honey) will not be listed there.

So how do vegetarians and vegans avoid hidden animal products? Fortunately, some companies will label their products as "vegan" when they are, but many companies are not as forthcoming. For example, some store brand cake mixes use beef by-products, and a consumer simply has to read through the list of ingredients. However, there are other hidden animal ingredients found in food that some consumers might not be aware of. Following are just a few.

Gelatin: Some consumers are surprised to discover that gelatin comes from animals and is usually made from various beef and cow parts. That innocent-looking, fruity-tasting dessert is actually mostly animal protein. In addition to gelatin desserts, it is often used in marshmallows, so be sure to read the list of ingredients.

Carmine extract: This seemingly innocent-sounding ingredient is actually made from insects called cochineals. The extract usually adds a reddish color to the food it is in; because it comes from a living creature, vegans will choose not to eat it.

Sugar: Not all sucrose is avoided by vegans, but vegans will make the effort to purchase vegan sugar. Some refined sugars are not vegan, and it's not because they come from an animal product. It's because of the way they are processed. Many sugars are processed through filters made of bone char (that often comes from beef bones). So what's vegan sugar? Vegan sugar is simply a type of sugar that has not passed through a bone char filter. It is not always easy to distinguish vegan sugar from other sugar, but Vegetarian Journal suggests that products labeled "100% Pure Beet Sugar" are definitely vegan and products labeled "100% Pure Cane Sugar" are probably vegan.

This list is by no means complete, but it just goes to show that truth in labeling applies only when a consumer knows what the labeling means. Most products will not tell consumers that gelatin is derived from beef, that carmine extract is derived from insects, or that sugar passes through a beef product. Vegetarians and vegans must be careful consumers, and sometimes that means buying products specifically labeled "vegetarian" or "vegan." More often, though, it means becoming familiar with hidden animal products in foods, and these three are simply a few to be aware of.

(Original article publication date: October 22, 2010.)

Week Nineteen Menu

2011-01-15T15:39:00.000-08:00

This week, I'll continue to explore varied and exotic cuisines...

Sunday
Chinese

Vegan Moo Goo Gai Pan
Steamed brown rice

Monday
Japanese

Vegan sushi
Vegan spring rolls
Rice

Tuesday
Indian

Vegan Rajma Chawal
Jeera rice

Wednesday

Vegan Senate Bean Soup
Vegan biscuits
Garden salad

Thursday
Latin American (Brazil)

Vegan Feijoada
Warm flour tortillas
Green salad

Friday
Southern Africa (Congo)

African peanut soup
Sweet potatoes
Mixed greens salad

Saturday
Mexican

Vegan fideo
Spanish rice
Flour tortillas

Breakfast of the Week

Vegan waffles drizzled with maple syrup and fresh fruit of your choice

Dessert of the Week

Apple turnovers

Week Eighteen Menu

2011-01-08T07:31:00.000-08:00

This week, I felt like exploring exotic tastes and more varied cuisines. I hope this week's menu inspires you!

Sunday
Southern

Vegan gumbo
Wild rice
Boiled greens

Monday
Quick and easy

Amy's non-dairy Burrito (made with organic beans and rice)
Apple slices
Cucumber and tomato slices

Tuesday
Chinese

Vegetable Lo Mein
Steamed rice

Wednesday

Vegan potato pancakes
Garden salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell peppers, and balsamic vinaigrette
Brussels sprouts
Lentils

Thursday
Southern Africa

African Millet Salad (check out this recipe on Food.com--just substitute vegan sugar for the brown sugar called for in the recipe)
Green salad with Romaine and Bibb lettuces and red wine vinaigrette

Friday

Quinoa stuffed bell peppers
Green salad with your favorite dressing
Black beans
Watermelon slices

Saturday
European (Irish)

Vegan colcannon
Steamed cauliflower
Navy beans
Vegan Irish soda bread

Breakfast of the Week

Vegan blueberry muffins

Dessert of the Week

Vegan pineapple upside down cake

Week Seventeen Menu

2011-01-01T18:26:00.000-08:00

Sunday
Italian

Calzone stuffed with your favorite veggies and vegan cheese
Salad

Monday

Pepper "steak" (using seitan strips)
Rice
Salad

Tuesday
Italian

Vegan risotto
Green beans
Spinach salad

Wednesday

Lentil stew
Ciabatta bread with vegan margarine or drizzled with olive oil and sliced garlic
Garden salad
Brussels sprouts

Thursday
Warm weather favorite
Mexican

Gazpacho
Flour tortillas

Friday
Comfort food

"Hamburger" gravy (made with Boca crumbles and soy milk)
Cornbread
Peas and carrots
Garden salad

Saturday
Tex-Mex

Southwestern "egg" rolls (use flour tortillas and fill with Tex-Mex ingredients--black beans and corn, salsa, seitan and/or tofu, onions, bell peppers, chilies, vegan cheddar or Jack cheese, and spice up with chili powder and cumin)
Refried beans

Breakfast of the Week

Biscuits and gravy (make gravy with vegan sausage and your favorite vegan milk)

Dessert of the Week

Vegan zucchini bread

Green Chili Recipe

2010-12-26T07:14:00.000-08:00

The Week Sixteen Menu gives the suggestion to eat green chili--twice! One of my mom's specialties growing up was a delicious, satisfying, not-too-hot-but-just-hot-enough green chili. It was one of the first things I missed when I became vegetarian. But I finally thought, "Why do I have to have pork in it? Why couldn't I just omit it?" But one of the problems I noticed when I converted from a meat-based to a plant-based diet was that many dishes rely on the flavor of the meat, so when you get rid of the meat, you have to compensate with different flavors (more herbs and spices, for example). All I did with the green chili recipe was add more chilies, garlic, and onion, and I don't miss the pork. My carnivorous family likes this version too. So here it is. I hope you enjoy!

Green Chili

Ingredients

3 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sunflower oil
4 oz can diced green chilies
1/4 cup jalapenos
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
Quart water
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp cumin

Directions:

Saute onions and garlic in oil. Stir in flour and water. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for at least one hour.

Happy eating!

Week Sixteen Menu

2010-12-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

Sunday
Italian

Gnocchi in olive oil, sage, and garlic sauce
Green salad
Green bean almondine
Fresh loaf of crusty Italian bread with roasted garlic

Monday
Mexican

Vegan green chili
Black beans
Warm tortillas

Tuesday
Leftovers

"Smothered burritos"--Bean burritos smothered in leftover green chili from Monday and topped with lettuce and tomato (and vegan shredded cheddar and vegan sour cream if desired)
Spanish rice

Wednesday

Nachos (make a nacho "bar" with a variety of toppings--refried beans, black and pinto beans, sliced green onions, a variety of salsas and pico de gallo, lettuce and tomatoes, Boca crumbles with taco seasonings, shredded vegan cheese, shredded vegan sour cream--whatever sounds great!)
Calabacitas
Spanish rice

Thursday

Margherita pizza (homemade crust--you don't need to use cheese, but you can use vegan shredded mozzarella if you desire. The main focus: fresh diced tomatoes, fresh basil, some garlic, and olive oil)
Green salad with Italian dressing
Breadsticks with marinara sauce

Friday

"Tuna" salad sandwiches (you can find a good recipe on RandomGirl's Vegan Recipes page)
Kettle chips
Pickle spear
Vegetable soup

Saturday

Baked barbecued tempeh (check out this recipe from Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett)
Baked potatoes
Peas and carrots
Green salad with dressing of your choice

Breakfast of the Week

Blueberry scones

Snack of the Week

Kale chips

Confused about What Vegan Really Is?

2010-12-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

Okay...so this story makes me feel a little guilty. Stick with me!

Earlier this week at work, one of the women from another department brought me a bag of homemade cookies. She had apparently been passing out little bags of cookies to lots of different people. When she came to my office, she said, "I know you're vegan, so I made you these special cookies." I thought that was very sweet. She started naming off ingredients like quinoa flour and such, and then she said honey. I couldn't help it, but I just blurted out, "I don't eat honey." It's true. I don't. Most vegans don't. It's animal protein (even though it's an insect and not a large animal), but I also don't appreciate what bees go through when we steal their honey. Daniel Hammer, in his article entitled "Is Honey Vegan?", explains it best:

Honeybees . . . are able to experience pain and suffering . . . . Honey, beeswax, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis and venom are taken from bees for human uses. In the process of acquiring these, beekeepers regularly disturb the bees’ homes by removing the honeycombs from the hive. When this is done some bees will inevitably be injured or crushed, and any bees who sting the beekeepers will also die.

So, anyway, I blurted out, "I don't eat honey," implying that I wouldn't eat the cookies.

She frowned and said, "What? You don't eat honey? Why not?"

I replied, "It's an animal product."

She said, "Animal?"

I then said, "Yes, lots of vegans don't eat honey."

Again: "Why not?"

"Do you know what they do to bees to get their honey?"

Then her tone completely changed and she said, "Oh. You're one of those PETA vegans, huh?"

I'd been reading Rory Freedman (an outspoken well-known vegan) earlier that day and felt empowered. I kept my tone calm and said, "I am vegan for every reason there is to be a vegan--for health, the planet, and animals."

Anyway, both she and I agreed that my carnivorous children would enjoy the cookies, and the next day I composed a Thank You card where I simply thanked her for the thought and told her I appreciated it. But I felt guilty. Guilty because I'd looked a gift horse in the mouth. Guilty because someone had done something so completely selfless and unsolicited. Guilty because I could have simply just said, "Thank you." But I didn't. I told her my feelings. Even without the honey, I don't eat a lot of sugar anyway. I suppose it would have been easy enough (I guess) to simply say thanks. In fact, when I related the story to my husband and daughter, they slapped their foreheads (a la "I coulda had a V-8") and said I should have simply thanked her.

But it's not that easy.

You see, the longer I am vegan, the more firmly I feel about my eating convictions. And I wanted to set the record straight. This woman told me a while back that her daughter is vegetarian. Well, what if her daughter becomes vegan? If the daughter were to become vegan, well, at least her mom will have a heads up about honey. And, while we're on that subject, not all sugar is vegan either. In fact, most cane sugar is not vegan, and it's because of the filtering process. When I use sugar, I usually use Sugar in the Raw (which is vegan) or Sucanat. If you're curious to learn more, you can read "The Great Sugar Debate: Is it Vegan?"

So, I suppose I need to be calmer, but if you're going to cook for a vegan, you might want to find out what that means. For example, I would have been perfectly happy with Agave in those cookies! :)

Vegan "Chicken" Cacciatore Recipe

2010-12-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

"Chicken" cacciatore was a menu suggestion for the Week Fourteen menu. Here's my version of this traditional Italian dish.

Ingredients:

3 cups cubed seitan
½ cup white whole wheat flour
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp + ½ tsp pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, diced (red or green)
2 cups button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic salt
1 bay leaf

Directions:

Combine the flour, salt, and ¼ tsp pepper in a bowl. Add the seitan pieces and stir until all pieces are coated. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and fry the seitan pieces until they are browned on all sides.

Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and sauté for three to five minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another minute. Then add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, additional pepper, oregano, garlic salt, and bay leaf. Simmer on low for 30 minutes. Serve over cooked spaghetti.

Happy eating!

Vegan Chili Recipe

2010-12-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety and its original state, click on this link: Vegan Chili Recipe. I have slightly modified it since.

Ingredients:

1 12-ounce package of Boca Crumbles
1/2 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Salt, as desired
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons light chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 14-ounce can diced, peeled tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 15-ounce can pinto beans with juice
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans with juice

Directions:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, fry the Boca Crumbles over medium low heat. Fry in olive oil if desired. Add black pepper and salt if desired. Stir frequently until Crumbles are cooked through.

Add onion and garlic, stirring until onion is tender.

Add chili powder, paprika, oregano, garlic salt, and garlic powder. Stir well.

Stir in diced tomatoes.

Pour vegetable broth in small bowl. Add cornstarch and stir thoroughly until dissolved. Add to pot, stirring well until blended thoroughly.

Add beans and bean juice. Cook on low heat, letting the chili slowly simmer. Cook for at least one hour. The longer the chili cooks, the more the flavors will blend. Even better if refrigerated and served the next day. Can be frozen for one to two months. Serves four.

(Original article publication date: December 7, 2009)

Happy eating!

Week Fifteen Menu

2010-12-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

Sunday
Comfort food

"Chicken" and dumplings (this was one of my mom's staples growing up, and I loved eating the dumplings. I'm still playing around with her old recipe. I've used fake chicken pieces, but I'm going to try seitan next to see if I can change the texture. There are probably some good recipes for vegan chicken and dumplings online)
Cornbread
Green salad with vinegar and oil

Monday
Indian

Channa masala (chickpea curry)
Naan (Indian flatbread)
Brown rice

Tuesday

Cabbage toran (you can Google for a recipe)
Wild rice
Any type of white beans, lightly salted

Wednesday
Southern

Vegan jumbalaya
Steamed white rice

Thursday
Mexican

Vegan tamales
Refried beans (try making them from scratch one time--you'll never want the canned ones again!)
Spanish rice

Friday

Vegetable quiche (use a vegan egg substitute)
Green salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Green beans

Saturday

Vegan stuffed bell peppers with rice
Pinto beans
Green salad with your favorite dressing
Peas

Breakfast of the Week

Breakfast burrito with whatever fillings you like--maybe try hashbrowns, soy sausage or bacon, peppers and onions, lightly sauteed tofu, salsa

Dessert of the Week

Vegan doughnuts (Google for some good recipes)

Week Fourteen Menu

2010-12-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

Sunday

Large meal-size spinach salad (this idea was inspired by a huge salad I had this week based on Joy Bauer's Holiday Detox article: I made a spinach salad with red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, carrots, and red onions with black beans and toasted pecans, a teaspoon of olive oil, drizzled in red wine vinegar--best spinach salad I've ever had, plus it was filling!)
Triscuit crackers
Sliced pineapple

Monday

Veggie hot dogs, served traditional style in vegan hot dog bun with any toppings you like
Kettle chips
Watermelon slices

Tuesday
Middle East (Jewish)*

Vegan potato kugel
Vegan matzo ball soup
Green salad with pomegranite vinaigrette

Wednesday
Mexican

Mexican lasagna (substitute noodles with flour tortillas, sauce with salsa, and cheese with vegan shredded cheese)
Black beans with bell peppers and lime juice

Thursday
Italian

"Chicken" cacciatore (substitute seitan for chicken)
Green salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Roasted garlic with French bread

Friday
Comfort food

Eastern European Vegetable Stew (another hearty recipe from Moosewood Restaurant--you can substitute tofu sour cream or soy yogurt for the last ingredient or just skip it)
Warm dinner rolls

Saturday
Mexican

Black bean and summer squash enchiladas (great recipe from FatFree Vegan Kitchen)
Warm flour tortillas

Breakfast of the Week

Breakfast scramble (substitute tofu for eggs and soy sausage for regular)

Dessert of the Week

Vegan key lime pie

* I debated how exactly should I typify Jewish cuisine. I've been trying to keep my labels to a minimum, only using them if I have three or more links to something and combining when necessary. So far, this is the only Jewish meal I've posted, and I realize that I could typify Jewish as any number of things--European, American, Middle Eastern--but I chose to go with the Middle East as the label, since Jewish roots begin in Israel, and much of their traditional food dates back thousands of years to when they lived exclusively there.

Week Thirteen Menu

2010-12-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

This post brings about a celebration of sorts! This is the Week Thirteen menu, which means I have now posted three months (one third of a year) of unique vegan meal ideas! I hope you've enjoyed the journey with me. Here's to doing it three more times to meet my challenge!

Sunday
Quick and easy

Morningstar Farms Hickory BBQ Riblet
Baked potato
Vegan baked beans (Bush's makes good vegetarian baked beans without high fructose corn syrup!)
Garden salad with vegan Ranch dressing (PETA has a good recipe)

Monday

Seitan steaks (shape seitan into patties and sear in frying pan with a little olive oil and vegan Worcestershire or tamari and your favorite savory spices, like sage, thyme, oregano, etc.)
Mashed potatoes
Green salad
Glazed carrots

Tuesday

Ratatouille
Quinoa and bean salad
Garden salad

Wednesday
Chinese

General Tao's Tofu (this recipe can be found on VegWeb.com)
Steamed rice

Thursday
Mexican

Spicy Mexican Squash Stew (got this yummy recipe from Moosewood Restaurant)
Warm flour tortillas

Friday
Chinese

Kung Pao "Chicken" (there's a good recipe on FatFree Vegan)
Steamed rice

Saturday
Mexican

Tacos (use black or pinto beans)
Spanish rice
Calabacitas

Breakfast of the Week

Blueberry scones

Dessert of the Week

Vegan cinnamon rolls

Happy eating!

Using Holiday Leftovers: Seitan Salad Sandwich Filling Recipe

2010-12-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

In my previous life as a meat eater, I enjoyed eating the leftover food from Thanksgiving, but I also enjoyed not having to cook much over the course of the next few days. Even if I'd whip up something small to go along with the leftovers, the leftovers themselves were the main focus! Turkey was the biggest leftover, and maybe that's part of why I grew to dislike eating turkey. Even though I would only eat turkey once or twice a year, I wasn't a huge fan. So I don't miss turkey at Thanksgiving, and I wouldn't even if I weren't vegan!

Anyway, one thing I did miss was the sandwiches I'd make. Again, I wasn't a huge turkey fan, but I'd make a turkey salad sandwich that I absolutely loved. A problem now, as a vegan, is that those sandwiches had two no-nos: turkey (of course) and mayonnaise. I didn't miss them last year, but I thought about them this year.

I had a huge spread this year, because I made a lot of the traditional foods my family loves (and there are five others in my immediate family), but I made several dishes that were exclusively vegan (like seitan roast, a recipe I found on VegWeb) and veganized many of my old dishes (like sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes). Well, I had some seitan roast left over, as well as almost two dozen rolls. I also had lots of celery and onions I'd bought, overanticipating how much of those I'd need in my holiday cooking, and while the onions will fare all right before I get them used up, the celery might not. So I decided to give this recipe a shot. Now, all this said, you obviously don't have to wait until Thanksgiving to make this tasty sandwich filling, and I don't intend to wait a year for them either--you can use any seitan you have on hand. Now, my one dilemma is finding sweet pickle relish without high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). I looked at all the ones at my local grocery store, and even the high priced brand names had it!!! I was very disappointed. Guess I'll have to find a recipe for that as well. If any of you know of a brand of sweet pickle relish that doesn't use HFCS (or if you have a great recipe), please let me know. In the meantime, please enjoy my newest creation!

Seitan Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups seitan, cubed
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 stalk celery, diced
½ small onion, diced
¼ cup sweet pickle relish
½ cup Vegenaise (I use Grapeseed Oil Veganaise)
¼ chopped nuts (optional)
Bread or rolls (toasted, if desired)

Directions:

Heat oil in skillet. Add seitan cubes and sauté over medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Allow the seitan mixture to cool. Meanwhile, combine celery, onion, relish, Veganaise, and nuts (if desired). Once the seitan mixture is cooled, add it to the Veganaise mixture until thoroughly combined. Spread between two slices of bread or rolls to desired thickness.

Happy eating!

Picture from Week Twelve Menu

2010-11-30T18:19:00.000-08:00

Just a visual treat...here's a picture of Mexican Casserole served with refried beans, Spanish rice, and tortillas.

Yum! Happy eating!

Spanish Rice and Tortilla Recipes

2010-11-29T19:47:00.000-08:00

Two more recipes. The Spanish Rice can be eaten on its own. Or if can be used in the Mexican Casserole recipe from yesterday. This recipe was originally my Mother's, but I've veganized it and changed it slightly!

Mom’s Spanish Rice (Veganized)

2 cups cooked brown rice
½ bell pepper, diced
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 cover garlic, minced
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 vegetable bouillon cube
½ tsp chili powder

Mix all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed by the rice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not sure where I got this tortilla recipe, but I've had it for a long, long time. I've since veganized and simplified it.

Tortillas

2 cups white whole wheat flour (I like King Arthur brand)
½ tsp salt
1-½ tsp. baking powder
½ cup warm water
¼ cup vegetable oil

Combine dry ingredients in bowl. In a measuring cup, combine water and oil and stir. Mix into dry ingredients and knead until dough is smooth and dry. Divide dough into about 12 pieces and roll into balls. Roll to desired size and thickness, and bake on ungreased hot griddle.

Mexican Casserole Recipe

2010-11-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

I can't take total credit for this recipe. I was inspired by an old Betty Crocker recipe card. The original recipe is not vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination. Good news--my carnivorous family ate it all up!

Mexican Casserole

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ bag Boca Meatless Crumbles
1 15-oz can kidney beans drained (or home cooked, 2 cups)
1 16-oz jar 505 All Natural Salsa, medium
8 corn tortillas
1 16-oz can vegetarian refried beans
1 cup Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds (or any other vegan cheese substitute)
2 cups Spanish rice
Toppings: chopped lettuce and tomatoes; chopped onion optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in skillet. Add Boca crumbles and cook until done; then add kidney beans and cook until warmed through. Add one cup of salsa. Stir and heat about 2 minutes. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with four overlapping corn tortillas. In medium bowl, stir together refried beans and remainder of salsa. Spoon over tortillas and spread evenly. Top with half of the Boca mixture and ½ cup of Daiya. Layer 4 more tortillas over the Daiya. Spread Spanish rice over the tortillas, followed by the remaining Boca mixture and Daiya. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Cover individual servings in chopped vegetables. Makes 6 servings.

Spanish rice recipe will appear tomorrow!

Week Twelve Menu

2010-11-27T07:55:00.000-08:00

Sunday
Mexican

Mexican Casserole (see tomorrow's post for recipe)
Refried beans
Spanish rice
Warm tortillas

Monday

Seitan roast (check VegWeb for the recipe!)
Roasted potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery
Quinoa and tomato salad

Tuesday

Toasted Autumn Sandwich: toast two halves of a baguette and drizzle the insides with a little olive oil; then gently (but quickly) saute slices of crookneck squash and zucchini; when tender, add slices of red onion and, last, tomato slices.
Sauerkraut
Wild rice

Wednesday

Veggie dogs smothered in vegan chili (see week one's menu--you can always have this meal as a "planned over" if you have chili the night before!)
Kettle chips
Watermelon slices

Thursday
Italian

Linguine with pesto sauce
Green salad
French bread with roasted garlic

Friday

Baked potatoes (offer a variety of fillings to make them a meal--chives, tofu sour cream, Earth balance margarine, vegan chili, steamed broccoli, chopped tomatoes and onions--your imagination is the limit!)
Huge garden salad with lots of fresh veggies and a lemon vinaigrette

Saturday

Vegan succotash
Cornbread
Wilted greens salad

Breakfast of the Week

Muesli

Dessert of the Week

Vegan gingerbread

Vegan Stuffing Recipe

2010-11-26T09:30:00.000-08:00

Okay, I've said this before, but I'll say it again. Yesterday wasn't my first vegetarian Thanksgiving, but it was my first vegan Thanksgiving. And I'll admit it--I was a little worried. I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to replicate all my favorite things. I can tell you now, though, that I came pretty close! And that makes me ecstatic!

Stuffing was one of those things that I've been struggling with. Last year, I just gave up, because every store-bought brand had meat products in it (like chicken broth). I knew my relatives made stuffing from scratch so I figured it shouldn't be too difficult. And, yes, I see the humor, believe me. Stuffing is meant to stuff a bird, so why would I even want it? Well, my extended family for years has called it "dressing," and they typically make it in the oven apart from the bird. So why couldn't I?

Earlier this year, I purchased a number of perennial herbs, and one of them was a sage plant (Salvia de Berggarten, to be exact). A recipe came with the plant, and I wound up saving it, even though it was not vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination. However, I used it as the basis of and inspiration for what is now going to be the stuffing I make every year. It was wonderful! So, without further ado, here's the recipe. I hope you like it too!

Vegan Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients:

3 cups toasted whole-grain bread cubes
2 cups day-old cornbread cubes (make vegan cornbread the day before and use leftovers)
½ cup vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup celery
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
7 leaves finely chopped sage
½ cup vegetable broth

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion and celery in margarine. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add sauted mixture; mix well. Bake in casserole dish or baking pan for 30 minutes.

Recipe for Vegan Spaghetti Sauce

2010-11-21T08:44:00.000-08:00

I love sharing recipes! I hope you enjoy this one. I actually have three standard spaghetti sauce recipes--this one uses Boca Meatless Crumbles, so for people who like the texture that resembles their old favorite, this one might be the one to use! I hope to post my other recipes in the future.

This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety and its original state, click on this link: Vegan Spaghetti Sauce Recipe.

Vegan Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 to 1 12-ounce bag Boca Meatless Ground Crumbles
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 and 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons oregano
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
Optional: 1/2 cup of mushrooms, fresh or canned; 1/4 cup of diced green pepper
2 12-ounce boxes whole wheat spaghetti

Directions:

In a skillet, place the olive oil and Boca crumbles and cook over low heat. Add onions and garlic. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until crumbles are heated through and onion is clear.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Stir until sauce is of an even consistency. Add the remaining ingredients (including optional vegetables if desired), except for the spaghetti, and simmer over low heat for anywhere from half an hour to two hours. (Salt and pepper can be adjusted to taste.) The longer the sauce cooks, the more the flavors will blend, but it can be eaten earlier if the family can't wait! Remove bay leaves before serving.
10 to 15 minutes before serving, place a large pot of water on the stove to boil and cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Drain pasta when cooked al dente. Pour sauce over noodles and serve while hot.

(Original article publication date: November 16, 2009)

Happy eating!

Week Eleven Menu

2010-11-20T09:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday

Veggie Kebobs (with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, chunks of green pepper, onions, and any other veggies you like) with vegan BBQ sauce on the side
Baked potatoes
Green salad with mock Ranch dressing (check out the recipe on PETA's website)
Millet cooked in veggie broth

Monday

Linguine in lemony olive oil sauce with peas
Marinated mushrooms
Edamame

Tuesday
Tex-Mex

Brown bean soup (see my recipe here)
Cornbread
Garden salad with Italian dressing

Wednesday
Chinese

Orange "chicken" (substitute seitan for chicken)
Vegan wonton soup (there are plenty of these recipes if you search for them!)
Steamed rice

Thursday
Mexican

Vegan enchiladas (vegan enchilada sauce with black beans, diced onions, tomatoes, and peppers wrapped in corn tortillas)
Spanish rice
Calabacitas

Friday

Quinoa in tomato-garlic sauce
Roasted veggies (think sliced onions, squash, and red bell peppers drizzled with olive oil)
Wilted greens salad

Saturday
Chinese

Szechuan noodles
Steamed carrots
Edamame

Breakfast of the Week

Cornbread muffins slathered in your favorite jam or Earth Balance margarine or even plain!
Sliced peaches

Snack of the Week

Hummus and falafel chips

Some Thanksgiving Ideas

2010-11-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, just a quick note...I know it really is Thanksgiving week, but I'm trying to make my menus "generic"; in other words, I want people to be able to just pull up a menu and pick some dishes off, no matter what time of year it is. That said, I do want to direct my readers to some great Thanksgiving recipes in case they need some inspiration:

Susan Voisin of FatFree Vegan Kitchen has a yummy-looking Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf that I intend to make on Thanksgiving.
Chef Chloe has several mouth-watering recipes, like Harvest-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Toasted Hazelnuts.
VegWeb also has a large collection of various Thanksgiving recipes, certain to round out your holiday meal!

So...if you use these menus on occasion (or often!), definitely take time off for Thanksgiving. It's probably one of my favorite holidays--good food and good times with family.

Last year was a challenge for me--it was my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian, so I had to be careful with all the food choices (and even had an unintentional slip-up). This is my first vegan Thanksgiving. Of course, the rest of my family will be having the usual fare, but I intend to provide a dozen delicious dishes that are irresistible!

Food Pictures!

2010-11-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

So I've been pretty lax about posting pictures lately. Guess I'm catching up on some much-needed rest! Anyway, I'm hoping these pictures will inspire your next vegan meal or two:

Tex-Mex Pinto Beans and Rice from Week Nine Menu

Sloppy Joes from Week Eight Menu

Happy eating!

Vegan Split Pea Soup Recipe

2010-11-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

Sure, it's nice to put menus together (and doing so gives me so many ideas), but recipes are even better when I have them! I have always loved split pea soup, and when I initially became vegetarian, I quickly came up with this version. I can't imagine going the rest of my life without this warm, filling comfort food (that is very easy to make); fortunately, I won't have to! I hope you enjoy it as well.

This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety and its original state, click on this link: Vegan Split Pea Soup Recipe

Vegan Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 16-ounce package of green split peas
4 cups of water
2 14-ounce cans of vegetable broth*
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Rinse the split peas and remove any dirt or stones mixed in. Then, in a large pot or Dutch oven, combine split peas, water, vegetable broth, onion, and carrot. Heat pot to boiling. Then reduce heat to simmer and add salt and pepper. Cover loosely and simmer for one to two hours. Check and stir occasionally. Soup is done when the peas are soft.
This soup can be eaten as is, or it can be pureed for a creamy version. Also, for those people who prefer their soup in between, they can take a potato or bean masher and mash the soup until it reaches their preferred consistency. It can also be cooked longer for a thicker consistency.

Enjoy!

(Original article publication date: November 9, 2009)
* I no longer buy canned vegetable broth but instead buy the kind found in boxes. It's more environmentally friendly, and it's a great way to avoid BPA which is often found in the plastic used as a liner inside cans.

Week Ten Menu

2010-11-13T08:22:00.000-08:00

Sunday
Middle East

Baba Ghanoush
Pita bread crisps and fresh chopped vegetables for dipping
Tabouleh
Pomegranates (peeled beforehand would be nice!)

Monday
Italian

Polenta with roasted bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini
Leafy green salad with sun-dried tomatoes and lemon dressing
Grilled eggplant

Tuesday
Mexican

Loose taco salad (taco salad with chips instead of a "bowl"--use refried, pinto, and/or black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives, salsa or pico de gallo, and shredded soy cheese)
Spanish rice

Wednesday
Fall favorite

Chef Chloe's Creamy Pumpkin Penne
Sliced French bread with roasted garlic spread
Garden salad

Thursday

Pasta primavera
Salad
Quinoa with sauteed garlic, onion, tomato drizzled with olive oil and red wine vinegar

Friday
Asian

Vegan Pad Thai
Scallion pancakes
Steamed rice

Saturday

Vegan Macaroni and "Cheese" (there are lots of recipes out there, so find one you like!)
Vegetarian Baked beans
Steamed green beans (lightly sprinkle with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and basalmic vinegar)

Breakfast of the Week

Fresh fruit salad (use whatever's on hand, but include some berries and melons and mix with a little brown rice syrup)
Biscuits with fruit spread (and vegan margarine if desired)

Dessert of the Week

Vegan cheesecake (using vegan cream cheese substitute, of course!)

Week Nine Menu

2010-11-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Fall favorite

Vegan Tomato Soup
Grilled "Cheese" Sandwiches (made with vegan American cheese)
Millet with vegan margarine

Monday
Mexican

Arroz con "Pollo" with Boca Chik'n Nuggets (see my recipe here)
Warm whole wheat tortillas
Refried beans

Tuesday

Quinoa and bean salad (combine quinoa and beans with your favorite spices, veggies, and vinegar and oil and toss)
Steamed carrots lightly sprinkled with sea salt

Wednesday

Pinto beans and rice with Tex-Mex flavors (garlic, cumin, jalapenos, and Anaheims)
Cornbread
Green salad with light vinaigrette

Thursday
Comfort food

Vegan Shepherd's Pie (substitute either Boca crumbles or mild beans--think pinto or kidney--for hamburger and Vegan cheese for cow's cheese)
Garden salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, and diced carrots
Steamed rice

Friday
Italian

Lasagna with spinach and either tofu or vegan cheese (add onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and whatever other veggies sound good, smothered in marinara sauce)
Salad in Italian dressing
Crusty garlic bread

Saturday

"Beef" Stroganoff (check out PETA's website for a recipe called "Better than Beef Stroganoff")
Rice pilaf in vegetable broth
Steamed green beans

Breakfast of the Week
Quick and Easy

Cascadian Farm Organic Cinnamon Crunch cereal in vanilla soy or almond milk

Dessert of the Week

Strawberries over vegan shortcake

I Made It!

2010-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Whew! Wow. I made it through the month of NaBloWriMo. I hesitated making the commitment, wondering if I could keep up with a blog post a month, but I did it. Thanks for coming along for the ride. I intend to do it next year as well.

So now I'll probably go back to my regular posting schedule--one week's menu, followed (possibly) by any notes or pictures that go with. Thank you to all the friends I've made along the way. Happy eating!

Using What You Have on Hand to Make a Meal

2010-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

I myself have a hard time doing this, but I'm getting better. Where I live, we have an organic farmer who works with local vendors and supplies a bag of organic, fresh fruits and vegetables delivered to my door once a week. That practice in itself has taught me to use what I have before it goes bad.

You see, in the past, I've made purchases of fruits and veggies on sale with the best of intentions. Then, a week or so later, it wouldn't be uncommon to also find me pitching that food, moldy and slimy, into the garbage or the compost bin. What a waste! A waste of money and good food.

The good news is I can buy grains and beans and they'll last for a while, but veggies are perishable. Perishable soon. So they have to be used fairly quickly. So I've begun buying staple veggies--lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, for example--every week that I know will get used that week, no matter what's scheduled for a meal. But other veggies that I buy on sale, I've started finding recipes for, whether in one of my cookbooks or online. That way, I find new ways to use those vegetables before they go bad (and so I'm saving instead of wasting money), and I also get to try new foods. I hope you can find ways to do that too!

Week Eight Menu

2010-10-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Italian

Rotini Pomodoro
French bread with roasted garlic
Garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Monday

Vegan Sloppy Joes made with Boca crumbles
Corn on the cob
Steamed Brussels sprouts
Vegan baked beans

Tuesday
Latin America

Gallo pinto (search online for a recipe--it's Guatamalan/Costa Rican dish)
Tortillas
Banana slices

Wednesday
Indian

Lentil curry
Basmati rice

Thursday
Comfort Food

"Beef" stew with seitan and veggie broth (instead of the meat ingredients), chock full of veggies like onion, potatoes, carrots, peas, and corn
Vegan biscuits

Friday
Middle Eastern

Falafel pita with cucumber sauce (search online for a vegan recipe)
Hummus and pita chips

Saturday
Quick and Easy

Kashi Tuscan Veggie Bake
Leavy green salad with various veggies and Italian dressing
Loaf of Tuscan bread--drizzle slices with olive oil and minced garlic

Breakfast of the Week

Granola with a side of fresh blueberries

Dessert of the Week

Vegan chocolate cake

But Aren't You Worried About Osteoporosis???

2010-10-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

(And protein deficiency and B12 deficiency...Frankly, I'd worry more about diabetes and heart disease, but I don't now.) So am I worried about osteoporosis?

In a word, no. Dairy and meat products can actually cause osteoporosis. As the body discards excess animal protein, it leaches calcium from a person's bones in order to balance the body's pH levels. There's your cause for osteoporosis. But there's even more to it than that.

Americans have long been told that the best way to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis later in life is by consuming large amounts of calcium, whether in the form of supplements or via dairy products. In fact, the Recommended Daily Intake of calcium in the United States is 1000 or more milligrams for adults, depending on age and gender. To get this much calcium from one's diet, a person would have to drink at least three to four cups of milk a day or eat at least five ounces of cheese. Still, vegans don't necessarily need to stress out about osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is caused by a loss of bone density that usually occurs later in life. Bone loss is often caused by ingesting animal protein (both meat and dairy products). So many Americans think that they should get their calcium in other ways, but further studies have shown that calcium supplements aren't helpful at all and may, in fact, be harmful, potentially causing heart problems. Elderly people who have suffered bone fractures are also not helped by supplements.

So how can vegans get calcium? There are plenty of plant foods that provide calcium (such as broccoli, soybeans, peas, and spinach). However, vegans need to know that calcium by itself isn't necessarily helpful. Calcium is best absorbed with magnesium. Fortunately, the same vegetables that have calcium also have plenty of magnesium. But calcium is only part of the bone health equation.

Exercise is also an important part of maintaining healthy bones. Weight training is one of the best ways people can increase bone density. While exercise in general is good, weight-bearing exercise is vital in building bone mass and increasing bone density.

So while vegans aren't necessarily immune to osteoporosis, they needn't worry as long as they eat a healthy diet consisting of plenty of vegetables (too much bread or pasta won't help!) and exercise in ways that increase bone density.

I did worry about osteoporosis when I first became a vegetarian until I started researching. Look up the rates for countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis and then look at their main diet. What do they eat and drink a lot of? Then look at countries with the lowest rates and examine their diets as well. Makes you wonder why we're continually told that "milk does a body good." I bet it would do the calf's body good, but not mine!

A Vegan Halloween

2010-10-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

(Happy birthday to my hubby!)

What's a vegan to do on Halloween? Well, she does the same thing she does on any holiday! She eats what she can and disregards the rest. Needless to say, she won't be eating any Milk Duds or anything with milk chocolate. But that doesn't mean she can't eat a little candy with the kids!

Luckily for us, PETA has put together a vegan-friendly list of candy. However, just because it's vegan doesn't mean it's necessarily healthy, so don't overdo. But at least you won't feel deprived!

Vegan Living

2010-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

This little post today will deal with issues other than food, so if you want to skip, feel free.

However, I want to talk about other vegan issues. By now you've read so many of the reasons why I began eating vegan--health, environment, conscious/ethics. For that same reason, I began looking at my entire life in a different way. That leather jacket I've had for over twenty years...? Angora sweaters... All of a sudden, I began looking at my clothing in a different way.

But even before then I started buying makeup, health and cleaning products that were cruelty free. I didn't like the idea of animals being tested just so I could wear mascara. Really, companies have been using the same ingredients for decades. Either these companies know how they work or they don't--you don't have to test the same things over and over and over. Sadly enough, in my quest, I've also discovered that we slather horrible chemicals all over ourselves and spray it into our environment. But I digress. Today I prefer to look for vegan products if I can--those that are not tested on animals and also don't use animal ingredients.

I only bring this topic up only because I discovered that, as I began to question my food choices, I began looking at more areas of my life. If you do too, don't be surprised! :)

Buying Local

2010-10-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I talked about why organic is good for your body. But I didn't mention why it's good for the environment too. Let's face it...when we're not using abundant chemicals, we're doing something good for the planet.

So how does buying local fit in? Well, think about it--where did your dinner tonight come from? Was it shipped from halfway across the country? Imported from another country? From somewhere in your state? Or from a farmer outside of town? Not only does buying from farther away use up energy and resources, but it also means your food isn't as fresh as it could be. Now don't get me wrong. I like lemons and they don't grow in my state. And I get a hankering for bananas and pineapples. That's the beauty of living in our global community. We can and do have constant access to good, healthy, fresh food anytime.

But what if a majority of your foods were purchased from local farmers? Farmer's Markets or local farms where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables direct. Or what about your health food store? Do they have any local foods? I maintain a small garden in the summer and buy from Farmer's Markets. Yes, part of it is I feel better doing it, but I have to say, the food tastes better too. And at a Farmer's Market, if you have any questions about the produce, you can ask the grower. I can't think of any better reasons to buy local when I can. It also makes me feel great to support my local economy.

Organic Foods

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so organic doesn't necessarily mean vegan, but a good many people become vegan because they're worried about their health. And that's where organic foods come in. Enough people have asked me now about organic that I felt I should say a little something.

I've written an article about the subject that you can view here: What is Organic and Why Does it Matter?

Or I'll give you the quick version here:

Organic foods are grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or sewage sludge.
The soil the vegetables are grown in is healthy and organic and the water is clean.
Organic farms typically care about the environment and do what they can to protect it.

So why should you buy organic? Well, it comes down to health, really. Organic usually costs a little more, but it's not too hard on the budget. Organic means you're not getting a chemical dressing with your food.

Now, if you're on a budget like most of us are, you're thinking, "Well, that's all well and good, but I just can't afford it!" Fortunately, organic food experts have identified what they call the "dirty dozen." So if you can only afford to buy some organic instead of all, there are certain foods to focus on. According to Organic.org, the dirty dozen include peaches, nectarines, apples, strawberries, pears, cherries, imported grapes, sweet bell peppers, spinach, celery, lettuce, and potatoes. They also give a list of the 12 least contaminated foods (which will give you an idea of foods that are relatively okay to eat even if not organic). This list actually changes from year to year, but many of these dirty dozen never leave the list.

Yes, there are also organic meats and milks, but my blog is not about them, so if you're interested, you'll have to do a little more research on your own. The same principle applies, though. Organic means fewer chemicals you'll be exposing your body to.

Picture from Week Seven Menu

2010-10-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well, just wanted to make you hungry and inspire your next meal:

The mashed sweet potatoes took the longest to make (an hour maybe?). I know I'll be making those for Thanksgiving! I cut up two sweet potatoes, boiled them until they were soft, and then mashed them with a ricer. I threw in a tablespoon or two of Earth Balance margarine and some organic brown rice syrup and organic maple syrup. Tasty and colorful! The penne I boiled for less than ten minutes and the sauce only took a couple of minutes. The salad veggies and dressing I made while the sweet potatoes cooked, and the asparagus took just a minute or so.

The alfredo sauce wasn't exactly what I remember alfredo tasting like, but I liked it anyway. It was really good. Even my carnivore family liked it. And there was a nice variety of flavors and colors on the plate. I hope you can make this too. Happy eating!

Week Seven Menu

2010-10-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Japanese

Vegan ramen noodles
Miso soup (homemade--if you buy from a restaurant, make sure it's vegan!)
Edamame

Monday

Penne "Alfredo" (I use a mix made by Road's End Organics--it's gluten and soy free for people with food sensitivities--quick and easy and vegan!)
Steamed asparagus
Mashed sweet potatoes
Iceberg salad (tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, celery) in red wine vinaigrette

Tuesday
Southern

Black beans and rice
Vegan cornbread
Fried okra

Wednesday
Quick and easy

Amy's Whole Meal Enchilada with Spanish Rice and Beans (no dairy)
Salad with leaf lettuce and tomato vinaigrette

Thursday

Veggie wraps--fill with rice and various veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onion, sprouts, avocado, bell peppers
Three-bean salad
Vegan coleslaw

Friday
Mexican

Taco salad in a fried tortilla "bowl"--add refried or black beans, salsa, diced tomatoes and onions, lots of leafy lettuce, a little guacamole, and vegan sour cream
Spanish rice
Calabacitas

Saturday
Fall favorite

Linguine with fall veggies (lightly saute diced onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and various varieties of in-season squash, then mix with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil and cooked pasta)
Garden salad with your favorite vegan dressing
Steamed broccoli

Breakfast of the Week

Your favorite vegan granola bar (good if you're on the go!)

Dessert of the Week

Vegan chocolate or carob chip cookies

Vegan Schmegan!

2010-10-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

You know, I never would have thought I'd been vegetarian (let alone vegan) long enough to say I'd heard a lot of funny reactions to my dietary and lifestyle choices, but I've heard more than I would think I should in such a short amount of time. I'm already sick to death of being asked how I get my protein! But I realize most people are trying to be respectful and are geniunely curious, so I answer them respectfully as well. A lot of people don't know exactly what vegan is, though, so I'll cover here the range of vegetarian eating, for those who wonder exactly what vegan means. All of the eaters I describe below are considered "vegetarian":

A lacto-vegetarian is one who excludes meat from her diet but includes dairy (such as milk and cheese).
An ovo-vegetarian is one who excludes meat from her diet but includes eggs.
An ovo-lacto-vegetarian is one who excludes meat from his diet but includes eggs and dairy products.
A pesco-vegetarian is a vegetarian who eats fish (just like a pollo-vegetarian eats chicken) . I never quite understood this one, but there it is anyway. There are also other weird variations on this theme, but I gotta tell ya...my opinion is that a vegetarian eats no meat, be it fish, fowl, or other! If a person is lactose intolerant and excludes milk products from his diet, he doesn't all of a sudden become a bovine-pollo-pesco-ovo-vegetarian. Where do we draw the line? There's a new term for these people which I find less objectionable, and that is semi-vegetarian. That term, to me, implies a person who is vegetarian some of the time, and I think that's okay. I don't want to judge someone else's eating choices, but I don't think they should call themselves vegetarian when they really aren't. There. I've said it. Yes, I think I feel better.
A vegan is a person who excludes all animal products from her diet. This includes not only all animal flesh but also foods harvested from animals (by this, I mean cheese, eggs, and the like). This even includes products like honey. Even though the formal definition of vegan refers simply to the act and not the spirit, many vegans take the vegan act past the diet. In other words, lots of vegans (yes, that includes myself) choose to use products that are vegan (make-up and cleaning supplies, for example) and avoid wearing anything made from animals (for example, things made with leather, wool, or angora).

I started out by simply excluding meat from my diet. I was convinced that I would never want to give up cheese. But my journey has brought me there. After a while, it was also easy to exclude eggs. And now I have shunned all dairy. I realize that not everyone wants to be this "extreme," but I've done it for multiple reasons: my health, the environment, and my conscience. And I really do feel better all the way around for it.

Vegan Snacks

2010-10-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Just because I'm vegan now doesn't mean I don't like to snack! The problem is that most snacks found in the snack aisle are just plain bad for us! Most snacks are loaded with preservatives, sugars, fats, and lots of other hidden (bad!) ingredients. But here are a few ideas that aren't so bad and some that are even good!

Potato chips...yes, I know there are better ways to eat a potato, but once in a while, a chip craving hits. A potato chip is arguably better than other snacks loaded with sugar, dairy, salts, and fats. Potato chips, as long as they're plain and only have salt and some type of healthy vegetable oil, are better than a lot of snacks a person could grab! Besides, there are lots of organic, earth-friendly companies who make potato chips, and they're pretty upfront about what's in their bags!
Still thinking chips? How about tortilla chips and salsa or bean dip? In fact, I'd even consider the dips--homemade, of course--to be healthy!
Nuts! Peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds...there are so many snacks to choose from that balance healthy amounts of plant protein and fats. Now, you don't want to overdo it with nuts, but they definitely should be part of a vegan's diet.
Popcorn. I'm talking made-at-home popcorn and not the microwavable kind...that kind is full of nasty fats and chemicals. Enough said. But if you make your own the old-fashioned way, with a little coconut oil and sea salt, I think this could be considered a decent snack! Air-popped corn is good too but sometimes a little bland.
Celery and peanut butter. Who can resist the crunch?
Pickles (dill or sweet), olives, and other canned finger foods. These can be crunchy or tangy and can definitely fill that empty spot!
Fruit! Put a bowl of fruit in the middle of the dining room table for a quick snack anytime. Bananas, oranges, apples, grapes, or any other fruit that grabs your fancy. Fruit is a natural snack. Raisins are great too and sometimes have that little extra kick of sugar we sometimes crave!
Hummus and crackers.

There are so many snacks just waiting for you. Who needs a snack full of all that nasty junk when just a little planning can result in a list like this?

Good Vegan Reads

2010-10-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

There are a few books that I have come to rely on in my vegan transition. There are plenty of books out there, including several that I hope to one day read. But here are two that I can't live without!

Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook. This was the first book I bought when I decided to become vegetarian. I bought a used copy at our local bookstore. What I really like about it is that the first 100+ pages talk about vegetarian diets in general, meal planning, and other useful information. When they finally get to the recipes, they don't skimp. They offer several categories, from a chapter focused solely on "Vegetable Main Dishes" to another that deals with Legumes. They talk about side dishes and entrees, desserts and soups. There are almost 400 pages of recipes, and I haven't even begun to try all the ones that sound appealing. Even if I had bought this book new and paid full price, it would have been worth the investment.
Living Vegan for Dummies by Alexandra Jamieson. If you ever saw Super Size Me, you "met" Alex Jamieson, who was--at the time--Morgan Spurlock's vegan girlfriend. She wrote a book called The Great American Detox Diet based on the diet she put Spurlock on after he nearly killed himself on Mickey D's and has since become a respected chef and nutrition expert. Anyway, this new Dummies book came out recently and has helped me with more information regarding vegan nutrition and the like. I'm learning more about foods I'd like to explore, like seitan, and I always appreciate new recipes!

There are plenty of sources online for anyone wanting to learn more, but I've always been a book person. I haven't mastered curling up in bed with a Kindle, so I'll continue buying books. :) If you like books too, these are just a couple I recommend if you're considering going vegan all the way!

Easing into Vegan Eating, Part 2

2010-10-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

So...let's say you've decided for sure you want to become vegetarian or vegan or maybe even just want to incorporate more vegetarian dishes into your life. Or maybe you're wanting to become vegetarian on some level but the rest of your family is resistant...and maybe you're the cook in the family or at least one of them. What are some things you can do to ease into the vegetarian lifestyle? Here are a few things that I did along the way:

Have a salad with every meal. A lot of families already do this and if you do, I congratulate you! It's a great way to incorporate fiber and phytonutrients in your diet. Salads don't have to be boring. There are so many lettuces out there as well as tons of raw veggies just waiting to be chopped up! And dressings...that's where I really enjoy experimenting. If you can, avoid conventional bottled dressings--they're full of horrible additives, things like high fructose corn syrup and other sugars as well as a host of preservatives. You can even make your own croutons with bread, olive oil, and seasonings, toasted in the oven.
If you can't get rid of the meat on the plate, at least make it smaller. Nutrition experts say that a serving size of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. So make sure it's no bigger than that. Make the rest of the plate veggies!
Do you (or your family) have a favorite vegetable or fruit? Find ways to incorporate that veggie in a lot of your meals. For example, if the family can't get enough yams, don't wait until the holidays to eat them! Thanks to the internet, you can search and find dozens of recipes online in no time flat. Do a search for your veggie--for example, search for "yam recipes." Try a new one every week. Hang on to the ones that make everyone gobble it all up. Who needs meat when the veggies taste so delicious?
Plan to make one meatless meal a week. Even most hard-core meat eaters have one or two meatless entrees they enjoy. So take advantage of that. If the family likes broccoli and cheese casserole, then make it more often!
Find ways to convert old favorites. Here's where the fun comes in. If you like experimenting in the kitchen, see what you can do with some of your old favorites. Maybe you had a dish that was made with ground beef. Why not try making it once with Boca crumbles? See what the family thinks. With the right spices and other ingredients, they might not even figure out what's missing!

If becoming vegan is your ultimate goal, then keep trying. No one's perfect! But if you want to be vegan, you can do it! My final recommendation is to find websites and books that give more information on vegan nutrition and offer tons of mouth-watering recipes.

Easing into Vegan Eating, Part 1

2010-10-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I must admit that when I first became vegetarian, there were four times I had meat after that:

I'm on the Booster Club for my kids' school, and every spring we have a barbecue for the kids. We had a bunch of leftover hamburgers. I had been a vegetarian for two months and was going to pass, but I thought, "Well, it'll go to waste if I don't...".
Several months later, my sister and I took my mother out to eat for her birthday at one of our local Chinese restaurants. She had ordered some kind of rolls stuffed with pork. I didn't know it at the time, and she apparently forgot that I had become vegetarian a few months earlier. She told me her food was really good but that she couldn't eat all of it and told me to take a bite, because I'd love it. I asked afterwards what was in it (stupidly) instead of before!
My parents went to Alaska for the second time on a long, leisurely trip. My dad and uncle went hunting for caribou and did a lot of fishing. They shipped back some halibut that my sister stored in their freezer. Upon their return, they invited us over for dinner. My dad asked why I wasn't eating the fish. "I'm vegetarian, dad." I know there are a lot of pesco-vegetarians out there, but I wasn't one of them. Still...I felt bad and he was so proud. So I ate a couple of bites.
Last Thankgiving, we went to my aunt's house, and I brought a vegetarian rice dish. I didn't have turkey or ham, mind you. I carefully looked through all the food and in the corner was a crockpot bubbling with green bean casserole. Mmmm...mushrooms, green beans, crunchy stuff on top. I put a lot on my plate, in the space where the ham and turkey used to go. I was almost done with it when I spotted a piece of bacon!

Needless to say, I ask now if it's not immediately apparent, especially since I'm now vegan and milk products are sometimes easy to hide in things! But that's not why I told you about these events. Instead, I wanted you to know that even if/when you do make that commitment, if you do slip up, don't beat yourself up about it. If you become vegan, you have made that choice for yourself. If you slip up once or twice, that's okay. We've been raised in a society that is serious about its food, and meat and dairy are huge to our culture (some of you might remember the "Four Food Groups"--meat and dairy were two of them, half of the food we were supposed to eat!). So...being vegan is sometimes hard, especially at get-togethers, but it's not impossible, and you'll get smarter, like I have (I always ask now!).

Gorditas

2010-10-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Gorditas are one of the meals on the menu for this week. If you've never had a gordita, you're in for a real treat.

You start by making masa dough (cornmeal dough used for making taco and tostada shells) with a little flour. Separate the dough into several balls, then press each ball into a flat shape. Cook them lightly and then pinch the sides into a saucer shape. Then heat a little oil in a cast-iron skillet. Fry each gordita on one side for a few minutes, then flip it over to cook on the other side. Cook them till they're crispy and drain on paper towels.

But you also need toppings! My favorite is black beans, heated up, but you could cook Boca crumbles and spice them up with cumin, garlic, and chili powder, or you could use pinto beans. Use whatever you like.

Now you need some fresh toppings, and the sky's the limit. Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and salsa were what I used this time, but there are so many other things you can use. Guacamole or jalapenos, cilantro, bell peppers, green onions, olives, pico de gallo instead of salsa...what are some of your favorite toppings?

You end up with a delicious, filling meal. You've probably guessed over the last few weeks that I love Mexican food. I'm getting hungry again!

Week Six Menu

2010-10-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Fall favorite

Vegan butternut squash soup
Side salad
Triscuit crackers

Monday

Black bean burger
Asparagus lightly steamed with pinch of sea salt
Celery and carrot sticks

Tuesday

Flatbread sandwich with thinly-sliced bell peppers, tomatoes, red onions, alfalfa sprouts with a little Italian dressing and Vegenaise
Vegan baked beans

Wednesday
Mexican

Gorditas (make the shells out of masa dough and lightly fry--see pictures and ideas in a post later this week)
Refried beans

Thursday

Pinto and kidney bean "goulash" with whole grain macaroni or rotini pasta (make the sauce with vegetable broth, tomatoes, onions, garlic, paprika, chili powder, and whatever other spices you'd like)
Diced watermelon
Vegan biscuits

Friday
Italian

Pasta with basil pesto
Crusty bread with olive oil and garlic
Salad with red oak leaf lettuce and vinaigrette

Saturday
Quick and Easy

Kashi Black Bean Mango frozen entree
Side salad with your favorite lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots with red wine vinaigrette

Breakfast of the Week

Strawberry-banana smoothie (two fruits, a little ice and water in the blender for just a few seconds)

Snack of the Week

Rice cake with natural peanut butter

Vegan Media

2010-10-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

The media helped me in my quest. Really. I've always been a veggie lover and Atkins helped push me over the edge (deciding maybe meat wasn't for me), but there were two media "supports" that helped me make my decision:

Super Size Me--Ever seen this movie? Morgan Spurlock does a great job documenting his health's decline as he eats food exclusively from McDonald's for one month. Viewers witness the agony he puts his body through as he eats one meal after another. Yes, I've known people that weren't bothered by the film at all, but anyone concerned about his health will really think long and hard while watching this film. I vowed never to eat at Mickey D's again after watching the film (and I wound up eating there a couple more times anyway!!!).
Fast Food Nation--No, not the crappy movie with Greg Kinnear. The awesome book by Eric Schlosser (the movie was loosely based on his book but really didn't do the book justice, in my opinion). Schlosser spares no detail telling readers about the meat-packing industry and what's done to our food to make it palatable and--dare I say?--addictive, appealing, and hard to say no to. His book was a huge nail in my meat-eating coffin.

There are lots of great resources out there for people, once they decide to become vegetarian or vegan. But what is there for people who haven't decided yet or who just haven't even thought about it? Well, I named my two biggies. I wonder what has motivated other people? What's your story?

Thinkin' about Bein' Vegan?

2010-10-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

Just this month, I've talked to a few people considering going vegetarian and even vegan. That's exciting, heady stuff! It's quite a commitment--I know! Even just considering the choice makes a person think long and hard about his or her life and choices. Some people decide to go cold turkey, while others (like I did!) gradually ease into the process. Some people need to try it more than once. Lots of people prefer to research and gather the facts.

I feel fortunate. I talked with my doctor about becoming vegetarian (haven't been in to see him in quite a while, but I plan to tell him I'm vegan next time I go!), and he was thrilled to hear it. I've had lots of support. My health was the number one reason why I made the change, but it's also the reason why I've eliminated lots of other things from my diet (like trans fats). Sometimes it helps knowing there are some good substitutes for many of your old favorites. Other times you just decide to do the best you can. So, you might be wondering, what are some of the things that I personally have done to ease into the vegan lifestyle? Here are just a few things:

I became a vegetarian first. I know you've already read that here elsewhere, but I don't think I could have become vegan all at once. I had to decide first to become vegetarian (and I found that very easy!). Once I started researching and making healthier lifestyle choices, as well as researching the ecological impacts of my diet, becoming vegan weighed heavily on my mind, until I finally decided it was time.
I love coffee. A lot, and way too much. That said, though, I haven't pushed it out the door entirely yet. Give me time. It's the only other thing I drink aside from water with lemon. I used non-dairy creamer for a very long time, but have you SEEN the junk in there? It's like a chemistry lab! I switched to Silk French Vanilla soy creamer, and it is yummy. So...until I can give up the coffee, at least it's vegan. I put a little bit of Stevia in the Raw in it, and I'm good to go. I don't miss the dairy at all.
I have mental reminders for myself of why I decided to go vegan. It's probably a little too graphic for many of you, but suffice it to say that I ultimately made the choice for several reasons: a) for my health, because milk and animal protein are actually BAD for our bones, in spite of what we've all been taught!; b) vegans make an even smaller environmental impact on the planet than vegetarians (but way to go, vegetarians--you're still doing your part!); and c) ethical reasons--dairy products are still exploiting animals. Okay...if you're still with me, I know I promised not to be graphic, but I can't help myself. Feel free to stop reading if you need to...I am a mother of four wonderful, beautiful children, and I breastfed every one of them. I'm glad I did, and I will never regret it. However, I also worked full-time and I had to express my breastmilk every day at work two or three times a day for a long time! I just think, "Geez, cows can never be done. They just have to get hooked up to a breast pump every day." Being engorged is uncomfortable, and I refuse to ask a cow to suffer pain so I can have a slice of cheese. So, even when I think, "To heck with my health!" I remember the cows. Now, I'm searching for a good soy cheese. I found one at our local health food store the other day made with almond and soy, but I was disappointed because it had casein (milk protein). Sorry, but I don't consider that vegan. So I'll keep looking! Until then, no cheese! And I'm okay with that.
I love vegetables. So I just try to find new ways to enjoy them!
I used to love to cook, and I'm trying to find that love again. I have found (and I love this the most) that dishes are easier to clean when you haven't used them to cook animal products, cheese, eggs, etc. I love easy dish cleaning!
I talked with a vegan I knew. I work with her, and she became vegan a few years ago for her health. I asked her dozens of questions before I became vegetarian. She was more than happy to share her journey. Sound familiar?
I celebrate my success. Actually, I rarely "look back" anymore. It was hard at first. It's not now. But I feel so much better, and that's what I celebrate. No more tummy troubles, acid reflux, extremely dry skin. So many of my "ailments" have cleared up with my new diet. I have no reason to go back.

If you choose to go vegan, I wish you the best of luck. There are more and more of us everyday. Whether you decide to go vegan or vegetarian or just want to eat a veggie meal once in a while, I salute you. It's a choice. It's a good choice. I hope, no matter what you decide, that you are glad you made that decision like I am!

Quick & Easy Vegan Recipes: No Cooking Required

2010-10-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety, click on this link: Quick and Easy Vegan Recipes.

These recipes involve no cooking time, and some of the ingredients are raw. The beauty of eating raw (just ask the doctor!) is that food is the way nature intended. Raw foods contain maximum nutrients and lots of fiber. Raw foods also help people feel fuller because of fiber’s bulk. Someone wanting to eat a vegetarian meal might not want all of the ingredients to be raw, but it's nice to skip using the stove on occasion, especially when it's hot outside.

Veggie Pita Sandwich

Vegans who avoid yeast can't eat this sandwich, but whole wheat pita bread is one of the few breads that many vegans can eat, because milk is not used as an ingredient. (A good substitute is a whole wheat or spinach tortilla.)

Split the bread and stuff full of favorite veggies. Some good choices are chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Other good vegetables in this sandwich are alfalfa sprouts, mushrooms, avocados, and cucumbers. Sprinkle with Italian dressing or vinaigrette.

Vegetable Marinade

Take Italian dressing or just vinegar, oil, and spices along with minced garlic. Add halved cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced (and peeled if desired) cucumbers, thinly sliced onions, halved mushrooms, and bite-size broccoli and cauliflower. Can eat immediately (tastes great!) or can marinate for blended flavors.

Mexican-Style Wrap

Start with a whole wheat tortilla. Open a can of black beans and drain. Place several spoonfuls of beans on the tortilla. Follow with chopped romaine lettuce and tomatoes; can add diced onion if desired. Follow with a spoonful or two of salsa or pico de gallo (temperature or flavor to taste). Pinto or kidney beans can be substituted for black beans.

For a side dish, chips and salsa are a nice addition to this wrap.

Fruit Salad

This dish is different every time and can be made with any ingredients on hand; it's really good if there is fruit that needs to be eaten right away. Simply cut up any fruit available and mix it together. It's really good if at least one fruit is really juicy (such as a pineapple, watermelon, or a citrus fruit, such as a clementine or tangerine). Other good additions to a fruit salad include bananas, strawberries, apples, grapes, honeydew melon, pears, and peaches. Canned fruit can also be used (as well as the juice from the can), but fresh fruit is best.

It's Hot Outside!

Other good meals for hot weather include gazpacho (an unusual but delicious cold soup) and bean salad. It takes some imagination, but it's nice to have some no-cooking-required options on occasion.

(Original article publication date: September 19, 2009.)

A Former Meaty Cook Transforms into a Vegan

2010-10-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

So how do we do that? I had hundreds of dishes that I was "famous" for...recipes like green chili (with pork), chicken and dumplings, and spaghetti that I adapted from my mother and other recipes that I discovered and adapted over the years...things like chicken piccata and arroz con pollo. See the theme here? Meat, eggs, cheese all over the menu. So even though I relished becoming vegetarian and then vegan, I had a few things I was sad to let go. But no fear. Really. I am slowly adapting every last one of my recipes and changing them to vegan. And you know what? They taste just as good to me.

Take my green chili, for instance. I thought I could never (and would never) eat it again. But my husband said he was really missing it, so one day I thought to myself, "Why not just make it? Just leave out the pork." And you know what? It was freaking awesome!!! I'll admit I did increase the amount of anaheims I used to use and I added a little bit of jalapeno, but other than that, it was the same recipe. I did something different then with chicken and dumplings (because my daughter was complaining that she missed them) and arroz con pollo. I bought some Boca Chik'n Nuggets and substituted them for chicken. I don't think the chicken and dumplings will ever be the same (but they weren't bad!), but the arroz con pollo was perfect.

Those dishes are fairly simple to adapt, in my opinion. My fear was baking. And I kept telling myself that I'm vegan now. I shouldn't have a bunch of baked stuff. But you know what? I can and I will. Don't worry--I'm still getting lots of raw, nutritious foods (I eat plenty of raw fruits and veggies every day as snacks!), but why can't I have baked goods on occasion? There's no good reason not to. So now I'm starting to slowly adapt those recipes. Take my cornbread, for instance (there's a picture early in the blog, after the Week One menu). It used to use milk and eggs, and it was slathered with butter after it was cooked. It was full of animal protein and fat. Well, why not change that? I did. I simply removed the eggs, so it was a little heavier than the original version, but I'm okay with that. It makes it feel heavier and more filling. And I used soy milk instead of regular milk. Then I topped it with vegan margarine instead of butter. And I was happy!

So...the lesson here? If you have chosen to become vegan like I have, go for it. Don't worry about missing old favorites. You'll figure out how to adapt them at some point, and you'll be glad you did. Happy eating!

Environmental Reasons to Become Vegan

2010-10-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety and its original state, click on this link: Environmental Reasons to Become Vegetarian.

There are many reasons people become vegetarian--most often, people stop eating meat because of their health or for ethical reasons. But sometimes people become vegetarian for environmental reasons.

The term "sustainable agriculture" is often used when vegetarians speak of their choice to be meatless to save the environment. The idea is that farming should be self-sustaining (sustainable farming can include raising cattle). Because a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle requires less water and pollutes less, it is considered to be more sustainable.

Go Vegetarian to Save Water

Ed Ayres, in the Time Magazine article “Will We Still Eat Meat?” lays out the facts in no uncertain terms. He says, "To produce 1 lb. of feedlot beef requires 7 lbs. of feed grain, which takes 7,000 lbs. of water to grow." Note that he equates 7,000 pounds of water to raising just one pound of beef to maturity. Considering many feedlot cows can end up weighing well over 1,000 pounds, it's not hard to see how much water is used to simply fatten up cows for slaughter.

Global Warming Concerns

Most people have heard that global warming is caused by an increase in the number of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and carbon-specifically carbon dioxide (CO2)-is usually identified as a culprit. Some people don't know that methane is also a large contributor to global warming. The Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook cites John Robbins's arguments that cattle on the planet "produce nearly 100 million tons of methane." Robbins's organization, the EarthSave Foundation, also mentions that cattle are just one of many other animals that are consumed by human beings.

Deforestation

The Vegetarian Society claims that meat eating causes deforestation in two ways. The first is that land (such as rainforest) is cleared to grow grain to feed cattle; the second is that land is also cleared to raise cattle. They mention that one "third of the world’s land suitable for growing crops is used to produce feed for farmed animals." It is "inefficient" to use land to feed animals that become food for human beings when using the land to directly feed people would result in more food and less land use.

Environmentalism Can Start With One's Diet

It really is possible to save more water and contribute less to global warming by going vegetarian or--at the very least--reducing one's consumption of meat than by doing many other things that help lessen one's carbon footprint.

(Original article publication date: September 20, 2009.)

Notes from Week Five's Menu

2010-10-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

I realize some people aren't as comfortable at "winging it" when it comes to cooking as others of us are. So for people who prefer more detail, I figured I'd show some pictures of my rice noodle stir fry in orange sauce.

Now, you can make your orange sauce from scratch, but I wasn't able to find any vegan recipes. I didn't try too hard, though, because I was in a hurry! This particular sauce is vegan. You'll notice that I also have two boxes of rice noodles. Bear in mind that there are six people in my family, two of them teens! Not all families will need this much.

Next, cut as many veggies as you want, and whatever kind you want--celery, cabbage, onions, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bell pepper, carrots, garlic, snowpeas, bamboo shoots, whatever sounds good to you! I used what I had on hand that particular night--onions, carrots, and green pepper. And, heck, you could even add some Boca Chik'n Nuggets!

Next, I stir fried the veggies in a bit of sunflower oil for about five minutes. I didn't time it. I just fried over high heat, stirring constantly, until the veggies were tender-crisp.

Then I added the orange sauce and noodles and continued stirring until everything was coated evenly in orange sauce. I served it with a side of brown rice.

I love stirfrys. I love to just chop up whatever veggies I have on hand, throw in some sauce (whatever I have in the cupboard if I'm too pressed for time to make one from scratch), and add either rice or noodles. They're easy, versatile, filling, and delicious. Hope you enjoy yours!

Week Five Menu

2010-10-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Chinese

Vegan egg/spring rolls (to make the wrappers, do a search for Pandor's Recipe Blog--there's a terrific recipe for making the actual wrappers yourself)--fill them with shredded cabbage, carrots, onions, bean sprouts, and whatever else you like, spice up with some soy sauce!
Sweet and sour sauce and hot mustard sauce for dipping
Steamed brown rice

Monday
Comfort food

Vegetable pot pie
Spring mix salad with your favorite vegan dressing

Tuesday
Mexican

Bean and rice burritos
Spanish rice

Wednesday
Fall favorite

Vegan black bean soup (see my recipe here)
Tortillas

Thursday
Chinese

Vegan fried rice (green onions, a little olive oil, soy sauce, and rice--you'll never miss the eggs!)
Stir-fried Chinese veggies (think julienned carrots, celery, onion, water chestnuts, and green pepper with a little garlic and ginger, drizzled with rice vinegar)

Friday
Quick and Easy

Boca Chik'n Patty on a toasted vegan bun slathered in Vegenaise and topped with onions, tomatoes, and lettuce
Vegan cole slaw

Saturday
Asian

Rice noodles with orange sauce and your favorite veggies (carrots, onions, snow peas, and broccoli are nice!)
Brown rice

Breakfast of the Week

Kashi GOLEAN Crunch in almond milk

Dessert of the Week

Chef Chloe's Vegan Ice Cream (yes, not really cream, but dang! It's good!)

Being a Vegan in a Meat-eating Family

2010-10-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

No, it's not easy. My teenage daughter pokes fun at me (it's all in fun, yes, but she's so darned picky and she hates veggies. I suppose if that's her extent of rebellion, I should be happy!). My husband misses the days when I cooked with meat (although he does like some of my new dishes and is quite supportive, even when he does feel a little deprived). My boys are a little more supportive than my daughter, but the entire family (except for yours truly!) enjoys the occasional (shudder) White Castle burger. And when we go to grandma's (my mother)? They bemoan to her about how I've abused them with tomatoes and cauliflower, bell peppers and wild rice...

All joking aside, it's easier now than it was when I first converted. My carnivorous family eats meat a few days/nights a week (I teach at our local community college two nights a week, so they can cook animal flesh to their hearts' delight without a look or word from me); when I cook, they know there won't be any animal protein at all. And seriously...there's a lot less complaining now than there was at the beginning. In fact, the family's beginning to like a few of the dishes I make. When I made "Chipotle-clone" burritos, for example, they chowed down! (We don't have a Chipotle in our town, or we'd probably eat there A LOT! We hunt them down whenever we have to head to the big city.) As I perfect my new versions of my old favorites, they're beginning to enjoy as I learn from my mistakes. For example, I've made and re-made spaghetti sauce and chili, experimenting with herbs and spices and different veggies, figuring out how to make the perfect meatless version. The last time I made chili, there wasn't a drop left. All I had to do was add fresh jalapenos (not many), and voila! (Is that proper chef etiquette to use three languages in the same sentence?)

So if any of you are lonely vegans like I was, take heart. If you can get clever, you can keep them eating with you. I'm not a huge tofu fan (but I will eat it on occasion), so it's not like the food I make for my meat-eating family is "strange" or "yucky." They like tortillas. They like pasta. They like lettuce, tomatoes, and watermelon. I just have to show them that I don't need meat or dairy to make a delicious, hearty meal. And I get better and more versatile every day.

One last thing...I was never a huge mushroom fan (I liked the flavor but hated actually chewing on them). Now I can't get them enough. Isn't that crazy? And now eating a piece of steak grosses me out. Funny how things change!

Reasons to Become Vegan

2010-10-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety, click on this link: Reasons to Become Vegetarian. If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’re already vegan or on your way, so you might decide to skip this post!

The United States (as well as other Western countries) tends to have a diverse population, but it is apparent (based on the existence of the Food Pyramid) that a majority of citizens eat a varied diet that includes both animal and vegetable products. When a person chooses a meatless lifestyle, very often that person has a clear reason for becoming vegetarian. A person might choose to be vegetarian due to health reasons, environmental concerns, or for ethical beliefs.

People Become Vegetarians for Health Reasons

Perhaps one of the most common reasons people choose a vegetarian lifestyle is for health reasons. Consider this fact: "The total direct medical costs in the United States attributable to meat consumption were estimated to be $30-60 billion a year," according to Health Benefits of Vegetarian Diets. The website also states that another benefit of a meatless way of eating is that consuming plants offers protection from cancer.

Due to the increased fiber found in most vegetarian diets, other benefits include fewer gastrointestinal problems or discomfort. The above website also states that vegetarians have fewer problems with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, food-borne illness (such as E. coli and salmonella), and strokes. Considering that-according to the Centers for Disease Control-heart disease, cancer, and stroke are the top three causes of death in America (diabetes is number six on the list), many people have good reasons for avoiding the consumption of meat.

People Become Vegetarians for Environmental Reasons

Many people worry about the impact a meat-based diet has on the environment. Considering recent concerns about climate change and global warming, it's no wonder many people look to their eating habits and decide to change.

GoVeg.com boldly states, "The most serious environmental problems of our time are all directly linked to eating meat." The website outlines the grave environmental impact a meat-based diet causes. Some vegetarians who aren't necessarily concerned about their health worry about their carbon footprint and choose a meatless diet for that reason alone.

People Become Vegetarians for Ethical Reasons

Some vegetarians--many of them vegans--choose not to eat meat for ethical reasons. These people often object to eating meat because it means that an animal had to die to feed them, and sustaining their own life by killing an animal is not a good enough reason to eat meat. Many vegans also feel that eating dairy products (including eggs) or other animal products (like honey) exploits animals and, thus, choose not to eat any animal-based foods.

Becoming a Vegetarian is a Personal Choice

Some vegetarians have chosen this lifestyle not for one but multiple reasons. Whatever the case, there is no end to the amount of information available to anyone who decides to change her eating habits.

(Original article publication date: September 10, 2009.)

Quick and Easy Vegan Recipes

2010-10-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Simple Vegetarian Meals That Take Little Time or Money to Prepare

These recipe ideas come from an article I wrote that was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety, click on this link: Quick and Easy Vegan Recipes. In that original article, I talk a little about reasons to go vegetarian or vegan, but I'm guessing if you're here, you already have some ideas about that. So, without further ado, here are some quick recipe ideas for when your appetite is big, but your desire to cook isn't!

Quick Stir Fry

Cook some whole grain boil-in-the-bag brown rice (takes about ten minutes). While the rice is boiling, run your favorite vegetables through the food processor (good choices include onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper). Throw some canned Chinese vegetables into the mix too (like bean sprouts or water chestnuts). In a hot wok or skillet, toss the vegetables with a little low-sodium soy sauce (for an extra dash of flavor, sprinkle some sesame oil and ginger in too). Two or three minutes is all the saute time the vegetables will need. Drain the rice and remove from the bag. Serve the vegetables over the rice.

Speedy Pasta Salad

Cook some of your favorite whole grain pasta (spirals or macaroni work really well). While the pasta is boiling, chop up some tomato and onion to taste. When the pasta is done cooking, it should be run under cold water to prevent it from overcooking. Toss the pasta and veggies with your favorite Italian dressing and enjoy.

Spaghetti

Yes, spaghetti. Many canned pasta sauces are vegan--just be careful to read the label. Some add dairy products, such as Romano cheese. Continue to choose with care, as many premade spaghetti sauces also contain excessive added sugar and other unnecessary ingredients. It is possible, though, to find a healthy, delicious sauce. Heat the sauce in a pan on the stove while some whole wheat spaghetti boils on the stove. Serve with a side salad (some crisp Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers would complement the meal well) and eat up.

(Original article publication date: August 19, 2009.)

The Toxic Standard American Diet

2010-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

We're poisoning ourselves everyday. I'm not talking about smoking or pollution, drinking, illicit drugs, or exposure to the sun or radiation. I'm talking about our food, the food we eat everyday.

Yes, our food. Dare I say we all have food poisoning?

If there are any carnivores out there reading this, you might consider stopping, but you should keep reading for your health's sake. Americans eat meat and other animal products, for starters. Hundreds of years ago, it used to be that the rich died of the diseases we all do now. Why? Because they ate the foods that all Americans eat now, things like meat and dairy products. Rich and poor can afford to eat these foods now, because the price of meat and dairy products are artificially deflated (along with certain crops) because they are subsidized by the U.S. government. Don't believe me? Find an independent farmer out there. Ask how much a steak or fryer costs from them wholesale. You'll probably be surprised. It's not just due to the savings of mass production (and I promise not to get on my soapbox about CAFOs here).

More than meat, look at all the refined sugars and other products in our diets, along with chemicals, and so many additives and preservatives, it's not even funny. And today we also have to deal with genetic modification of our foods. It's a wonder we live to be 50!!!

Here's a short list of junk you can find in most "safe" foods:

Animal fats and proteins (many of them hidden)
Sugars, and sucrose is no longer the most common
High fructose corn syrup
Genetic modification (one of the most common is soy)
Flavorings (just because it's natural, don't assume it's healthy or safe)
Colorings (why do we have to add more color our food, for heaven's sake?)
MSG
Crazy amounts of additives, many of which are unnecessary and very likely unsafe
Saturated fats
Trans fats

For more information, you can find all kinds of articles online. I have written a few articles on what is in our processed food (one such article, for example, talks about the "Common Hidden Ingredients" in microwaveable burritos). Some people purchase foods like this at the store every day. There are so many other horrible things we eat, sometimes things we think are healthy (like many salad dressings!). Frozen dinners and pizzas, soda, chips--yes. We know those things are bad. But even the items labeled "healthy" usually aren't.

Can we go too far? I'm not sure. Depends on how long you want to live but more than, how well you want to live while you're here. Many of these ailments/diseases are caused (directly and indirectly) by the food we eat and the personal care products we use (whether the mainstream media will admit it or not--I recommend checking out the website Natural News for more info). Some of these you'll know, but others you won't, and if you don't believe me, do a little digging. It'll shock you:

Heart disease
Cancer
Alzheimer's
Osteoporosis
Diabetes
Hypertension
Stroke
Depression

Can you believe that if we ate right (really right, not Food Pyramid right), we could avoid and possibly even cure this list???? And even if you don't quite believe it, do you really want to take that chance?

Why Veganism?

2010-10-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was raised in a meat-eating family. In fact, my dad hunted for food--deer, elk, antelope, and occasionally other animals like rabbits or quail. And it was viewed as acceptable on all levels--the USDA, for example, recommended so many servings of meat/meat protein daily; the Bible says that God had given us animals for food (Genesis 9:3); and my father had come from a very meat-and-potatoes background. Don't get me wrong--they ate lots of vegetables too, but a meal without meat just wasn't considered a meal.

So I was never taught--on any level--that there was anything wrong with eating animals. And understand this as well: I don't judge people who eat meat, but anyone who gets in my face about being vegetarian will get it back from me!

One of my first memories of eating meat is of chewing on a piece of steak. I don't know if it was gristly or not, but I remember chewing and chewing on the stupid thing and it wouldn't break down enough to go down my throat. And I came from an "eat-everything-on-your-plate" family, so I didn't dare spit it out. So I chewed and chewed and chewed some more. I think I might have finally given up. I don't really remember. But even at a young age, I was a vegetable fan. I didn't like green salads too much, but I loved just about any kind of vegetable I could get my mouth wrapped around, even the ones most other kids hated, like spinach, broccoli, and asparagus. Sure, I had my dislikes, but overall, I loved 'em.

When I left the nest to attend college, I found myself eating very little meat. Sure, I ate some. I had more at the cafeteria when I lived on campus (and it was usually in a dish, like Turkey Tetrazzini), but when I moved off campus, my meat eating really dropped. I worked for a pizza restaurant and had the occasional slice of pepperoni or ham and cheese sandwich, but I ate a lot of salads, pasta, and breadsticks. It was at the age of 20 that I realized I wasn't a huge fan of eating meat. I didn't usually admit it out loud, but I knew it in my heart even then.

When I married and had children (again, remember I was taught to cook the meat-and-potatoes way!), I found that ground beef was one of the cheapest meats out there (I didn't know at the time that meat is subsidized by the government so that its price is artifically deflated). So I became a master chef with hamburger, inventing dishes like Meatball Stew and perfecting old favorites like Spaghetti. I bought chicken once in a while and inherited fish and game meat from my parents. After cooking and eating this way for years and years, I began not feeling as healthy as I used to, particularly in the gastro-intestinal sense. My stomach bothered me a lot. I often felt uncomfortable and bloated after eating. And even after I stopped smoking (YAY!), I still had a lot of stuffy nose-type problems.

My husband asked me to put him on Atkins a few years ago. Ugh. It sounded too good to be true and it was. I lived with eating meat for my entire life, but eating this much meat, cheese, and eggs pushed me over the edge. Eggs quickly dropped off my list as did ham. I decided just a month into Atkins that I never wanted to eat those two things again! I didn't lose any weight (my husband lost a lot, though), and I felt miserable and totally unsatisfied. After a year of "doing Atkins" fairly faithfully, I decided it was definitely not for me.

Then, one day about a year and a half ago, my husband had been researching healthy eating again, and he came across a PETA challenge to eat vegan for thirty days. I jumped on the chance, as I had been considering vegetarianism anyway. So I prepared. I tried to cook all the meat in our freezer before we started. I bought a vegetarian cookbook. I stocked up on dried beans and frozen veggies. And I planned a thirty-day menu.

Well, a lot of the recipes were lacking flavor, but I was starting to feel better by the end of the month. The rest of my family, though, was feeling deprived. At the beginning of the next month, they resumed eating meat and I did not.

I feel lots better. But I didn't stop there. It was just the beginning of a long journey for me. I started researching the effects of a vegetarian and vegan diet. I now understand the health and environmental implications of a carnivorous diet. I have become a vocal advocate for healthier eating. I do try not to push my views on others (although my kids and husband will argue otherwise and, in their case, it's true), but I'm always happy to discuss it, and I write articles about vegetarianism regularly. And, let's face it--cheese comes from milk, and milk is taken from cows. Bottom line? It's exploiting cows.

And finally I have made it to being vegan. I said for a long time that I didn't think I could give up cheese (things like milk and eggs were easy), but--in my research--I've discovered that a lot of cheeses are not vegetarian (most cheeses use a product called rennet to culture them; rennet comes from cow and calf stomachs). In addition to that, cheese just really isn't healthy on many levels, from all the animal protein we ingest to its addictive qualities. In addition to that, though, cheese comes from milk, and milk comes from cows. Bottom line (and why many vegans are vegans): eating cheese exploits an animal, whether it's a cow or a goat. I breastfed all four of my children, and when I think of cows being milked their entire lives, it's very easy for me to say no to milk products. I felt that it was important that my children be breastfed, but I wouldn't want to breastfeed hundreds of people for the rest of my life! It's not natural!

So now you know. Am I radical? Maybe. I didn't used to be. But I'm glad I've become vegan. There's just too much stuff out there that we have to dig to find out...about eating meat, drinking milk, how our food is raised, grown, treated. Reading Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation started opening my eyes (I read that a few months before the PETA vegan experiment, so I was primed!), and I keep reading. I urge you to as well! And if you're becoming vegan and are still somewhat new to it (like I am) or are still considering it, good luck! It's not too hard once you get started. And now? I'll never go back!

Vegan "Honey" Mustard Dressing Recipe

2010-10-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

In Week Four's menu, I refer to my recipe for Vegan "Honey" Mustard Dressing. But it doesn't have honey and the mustard I use is Dijon, so the name is a bit of a misnomer. However, the dressing is awesome. Since I became vegan, there are a few things I miss, and this was one of them, but when I can come up with good substitutes, I have no problem staying vegan and HAPPY!

Vegan Honey Mustard Dressing

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup Vegenaise (I use the kind made with grapeseed oil)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Adjust the measurements of the ingredients to suit your taste and preference for consistency. Whisk together all ingredients and enjoy over salads and as a dip.

Week Four Menu

2010-10-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Quick and Easy (sometimes it's nice to take it easy!)

Amy's Roasted Vegetable Pizza (it is non-dairy and has organic shiitake mushrooms, sweet onions, and roasted red peppers)
Salad with Bibb lettuce, grape tomatoes, and Italian dressing

Monday

Bagel sandwich (make sure the bagel is vegan!)--lightly toasted if you like it that way. Then spread each slice with sun-dried tomato spread. For sandwich fillings, the sky's the limit, but you might try some or all of these: garlic, basil leaves, romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and red onion slices)
Spinach salad
Dill pickle spear

Tuesday
Fall favorite

Vegan Minestrone soup (you can see my recipe here)
Vegan biscuits or warmed flatbread

Wednesday

Portobello mushroom steaks
Brown rice cooked in vegetable broth
Canned pears

Thursday

Boca Chik'n Nuggets (yes, they're vegan!)
Vegan "Honey" Mustard dressing (see tomorrow's post for my recipe, and, yes, it's vegan too!)
Sweet potato fries

If you'd prefer mustard or a vegan BBQ sauce for dipping instead, go for it. I just like my dressing!

Friday
Mexican

Chipotle-style tacos...cumin-y black beans and lime-y basmati rice with pico de gallo and chopped lettuce in white corn taco shells
Refried beans
Calabacitas (without cheese)

The good news...you can find plenty of Chipotle-clone recipes and calabacitas recipes online easily!

Saturday

Lima beans, slow cooked all day, spiced up however you like
Vegan biscuits
Garden salad (use some of the leftover "honey" mustard dressing from earlier in the week!)
Steamed broccoli

Breakfast of the Week

Chef Chloe's vegan French toast with blueberry compote (see the link to her blog on this page!)

Dessert of the Week

Vegan carrot cake

The NaBloWriMo Challenge

2010-10-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Okay...I have officially joined the NaBloWriMo challenge, which is basically just a commitment, as a blog writer, to write a post a day for the entire month of October. So, that means that in addition to the weekly menus, I'll write a few posts on organic eating/living, vegan and vegetarian dieting, more recipes, and other fun stuff. For any other bloggers who are interested in joining, there is a link on the right hand side of the page.

Week Three Menu

2010-09-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Mexican

Veggie Fajitas (bell peppers--a combination of green and red looks pretty; onions; carrots; and mushrooms fried in olive oil in spices, wrapped in warm flour tortillas)
Refried beans
Spanish rice

Monday

Sub sandwiches (hoagie rolls with a variety of chopped veggies, vinegar, and oil--I like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, spinach, and green peppers, but you can also have pickles, avocado slices, alfalfa sprouts--whatever sounds good)
Vegan potato salad (no eggs and substitute Veganaise for mayonnaise or try a mixture of olive oil and Dijon mustard)

Tuesday

Veggie burgers--eat in a whole wheat bun with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and onion and, of course, a Boca burger
French fries (with ketchup if you like it)

Wednesday
Japanese

Vegan Yakisoba (make sure the sauce and noodles are vegan)
Edamame
Brown rice

Thursday

Thin spaghetti in garlic sauce (sliced garlic and fresh sage lightly sauteed)
Garden salad with Bibb lettuce, onion slices, and cherry tomatoes with oil and vinegar
Bread for dipping in olive oil

Friday
Fall favorite

Split pea soup (click this link for my recipe)
Vegan biscuits
Sliced peaches

Saturday

Black bean wraps (whole wheat tortilla, chopped Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and black beans, piled with your favorite salsa)
Chips and salsa for dipping

Breakfast of the Week

Toast with no-sugar-added jam
Canned pears

Dessert of the Week

Vegan sugar cookies

Making Vegan Bruschetta

2010-09-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

The other day, a friend of mine asked me how the heck I made bruschetta without cheese. Honestly, I can't imagine bruschetta with it, I told her. She eats it a lot, but with melted mozzarella. Well, I suppose a person could use soy cheese on my version, but I've found I like the bruschetta without anything like that. The flavors are strong and tasty and I think cheese would simply ruin that.

So, how do I make my bruschetta?

First, start with a crusty loaf of bread--rustic artisan bread or ciabatta are my favorites, but almost anything will do (well, rye wouldn't work, but you get the idea, I hope!). Slice it up--you can go fairly thin if you like, but I like mine about one inch thick. You'll have some juicy toppings, so it's best to make it on the thick side. Grill it or toast it--I put mine in the oven on broil, and it's done fairly quickly. Take it out of the oven and brush it with olive oil. Now, I listed bread first, but you really want to leave this step for last, because you want it fresh and warm right before you eat it.

Next are the veggies. Tomatoes and onions are a must. You can use any kind of tomatoes you like. Chop them up and throw them in a bowl. Tomatoes are the "main event" as far as I'm concerned. Take half an onion--again, any kind will do, but red onion is pretty to look at and fairly mild. Again, chop it up and throw it in the bowl. Now, you want some green. Several leaves of fresh basil are nice, or you can chop up arugula or Romaine lettuce instead, whatever you like the taste of.

Now, garlic is important, but it's up to you how you'd prefer to use it. You can either mince two cloves and throw them in with the veggies, or you can add them to the olive oil and spread them both on the bread. Garlic is a must!

Now, you need to "marinate" your veggies. Sprinkle a little sea salt and pepper on them, and then add vinegar and olive oil. I do two parts vinegar to three parts olive oil, depending upon how many veggies I've chopped up. What kind of vinegar? Again, that's up to you, but I prefer either red wine vinegar or balsamic. Really, it depends on what kind of mood I'm in, but I usually vary it depending on my "green." If I'm using basil, I like red wine vinegar, but if I'm throwing in some Romaine lettuce, I'll use balsamic. Either way, it tastes great!

After letting the veggies sit for ten minutes to half an hour, grill your bread. Immediately throw a few spoonfuls of veggie topping on each slice, and let the juices flow on the bread too. It's tasty! Really, who needs cheese when you've got this much flavor?

Week Two Menu

2010-09-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Italian

Spaghetti with marinara
Garden salad with Italian dressing
Garlic bread with olive oil

Monday
Mexican

Tostadas with beans and guacamole (if you need cheese, try some soy cheese)
Spanish rice

Tuesday

Vegetarian Vegetable soup (click to see my recipe)
Garlic toast (use either olive oil or vegan margarine and mince several garlic cloves)

Wednesday

Veggie pita sandwiches (add whatever your favorite veggies are--I like chopped Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers with a little vinegar and oil, but sprouts and avocado are also nice. Add whatever sounds good or comes out of the garden or farmer's market!)
Potato chips
Leftover soup from Tuesday is also nice with this meal!

Thursday
Chinese

Vegetable Chow Mein
Steamed brown rice

Friday

Vegan Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
Vegan Coleslaw

Saturday

Linguine in olive oil with peppers and tomatoes (slice green and red bell peppers and onions, dice tomatoes, and saute for a few minutes; throw in with freshly-cooked linguine drizzled in olive oil--for extra kick, drizzle in a little balsamic or red wine vinegar as well)
Veggie marinade--cherry or grape tomatoes, onion chunks, mushrooms, bell pepper chunks, and cucumber slices in a marinade of olive oil and red wine vinegar with minced garlic (the longer it marinates, the better it tastes)

Breakfast of the Week

Crockpot oatmeal (put it all together the night before and enjoy the next morning!)
Fresh in-season fruit

Dessert of the Week

Vegan brownies

Notes from Week One's Menu

2010-09-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

Sunday's menu I labeled "comfort food." My mother, who typically used to feed us a salad with every meal, once in a while fed us what I now call the "Starchy Trifecta" of pinto beans, cornbread, and fried potatoes. I'm sure it hearkens back to her Southern roots. I remember my grandma using up her leftover cornbread by crumbling it in a glass, dicing onion, and pouring either milk or buttermilk in the glass and drinking/eating it like a soup. I've never been a milk lover so that was never an option for me. Rarely did I make the pintos with hamhocks like my family always did, and since becoming vegan, I make my own version of the cornbread without eggs or milk. That said, it's still a favorite for me and reminds me of my childhood! I've started adding something raw and fresh (like sliced tomatoes) so I don't feel so guilty when I eat it! I prefer to make the pintos from scratch--they taste better and have fewer additives.

For those of you unfortunate enough to have never tried huaraches, the name comes from the Spanish meaning "shoe," because the cornmeal is shaped like shoes made and worn in Mexico. So I recommend that if you need to Google a recipe, try the phrase "eat huarache." And just an advance warning--I will often refer you to "Chef Chloe" (Coscarelli), because she is my favorite vegan recipe creator on the Net. And I love adding food from all over the world in my cooking, from Asian to Mexican, European to the Middle East. I'm always looking for new flavor combinations and trying to find ways to create good tastes with plant-based products only.

Finally, just a look at last week's bruschetta suggestion:

My mouth is watering just looking at it! Yum. Happy eating!

Week One Menu

2010-09-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Comfort food

Garlicky pinto beans
Fried potatoes (think home fries)
Vegan cornbread (click to see my recipe)
Fresh tomato slices

Monday
Use leftover beans from Sunday in the chili today!

Vegan chili
Vegan biscuits
Garden salad

Tuesday
Mmmm...Mexican food!

Vegan huaraches (use vegan cheese, skip the meat and sour cream)
Spanish rice
Calabacitas (with vegan cheese)

Wednesday
Italian feast

Farmer's Market Panini (google Chef Chloe for her recipe)
Potato chips

Thursday
More Italian!

Bruschetta
Vegan pasta salad (think Italian here)

Friday
Japanese treat

Vegetable tempura with ginger dipping sauce
Brown rice

Saturday
Feast from the Middle East

Tabouleh salad
Pita bread slices
Sliced cucumbers in apple cider vinegar

Breakfast of the Week

Pancakes
Pure maple syrup
Vegan margarine (try Earth Balance to avoid trans fats)
Vegan "sausage"

Dessert of the Week

Blueberry crisp

The Challenge

2010-09-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

I've been a vegetarian for a year and a half and have been gradually becoming a vegan. I have now made the commitment to becoming entirely vegan. My family, though, are meat eaters and will eat vegan when I'm cooking. So, my challenge is to show my family (and anyone else) that eating vegan can be exciting and delicious.

I plan to create a dinner menu for every day of the year that is full of variety and nutrition, that is tasty, delicious, and mouth watering. You see, I've had a difficult time over the last year with coming up with recipes that continue to satisfy my carniverous family. I've managed to create a few hits.

Part of the challenge came from converting my old favorites. Most of my old dishes utilized some form of meat base. While not using meat for flavor was hard at first, I've adapted. And a lot of my old favorites are my new favorites in different form. Another part of the challenge was finding dishes that emphasized flavor. I bought a vegetarian cookbook, but some of the ingredients were too exotic or the dishes too bland. But more than that, just planning a meal was hard.

Not anymore. But I still meet lots of people who refuse to even try vegetarianism because it seems so boring. Well, it's not. And giving up dairy isn't too big a problem either once you have some ideas about what to make.

Part of my inspiration came from Women's Day magazine. I used to read that magazine a lot when I was first married, and one thing I liked was the monthly menu they included. It gave ideas for dinner meals every day of the month, sometimes even having dinners as "planned-overs," using food left over from the day before. I would like to do that too, only these menus will be vegan. My goal is to give you 365 menus with no repeats. By "no repeats," I mean no dinner will every be exactly the same. They might be similar (maybe you'll have the same salad twice, for example, but the rest of the meal will be completely different). I'll also include an occasional breakfast and lunch here and there in addition to the menu. I might even list a dessert here and there.

My goal for now is to write out a weekly menu. I'll include recipes (or links to recipes) when and where I can or at least give you the basics. Let's see just how many dinner ideas I can come up with. Happy reading (and eating)!