Living Without Meat

It’s official: American Idol Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood - who also won in 2005 - and Kevin Eubanks - Jay Leno’s laughing guitarist - have been announced as the World’s Sexiest Vegetarians for 2007. My picks - Kristen Bell a.k.a. Veronica Mars and Joaquin Phoenix both came in as close runners up.

I can talk the talk, and guess what, come September 30 I’ll be walking the walk, too. Literally. Walk for Farm Animals is being held in dozens of cities over the end of September-beginning of October weekend for anywhere from 5k to 10k long (about 3 to 6 miles). I will be walking in Philadelphia, and want you to join me.

Farm Sanctuary is the organization behind the walks, they receive all funds raised. They are wonderful animal right’s organization that works to “rescue, rehabilitate, and provide lifelong care for hundreds of animals rescued from factory farms, stockyards, and slaughterhouses. In addition to operating the shelters, [they] work to gain legal protection for animals used in food production and to raise public awareness about factory farm cruelty and cruelty-free alternatives.”

So am I asking for your money? Yes and no. No, I surely do not want you to send me money. Yes, if you have it in your heart to sponsor me in the walk I have a way for you to safely donate online; visit my donation page at www.firstgiving.com/SallyAndersen (a link which will remain in my profile to the right until I walk). But what I would really love is for you to join me in walking! Check out Walk for Farm Animals, find your closest city - if it’s Philly join my The LIVING Team, register with a $10 donation, raise money, and WALK! … (and then afterwards you can donate the free tee shirt to a shelter!).

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Different people are reached in different ways. I have always been one who was attracted to meaningful, touching quotations, and so I offer you some of history’s most intelligent people speaking on vegetarianism and animal rights:

“The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men.” (Leonardo da Vinci)

“For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.” (Pythagoras)
(Clicking on picture will take you to original source which does have actual pictures from animal tests. It is worth seeing, but tough at the same time).

“Our task must be to free ourselves . . . by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” (Albert Einstein)

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” (Albert Einstein)

“I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.” (Abraham Lincoln)

“As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields.” (Leo Tolstoy)

“While we ourselves are the living graves of murdered beasts, how can we expect any ideal conditions on this earth?” (George Bernard Shaw)

“Atrocities are not less atrocities when they occur in laboratories and are called medical research.” (George Bernard Shaw)

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

“To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

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A Cannibal! Not laughing? Neither am I, or many other vegans for that matter.

It turns out that many wines and beers are NOT vegan. Chris, over at Hops Report, recently looked into the matter and concluded that isinglass - “fish bladder goo” - is used to clarify beers and other alcoholic beverages. However, Chris also found out for those concerned with animal product intake who still want an occasional brew, that there are options, that not all brewers use animal products.

Vegans are used to reading labels; however, your average bottle is not going to give the full list of ingredients and conditioning methods used. Unless it is labeled vegan (rare), you cannot be 100 percent sure, unless you do your reseach ahead of time.

Know what ingredients are what and where they come from. Look up your favorite brands online. Google “vegan beer.” Call breweries, restaurants, and companies and ask questions. Peruse lists of vegan beers and vegan wines.

Here are some ingredients, in addition to the isinglass that Chris found for us, to look out for during your search:

*Gelatins - bones
*Casein and Potassium Caseinate - milk proteins
*Albumin - egg and/or dried blood powder
*Honey
*Lactose
*Caramel
*Colorings, Flavorings, and Preservatives may also come from animals

Seeing as how waiters can’t always tell you whether an entree is vegetarian or not, and often misguide you (e.g. French onion soup is almost always made from beef stock), I doubt many bartenders will be much help lighting your path to vegan intoxication. Thus, as I could probably end every topic, I leave you with this: Your best bet is to do you own research!

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Like popcorn? Why not add a powerful protein punch to it and make it so much more.

Peanut Butter Pop

Pop your corn as normal - bag in the microwave is fine, but have you tried kernels in a pan with a little oil on the stove lately? This way you get to control the flavoring and spices.

In a second pot, melt 1 part butter to about 3 parts peanut butter and a splash of vanilla over low heat so you don’t burn the butters. When it is liquidy enough to pour, pour it over the popped corn.

Let it cool, and enjoy! It is a tad messy, but so worth it. It’s also just as good left over cold as it is fresh and warm.

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As I watch “Top Chef” on Bravo, and the occasional Food Network show, my sentiments are usually the same: Interesting, but I don’t have any of that in my kitchen! I do, however, have my own unique repetoire of foods and gadgets.

1. A juicer: no one should be without one. Period.

2. Vegan Gourmet mozzarella cheese: the first and only veggie cheese that I can eat plain - it’s awesome! Perfect with some dehydrated tomato crumbles, basil, and oil toasted like a grilled cheese.

3. A pink cutting board: yes, I am obsessed with pink. But this also functions as a meat-free guarantee … my male roommate would never think to pick it up!

4. An endless supply of nuts and dried fruit: my staples.

5. TVP: texturized vegetable protein, because we all know I need more protein and this can be sprinkled into any meal for an instant boost.

6. Frozen bananas: always, and I mean always, at least two peeled (because I almost lost a finger once trying to peel a frozen banana - seriously. stitches. CSI level blood loss. Nerve damage. Peel your bananas before you freeze them!) and ready to be thrown into a peanut butter smoothie.

7. A pestal and mortar set: to blend and grind my own spices.

8. 18,000 tea bags in 1,708 different flavors.

9. Vegan grated topping: think parmesean cheese.

10. Soy milk juice boxes: I cannot manage to use up a whole soy milk container before it gets that mouth-drying effect. So I buy these handy containers that sit in my cupboard until I need the two-cereal-bowl size. AND I buy regular and mix it with an almost equal portion of water because fat-free soy milk is just that - you pay them to mix water into it and get less actual soy milk for the same price!

Now, head to your kitchen, peruse for a moment, then come back and tell me if you have any of these. What other different items are in your food room?

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“Death by Veganism” was an op-ed New York Times headline May 21. This case was, unfortunately, not the first one where parents proclaiming a veg*n lifestyle had a child pass away due to malnutrition. However, it is also not the first time that a child was misfed by India natives or Atlanta residents or an unmarried couple or … parents. So why focus on the fact that they were vegan and not on the fact that they were either uneducated about infancy nutrition or abusive. Soy milk and apple juice was not enough to keep 6-week-old, 3.5 pound baby Crown alive.

Keep your kids healthy and meat-free with these suggestions:

1. Unfortified non-dairy milks cannot suffice as a primary milk source for infants. There are soy-based formulas available, but of course the most natural, organic way to feed your babes is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding activist and mom of two, The Lactivist, provides a great amount information on the beginning months of life, including a commentary on this case specifically.

2. When you and your pediatrician decide to began introducing food, try pureed and strained fruits and veggies, baby cereals, and baby food. But milk should still remain a large portion of their diets.

3. As food increases in your little one’s diet try: mashed lentils, beans, legumes with vegetable oil; tofu; soft or mashed fruits; pureed, unstrained veggies; unsweetened, diluted juices.

4. Visit Veg Source and the Vegetarian Society for more detail about when, how, and concerns to look out for at this stage. This site offers excellent tips, ideas, and nutritional information.

5. Visit the library and checkout vegan parenting books. “Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World” comes highly recommended. (And look below the book on this Amazon link for more similar books.)

Starting to get it? You raise a vegan or vegetarian child the same way you become one as an adult. When the doctor says they need lots of protein, you give them soft, high-protein foods … just without the animal products. When doc says you can introduce meat, introduce vegan meat substitutes such as veggie burgers and Chik’n nuggets.

Whether vegan or carnivorous, black or white, rich or poor, married or single, all parents must become informed and educated on baby and kid nutrition.

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READER: Sally! It’s 10:30 p.m. and you haven’t posted yet!

ME: Why yes, reader, this is true. It is also true, however, that I was up until 4 a.m. last night meeting my brand new baby niece!!

That’s right! At 12:07 a.m. on June 19 my favorite little guy - nephew Timothy - became a big brother. And I have barely had any sleep since. Miss Tabitha Grace monopolized my evening and wee morning hours.

In her honor, I will finally talk about veganism and babies’ health in response to the Atlanta vegan parents who were convicted of murdering their baby via malnutrition … tomorrow, after I’ve gained some rest and energy. Until then, enjoy this heart-warming picture of the reasons I am Aunt Sally.

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You may find it hard to believe, but there is one instance where I am 100 percent for meat consumption. This case has nothing to do, however, with human diet. The diet that I am referring to is that of my cats (dogs can be healthy on a vegetarian diet with great care). They are - by nature - hunters, meat-eaters, carnivores. You can look at a number of different aspects about the cat’s physiology, but since this isn’t a veterinarian your working with, I’ll just point out the fact that they have teeth built for tearing meat and a digestive system that can handle raw meat.

Some will support a cat being veg*n; however, only with a full array supplements. Kitties need over 25 percent of their diet to come from protein. But also note that your average store brand cat food is equally as unhealthy. With the meat being twice cooked, filler grains being thrown in, and unpronouncable extracts … all to an excess. Too many grains and filler cause the urinary problems that we have come to accept in male cats. Optimum nutrition for a domesticated cat comes from you preparing them a raw diet. Being a vegan, I don’t want to deal with raw meat at all. Therefore, I choose brands that have less than 15 percent grains (they will brag about this), high protein content, and minimal by-products.

Make your cat happy by not eliminating meat from his diet, and they will love you more. They may even make you as proud as mine do … that’s them scrounging down a plate of spinach!

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I am cooking the most delicious looking and smelling meal right now, and I just had to share it with you (especially since it’s Recipe Sunday!).

Here’s what’s on this vegan’s stove right now:

Rainbow Rice Stir-fry

1. Prepare wild rice blend according to package, with some lemon juice added to the water

2. Saute onions and garlic in a little oil and a little butter (butter adds flavor; oil can withstand high heat). Try using flavor-infused oils - tonight I used roasted pepper oil.

3. Cut into bite size pieces, but too small: yellow squash, carrots, green beans. Add to onions and garlic aftter about 5 minutes. Add spices (sea salt, pepper, oregano) and lemon/lime juice. Saute for another 5 minutes before adding a small amount of water and covering to steam the veggies.

4. When green beans are tender (5-10 mins.): uncover stir-fry, toss in some TVP (texturized vegetable protein; a dehydrated protein source that looks a bit like the meat used in chopped-up chicken steaks) and dehydrated tomato flakes (yum! but, if you don’t have them try sundried tomatoes or red peppers).

5. Layer rice, then stir-fry. Taste, and if needed add more spices, citrus juice, and/or tomato flakes.

6. Eat!

There you go: you’ve got your red, orange, yellow, and green all one dish. It was delightful to all five of my senses. Now if only I could figure out how to add some blue …

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I love to juice. I’m a juicer. I want to shout it from the mountain tops; though I have found that I have to be careful where I say that as people have begun to think I take steroids. No, the juicing I partake in is the natural, raw food habit of making my own fruit and vegetable juices.

Usually, I make some carrot-apple-whatever is in the fridge combo. Today, however, I looked more into the benefits of each ingredient and made a glass using the following:

Carrots - Vitamins A, C, and beta-carotene for energy, body cleansing, and even tan skin and softer hair!

Garlic - reduces blood pressure, helps with blood clotting, lowers LDL (which increases bad cholesterol), boosts the immune system, reduces yeast growth in body

Radish - helps clear sinus cavities and calm a sore throat

Celery - magnesium, iron and chlorophyll helps with headaches, electrolytes, cleansing out carbon dioxide, cooling body temp, curbing sweet cravings, muscle cramps, fatigue …

Parsley - sweetens breath; cleanses the kidneys, liver, and urinary tract; aids upset stomachs by stimulating digestive enzymes

Apple - endless benefits including potassium that eases arthritis and rheumatism, and flushing of the liver and kidneys

Overall BEST benefit from drinking a glass of any homemade juice - you get this awesome energy boost and often a tingling sensation all over your body.

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In blog world you pass your friends a note by leaving a comment, visit them by hitting their site, show them love with a link to their entry, and hand off the silly childhood chain letter by tagging them to do a meme.

With that said, Kelly over at Taxgirl has tagged me to tell 7 random facts about myself, and then tag 7 more bloggers to do the same. So here I go:

1. My official title at work is Puzzle Editor. I make and edit puzzles! - crosswords, word-finds, sudoku, etc.

2. My previous job was as a full-time nanny for 3 of my favorite children ever - Katie, 5; Amy, 3; and Charlie, 1. Before that I worked part-time with a family that had 3-year-old twins and a baby.

3. My mom is my best friend. (Ok Meg, and you, too.)

4. I have had 13 piercings and 3 tattoos.

5. As an elementary school kid I wanted a skateboard and to shave half of my head while spiking the other half. I was also already thinking about a lip piercing and arm band tattoo (2 body modifications that I, ironically, have never had).

6. My cats are my babies. They are 6 this month, and are twins named Marshall (after Eminem), and Julius (after the drink, orange julius).

7. I teach knitting and arts & crafts classes during the week at night.

…I love telling facts about myself. I could go on, but who (besides my mom) would want to read that?

TAG YOU’RE IT:
1. CRAZY AUNT PURL (because i love her and would just die if she acknowledged my existence)
2. Gina at The Shatney Family
3. Jackie at Kids Dish
4. JM at Fiction Scribe
5. Keri Smith at Wish Jar
6. Mel P at Indie Music Chatter
7. Jummy at Getting Crafty

OK, the logistics: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to then report this on their own blog with their 7 things as well as these rules. They then need to tag 7 others and list their names on their blog. They are also asked to leave a comment for each of the tagged, letting them know they have been tagged and to read the blog.

It’s true: kids and vegetables don’t always mix. Now I’m not claiming to be an expert on getting wee mouths to open up for the greenery; I am not, myself, a mother. But I have worked extensively with kids - from being a nanny 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to an adoring aunt, to summer day camp counselor, and more.

So a few suggestions on getting the kiddos to try new meals (please add your own in the comments!):

1. Have color-themed meals. Orange - carrots, cheese, juice, goldfish, tangerines, peppers; Green - peppers, cucumber, raw spinach leaves, raw green beans, melon; Red - apple, peppers, radish, dried cranberries, strawberries, tomato slices

2. Serve up lunch with a muffin tin or little cups! I remember eating like this as a kid and thought it was so special … mom tells me today it was the only way to get me to eat sometimes. Put something different in each section; include fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, crackers. For older kids include spreads and nut butters with different breads and crackers that they can apply them to. Pineapple cubes with toothpicks are a must!

3. Get them in the kitchen, helping you prepare the meal. If she’s proud of helping to make dinner, she’s more likely to try it.

4. Make a smoothie. Blend together the selected combo of the following: frozen and fresh fruit, juice, milk (soy), ice, peanut butter. My fave is 1 frozen banana, 1 ripe banana, 2-3 Tbsp PB, and a few ice cubes.

5. Shred ‘em up. While hiding the veggies will not teach your kids long term health habits, it will give you a night free of fighting and force-feeding. Finely chop peppers, carrots, celery and make *confetti* to add to grilled cheese, macaroni, or anything else he likes.

6. Don’t make it an option. Not in a harsh way, just try positivity and phrases like “What all should we put into the macaroni and cheese? tomatoes? Broccoli?” And, let them have it their way once in a while. Katie, 4, and I were cooking lunch one day and she politely asked “Can we just have it with nothing in it today?”

7. If it’s on your plate, it’s on her plate. Clean plate club is a thing of the past; “Just try a bite” is the new catch phrase. She doesn’t have to finish it all, but it stays on her plate the whole time, no pushing it off on to Daddy’s!

8. Teach them about where it comes from - take them to a local farm, to pick apples or strawberries, grow tomatoes or herbs in your yard.

9. Surround them with subtle hints. Play kitchen? Make sure it has healthy food choices. Learning the alphabet? Make a food for each letter on different days. Color pictures about food, read stories, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, make healthy choices for yourself. Lead by example.

10. (insert your best here. leave a comment!)

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Jackie, the new writer at Kids Dish, wrote an excellent post on eating local if you would like a follow-up to my last post.

ping

Going veg*n, while certainly the purest form of animal respect, is not the only way to make improvements in your diet that will effect animals’ rights.

While animal rights activists may scoff at my saying this, I see it as it is good to cut out meat, better to go vegetarian, and best to go vegan. However, I certainly acknowledge and understand that not everyone is where I am, and not everyone will take this step today or perhaps ever.

If you are not ready, or are looking for a way to effect animals’ lives even more, here are some of my thoughts on the matter:

You can choose which distributor’s you patronize. For example, you can buy from local farmers for both produce and animal products such as eggs and chickens. Search online for farms, co-ops, online stores, and more.

You can also decide that you will not purchase from chains that have been exposed for using disturbing animal treatment practices, and will instead choose those that have either never used such practices or have changed when confronted. Some of these include: Kentucky Fried Chicken - exposed by undercover PETA investigators for torturing chickens in sadistic, illegal ways, contacted repeatedly since 2001 about changing their ways with no positive reactions. Denny’s and Arby’s were using the same turkey distributor that Mercy for Animals (MFA) recently uncovered as beating, punching, kicking, and throwing the birds. Denny’s immediately cut all ties with the company; Arby’s continues to use them.

And for more great ways to help animals by shopping smart, check out Caring Consumer. (I chose this cruelty-free consumer site not because it is sponsored by PETA, but because I feel that it offers more than its counterparts. But no company that sets out with these intentions is bad, so you can also check out www.CompassionateConsumer.com and www.CompassionateConsumers.org.).

Look for Amish-raised meat; buy products that boast no animal testing or products; don’t wear fur; enjoy animal-free circus such as Cirque de Soleil; lessen your meat intake; choose man-made over leather or suede; open your home to an animal in need of a family; spay and neuter. All of these are great ways to show that you care - and they do make a difference!

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