Living Without Meat

This photo shown here is just one off the many reasons that I chose to ditch my gallon-a-week milk drinking habit about four years ago, just months after I first gave up eating meat. The calves in this photo are dead. They are rotting along side of the road and are covered in flies and other insects. These baby cows are not a rare occurrence. This happens daily in the dairy industry.

Calves are an inconvenient necessity in the milk production process, especially males. Any females born on a dairy farm may replace their mother, who is slaughtered when her productivity drops. They may also be shipped off and slaughtered for the rennet in their stomachs, a by-product that is used for cheese. Males have traditionally been shoved into veal crates and slaughtered for meat at a young age. In fact, the veal industry was born out of the dairy industry. But today, it often costs too much for farmers to crate and ship male calves and so alternatives are sought.

Calves are dumped “to avoid rendering costs or hauling them to auction”

But my reasons for switching from cow’s milk to soy don’t stop there. Hearing that cow’s milk contains pus and that it is bad for my health was enough to make sure that I am never tempted to return to my milk chugging days.

According to Milk Sucks, dairy products “contain no fiber or complex carbohydrates and are laden with saturated fat and cholesterol. They are contaminated with cow’s blood and pus and are frequently contaminated with pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.” They have also been “linked to allergies, constipation, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.”

Soy milk doesn’t immediately take the place of cow’s milk on your taste buds, but eventually you will become accustomed to the flavor and will wonder how you ever drank such a think cream that is bad for you, cows, and the environment.

I am in week three of my training for a half marathon. I haven’t chosen a race yet: there is the ING Philadelphia run in September or the Philadelphia Marathon in November. Either way, my total goal is 13.1 miles and so far I am up to between four and five miles - a pretty good point to be at this early on.

But I have been running in cheap sneakers, which will certainly not help me reach my goal injury- and pain-free. So yesterday I splurged on new running gear (with a little monetary help from my dad).

I went to a local specialty store, Philadelphia Runner, and had a sales guy watch me walk and analyze my feet to recommend a few pairs. “Oh, and I’m vegan,” I added when he brought me six pairs, “so they need to be leather-free.”

He thought that would be a problem. Ha! He didn’t know off hand what any of the shoes were made of, but after examining them I found that all six were vegan! I also learned that apparently the universal symbols of shoe materials are not common knowledge. So please, let me share with you a little secret about reading shoe labels …

Universal Shoe Material Symbols

A picture that looks much like an animal hide means just that; this drawing means that the shoes contain leather. If there were a diamond inside of this bearskin rug, it would mean coated leather.

This crosspatch design represents fabric or textile. This is a symbol that you want to look for.

Then there is also the all encompassing diamond by itself that stands for “other materials.”

No, the system is not perfect. There is certainly room for some animal products to get classified as “other,” I am sure. But I try not to drive myself insane with worry over labels.

The first time that I made a raw cookie I blended together raisins, coconut flakes, raw walnuts and cashews, carob chips, dates, and a little water, then formed balls and let them sit in the fridge for a few hours. They were delicious; the texture was too wet though. A weaker blender may have needed the water, but my Vita-Mix didn’t.

For my second attempt I swapped out the water for half of a banana, I left the dates out because they didn’t blend well, and I added a tiny pinch of salt. Still good, but still not perfect.

Last week I found that blending just coconut, carob chips, raisins (not golden), and any combo of raw nuts was the perfect texture - solid enough to pick up the balls after refrigeration and bite like a cookie. But I found that I felt sickly full after eating just a few.

Today I found that three tablespoon-size balls of this perfect blend make for a quick and filling lunch! I needed a mid-afternoon snack, but I never felt too full or too hungry … and they are so delicious!

I am studying to become a certified group fitness instructor. At this point, I am reading through Fitness: Theory & Practice, the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America’s (AFAA) text book. As I was reading chapter 2, “Energy Production During Exercise,” I came across something very exciting to me as a vegan.

The book was explaining how there are three main things that your body can use to make energy: carbs, fats and protein. There were several pages about the body’s breaking down of carbs into energy, and another few about the process of breaking down fat. Then it came to the section on protein. There was only one paragraph, and here is how it started:

“Finally, a brief word about the use of protein as fuel is in order. Protein usually does not provide more than 10 to 15 percent of the total energy requirement of an activity. As such, protein does not play as significant role as carbohydrate or fat as a fuel for exercise. … It is obviously not advantageous to use this source for fuel during exercise.”

The paragraph goes on the put the difference between the three components into perspective. It says that one unit of carbohydrate can produce 38 units used for energy; one unit of fat, 147 units; and one unit of protein, a measly 15 units.

That’s one point for vegans and vegetarians in the great protein debate.

I haven’t received my free sample of Bragg Liquid Aminos yet, but Allie of Allie’s Answers left a great comment telling us about aminos since I have never tried them.

“I use Bragg Aminos as a soy sauce substitute since soy sauce has wheat in it,” she wrote. “It has a similar flavor.”

I have also determined that it is similar to tamari in that they are both gluten-free alternatives to soy sauce, and since I do have tamari in my fridge - and use it regularly on salads and in stir-fries - I don’t need any Bragg Aminos just yet. (But I still want to try it and see what all the fuss is about!)

While trying to learn more about the Bragg brand in general, I scoped out my gigantic bottle of apple cider vinegar and noticed a Christian fish with nothing more on or around it than simply “3 John 2.” Intrigued by a verse that I didn’t recognize, I looked up 3 John 2 in the Bible, New International Version:

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”

There is no mention of the fish or Bible verse anywhere on the Bragg’s Web site, but the site does make it very clear that the Bragg family has always been big believers of health and nutrition - click on the picture here to learn more about this.

Whether or not you are religious, I leave you with the words of 3 John 2: “I pray that you may enjoy good health.”

I usually prefer the kind of food that comes without a nutritional label and doesn’t need an ingredients list because there is only one. In other words, non-processed foods: Fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, anything that God played a bigger role in the production of than man. But as of late, there have been quite a few processed foods that I have been loving.

* Teeccino Caffeine-Free Herbal “Coffee”: this brand of herbal, natural coffee alternatives is heaven sent! If you are trying to break a coffee addiction and are having trouble because you genuinely like the flavor, you must invest in some Teeccino.

* Nasoya Silken Creations: I cannot tell you in words how fantastically delicious this mousse-like tofu is! I was making a smoothie with the dark chocolate one the other day and couldn’t stop eating it right out of the package.

* Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Crumbles: this ground beef imitation product is such a yummy, quick way to add a little texture and protein to any meal.

How about you? Any products that you would recommend?

As we were all remembering the men and women who fought and died at war, and those that are still fighting today, this Memorial Day weekend, I hope we all can also take a moment to remember the animals who had no choice in giving their lives in war.

It’s not something that many of us - myself included - think about very often, the fact that there are millions of horses, pigeons, elephants, glow worms, mules, camels, and other beings involved in human wars. Plus all of the pigs, dogs, and other animals that are used for cruel military tests and experiments.

But in 2004, the Animals in War Memorial was erected at the edge of Hyde Park in London, England, to commemorate those creatures who fought and died and, as the inscription reads, “had no choice.”

The newly released book, The New Animal Activist’s Handbook by Matt Ball and Bruce Friedrichnow has a Web site! Check out www.AnimalAdvocacyBook.com to see all of the book’s details including reviews, author bios, news, events, and related links.

Unfortunately, I did not get out to the pool yet. Being an independent contractor, I do not necessarily get holidays off - only if I can rework my week’s schedule to get 40 hours another way. So today, as everyone else was sleeping in and lounging around the pool, I started my morning bright and early with some online animal advocacy work.

I did, however, still enjoy some relaxing time this afternoon: My roommate and I traveled to my favorite grocery store (a Giant with a huge organic, vegan, and gluten free section) for a mega food stock up. We have several meals planned for the next week now, and even came home and cooked a delicious Asian stir-fry.

We sauteed onions, red peppers, snow peas, and baby corn in a little oil. After a few minutes we added some Iron Chef General Tso’s Sauce - one of the few premade Asian sauces without any high fructose corn syrup - covered the wok with a lid and finished steaming the veggies. We also heated up some It’s All Good Veggie Beef Skewers. Served as shown here with the chopsticks that roommate bought me for Christmas, it was a delightful dinner!

After dinner we went out to enjoy the evening, me running and her biking, and both of us stretching, meditating, and showering to cool down.

For dessert, I whipped up one of my famous smoothies using frozen strawberries, Nasoya’s new Silken Creations in dark chocolate, and Bolthouse Farms’ soy protein chai drink. You’re supposed to garnish with flavors that the taster can expect to taste, but I didn’t have any fresh strawberries so raspberries had to do, with a touch of chocolate sprinkles.

And of course, I ended my day with more work. But, if nothing else, it was a very delicious, vegan Memorial Day.

I spent my entire day today at the American Vegan Society’s Garden Party. There was veg food, live music, new friends - and a few old ones too, speakers, coupons, and the part that took up the most of my time: a book room.

The Vegan Society’s book room is just a rinky dink, narrow building with two rooms lined with tall metal shelves, each filled with vegan health, nutrition, animal rights, poem, and recipe books, and much more too. But it was heaven to me! With a copy of the New York Times’ best-selling book When Elephants Weep by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson already on route to me from Paperback Swap I passed that one by. But I still had another three dozen books that I wanted to buy! Making a decision was hard, but I narrowed it down to three (plus a dozen old Vegetarian Times and Natural Health magazines and a few other free pamphlets):

* Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People by Jennifer Cornbleet, a beginner raw foods prep book that gives a lot of very basic ideas and concepts as well as some more creative creations using the basics.

* The Tofu Cookbook by Leah Leneman, a collection of over 150 meals, desserts, drinks, and more that you can make using the soy veg staple.

* Quantum Wellness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness by Kathy Freston, the highly talked and raved about health guide that was featured on both Oprah Winfrey’s and Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime talk show.

Click on it to see it full size!

It’s been a long, busy week for me!May is easily my busiest month of the year. When I’m stressed and tired, nothing relaxes me better than someone else preparing a meal for me. Earlier this week I was treated to having a delicious vegan dinner cooked at home for me by my roommate. She made beautiful stuffed peppers that she came up with while trying to figure out what to make with couscous. Here, she’s put together the recipe for us:

Meg’s Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 whole peppers (red/green)
1 cup black beans (canned)
1 cup corn (canned)
1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cup water
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Spicy, Mexican seasonings; I used Tastefully Simple fiesta dip mix that contains onion, salt, crushed red pepper, paprika, garlic, parsley, sugar, and other spices

1. Preheat oven 350

2. Bring water to boil, add couscous and remove from heat. Stir in tastefully simple fiesta dip mix, other TexMex seasoning, or your own blend of spices.

3. Chop onion. Cut about one-third of the way down on each pepper, opening it up and cleaning it out for stuffing. Chop up the pepper tops; sprinkle the pepper bottoms with olive oil and salt and set aside.

4. Saute the chopped onion and pepper in a pan with olive oil. When the onions turn translucent, add corn, beans, and pre-cooked couscous. Mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste.

5. Spoon some of the mixture into each open pepper and cover in tin foil on a baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes.

6. Refrigerate the leftover stuffing for a tasty, cold salad for lunch the next day.

Traveling with a pet this summer? The Humane Society has always been a good source to get help working out the details, but there are other good resources out there, too. Such as …

DogFriendly.com has recognized the top 10 dog-friendly cities to visit in the U.S. based on the quality of dog-friendly accommodations, transportation, beaches, parks, attractions, stores, dining, and things to do with your dog.

1. San Francisco - Luxurious hotels. Plenty of pet-friendly patio dining. Many off-leash beaches and areas. Ride the cable car, walk the Golden Gate.

2. Austin - Dine in outdoor cafes. Visit the Zilker Botanical Gardens. See the Congress Street Bats. Many off-leash parks.

3. Boston - Tour Boston harbor by boat. Walk the Freedom Trail and explore many National Historical Sites. Your leashed dog is welcome on the subway.

4. Northern Virginia - Enjoy a yappy hour or dine in dog-friendly Alexandria. Take the Canine Cruise. Visit outdoor monuments and nearby Washington.

5. Portland (OR)- Enjoy off-leash areas and the famous Rose Gardens. Visit the Saturday Outdoor Market. Have a drink at the Lucky Lab.

6. Charleston (SC) - Take a ghost tour or walking tour. See the grounds of the Magnolia and Boone Hall Plantations. Visit the beach.

7. Chicago - Visit Navy Pier. Ride the Canine Cruise. See Buckingham Fountain, take a walk in Oak Park. Many dog-friendly patio restaurants.

8. San Diego - Visit fabulous dog beaches. Shop at dog-friendly Otay Ranch with its dog park. Dine outdoors and hike many parks.

9. New York - Stay in a fine hotel. Take a walking tour of lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. Shop at Time Warner Center. See the Balto Statue and Central Park.

10. Ann Arbor (MI) - Visit Nichols Arboretum, rent a dog-friendly canoe. Visit nearby gardens and farms. Visit many local parks.

Honorable mention also goes out to Dallas, Madison/Wisconsin Dells, Minneapolis, Salt Lake, and Seattle.

Over at SnagFilms.com you can watch full-length documentary films for free. Then, sticking with the idea that docu films strive to make a difference in the world, each movie is paired with charity that relates to the film’s cause.

As describe on the site, “Films can open our eyes to important issues and inspire us to get involved and make a difference. We call this ‘filmanthropy.’ We make it easy to support our filmmakers and the causes their films spotlight. Each of our documentaries is matched up with a charity.”

Morgan Sprulock’s Super Size Me is paired up with one of my fave nonprofits: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).

Snag Films also lets you “snag” them and share them electronically on your blog, Facebook page, or other networking site. So watch it, if you haven’t already, check out PCRM, and then pass it along to all of your friends.

Stop what you’re doing! Turn on the TV and be sure not to miss PETA’s Senior Vice President Dan Mathews on the Today Show this morning, Wednesday, May 20, between 7:30 and 8 a.m. Eastern time.

According to PETA, “Dan will be talking about PETA’s position on elephants and Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus, Ringling’s breeding facility (the “Center for Elephant Conservation”), and the current lawsuit against the circus for alleged abuse of its elephants.”

If you miss it, I’m sure that it will be available online later in the day, just as vegan author Kathy Freston’s recent Extra appearance already is: click here to watch it.

On this episode of Extra Freston, author of the Quantum Wellness Cleanse that was featured on Ellen almost exactly one year ago, interviewed Dr. T. Colin Campbell and his son, Thomas M. Campbell, co-authors of The China Study, about the benefits of a plant-based diet and the many myths surrounding meat and dairy.

Thanks for all the vegan coverage, news media!