Snow Day!! Bananbrød og Varmt Smør Rom!!

I don't know much Danish but for some reason I feel like its more fun to talk about food in this language. Similarly, I like expressing the past-perfect tense in spanish. ANYWAYS, today it snowed all over DC and for once cocaine wasn't involved. I enjoyed myself by studying for finals andddd indulging in homemade vegan banana bread plus hot buttered rum (hopefully my translation was OK).
I make a small loaf of banana bread just big enough to warm two bellies on cold winter mornings. I mush up 2 bananas and then add 1/4 cup melted Earth Balance and coconut oil mixed together (oil optional), 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbs water to mimic an egg, lots of cinnamon, tiny pinch of salt, 1 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp baking powder, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1 cup flour. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or so and voila! afternoon delight
I recently came into the possession of some hot buttered rum mix from Whole Foods. Mix this with 1 tbs melted Earth Balance, 3/4 cup water, and a bit of rum and afternoon delight turns into late afternoon slumber. OR nix the rum, use vanilla almond milk instead of water and sip a seasonal treat everyone can enjoy.

Double V-Ture: Fall Food and Seattle Lovin

It's been a while since my last post, apologies friends!

FALLing In Love with Vegan
First on the list is fall food! Around the middle of October I went a little crazy with seasonal recipes and subsequently gained 10 pounds of squash, apple and pumpkin. It was worth every gourd.
Apple-Squash Bake
I highly recommend slicing up Honeycrisp apples with butternut squash. Place in baking dish, drizzle with agave nectar, a little bit of Earth Balance vegan butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Place in oven at 350 and cook until tender (20 minutes give or take). YUM YUM YUM.
Carrot-Ginger soup
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons ginger (I used bottled sushi ginger)
10 medium carrots
3 tablespoons olive oil (what up EVOO!!)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup hemp milk- just say NO to soy and YES to omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon agave syrup (maple syrup if you don't have agave)
little bit of salt n pepper ooh baby baby
1)basically you want to heat the oil, 2 tablespoons of broth, onion, ginger and garlic in a soup pan and saute for a few minutes
2)add the rest of the broth, hemp milk, pepper, honey, and carrots
3) bring to simmer and let carrots cook until they start to get mushy
4) let soup cool- no seriously...let it cool
5) use blender to puree ingredients 1 cup at a time
6) return soup to pot, heat it up and enjoy!!
although the recipe does not call for it, I added some melter Earth Balance for a slightly creamier consistency...this recipe takes patience (which I do not have) but it worth it!!
Vegan Chocolate-Pumpkin Cupcakes from the book "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World"
my dude friends were impressed by this one- a great addition to a 4o and 10 cups
1 cup canned pumpkin- I used the pie filling
1/4 cup hemp milk
2 tablespoon coconut oil
8 tablespoon vegan chocolate chips- yes, vegan chocolate chips exist
3/4 cups granulated sugar OR 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup agave syrup (it works double time)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup pastry flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking power
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1)Preheat oven to 350.
2)Mix wet ingredients together. Sift in dry. Stir with fork until just blended, fold in 6 tablespoons chocolate chips. Don't use a handmixer or overmix, batter will get gummy.
3)Fill cupcake pan and let bake 18 minutes.
4)At 18 minutes I take those bad boys out and put in the remaining chocolate chips into the center of the cupcake, they make a nice melter chocolate center when the cupcakes are done =) 5)Return cupcakes to oven for 4-6 minutes and then let cool.
6)I use the same frosting explained in my last post, except I add more cinnamon for a slightly spicy frosting.
Thanksgiving Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce (taken from Sunset magazine)
1 bag (12 oz.) cranberries, thawed if frozen
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3 small sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1)In a medium saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, molasses, and thyme to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil, stirring often, until most cranberries pop, 5 minutes. Make sure to remove thyme.
2) At the point, it looks and tastes kinda icky and you're wondering if you should waste a pomegranate on it. Never fear friends! Put it in the fridge overnight (or at least a few hours) to let sauce solidify.
3) Mix in lots of pomegranates and refrigerate for another few hours, then enjoy!
Thanksgiving Cranberry Ginger Sauce (also from Sunset)
2 bags (12 oz. each) fresh or frozen cranberries, any soft or decayed berries discarded
2 1/2 cups sugar
Finely shredded zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I suggest using a cheese grater to those not in possession of my mother's coveted zester)
1)Combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until berries have popped, about 20 minutes.
2) Let cool over night. Patience friends, patience.

Sleepless In Seattle- from too much vegan food!!!
Short review of some great vegan/vegetarian eateries in Seattle. There's more out there, trust me.
A few places I have NOT tried yet but are worthy of praise from hype alone:
Cortona Cafe: All I know is they serve vegan Belgian waffles. And that's all I really need to know, to be honest
Pizza Pi: Vegan pizza including a build-your-own option and numerous fake meats.
Thrive: It's as much about the ambiance as the food. Their mission statement reads "Our menu is a testament to the decadence of Raw foods, demolishing the myth that to eat healthy you must sacrifice deliciousness. O, not so. We're vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, fatigue-free, and wholly pro-bliss, pro-joy, pro-shine. Dare to be beautifully buoyant. Eat. Drink. Live. Thrive."
Georgetown Liquor Company: Fabulous food in Seattle's historically industrial and recently hip Georgetown area (for all my DC loves just think less collared shirts, more tats and piercings). Unfortunately you have to be 21 to enter, but rest assured should I turn 21 in my city of birth this year GLC is where I shall dine.
Squid & Ink: I hear they serve a mean breakfast. Plus, an every changing menu gives one awesome chef a lot of room for creative/gastronomic growth.
OK, now on to some places I do know!
Whole Foods- sure they're all over, but only NW Whole Foods offer a delicious vegan chocolate cake so tasty even the most carnivorous palate can't tell the difference.
Cafe Flora- ALL TIME FAVORITE VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT (with vegan options yay). Seasonal specials from local farmers plus a core menu that never lets me down. I highly recommend the bucket of yam fries with the vegan aioli sauce for an appetizer. Our family typically orders Vegetarian French Dip (available vegan), Oaxaca Tacos, or the Portabello Wellington (sadly not vegan). Great atmosphere and a friendly staff who will put up with my dad's anti-veg/pro-carnivore jokes. Although I am always full by the end of dinner, this place is such a treat I soldier through a decadent vegan chocolate layer cake or sorbet for dessert. Gluten free options for all courses available as well.
Plum: Located across the street from very hip apartments with huge windows and a yoga studio, this Capital Hill location offers entertainment value in location alone. I really respect their chef, Makini Howell, owner of another Seattle vegan institution, Hillside Quickie. She is definitely a visionary/pioneer in the Seattle vegan scene and takes risks in her vegan delights. That said, Plum still has some kinks to work out. They are currently not serving yam fries due to ventilation issues. I ask you, what is a vegan restaurant without fried sweet potatoes?? Second, they should change the name from Plum to Pepper, as everything on the menu is SMOKIN hot. They aren't kidding when they call it Spicy Mac n' Yease. As long as your prepared for the heat, the food offers a good blend of Asian/Cajun inspired vegan cuisine.
Remedy Teas: My lover took me here over the summer for my birthday and I must admit I was impressed with his choice. First of all, I loveee tea- and with all the health benefits, you should too! I got to sample brick tea for the first time, very exciting after reading about it in "Liquid Jade", a book on the history of tea. Even better, all of Remedy Tea's libations are organic. They also offer several vegan and non-vegan food options to go with your drankage. I recommend the vegan versions of the pesto cream and apple pie tea sandwiches, plus any of the vegan pastries offered for dessert.

Yowzahs is this a blog post or a novel?
XOXO V-Girl

Vegan Ingredients Everywhere Agree: Let's Get Baked!!

It's official, V Girl is now a V Goddess in the kitchen. OK, I might be getting ahead of myself with that statement but I must say my baking skills have gone from 0 to 60 faster than your daddy's m series beemer.
I recently discovered an organic vegan cake mix courtesy of Dr. Oetker (brand name, no actual doctors were involved). For my first try I used hemp milk instead of cow's milk but I found it a bit too earthy. This time around I went with vanilla soymilk (despite trying to get away from the soy) which gives a sweeter taste to these tasty treats. I have heard of many egg-replacers in my life time: applesauce, mashed bananas, silken tofu, etc. I read that 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water is equal to 1 egg. After baking 1 cobbler, 1 cake, 12 cupcakes, 12 mini brownie bites, chocolate and vanilla frosting in the last few days, I have to say I highly recommend the flax seed alternative. Not only is it heart healthy, it doesn't leave an awkward taste in my baked goods...eureka! I bought a fair sized bag of Bob's Read Mill ground flax seed at Whole Foods for less than 4 dollars and I'm pretty sure it will carry me through the semester. A pretty good deal when you consider the cost of an egg (on your wallet and your heart hehe). For butter I use Earth Balance vegan buttery spread, and for my "cream cheese" vanilla frosting it was as simple as 6 oz. toffuti cream cheese, 2 tbs vanilla extract and 3 cups of sugar blended together. The recipe called for 4 but after tasting this decadent topping I would even consider cutting it down to 2 cups of sweetness. I noticed the somewhat grainy nature of the frosting and used the left overs as a body scrub on my knees, elbows, feet, etc in the shower. It left me smelling sweet and not the least bit sticky!
Finally, for all of you non-vegan readers, you might be thinking "Only vegans would find her cupcakes delicious". Well, let me tell you!, this has not been the case, pally. All 3 cupcakes tasters were heterosexual carnivorous males and all enjoyed my cupcakes thank you very much. The same is to be said of the numerous people who enjoyed nomming on my chocolate cake earlier this week. To be clear, I'm not showing off, because my cooking skills are mediocre at best. The point is that vegan baked goods can be easy to make and fun to eat no matter your cooking skills or your taste bud preferences.

Dude I Forgot to Write About Amsterdam

It's been almost a month since I was actually in the Netherlands but I think it's important to write about the vegan scene there anyways. To begin, the euro exchange rate was way better than the danish crown, which made exploring food more possible. No north american should ever have to feel relief when confronted with a euro exchange rate, no one. But alas there I was relishing in a terrible exchange rate that was way better than the last.
I thought I would be overwhelmed by all the craziness of Amsterdam, what with the drugs and the women and the drugs. To my surprise, I found it far quainter than bustling Copenhagen. The Dutch are more outgoing than the Danish, and I'm pretty sure they drink less. Actually, they do most things less than Americans too. I was surprised (but strangely satisfied) to learn that more Americans smoke pot, use coke, (or pretty much any drug) on a regular basis than the Dutch. More American men have paid for sex than Dutch men as well. Which brings me to my next point: the Amsterdam we idealize or deplore is based on tourism, not Dutch culture. The Dutch are not crazy party people or sex-maniacs; they are simply tolerant. This is embarrassing to admit, but I understood the Austin Powers joke on a deeper level when Michael Caine says "There's only two types of people I hate in this world- people who are intolerant of other cultures, and the Dutch" because being Dutch and intolerant seem to be almost mutually exclusive. The coffee shops are likely filled with people foreign to the Netherlands and most of the men I saw in the Red Light district were not speaking Dutch. In other words, Amsterdam is catering to certain types of tourists. Some might be high rolling horny jackasses, but others might be those docile innocent creatures we so often refer to as hippies.
Symptoms of hippiness commonly found along the canals of Amsterdam may include an affinity for all things ganja, hatred of money and the establishment (usally funded by the parents' bank account-we call these beings trustafarians), and a general distaste for...yes you guessed it meat. With this in mind I realized my 1 hour plane ride had basically transported me into a land of my kin, a virtual goldmine of vegetarian and vegan delights.
First stop was Bio Market, sort of the Dutch equivalent of Whole Foods. Since coming to Denmark I had not seen a veggie burger in a grocery store, but did see one offered on a menu at a pub for 20 USD (I pased). Now here I was, surrounded by the good stuff- what's a V Girl to do? Bio Market offered everything from dark chocolate covered soy nuts to vegan spring rolls, and my personal favorite: vegan salami sticks. I have fond childhood memories of nomming on 7/11 salami sticks but had all but given up hope for an alternative. In this way, Bio Market pretty much one-upped anything I've seen in the US- cheers Amsterdam!
I hear de Waagals has a fabulous eastern inspired vegan menu (think curry, lentil burgers, etc) but I never had time to visit. Eat At Jo's has its own seperate vegan menu. It's kind of like the Dutch take on an American gritty diner, way cute and affordable. I also saw a charming pizza place with 3 different vegan pizzas, I wish I could remember the name! However, the point of this post is that I can't remember the name because there were so many vegan options. If you go to Amsterdam you don't really need to plan ahead as a vegan, you'll find something different every night at a reasonable price for European standards- we're still not talking dollar-menu cheap here people.
Vaarwel,
V Girl

Hi Fra København

So many thoughts and now way to connect them! Hello friends, I'm sitting in my dorm (kollegium) here in Denmark enjoying the random spurts of sun and then rain that seem to define the midsummer climate. Did I fly 10 hours only to find myself in a European Seattle of sorts? In some ways yes, but mostly no! Some non-food related things I love about Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Danes:

• baller architecture- its either super old or super modern
• they all speak english REALLY well but choose to speak in Danish to each other even when a non-Dane is around- protect that culture!
• everyone is beautiful
• everyone dresses really well
• people are quite nice but not overly polite like in the US. I have been told to stop apologizing for nothing several times now
• bomb public transportation
  
• the history here rocks, ancient burial sights, Viking ship excavations etc!
• Roskilde Music Festival aka the second largest festival in the world. It's 8 days long, picture Bonaroo or Sasquatch except with even prettier hippies and more drinking. This year's line up includes Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Coldplay, The Mars Volta, Oasis, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Mew and bajillions of bands that you may or may not have heard of depending on your hipster status. This was also the location of the Pearl Jam concert in the 90s that ended with 9 people being trampled to death. Unfortunately, it starts the day before I leave so I can't go...very upsetting.
• Christiania. everything about it.
  
• the Danes like to party, and there's nothing wrong with that

Like Seattlites, Danes really like their bikes. Unlike vegan friendly Seattle, Danes also really like their pork. Denmark is the highest exporter of pork in the world, followed by Canada and then the U.S. This is not a criticism, and I'm certainly not saying the Northwest doesn't enjoy its meat. My childhood was spent under the tables of the Met Grill and Elliott's Oyster House and as the daughter of someone in the restaurant business I enjoyed my fair share of steak, salmon, etc. Furthermore, the latest foodie craze seems to be very meat oriented with restaurants such as Portland's Beast. At the same time, Seattle and perhaps all of the USA to some extent has several food cultures, some based on fast food, others conciousness, some obesity, others anorexia. All of these are extremes and I can't deny that veganism is somewhat of an extreme in comparison to normal food culture in the majority of societies. Seattle is a pretty new city, even for US standards and Seattleites have thus created a very hip and modern food culture often rooted in politics or what is fashionable.

In Denmark, meat and cheese is not a fad or a statement but a culture firmly rooted in history. My Danish familien (school program hooked me up with a Danish family) recomended La Glace, a Danish bakery/ pastrie shop created in 1870. The Danes are also famous for their smørrebrod, or open faced sandwich and a little shop called Ida Davidsen seems to be the most recommended. What I'm trying to say here is: When in Rome, motherfuckers!! I typically try to have 2 vegan meals a day but the rest is open game. I have found a great schwarma stand close to school that has vegan falafells for 27 kr- that's about 5.50 USD, a true steal in one of the most expensive cities I've ever visited. However, I have also enjoyed my share of pastries and even had yogurt for the first time in several months.

My familien lives in Roskilde, about a half hour by train from central Copenhagen. The change in scenery is a bit like going from Seattle to somewhere a little further up north like Camano Island where farms, open fields, and tons of nature reigns supreme. Once in Roskilde, my familen showed me the local sights including burial sights built before the time of Christ, excavated Viking ships, and the camping grounds for Roskilde music festival, all mentioned earlier. My familien also introduced me to traditional Danish cuisine. This involved pickled herring, pork patte, and smoked cheese, all served over 4 different types of bread. DELICIOUS. They were also gracious enough to bake an incredibly cute cake for my birthday complete with 3 Danish flags and an American flag on top of the strawberries. I've noticed a pattern here where everything from their cakes to their juices taste healthier over here-and have less calories- presumably because there's less additives.

I do want to mention a few great vegan friendly places I have found here. Riz Raz has an all vegetarian buffet and I hear there are a few others around the city I have yet to visit (cut me some slack, a normal lunch here costs 20 USD). For anyone looking to be full time vegan, Morgenstedet in Christiania is a shining beacon of hope, and perhaps one of the best vegetarian restaurants I've ever visited. For those who don't know, Chrisitiania is sort of a city within a city inhabited by squatters, decorated by endless walls of beautifully spray painted art, and perfumed by the all too familiar aroma of cannabis and hash. When I walked into Morgenstedet (about 6 hours after getting off the plane) I asked the woman behind the counter what was vegan. Instead of telling me the menu, she began to explain what a vegan is- so incredibly adorable! I immediately felt at home considering abroad but even in the states I often have to explain what it means. Anyways the meal was fabulous and although not extremely cheap it wasn't exactly a bank breaker either = )
Next week, more Denmark, then...AMSTERDAM!
Hi Hi fra V Girl

Sea Townnn

I have returned to the land of my origin- conceived in a hotel in Victoria, BC and born into this world in Seattle, it feels great to be back in the Pacific Northwest! I am currently sitting at a coffee shop in downtown, bumming internet from whatever is next door (the barista advised I sit next to the window hahah) and sipping a soy cappuccino. Although I had the option of rice milk, how baller is that?
I am becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of soy, but am having difficulty giving it up. I like rice milk, but soy has so much more protein, it's hard to resist! But as someone giving up animal products for environmental and health reasons, the soy industry can seem as bad as the meat industry. Soy increases estrogen levels and can lead to breast cancer, thyroid issues, prostate cancer, etc. Furthermore, GMO products like soybeans seem to fuck over farmers, not to mention our bodies (hedu Michael Pollan). That last link is a video by the way, check it out if you prefer watching shit over reading it.
In my quest for a lifestyle less dependent on soy I have found shelter in hemp. I'm not talking about smoking either because munchies increase my chances of eating dairy, just to put that out there. No no my friends, I'm talking about hemp milk. It's got tons of vitmamins, no cholesterol, almost half your RDA of calcium, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and more protein than rice or almond milk! Plus, for those of you trying to pass a drug test, hemp milk does not contain THC, sweeeeet. Living Harvest seems to be the most available brand of hemp milk (found it at Whole Foods and my local grocery store) and offers other products like hemp protein shake powder. I tried it once, haven't gotten used to it but it's so damn healthy it's hard to refuse!
Hope everyone's summer goes swimmingly.

Christ is Risen- and so have my expectations

No, I'm not Greek Orthodox, I'm just lazy so sorry this post is happening a week after J's big day. On the other hand, V's (for Vegan!) big day is April 22nd, hope everyone can celebrate Vegan Day with some fruit, veggies, beans, and soy milk! I also highly recommend Super Protein Odwalla Bars, 16 grams of delicious vegan protein. A bit unfortunate that Odwalla is under the killer Coke umbrella but I've decided to pick my battle.s
2 weeks ago I went to a documentary called "A Delicate Balance" about how a vegetarian, vegan, or carnivorous lifestyle affects health. Although I love the new sexy PETA ad that the Superbowl refused to play, I'm pretty weary of vegetarian movies, pamphlets, etc as they tend to be heavy on the propaganda. I love animals, but that's not why I'm vegetarian...I'm more concerned with the earth and my health. Sorry if that offends but I gotta be straight up. ANYWAYS, this doc really impressed me because it wasn't pulling at viewer's heartstrings with 2 hours worth of sad looking, homogonized, half starved cows. Instead, it makes viewers think about the implications of what we put into our bodies on a daily basis.
Last year I reverted to vegetarianism after Lent because I didn't have a good reason not to. Sure, I felt healthier as a vegan, but it wasn't really enough to make me forgo yogurt and ice cream. While I'm still not 100% sold (sorry Andy and I destroyed your cheddar cheese chex mix last night, John), this movie made the most convincing argument to date for me to remain vegan...or at least try to when I'm sober.
As the daughter of a Type 1 diabetic (that's the kind you get when you're young, not because you're an obese American), I've witnessed the debilitating effects of this all too common disease. I've been vegetarian since 10th grade, and my mother swore off red meat about 2 years ago to lower her cholesterol (it worked, she doesn't need meds!), but my father refuses to change what he eats, often citing the need for a balanced diet because of his Diabetes. Let me make clear right away that I have no issue with meat eaters, watching people eat meat, buying meat at the store for my family...hell I even tried (read: failed) to grill a chicken at my summer solstice party last year. However, I have a huge issue with watching people eat themselves into unhealthy lifestyles. I'm not perfect; I helped myself to a lovely combo of a 30 rack of stones and Chex Mix last night and woke up this morning feeling a little heavier. However, I'd like to think my overall lifestyle reflects mostly healthy choices.
This documentary made me realize that dairy products are not always a healthy choice. Doctors did a study comparing Finnish children (Finland consumes the most amount of milk per person in the world) and Japanese children (a culture that tends to go light on the milk). The study found that Finnish kids were 36 times more likely to develop Type 1 Diabetes than Japanese kids...holy shit! Furthermore, a doctor at George Washington University- shout out DC- ran a study comparing 2 groups of Type 1 diabetics. One group ate a normal diet of dairy, meat, veggies, fruit, etc. The other group went vegan- something pops has always said is impossible. The study found that while Group 1's diabetes tended to get worse over time (typical), the vegans' diabetes remained controlled or got better. I always said that when I was pregnant I would stop being vegetarian to get my baby all the proper nutrients. I've now realized that this might not be the best option. We all remember the lawsuit against those crazies who let their newborn starve because they wanted it to be vegan. That shit is fucked up. However, given that Type 1 Diabetes tends to skip a generation and given that there seems to be a correlation between dairy and Diabetes, I'm really considering giving my kids soy products from the get-go. That's not that weird either if you think about all the lactose-intolerant people in the world. Point is, I want to do everything in my power to prevent my future bitties from the life changing effects of Diabetes. Thoughts?
Oh yeah, vegetarians live longer!

notes on a scandal

hey dc northwesters, Vegan Girl here...and i have the biggest news ever
spotted: five friends eating banana bread after some late night clubbing...what's a non-dairy eater to do? according to some very reliable sources at whole foods, the banana bread was actually vegan! wonder who's laughing now: A, M, bunny girl, jrcollegedropout or vgirl?
who am i? that's one secret i'll never tell. you know you love me, xoxo Vegan Girl

forgive me father for i have whimmed (and other revelations)

from the book of vegan revelations, chapter 1 verse 1

it's hard to show someone around your city without eating animal products. my dear friend joe, an avid anti-vegan, came for his spring break which was wonderful. tuesday night i decided to take him to kramer books and afterwards, a local spot that combines two of the coolest things ever invented by humans: books and desert. aided by alcohol and the wishes of my guest, i went out on a whim and ate cheesecake. i love cheesecake, but its pretty much the antithesis of vegan. therefor, i have decided that for every day i am not vegan, i will add 3 days of veganism on, post easter. im hoping this measure will be enough to end the drunken temptations

1.2

crepes fashioned from the hands of the crepe guy at eastern market make life worth living, i'm not sure i can reconcile this with being vegan. 6 days.

1.3

my friend julie, a vegan of 3 years, told me she does not drink guinness because it uses fish products. this is also a problem as guinness is my favorite beer. having had bad experiences with irish car bombs however, this is easier to give up than crepes. and luckily crepes are not as common as beer. and guinness is not as common as natty. although tom does appear to have a heady crepe maker, and pat does occasionally promote his irish heritage through the thick brown stuff

1.4

green tea soy ice cream rocks. so does zen soy chocolate pudding. and homemade sorbet. i came across this super simple recipe (if you could even call it that) and feel the need to pass it along:

2 cups strawberries or the antioxidizing berry of your choice. i used half fresh from whole foods (currently on sale because they're so ripe) and half frozen + 1/2 cup soy milk + 2 packets sugar. blend and freeze. today i had my sorbet and ate it too!

wasted away in margaritaville

cancun was a crazy week full of relaxation, intoxication, and sun. spent the first half of the week with the parents until my roomie joined wednesday and the late night debauchery began. 

i was vegan for the first 3 days, subsisting off of refried beans, watermelon, and pineapple. i began to feel guilty because i couldn't go out to dinner with my parents since everything in a mexican restaurant involves cheese. monday night i began to feel really sad for no reason- i was in mexico after all. i then began reflecting on my sleeping patterns, which involved going to sleep before 10 and waking up 10 hours later. 

deciding that this was not pms or a sudden burst of clinical depression, i found myself remembering a similar situation in zambia. living a  vegetarian lifestyle  in zambia is not uncommon because meat is so expensive and mangos grow everywhere. that said, malnutrition is rampant so much so that the UN recommends cooking oil with food as a source of protein (i believe that's about 2 grams per serving, which shows how dire the situation is). i gained a new understanding of malnutrition and the early to bed culture of zambia after only a few days as i began to go to sleep earlier than everyone else and felt sad all the time. i didn't recognize it for what it was until someone pointed out my sleeping habits to me, and we then realized that i needed more protein. powdered milk, beans, and cans of tuna ensued. 

recognizing the same symptoms in mexico, i decided i wasn't going to ruin my mood or my parents meals with a vegan lifestyle. while im sure it is possible to be a healthy vegan in a developing country or on a budget, i have not mastered how to get the proper amount of nutrients somewhere other than seattle or dc, both of which are full of a fair amount of foodies and quite a few whole foods (or whole paychecks as my mother calls it). thus, i resorted to eating vegan for breakfast and lunch and eating locally caught fish for dinner. this allowed me to get protein without causing a huge carbon footprint (at leas that i'm aware of) and contribute to local economy.

yesterday, sunday, was my first day back in the garden of vegan- i feel healthier already!

tuesdays with vegan

waking up to frozen foliage outside my window reminded me of the sometimes backward effects global warming incurs on our environment, including global oceanic circulation and, more obviously, increased precipitation (hedu snow). i then thought about the meat packing industry and its extremely unfortunate but largely unrecognized contribution  to global warming and thus the unusual amount of snow dumped from the clouds onto one of the most politically influential cities in the world. just as an example...in case you missed the Time article, 4 oz of steamed pasta leaves a carbon footprint of .18 lbs, while 4 oz of steak creates 10.5 lbs of problems. apologies that im new to this blogging thing and cant figure out how to post links, any help would be appreciated. that said, as much as i enjoy the current white blanket, i recognize what it symbolizes and i am extremely proud to think that in some small way, my eating habits make me part of the solution, not the problem

looks like somebody's got a case of the mondays

woke up to snow and a delayed start to school so i got to sleep in...therefore 12 hours without eating wasn't crazy and i just ate once i woke up...definitely no immediate changes in how i feel but we shall see. i also still don't feel as healthy now as i did last lent because i haven't been doing it long enough. all things with time, no? midterms are a bitch and i could def use a little snacky right now, but i realize this is because i want a taste in my mouth, not because im hungry- in fact, i'm quite full. the same thing happened last night, which leads me to believe that even if this "12-hour detox" idea is whack, its at least making me consider when i eat to live and when i just live to eat.

Today's Menu

Breakfast: 

the refrigerated remnants of last night's smoothie and kashi golean cereal with fortified soy milk

-i am never able to eat only 1 serving of this delicious god send in a cardboard box, i think i had about 3 cups

Lunch:

still full from the combination of a massive breakfast and a late start to the day i opted for the lighter choice of a vegan chai from my favorite AU haunt, the Dav...or as Graham called it today, "the i'm protesting to save the lesbian whales who live in the the rain forest" coffee shop

Snack:

had to keep it real with Glenny's BBQ soy crisps

Dinner:

homemade chili using organic chili beans, cut up yves pepperoni and melted soy cheese which gave the chili a delightful creamy consistency, i was very pleased. then unsweetened organic applesauce and another slight binge on my favorite cookies

-come to think of it maybe the cookies are the reason why i don't feel healthier but alas:i don't give a shit

I'm starting to think about spring break in Cancun next week and wondering how I'll be able to pull of vegan in Mexico...I tried last year and let's just call it what it was: epic fail

any suggestions?

everybody's workin for the weekend

midterms this coming week before spring break --> unhealthy late night eating habits, yikes!

I recently discovered goop.com, Gwenyth Paltrow's clusterfuck of a lifestyle website that offers everything from what to do in paris to how often to take adaptogens-don't worry, i had to wiki it too. while i'm  wary of the latest "detox" diet fad, i found one idea to be very interesting in her october newsletter. This idea comes from a cardiologist, Dr Junger, in New York who now practices integrative healing. His idea is basically that the body needs 12 hours per day without food, 8 for regular digestion and 4 more to detox from the "waste products of normal metabolism". I was initially appalled at the idea that i should spend half my life away from food (i looove food) but upon careful consideration i realized it's a little more reasonable than i thought. We all know you're not supposed to eat a few hours prior to sleep, and this  detox idea basically takes that and adds that you shouldn't eat a few hours after sleep as well. i've decided to try this for the week and see if it makes me feel better or worse. I'll be interested to see if i feel any different, especially because recent studies have really highlighted the importance of a big breakfast (and how am i to have a big breakfast if it gets pushed back closer to lunch?? f brunch, ill take as many meals as i can, thanks) I'll be in touch with how it feels...the added pressure of midterms should make this experiment extra challenging but hey, can't knock it till you try it!

In other news, Chelsea recently brought to my attention vegetarian co-op apartments and houses in DC...check Craigslist for more details if you're interested, seems pretty sweet!

Today's Menu

Breakfast:

Dr. McDougall's split pea soup

-Never lets me down but alas I only had time to eat it during my break from work (covered someone else's shift 9-1) so I didn't even have time to finish my beloved instant soup! Very upsetting.

Lunch:

TDR Delight with Arianna! Sauteed spinach and mushrooms, half a grape fruit, half a granny smith apple.

- Normally an excess of oil smothers any hope for nutritional value in TDR's veggies but today's selection wasn't bad! I helped myself to seconds.

Dinner:

Left over spaghetti from yesterday, added strips of soy cheese and yves pepperoni for some extra kick. Berry smoothie!! 1.5 cup fortified soy milk + 1 cup frozen mixed organic berries= glory. Duplex vegan creme cookies from Whole Foods: whenever Arianna asks for 1 i always end up eating 5.

Vegan Again

Last year I went vegan for Lent and I've decided to do the same this year! I was so scared that going vegan would make me feel slow, sluggish, or malnourished. Instead, I recall feeling healthier than ever before. To me, Lent represents a time of sacrifice, yes, but also a time of renewal and rebirth. I know, I know, that's what's supposed to happen after Lent (ie Easter) but for some reason I see small acts of "self-denial" as its own form of self-indulgence. By giving up one thing we often get so much more. In giving up animal products, I hope to gain a better appreciation for a more simplistic diet and a better understanding of how my body  is affected by what I chose to put in it. i may not be walking through a desert but I sure will have to give up a lot of desserts. 

Ultimately, I see going vegan as a physical manifestation of a very internal and spiritual cleansing process. Cheers

Today's Menu

Breakfast: Dr. McDougall's Right Foods Vegan Tortilla Soup with Baked Chips

- I love Dr. McDougall's soups, particularly the split pea version, but I thought I'd shake it up today with this south of the border favorite. Only criticism is the amount of sodium.

Lunch: Spaghetti with marinara at Angelico's with my friend Cesar

-Not exactly healthy but the company was good for my soul.

Snack: Glenny's BBQ Soy Crisps. 

-If I could get married to a bag, this might be it. 

Reduced Fat Vegan Chocolate Mousse courtesy of Whole Foods

-A little slice of heaven without the Catholic guilt.

Dinner: Pizza and a side of canned corn

-For my very own vegan pizza I used bagels (non-whey), tomato sauce,  cheddar flavored veggie cheese, non-fat soy cheese, cooked mushrooms and Yves meatless pepperoni. Pretty good for a first try, but I'm thinking imitation mozzarella will taste better in the future!

Genesis 1:29-30

I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it- I give every green plant for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it- I give every green plant for food.