Vegan Vittles

Seven reasons kale is the new beef

2011-12-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

What a great article from Organic Authority! Check out the link for original article and more!!

Like the saying goes, the only constant is change. We may resist it all we want, but Time and its inevitable evolution of everything in its path is unaffected by our attempts to stop it. The resulting trajectory of humanity's nascent ascent appears to be positioning itself to sweep us into progressive new times, especially where our food choices are concerned, as nearly 7 billion people are now standing on the little scraps of land that we share with some 55 billion rather large animals raised for food each year. (As another famous saying goes: This town ain't big enough for the both of us.) So, beef (and all factory-farmed meat) may be going from rib-eye to relic as we transition to a greener world… literally—as in leafy, green vegetables.

Environmentalists cite meat production as one of the biggest contributors to global warming, and the USDA's new food pyramid (MyPlate) suggests the healthiest choice is making vegetables and fruit the biggest part of every meal by reducing consumption of animal proteins.Kale is far more nutritious than other leafy greens, but these seven reasons why it is such an important futurefood may just surprise you.

1. Anti-inflammatory: Inflammation is the number one cause of arthritis, heart disease and a number of autoimmune diseases, and is triggered by the consumption of animal products. Kale is an incredibly effective anti-inflammatory food, potentially preventing and even reversing these illnesses.

2. Iron: Despite the myth that vegetarians are anemic, the number of non-vegetarians with iron-deficiencies is on the rise. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef.

3. Calcium: Dairy and beef both contain calcium, but the U.S. still has some of the highest rates of bone loss and osteoporosis in the world. Kale contains more calcium per calorie than milk (90 grams per serving) and is also better absorbed by the body than dairy.

4. Fiber: Like protein, fiber is a macronutrient, which means we need it every day. But many Americans don't eat nearly enough and the deficiency is linked to heart disease, digestive disorders and cancer. Protein-rich foods, like meat, contain little to no fiber. One serving of kale not only contains 5 percent of the recommended daily intake of fiber, but it also provides 2 grams of protein.

5. Omega fatty acids: Essential Omega fats play an important role in our health, unlike the saturated fats in meat. A serving of kale contains 121 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 92.4 mg of omega-6 fatty acids.

6. Immunity: Superbugs and bacteria are a serious risk to our health. Many of these come as a result of factory farm meat, eggs and dairy products. Kale is an incredibly rich source of immune-boosting carotenoid and flavanoid antioxidants including vitamins A and C.

7. Sustainable: Kale grows to maturity in 55 to 60 days versus a cow raised for beef for an average of 18-24 months. Kale can grow in most climates and is relatively easy and low impact to grow at home or on a farm. To raise one pound of beef requires 16 pounds of grain, 11 times as much fossil fuel and more than 2,400 gallons of water.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Sources:

http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/meat-wastes-natural-resources.aspx

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2461/2

http://www.irondisorders.org/iron-deficiency-anemia

http://www.ellenskitchen.com/faqs/calcium.html

Image: Steven Jackson Photography

Preparation: Giving yourself a little TLC this winter

2011-12-09T11:47:00.001-08:00

Winter brings us hot cocoa, family nights by the fireplace, beautiful snowy scenes, and usually....a winter virus or two. Speaking as a mom, we don't get sick days, and often take care of family that is under the weather, while we are still sick ourselves. Regardless of gender - how often do we have to go to work under the weather and are exhausted when we come home??

Here are some things we can do in advance to make it a bit easier on ourselves. Go ahead - stock up now and hug yourself later!

-Make sure your cold medicines are "in stock" - ibuprofen, cough medicine, kleenex, vitamans and herbs etc. This will save you an extra trip (and energy) out

-Make a few double batches now when you make dinner and freeze them. When you are sick, just pull out the frozen dinners, pop them into the oven to reheat and "voila!" a nice homemade supper. No work on your part!

-Make yourself a pot of homemade vegetable soup with lots of garlic and onion now. Freeze it now, pull it out when needed. Reheat and and noodles

-Stock up on a few "foil" disposable baking dish pans. This way, when you do make a meal, you don't have to soak and clean the pan after you've stood up all that time and made supper. Just throw away pan. You can stock up on some paper plates too if you choose :)

Lastly, relax and enjoy the winter and all the beauty it brings!

2011-11-26T14:51:00.001-08:00

If you head on over to The Guilty Kitchen, you can find lots of fabulous recipes like THIS ONE for the ultimate vegan chocolate brownies!!

Ultimate Vegan Brownies

1 cup coconut oil
4 oz. (or 112 grams) bittersweet chocolate or to be even more strict just use unsweetened chocolate with 70% (or more) cocoa solids.
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups sugar**

*1 cup cake or pastry flour
*1 cup whole wheat flour

* (Since our house is Gluten free, I would substitute 1 cup Jules Gluten Free Flour + 1 cup Tapioca Flour to make it a Gluten FREE recipe)

3/4 cup dutch process cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp flax seeds (ground)
6 Tbsp hot water

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8 x 8 pan.
2. In a double boiler or a bowl set atop a pot of gently simmering water, melt the coconut oil, chocolate squares and vanilla together.
3. Mix the coffee (or espresso) powder with the 1/2 cup of hot water and stir into the coconut/chocolate mixture. Add sugar and remove from heat. The sugars will dissolve a bit but you don’t need to completely dissolve it.
4. In another bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
5. In yet another bowl (small one), mix the flax seeds and 6 Tbsp of hot water, allow to sit for 2-3 minutes.
6. Combine the chocolate/coconut oil mixture with the flour mixture and stir to incorporate. Add the thickened flax and stir that in as well.
7. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Start checking the brownies after the first 30 minutes to ensure it is baking evenly.
8. When finished, remove the brownies from the oven, set atop a cooling rack and get busy somewhere else. These babies need to be utterly cooled before consuming. If you attempt to eat them before they are properly cooled, they willcrumble. When they are properly cooled, you can’t even tell they are eggless, I promise!

** Most popular brands of white and brown sugar are NOT vegan. An animal product called “bone char” is used in the bleaching or whitening process and therefore renders the sugar useless in vegan baking. Although I’m sure some vegans are not aware of this, it is better to use something else just in case. In this recipe I used 1/2 cup of sucanat, 1/2 cup organic cane sugar in the raw and 1 cup of organic demerera (just because I had all three!). Any sugar will do (I prefer 1 cup white and 1 cup brown for flavour) but if you need a truly vegan product, look for the sugars I mentioned.

Layered Maple Oat and Apple Dessert!

2011-09-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me this wonderful recipe from the blog here. Thought you would enjoy too!!

Layered Maple Oat n’ Apple Dessert Jars

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Refined sugar free, Yeast free, Corn free
Maple and toasted walnut cookie, layered with dates, maple almond butter, and shelled flax.

Ingredients

Maple Flax

1/2 cup flax seed
1 tbsp maple syrup

Apple Crumble Cookie

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut/palm sugar
1 chia egg [2 tsp ground chia seed + 3 tbsp water]
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 pinch white stevia powder
1/2 granny smith apple, diced fine
1/2 cup walnuts, roasted

Dates

8 medjool dates, pitted and halved [2 dates/jar]

Maple Mystery Butter

1/4 cup maple mystery butter (below)

4 random jars
1 tbsp coconut oil for greasing jars

Directions

To make maple flax: place flax seed in a Ziploc bag and place on the cutting board. Take a flat object [the bottom of a saucepan works nice] and hit the bag a couple of times until the germ separates from the shell for many of the seeds. Place shelled flax seeds in a small bowl and combine with maple syrup. Set aside
To make apple crumble cookie: preheat oven to 170F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat. Place walnuts on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring once half way through. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Then, combine ground flax + water in a small bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, beat coconut oil and sugar. Add flax egg, vanilla extract, and stevia and mix well. Pour wet into dry and stir to combine before adding apple, chopped walnuts. Set aside.
Making the magic happen: preheat oven to 350F and fill a 9×9 square inch pan with 1 inch of water. Set aside. Place a dab of coconut oil in each of your jars and place them in the microwave for 30 seconds [or until oil is melted]. Remove from microwave and use fingers to oil the inside of the jar. Place 2-3 tbsp of cookie mixture at the bottom, followed by 2 dates, then 1 tbsp mystery butter, followed by another 2-3 tbsp of cookie mixture. Top it all off with your maple flax and place in prepared pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until you see the cookie layer pull away from the glass. Remove from oven and take jars out of water bath. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before diving in!
Makes ~4 jars, depending on what size jars you use.

Maple Mystery Butter Ingredients (original blog here)

2 1/2 cups raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 170F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat.
In a large bowl, mix together the almonds, cashews, and maple syrup. Spread the nut mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring once half way through.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Place roasted nuts and sunflower oil into the bowl of your food processor and process until drippy, scraping the bowl as needed. This should take between 6-8 minutes.

Makes ~400mL of nut butter.

2011-09-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

My copy of The 30 Day Vegan Challenge arrived in the mail yesterday. Colleen's publisher was kind enough to send me a copy for review. This is a GREAT book for the "how" - aimed toward people that already know most of the "why" but don't know the "how". Colleen totally demystifies Veganism. She walks the reader along each day with nutrition information, many how-to's and recipes all based on NORMAL food you can buy at any grocery.

I keep meaning to post a photo of something we've made so far from the book, but we all devour it so fast, by the time I remember, it is half gone! My favorite so far is the vegan quesadilla's. Oh YUM. ALL of us have had it for lunch the last TWO days!

Even if you just want to add a few more healthy, yummy meals to your repertoire - you won't be disappointed. Think about it, if you aim for one new recipe a week, in 3 months, your diet can be very transformed.

Thank you Colleen, you've done it again!!!

Vegan-Vittles Interview with Author Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

2011-09-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

VV: Colleen, your newest publication is such a beautiful book! Couldyou please share with Vegan-Vittles your motivation behind it?

Colleen: I wrote The 30-Day Vegan Challenge to answer all the questionsand challenges people have when they transition from theirmeat-dairy-egg-based diet to one based on plants. Everything iscovered. One chapter is on traveling, one is on eating out, one is onpacking lunches, one is on protein, one is on iron, one is on bakingwithout eggs, one is on living without cheese!

Essentially, we’retalking about habit changes, and people need a guide when they’reremoving a familiar foundation. The 30-Day Vegan Challenge isthe reader’s personal guide, helping them to replace their oldfoundation with a new one and inspiring them to reap for themselvesthe tangible benefits of living according to their values of health,kindness, and compassion. (2-minute trailer video is available here.)

VV: What ways do you think it could help someone that is not currentlyvegan?

Colleen: The 30-Day Vegan Challenge goes further than just educatingreaders in the abstract – it shows people how to put theinformation directly into action. I demonstrate how to read labels,to make time to cook, and show people how to pack a healthy lunch orfind great vegan food while traveling. It’s so much more than justa ‘why-to’: it’s a definitive ‘how-to’!

And it’s quiteliterally a guide for modifying our thinking and our behavior. Eachchapter has several boxes - take-aways - that say “Challenge YourThinking” and “Change Your Behavior.” By the end of the 30days, they’re quite literally looking through a different - muchmore empowered - lens.

VV: How might it recharge and motivate the current vegan, or the"almost-vegan"?

Colleen: The book is so comprehensive and covers every question every veganhas ever been asked that even for long-time (or short-time!) vegans,it will help them hone their responses to non-vegans. For thealmost-vegan, the 30-day timeframe is in itself an empoweringconcept: most people can rise to a challenge for that period of time,test themselves and come out stronger. And allowing ourselves thattime period enables us to actually measure the tangible changes thattake place and motivate them to continue.

For instance, an earlychapter called Know Your Numbers encourages readers to get theirnumbers - cholesterol, glucose, weight, body mass index, etc. - sothey can compare these numbers at the end of the 30 days. That’sincredibly empowering for people.

VV: Where can they buy a copy of "The 30 Day Challenge"?

Colleen: Everywhere books are sold - from smallindependent stores to chains. Signed copies are available at mywebsite (www.colleenpatrickgoudreau.com), but it’s also availableat the large booksellers online.

A big "thank-you" Colleen, for taking the time to talk to Vegan-Vittles!

2011-09-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

Will be reviewing this book in the near future. Meanwhile, enjoy this clip from the author!

The 30-Day Vegan Challenge from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau on Vimeo.

Raw Vegan Lunch

2011-09-04T14:14:00.000-07:00

Check out this 56 second video on a quick and easy raw vegan lunch!

Teff Porridge with honey and dates

2011-09-02T10:38:00.001-07:00

A friend sent me a link to this wonderful looking recipe! Thought I'd share :)

Plain ol’ porridge can be so boring, but change up the grain and it’s a whole new ball game. Most commonly seen as the main ingredient in injera (fermented Ethiopian flatbread), teff is packed with iron and calcium. If you don’t have 3 days to make your own injera, enjoy teff in a quick porridge full of nuts and dried fruit or anything else you would throw in your morning oatmeal.
What to buy: Teff can be found at health food stores, gourmet grocery stores, or online.
Game plan: The porridge will start to firm up as it sits. If it gets too firm, just mix in some warm water or milk until the desired consistency is achieved.
This recipe was featured as part of our Whole Grain Recipes photo gallery.

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups water
1 cup teff
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
1/3 cup hulled, unsalted, raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat water in a medium saucepan over high heat. When it boils, add teff and whisk to thoroughly incorporate. Reduce heat to low and cover.
Simmer, whisking occasionally, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed and the teff is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered.
Heat butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add pumpkin seeds and cook until seeds begin to pop and butter just begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add seeds and butter to the cooked teff, add remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Adding Veggies to your diet!

2011-08-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

Over the years, I've had many people ask me how to add more veggies to their diet. I'll be doing a series answering this - so whether you are a vegan that is trying to eat healthier foods (yes! There is such a thing as a junk-food vegan, and I've had times where I was one!), or, you eat meat, but are searching for more heart-healthy ways of eating, you will find something in our series. If you have any specific questions, please leave them and I'll try to answer.

Vegan Food Pyramid

2011-08-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

Nutrition is important on a vegan diet. Check out the food pyramid from ChooseVeg.com

This one's for the ladies

2009-09-04T07:36:00.001-07:00

Ladies,

I recently stopped to think about how much waste we put in the landfills every years because of our monthly visitors.

There is a really comfy option though! Reuables. Not gross, and actually they are quite pretty.
One of my favorites is here

These particular pads are made from organic hemp fleece that is fairly made.
The pads that I make are unique because you get 2 inserts for the pad:
The first insert is for light days
The second one is for medium days
then if you double them up, it is perfect for the beginning of your menses!!!
They close by a little snap!

These pads measure approximately 8 1/2" long, and the soft hemp fleece goes toward your body, with the wings snapped around your underwear.

These reusable pads are earth friendly
These reusable pads are earth friendly and body friendly! Tampons and regular maxi pads contain dioxins, which can be VERY harmful to your body!

Practical Vegan Blog

2009-07-30T12:09:00.001-07:00

A very cool new Practical Vegan blog has entered the blogosphere! Please take a moment to click on the above link and check her out!

Contaminated Fish

2009-04-24T06:42:00.000-07:00

Read about this on vegan.com

Dow chemical is sponsoring an upcoming walleye festival that’s expected to attract thousands of fishermen. Only one problem:

The entire span of the river used for the walleye festival is known to be contaminated with dioxin from chemical manufacturing operations at Dow Chemical’s Midland plant.

Vegi Chili

2009-04-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Made a super vgei chili tonight with pintos, tvp, red bell peppers, onion and corn. Put the Chili over corn chips and sprinkled it with some vegi cheese. Quick, easy and tasty. Yum!

Naan

2009-04-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

I love Naan. Easy. Vegan. Good. ..and it's good with almost anything. Yum.

Ready Made vegan breakfasts

2009-04-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

From PETA's site: vegan dry breakfasts:

Breakfast (Dry)

All-Bran
Alpha Bits
Apple Cinnamon Cheerios
Apple Jacks
Berry Burst Cheerios
Bran Flakes
Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch
Cascadian Farm's Clifford Crunch
Cheerios
Cinnamon Crunch Crispix
Cinnamon Krunchers
Cinnamon Life
Cocoa Pebbles
Cocoa Puffs
Cocoa Rice Krispies
Complete Oat Bran
Complete Wheat Bran
Corn Chex
Corn Flakes
Corn Pops
Cracklin' Oat Bran
Crispix
Froot Loops
Frosted Cheerios
Frosted Flakes
Fruit Harvest
Fruity Pebbles
Grape Nuts
Just Right
Kellogg's Organic Frosted Mini-Wheats
Kix
Life Cereal
Malt-O-Meal (Chocolate)
Malt-O-Meal (Original)
Mueslix
Multi-Bran Chex
Multigrain Cheerios
Nature Valley Granola Bars (Brown Sugar)
Pop Tarts (Unfrosted Apple Cinnamon)
Pop Tarts (Unfrosted Blueberry)
Pop Tarts (Unfrosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon)
Pop Tarts (Unfrosted Strawberry)
Quaker Apples and Cinnamon
Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar
Quaker Cinnamon and Spice
Quaker Date and Walnut
Quaker Oatmeal (Raisin)
Quaker Raisins and Spice
Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs
Reese's Puffs
Rice Chex
Rice Krispies
Trix
Wheaties Raisin Bran

My Favorite Chocolate Bar

2009-03-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

John McDougall on The Evils of Dairy

2009-03-25T15:58:00.001-07:00

Stepping outside myself...

2009-03-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it.

I have a stack of "Why Vegan" pamphlets here in front of me.

My plan is to step out from behind the blog, onto the local college campus and leaflet. After a while, when it is something you care about - there are just no more excuses. A step into the uncomfortable will hopefully save some furry lives (not to mention the environmental bonuses) ......

..And that's what it's all about.

Desert!!

2009-03-11T13:41:00.001-07:00

This was just to easy and YUMMY!! Think chocolate halvah mousse. Sugar Free. Protein Packed.

Mix:

1 lb tofu

1/4 cup soy cream or soy milk

5-6 packets sweet/low

2T tahini

3T-4T cocoa powder

blend on high speed in blender until smooth and creamy and refrigerate