Vegan Livin’ is Easy January 12, 2009

Aside from getting egg at a local breakfast place when I ordered tofu and going to my husband’s company party where I had pre-ordered a vegetarian lasagna (not vegan) months ago, and then a resulting awful stomachache… my transition to veganism has been really great.  Those are the only non-vegan things I’ve eaten and the restaurant that brought me eggs instead of tofu paid for my meal and also gave me a coupon for another free meal!  Anyhow, I’m really loving the peace of mind it’s brought me, just knowing that my decisions in this area are all finally lining up with my values completely, is so so nice.  And the food? Delicious, oh yes, even when eating out.  Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you can’t live without meat, eggs and dairy.  You will get all of the nutrients you need (ok, assuming you don’t live on vegan cupcakes and cereal or something) and most likely you will find yourself eating a healthier, wider, more delicious array of vegetables, grains, fruits and more!  If you’re looking into the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, here are my favorite links to get you started:

Food:

• Happy Herbivore - Lindsay at Happy Herbivore creates wonderful fat-free, whole foods vegan recipes that are always sure to please. She rarely uses meat analogues, so I think her recipes are great for beginners who may be a little scared of seitan, tempeh and tofu.  Try her nacho “cheeze” and spinach and artichoke dip and you’ll find yourself all the more assured that it is easy peasy to give up dairy.  I’m drooling right now just thinking about those nachos.  They are Brian’s favorite, too.
• Post Punk Kitchen – If i’ve got a question about something, whether food related or not, I will often go onto the PPK website, click “forums” and then search whatever it is I’m thinking of and it never fails me.  Plus, the recipes are amazing.  Scrambled tofu will have you living egg-free in no time.  It’s the perfect recipe for the tofu virgin – especially wrapped up in a tortilla with some breakfast potatoes.  It’s my all-time favorite brunch.
• Happy Foody – Sara was the first person to introduce me, via her blog of course, to vegetarian living.  It’s not that I hadn’t heard of vegetarianism before, obviously, but she was the first to inspire me to learn more.  And the recipes from her food blog are some of the first I made and still some of my favorites.  Her favorite salad dressing is now the favorite for Brian and I too. 
• Dreena Burton’s Blog and Recipes – Dreena Burton has published several cookbooks.  Her recipes are healthy and delicious!
• I’ve posted some of my favorite recipes in the past here and here.

Books:

• Diet for a New America by John Robbins – a book I’ve mentioned again and again.  Well worth the read.
• Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman – In this book, the author advocates a (at least 95%) vegan diet. It is well-researched and documented and will give you all the reasons you need to go vegan from a health perspective.

Cookbooks:

• Veganomicon – It’s like the vegan version of the Joy of Cooking, meaning it’s a comprehensive type of book that will set you up for success if all you’ve ever cooked is something from a box.  Try some sample recipes and you’ll be hooked and buy the book the next time you have a spare twenty bucks.  Isa Chandra Moskowitz also wrote Vegan with a Vengeance, another favorite vegan cookbook.  Here’s a bunch of her recipes for you to try until you can come up with that twenty bucks.  I love her coffeecake and waffles.  That woman knows how to do brunch.  I can’t wait for her latest book to come out!
• The Joy of Vegan Baking – a comprehensive baking book.  If you are a afraid of losing your ability to bake familiar favorites without milk, eggs and butter, this book will put your fears to rest for sure.  This book also has a few unconventional and healthy recipes as well, like the raw strawberry pie that I love.

Wishlist…

• Get it Ripe by Jae Steele,
• Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein
• The Voluptuous Vegan by Myra Kornfeld
• Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton

More web stuff:

• Vegan&Vintage
• Vegan Beauty Review
• Vegan Etsy – go here and here for fabulous vegan handmade things

Resources for Research and Making the Transition:

• Vegan Outreach is my fave

Now, go give it a try why don’t you!

Resolute. January 5, 2009

I believe the credit for the above photo goes to Herbivore Clothing Company, but I can’t seem to find where I got it from now…

 

As New Years was approaching, I began to think about the past year, as we all do, and of course, the year to come.  It seems a convenient time to me to make a resolution in my life to make a permanent change.  Something has been weighing on my heart and my mind a lot lately.  

I bought a sweater a few months ago and saw that the tag said “angora” and I bought it anyway because I loved the fit and styling so much, but the decision has weighed on me.  My dad took me shopping after Christmas and wanted to buy me warm socks at REI.  He loves the SmartWool brand and really wanted to get some for me.  I didn’t have the heart to have the “please no animal product” conversation with him.  He bought me four pair, two of which I’ll be taking back and two of which I’ve been wearing.  And it’s been weighing on me.  I’ve somewhat been in the market for a new pair of boots and can’t bring myself to buy leather ones, even though I love these, because it’s been weighing on me.  Every time I crack the eggs for some cornbread or put the cheese on top of my pizza, something just doesn’t feel right in my spirit.  

So, I’m making the change… toward the vegan way of life.  When I went vegetarian a year and a half ago, I cut out most dairy and eggs as well.  The only reason I’ve not gone vegan yet is because I haven’t wanted to deal with what others will say and I don’t want to inconvenience anyone (admittedly myself on occasion), but this is hardly a good reason to continue to make choices that don’t line up with my values.  Factory farming practices are shockingly horrifying.  Really.  I don’t want to be a part of it in any way, shape or form.  It is not good for anyone involved – not the animals, not the environment, surely, not the people perpetuating the violence and not for the health of those who consume those products.  It would be wrong for me to continue to support these practices, particularly against my own conscience.  At this point I plan to keep the things I already own that are not vegan, because I don’t think it would benefit anyone for me to just throw them out, but from here on out all purchases shall be cruelty free.  

While it may seem like an extreme choice to some, for me I think for the most part it will just be woven into the fabric of my life, as so many other changes have been.  I’ve learned that nothing is so difficult as it seems it will be, especially when motivated by something more important than any minor inconvenience.  This is not meant as a judgment upon anyone else, though sadly, I know some will perceive it that way.  It’s just another step toward becoming who I am.  Wish me luck!  I think it’s going to feel really good.  Happy New Year!

Duplicate June 23, 2008

photo credit:homardbleu/flickr.com

I desire to live a simple life.  This, I realize, is a vague statement.  But, that’s exactly it… I’ve been trying to figure out what it means to live simply.  I believe that it’s about being content with what I have, taking only what I need and being generous with myself and what I have to give.

 I’ve been meditating on this conversation:

A man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

 ”Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

 ”Which ones?” the man inquired.

   Jesus replied, ” Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself.”

 ”All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

-Matthew 19:16-22

and, also, these words from John the Baptist:

“The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” -Luke 3:11

I think, first of all, what God desires is our hearts. What’s important is our love for other people and our willingness and desire to give.  The young rich man he was talking to wasn’t willing and I think that was the biggest issue.  I don’t know that this passage means that we must go and sell all of our possessions.  I think it means we must be generous and willing to give all we have with a happy heart.  That said, I like the seemingly practical instruction from John the Baptist.  It’s been on my mind.  As I go through my house throughout the day, I’ve been asking myself questions like:

“Why do I have 5 spatulas in the kitchen when I only ever use 2 at a time?” (same with pot-holders, strainers, other utensils, etc)

“Do I need 6 pairs of jeans (when I only wear 3)?”

“Why am I keeping this (thing that someone gave me that I don’t really love)?”

“How many pairs of pajamas do I really wear or really need?”

“When was the last time I used this?”

I think it’s important to be intentional about giving.  In our culture, it’s SO EASY to HOARD.  We are bombarded by messages everywhere that tell us that we NEED more STUFF and that our current state of being is not good enough.  We need to have things to make us happy, to give us status, to make life easier, to save us time (oh, TIME, why is it that we think we never have enough of you?).  In our culture it is so very common to live with so much extra stuff and extra space and to live with a continual desire for more. But, I want to duplicate things in my life that are not material.  It takes some reflection to realize what we really need and what is just extra, just duplicates.  Just because I don’t have a whole lot of excess cash flow doesn’t mean I don’t have excess.  

Now, I’m not saying that we necessarily ought to strip down our possessions to the absolute bare minimum (one pair of pants, one shirt, one pot, one fork, etc.).  I do think it’s valuable to realize that I could live that way and still be content, or could I?  This whole subject demands a lot of soul searching.  Which is interesting because it’s just stuff.  But what we look like, what our homes look like and what we do or don’t buy and give away says a lot about who we are and what our priorities are, I think.  I say this not to judge others, but to judge myself (in a good way ). 

We as a people are drowning under our consumption.  We clutter up our houses and our souls with it.  The environment is suffering under its weight.  The people across the globe paid awfully low wages to work long hours in poor conditions are suffering under its weight.  I was listening to the following song the other day as I was thinking about these things:

“We’re living the American dream.  The people highest up have got the lowest self esteem.  The prettiest people do the ugliest things for the road to riches and diamond rings…  We buy a lot of clothes, but we don’t really need ‘em – things we buy to cover up what’s inside.  Because they made us hate ourselves and love their wealth.” – Kanye West

His words ring true to me on large and small scales. (I know, who would have thought I would have quoted Kanye West in the middle of this discussion?  But I liked it)  Am I willing to change my way of life and not follow this crazy way of living called the American dream?  How much of what I desire, hold onto and purchase is born out of a desire to heal my broken self-esteem?  And at what cost?  Stuff won’t ever fix my distorted self-image, but getting my vision off of myself and onto the needs of others might.

It’s difficult and yet so simple.  Go to goodwill next time you need something.  Check freecycle.  Give away that thing that has been sitting in your closet for a year.  Have two?  Give one.

Get rid of your duplicate possessions and duplicate generosity instead.

Thoughts on a Page June 9, 2008

I have an addiction to journaling.  Just to be clear, I’m not talking about the kind you did in seventh grade when you chronicled which boys were “fine”.  No, my journal is certainly neither that nor a place where I record the events of my day.  It is rather a place I go to pray.  It’s a place I go to record what I’m learning about life and myself.  It’s a place to record what I’m seeing, hearing and reading.  It’s a place I go to think “out loud” and clear my head.  Journaling for me is a way to focus my thoughts.  Otherwise, I try to process through things and pray and I am all over the place. 

Plus, I have always had a love for handwriting.  Journaling on the computer just wouldn’t do it for me.  There’s nothing better for my soul than sitting down with a book, a cup of coffee, a good pen and a beautiful journal, watching my thoughts manifest themselves on the page. It’s meditative.  God is always with me, but there’s something about meditating on Him that is different.  I always leave changed, with a fresh perspective and the feeling of peace that only comes from talking with God.  

I have years worth of journals.  Occasionally, I look back over them and I am reminded of the things that I’ve learned, the wisdom I’ve heard and how much I’ve changed.  I. love. journaling.

So, you can imagine my excitement when I got this new little beauty about a month ago for my birthday.  Isn’t she pretty? It has two hundred pages of recycled paper and soy-based ink deliciousness. Every page is printed with a beautiful design.  I admire it every time I sit down with it.  ooooh, the love.

One Year, One Step at a Time May 29, 2008

It’s been about a year now since I first started making changes in my life toward a “greener”, healthier and more mindful life.  While I often focus on how much more I could be doing differently, as this little milestone approaches, I’ve been thinking about how different things really are for me now.  It’s pretty crazy.  So, I figured I’d list out some of the changes I’ve made.  And who knows, maybe help someone else who’s looking to make changes as well. 

 

  At Home:        

• No more paper towels.  I think this was my first change, any easy one. I use old cotton dish towels for cleaning and cloth napkins for snacks.  It’s just as convenient and I feel much better about not being so wasteful and saving some money while I’m at it.
• Switched to natural “shampoo” and bar soap (wrapped in paper).  I really like it.  I think I’m getting really comfortable with the whole “unshampoo” thing.
• Switched to baking soda as a deoderant. 
• Switched to natural household cleaners and dish soap.  Here’s a recent post with recipes.
• I try to recycle everything I can.  (Look here for tips if you live in Whatcom County.)
• I’m constantly looking for ways to reuse - anything from produce and ziploc bags to applesauce jars.
• Switched to cloth diapering.  Now that I think about it, I can’t imagine going back.  
• Switched to natural baby wash
• Unplug things like phone/computer chargers, the coffee maker, etc.
• Only run full loads of laundry, wash on cold and use natural laundry detergent. 
• I definitely use the dryer way less.   There are some things that I still feel like need to go in the dryer or they don’t fit right/are too wrinkled.  and things take forever to dry here in Bellingham, especially in the summer when the heater isn’t on to help out. 
• I have fairly successfully weaned myself from my addiction to long showers and hot baths. I would like to work on taking shorter, cooler showers, though.  I like my showers abnormally scorchingly hot, so there’s plenty of room for improvement.
• I turn off the water when I brush my teeth, try to be mindful at the kitchen sink, etc.
• I’m much more mindful of what lights are on and turn them off when not in use. We do have lots of natural light in our apartment, so this is pretty easy.
• I reuse clothes that aren’t dirty, rather than throwing them in the laundry after wearing. 
• Bring my own bags to the grocery store (and other stores) or just say no if I don’t need a bag.

   When I’m out and about:

• Bring my own bags to the grocery store (and other stores) or just say no if I don’t need a bag.
• I carry a little cloth napkin with me so that I don’t use paper towels in public restrooms or paper napkins to clean up messes or my baby’s face.  When I forget, I wipe my hands on my pants
• I bring my own mug to coffee shops and I love my Sigg for drinking water (I haven’t bought bottled water in a year!) I bring my own plates and forks to Mosaic and other potluck, BBQ situations.
• Generally try to stay away from disposables.

Diet/Health:

• I haven’t eaten meat since sometime in June 2007 (except for that one time at Mosaic when I didn’t notice the bacon in my broccoli salad until it was in my mouth.  that was pretty funny
• I’ve cut way back on dairy (no cow milk, except in lattes, no yogurt, no creamy dressings and sauces and waay less cheese, if any, when I cook, etc.)
• I eat a salad for lunch every day and I love love LOVE it! I also incorporate more raw food in general.
• Stopped eating processed packaged cereals and cut way back on packaged foods of all sorts (I still have a way to go on this one)
• Stopped purchasing packaged drinks for myself and recently stopped drinking soda.
• Stopped chewing gum/mints.  Too much packaging and artificial sweeteners and I used to have it all the time.
• Switched to this bread.  

   Goals:        

• Compost!  I need to figure out a way to do this while living in an apartment and not having extra money…
• De-clutter and donate on a continual basis.
• Shop at thrift stores (more).
• Buy more in bulk to reduce packaging. (Note to self: buy loose-leaf tea and dry beans)
• Replace all Teflon and similar cookware with cast iron and stainless steel.
• Buy locally grown foods when possible.
• Walk more, drive less.
• Make progress in the living with less plastic category.
• Cut back/cut out refined sugar.  But, this is difficult.  it’s more addictive than cocaine.  

Overall, I think I’ve realized that the biggest change is not in all of my actions, it is the change in how I think about things.  I’m so much more aware of being wasteful and the implications of my actions. It changes the way I approach just about everything.  So, even though there’s so much more I could be doing, I know that I’ll get there eventually because the biggest change is the one IN me.  

photo credit: sabine butterblume/flickr

Pinch Pennies and Spare the Planet April 17, 2008

Sometimes, thinking about all the things I need to change makes me nervous about it costing money.  Most of the time, though, you can save money and spare the environment at the same time.  Recent marketing of “green products” may make that not seem true, but it is.  In light of that, I would like to list some ways that you can make changes that will save you money.

• Halve it.  You’d be surprised how many things we can “halve” in our daily lives.  Just about everything from the dishsoap you use to the salad dressing on your lunch can be cut in half (either by diluting or just using less.)  examples: laundry detergent, shampoo, the amount of coffee you drink, the amount of time you spend in the shower, the amount of trips you take in the car.  A great post about doing so can be found here.
• Think Natural=Think Cheap.  Vinegar and baking soda, baby.  there is no toilet cleaner cheaper than baking soda.  No Window cleaner cheaper than half vinegar/half water.  (don’t forget about baking soda as deodorant.  If you think I’m crazy, just try it.  I swear it works.)
• Share, Contemplate Purchases and Practice Delayed Gratification.  If you don’t need something immediately, try waiting before you buy it.  You may find in the process that you didn’t really need/want it as much as you thought.  Maybe you’ll find that you have something else that works or be able to borrow from someone.  Also, garage sale season is about to start, so grab a friend and see if you find what you need there or at a thrift store.
• Choose Cloth and Think Reusable. Cloth rags, cloth diapers, cloth napkins – can be washed and reused and save you from spending money on disposables.  Most stores will give you at least a 5 cent discount for bringing your own bags (i know, but i said pinch pennies).  Most coffee shops will give you 10-15 cents off of your drink for bringing your own mug.  Use a french press or metal coffee filter and save from buying paper coffee filters.  Use a microfiber mop or broom instead of a swiffer.
• Drink Water. That is, tap water in a reusable bottle and save on packaged sodas, juices and the like.
• Alter your eating and shopping a bit- think bulk bins, cooking with whole foods, eating what’s in season in your area, eating your leftovers and paying attention so that things don’t go bad in the fridge and go to waste.
• Conserve.  Unplug things, turn them off, turn the thermostat down (or up, depending on the season) use your legs or public transportation.  
• Make your own.

See, sparing the environment should SAVE you money, not cost you money. Beware of all the hype.

eating healthy isn’t just about you. April 7, 2008

     Eating Healthy is better for the environment, which means it’s better for other people. Well, I suppose that depends on your definition of eating healthy. I’m not talking about switching to a diet of frozen “healthy dinners” and overly packaged, chemical laden food bars and other not-so-good-for-you diet foods. I’m talking about the classic healthy whole foods diet. A diet composed primarily of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. We all know that a vegetarian diet is better for the environment and a vegan diet perhaps even better still. Eating all things as locally produced as possible is very important for a healthy planet as well as purchasing organically grown foods. 

     Why does all of this matter? Well, there’s about a million reasons, really, but just think about it for a minute… fresh fruits and vegetables are not processed, therefore you skip all that extra waste that would be produced during the processing and extra transport (and hopefully you skip plastic packaging this way, unless you’re addicted to Trader Joe’s, like me… sigh). Eating foods as close to their natural state as possible is better for you and means using less heat. we all know that cooking uses energy, right? when you eat a whole foods diet, that means that when you do cook, you cook from scratch.  Cooking this way ensures that you skip all of those chemical additives and preservatives and extra packaging, which is so much better for you and the environment. These are just a few of the obvious reasons why our food choices matter.  

     Some of these issues are debatable, I suppose.  Some would say that the only important thing is to eat locally, sustainably produced organic food, while some would say eating raw food is most important to maintain personal health. I won’t get into those debates.  Overall, I’m just trying to say that any change we make that is a step toward a diet of whole foods that are minimally processed and cooked is a step toward healthier people and a healthier planet.  So, if you’re currently eating meat at every meal, consider trying to cut it back to just dinner, or just try a vegetarian meal once this week, or just cut back on red meat.  If you’ve never gone to the farmer’s market, go as soon as it opens this year (which was this last weekend if you live in Bellingham!) and check it out and/or consider joining a local CSA.  I’m not suggesting we all change everything about our diets and shopping habits overnight.  I’m just suggesting that we remain mindful in our eating and remember that what we choose to purchase and put in our bodies doesn’t just affect our own health, but also the health of the planet and all of us who live here.  So, take a baby step or two along with me because I’m on this journey to better, more mindful eating and shopping habits as well.  I’m nowhere near where I’d like to be.  Currently, I’m hoping that buying in bulk will help me shrink the grocery tabs and the contents of my garbage can!  Now I just need to re-train myself to buy dried beans instead of canned (apparently most cans contain BPA, ick. Why is plastic everywhere?) 

Here’s some further reading:

• A great, thought-provoking post on reconsidering your diet here.
• 100-Mile Diet
• Top 10 Reasons to Support Organic in the 21st Century
• Working conditions in American Slaughter Houses
  
• An article on the effects of cooking meat here: cooking meat dirties the air more than most people realize 
  
• Evidence Shows that Our Meat-Based Diet is Bad for the Environment, Aggravates Global Hunger, Brutalizes Animals and Compromises our Health

photo courtesy of ismon on flickr

Favorite March 30, 2008

I just wanted to post this link. This particular post is an older post that I bookmarked a long time ago because I just totally resonated with everything she said, so I thought I would post it here in case you might enjoy it too.

Make Your Own March 26, 2008

I’ve stumbled across lots and lots of posts and websites with various recipes and directions for making your own versions of things you would normally just go out and buy.  It’s the perfect way to lessen your impact on the environment and your pocketbook. Most of these are also better for your health. While i haven’t tried a lot of these yet myself, if you feel so inspired, now you know where to look!

Food
- Tortilla Chips
- Refried Beans
- Salad Dressing
- Almond Milk
- Sprouted Granola
- Popcorn (in case you weren’t sure how to do it the old fashioned way)
- Crackers
- Granola Bars (vegan)
- Bread
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Tofu

Cleaning
A great post with several recipes here.
- Laundry Soap

Personal Products
- Toothpaste
- Lotion
- Shampoo
- Toilet “Paper” - for all you radicals out there
- Feminine Pads
- Hairspray and Mouthwash
- Castile Soap
- Liquid Hand Soap

Other
- Reusable Tote Bag (out of used plastic grocery sacks!)
- Baby Wipes

Perfection March 21, 2008

I’ve been thinking about perfection, grace and holiness.  Sometimes the more I read, the more I feel burdened about the things I do and think that need to change.  This is a good thing, to a certain extent, but perfection of action has never been the point.  Aiming for perfection brings guilt, discouragement and crankiness.  So you see, we need Grace.  We have unending grace in Jesus.  Grace that empowers us to change, enables us to change and makes us want to.  Without it, there is no point.  I would turn into one of those bitter people who preaches your ear off and makes you feel like dirt if you disagree with them or don’t practice what they preach. That’s not who i want to be. That isn’t who i am. That isn’t grace or holiness.
The point of the things I’ve written about on this blog is grace and compassion.  Grace with others, grace with yourself, grace because of and in Jesus.  I want to me motivated by love and proceed in it.  Therefore, I hope you will never hear that kind of condescension or preaching from me. more importantly, i pray you won’t find it in my heart. It’s not there now, since I’m more consumed by thoughts of my inadequacy than anything, but these issues are two sides of the same coin.   Neither one is love, grace or holiness. I’m learning how important it is to just take the next step and not take my eyes off of Christ. That’s what I’m aiming for: to become more like Him, not to attain my own sense of perfection. so, I suppose can stop feeling inadequate now Grace.