Bitch/Vent

I try to keep this blog pretty positive, after all it does have "Be Kind" in the title. But sometimes people do or say things in regards to veganism that just really piss me off! and right now, I just need to vent! So here is a list so I can get it all out at once and go back to the happy, peaceful vegan blog this is meant to be.

1. Milk commercials!
Wtf? California Happy cows? yeah right! Would you be happy if your baby was torn away from you minutes after birth never to be seen again?? Or if you were torn away from your mother and denied proper nutrition just so you can have underdeveloped muscles and then slaughtered so people could eat veal?! Nope! I would be one unhappy cow! Now they are trying to show these small "family" farms being nice to their cows, but they are probably only showing the small percentage of "humane" or super "organic" farms that exist. Most dairy in this country comes from a factory farm, and if you think that mistreatment of these animals is strictly on a small case by case basis, you are fooling yourself or don't want to know the actual truth so you can keep downing ice cream and extra cheese pizza without the guilt.
Besides the Happy cow commercials, milk commercials in general just upset me. So many people in this country think that we need milk to be healthy and to have strong bones because of these commercials, but that is so completely wrong! If we were supposed to drink cow's milk, we would be....um....what do you call it?? oh yeah! BABY COWS!!! We are the only mammals that drink milk after infancy and who drink another species milk. That doesn't sound very natural to me. Cow's milk is designed to help baby cow's grow exponentially in a short amount of time, which could just make us gain a bunch of weight. You can argue with me that we need meat or eggs to live, that it is natural for us to eat it as omnivores, but there is no reasonable argument for milk. It just doesn't make sense. "But where do we get calcium from?" Yes, milk has calcium, along with a slew of other things our bodies don't need. It is even shown in many studies that drinking milk actually prevents calcium absorption into the bones and that women who drank milk were more likely to get osteoporosis then women who found calcium from other sources. Plenty of other foods have calcium in them along with tons of other vitamins and minerals. Dark leafy greens are a good start, like spinach and kale, black-strap molasses, fortified orange juice, cereals and non-dairy milks, and so much more. Just do a little research to find out what milk really is and you will see that your body really will do well without it.(Did you know we are all supposed to be Lactose intolerant?) The California cows will thank you for it.

2. Mean Spirited People
I'm talking about people who get their kicks purposely putting down people's race/religion/gender/sexuality/lifestyle choice. You seriously have nothing better to do but to make a profile on a website about veganism and just hate, poke fun and bash on every post you comment on?? Really? REALLY? This isn't a pro-rape website, or child molester website where you can hate on actual evil people all you want. You seriously hate vegans so much that you need to waste your time hating on us in our own domain. Healthy debate is one thing, but straight up death threats, name calling and teasing is just unwarranted! One time my sister posted something on Facebook about how Taco Bell screwed up and gave her a BEEF burrito instead of BEAN burrito and one of her "friends" posted something like: "You should go kill yourself for being a vegan". WTF????!! How does she in anyway deserve death for not wanting to inflict pain or suffering on animals. She wasn't even spreading the vegan gospel, she was simply telling the world about her crappy fast food experience (but honestly, what else can you expect from fast food?). Are these people angry because veganism simply makes them uncomfortable with their own diet?? Do they feel guilty about the animals they eat or how they treat their body and because we bring this subject to light it makes them feel angry with themselves?? I don't understand. I don't shove vegansim down people's throats. If you don't want to learn about where your food comes from, that's fine. I'm here if you want answers or support, but don't purposely seek out to put down people who only want peace in the world. And this brings me to number 3.

3.Vegans who make the rest of us look bad.
Some people love to spread the word. I get it. It's cool if you want to peacefully hand out fliers in the courtyard of your local university. Maybe even dress up like a Tiger on a street corner to protest Ringling Bros. (because they are evil). But again, hate and death threats and other such tools do not solve problems. I have heard of a certain non-profit going to the lengths of dressing up like KKK members, handing out pamphlets comparing the Meat industry to the KKK!! As much as there is pure evil in the meat and dairy industry, I would not "spread the word" by comparing the two, not to mention it's incredibly insensitive to the racial groups that the KKK discriminates against. I also know there are many vegans who think people who eat meat should die, or vegans who spend all of their time degrading people for their food choices. The last thing people want to hear while they are eating is how disgusting, unhealthy, etc. their food is. People are not going to want to join your cause if you constantly degrade and belittle them. This just makes the case for veganism harder. It makes it hard for all of us to show the world that veganism is awesome and peaceful.
Recently Celebrity Trainer, and known vegan, Bob Harper tweeted that he had egg whites for the first time in a long time, and it's under debate as to whether this is the first time he has "cheated" on his vegan diet. Boy were people angry. People sent him death threats and angry words. I know it's upsetting when celebrities break the vegan rules, but they are only human, like the rest of us. He said he felt like eating egg whites, so he did. He is a free man and has the right to eat what he wants when he wants. Again, sending death threats just tells the rest of the world that vegans are crazy unbalanced freaks who don't know what they are talking about. and this kind of leads in to number 4.

4. Ex-vegans with poor excuses/diet habits
Vegansism is not for everybody, I know this. Some people have been vegan and went back to veg or omni because their "bodies told them to". Fine. But the one's who did not research or eat properly and claimed that veganism/vegetarianism made them sick, that's just annoying. Of course you are going to be sick if you are vegetarian and eat nothing but grilled cheese sandwiches and potato chips all day, or if you are vegan and eat nothing but french fries, cookies and cakes all day. No bueno! I have a friend who said something like "The only thing that sucks about being vegetarian is getting sick all the time". She also boasted eating a bag of Fritos and other such junk food for breakfast. Um, being vegetarian has nothing to do with you getting sick, but I'm sure what you are eating does. Don't blame vegetarianism on your poor diet habits or the fact that you don't eat meat, but instead eat high fat, over processed food. I started leaning towards veganism 2 years ago and have been vegan since January 1st 2011. I have not been sick in almost 2 years. I used to get sick 1 to 3 times a year like every other Jane Schmane and I was constantly sick as a child. My husband (a meat eating omnivore) has been sick several times during this 2 year period and we share a bed and saliva and everything (sorry to be gross) and I did not once get sick from him.
I have another friend who said she would not become vegetarian because her Aunt and Uncle are and they are overweight and have diabetes. Um, last time I checked veganism is known to reverse diabetes. But of course she said they were vegetarian so god only knows what they could be eating on a daily basis to cause diabetes. Cheese, ice cream, french fries, etc. This is also a negative image in the case for veganism. So please, I beg of you, if you are vegan or vegetarian, be a good example and follow a proper diet, stop eating so much junk food and stop blaming your illness on veganism/vegetarianism alone. You are making the rest of us look bad!

Sorry for such a long post but sometimes these things just have to come out and what better outlet than a blog about veganism? Right?

Delicious Crispy Vegan Onion Rings!

Last night I had a crazy hankering for fried food.  I usually do not fry anything at home, but sometimes I just get in that mood (like the time I made super delicious, yet unbelievably unhealthy Vegan Double Down).  I had seen onion rings being made twice on the Food Network last week and on a few blogs as well, so I thought I would give them a try.  They came out really crunchy and delicious, much like the onion stings at Chili's. Super Yum!  Here is how I did it.

Ingredients:
 1-2 Vidalia onions or another sweet onion
  "Buttermilk":
  1 cup plain Silk Creamer (you can use whatever non-dairy milk you would like, but the creamer is a little thicker).
  1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
  Flour Breading:
  1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  1/2 to1 tsp. salt
  1/2 to1 tsp. pepper
  1/4 tsp. paprika
  1/4 tsp. garlic powder
 Lots of Canola or Vegetable oil for frying.

In a measuring cup, combine Silk creamer, vinegar and cayenne.  Let sit for a few minutes to curdle. In the meantime, peel and slice the onions to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and separate into rings.  Place rings in a shallow dish and cover with "Buttermilk" mixture to soak for about 15 to 20 minutes.  In a large ziplock bag or air tight container, combine flour and spices.  While the onions are soaking, heat oil in a shallow frying pan, using enough oil to be about 1 to 2 inches deep.

Once the onions have been soaking long enough, place them into your flour mixture and seal your bag and/or airtight container and shake the onions in the mixture until they are fully coated.

Place coated onion rings in the hot oil, a few at a time to not over crowd. Flip the onion rings once or twice while frying for even cooking.

Once onion rings are golden brown, remove from oil and drain on a paper towel.  Sprinkle with more salt and pepper if desired and enjoy!!

  

Vegan Chili

Good evening!!  Last night I made my vegan Chili for my husband and myself for dinner and I thought it would be awesome to share my recipe with you.  Let me start out by saying that when I used to eat meat, I found chili repulsive! Mostly because I wasn't a fan of ground beef and didn't care much for beans.  Now that I'm vegan I am crazy about beans and the first time I had veg chili was on a cruise and was pretty much my first time eating any chili ever! Now I love to make a big pot for me and my hubby and it lasts for a few meals between the two of us. The best part about this is, you only have to use one pot, how awesome is that?? (BTW, I still find Chili made with meat completely repulsive, especially when people put it on french fries and what not, blech!).

Ingredients:
1 can regular tomato sauce (the regular can size, not that giant can)
1 can petite diced tomatoes with the liquid (don't drain!)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 package vegan burger crumbles (this is optional, but my omnivore husband loves this stuff, so I use it)
1/2 to 1 full can of sweet corn (depending on how much corn you like, or you can omit it all together)

1/2 large onion, diced (yellow, white, red...whatever kind you prefer, they are all good)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (or more, if you prefer)
2 tsp. molasses
1 tbsp. cumin powder
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (you can add more or omit it, depending on if you like your chili spicy or not)

First heat about a tablespoon or so of olive oil in the bottom of your stock pot on medium heat.  Once heated, add your diced onions and peppers and minced garlic.  Saute for 2-3 minutes or until onions start to turn translucent. Add your burger crumbles, if using, and saute until heated, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add  all your canned goods to the stock pot.  I start with the tomato sauce and go in order to end with the corn, but it really doesn't matter.  Once you have added your canned goods, stir to incorporate. Next add molasses and all of the spices and stir again. Once all ingredients are incorporated, let the chili start to boil a bit then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Then it's ready to eat!  Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream on top and your favorite vegan cornbread on the side!  Yum!!!

I'm going to say this yields about 6 servings or about 4 hungry husband size servings, ha!

Update!

Yes Yes, finally a new post!  I know it's been forever!  First there was Odd Duck, and then looking for a new job and packing and moving!!  Life just got so busy!!!  

First things first, Odd Duck was totally amazing and and I thank everybody enough for the support!  My hubby helped me prep and was my super cute booth buddy!  Also, my best friend came over the night before and helped me finish the final prep work and baking.  It was awesome to experience a show with all my crafty friends in south Florida!  Once I find the cord to hook my camera up to the computer I will post pictures, I promise!  But until then you can just browse the pics on my friend Hollie's Blog here!

Secondly, we have moved!!  We moved out of our tiny one bedroom apartment in West Palm Beach and moved most of our stuff to a storage facility in Orlando while we are staying with our in-laws in Winter Haven, Fl which is about right in the middle of Florida.  We are staying here temporarily while we look for jobs.  Once we are employed we will be moving to Winter Park, FL which is a beautiful city just north of Downtown Orlando.  I can't wait to go adventuring in Winter Park/Orlando!  So much of the area is made up of beautiful old buildings and moss covered trees lining the streets.  If it wasn't for the heat, you might forget that you are in Florida!  The is even a "Little Vietnam" area with a Loving Hut! (that's a vegan "fast food" chain, for those of you who don't know).  There are so many more Vegan and Veg friendly places up here I can't wait to try!

Even though being currently unemployed wasn't my dream when moving up here, I have to say at the moment it is kind of nice.  I haven't been without a job in the past 6 years with only a few short vacations in between.  Waking up whenever I want in the morning and knowing I don't have to be anywhere all day is kind of a nice break.  But seriously, I do need a job so if you know of any in the Orlando area, please let me know.  I just had one interview yesterday with The Limited and will hopefully have another one soon with Ulta.  So wish me luck on those!!