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!

"Cream Cheese" Wontons

GOOOOOOOOD Morning!  It's recipe time!!  This past Sunday I was invited (along with my husband and sister) to attend a World Cup final party.  This included about 5 or 6 carnivorous males and my sister and I.  Pretty much any opportunity I get to make food for people, I take and I run with it.  My friend hosting the party mentioned there would be "food" there, but what exactly would that entail? The last few times I have been to one of his parties where there was "food", it included pepperoni pizza rolls and bacon covered potato skins, oh and always the bowl of mystery Doritos that I'm offered because of the lack of meat.

Well, I didn't want to be stuck there watching  an uneventful soccer game and starving at the same time, so my sister and I decided we should make some yummy vegan food that the boys would enjoy as well.  So I made a blueberry brownie recipe that I have been wanting to try from the wonderful cookbook, Veganomicon.  I also altered a peanut butter blondie recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade your Cookie Jar, where I replaced the chopped peanuts with mini vegan chocolate chips (these were delicious!!!).   My sister made a super yummy hummus dip. I wanted to make something not of the dessert variety, so I searched my cookbooks and the web to find something delicious but also something my husband would like because he is such a picky eater.  I have always loved fried cream cheese wontons from chinese restaurants but only about two restaurants near where I live make these, and all the other restaurants make Crab Rangoon which is clearly not the same thing.  So I actually found a recipe for vegan fried wontons but was disappointed to see the recipe was just vegan cream cheese shoved into a wonton wrapper and deep fried.  How boring!  So I made up my own recipe:
 
           Ingredients:
             * 1 8oz. tub of Tofutti "Better Than Cream Chesse"
             * 2 Tbsp. diced scallion (a.k.a. green onion) - about two to three stalks,diced, should do
             * 2 tsp. minced garlic - about two large cloves, minced
             * 1-1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice
             * 1/2 tsp. Tamari ( a soy sauce with a stronger and slightly different flavor than the regular stuff)  you should be able to find it in most grocery stores in the Asian food section
             * 1 pkg. vegan wonton wrappers (you might have to go to an asian market to find egg-less ones)
             * Canola, Vegetable or Peanut oil for deep frying

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, garlic, scallion, lemon juice and tamari together using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer (I would use a large fork if you don't have a mixer).  Fill wonton wrappers by spooning a small amount of the cream cheese mixture on the middle of the wonton square (be sure not to use too much or the wrapper will not fold and the cream cheese will overflow).

Once you place your filling on the wrapper, you will need to fold your wonton.  Instructions for this are below. While you are filling your wontons, you can heat up your oil in a stock pot.  You should use enough oil to completely cover the wonton with some room for it to float. If you have a deep fryer,go ahead and bust that sucker out and use it.

To fold wonton, fold the square in half on the diagonal to form a triangle.  You will need to wet the edges of the square with some water before you fold so the edges will stick.  I just use some water in a cup next to me and my fingers (clean hands please!) to do this.  Once you have your triangle, fold in your two corners so they touch  and wet those corners as well so that they will stick to each other.  They will look very much like Italian tortellini pasta.  It sounds kind of weird but I swear it's really easy, I found this diagram on eatatlanta.com that I hope is helpful:

Once you have all of your wontons filled and folded, fry about 4 or 5 at a time in heated oil for about 2-4 minutes until they are a light golden brown color (if you've ever had a fried wonton, you know how they should look).  Use a slotted spoon to remove the wontons from the oil and place on some paper towels on a large plate or cookie sheet. Let cool for about five or ten minutes before devouring them.

This recipe makes about 20 wontons, but I would suggest making a double batch for a party because these things were gobbled up pretty fast.  I couldn't get enough of them and neither could the boys.  I wish I would have taken a picture but there were gone before I could even think to do that.  Next time I make them I will be sure to take a picture and add it to this post.