Why You Should, and Ways to Drink Green Tea

Hey everyone! So, it's not New Year's Day, but I'm going to be talking about resolutions anyway. It's still pretty early in the year. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you might be aware that I wrote a New Year's post last year. The stuff I'm writing about today is completely different. But the things in my last New Year's post is, at least in my opinion, are all pretty good ideas for resolutions, and they're super-relevant. So, if you want some ideas for animal rights and environmentalism related resolutions, click here!

So I have actually made a legit resolution this year. I have resolved to drink a minimum of 3 cups of green tea per day. To me, that really doesn't sound like a lot. However, when I told several of my friends, they were surprised and kept saying how that was so much green tea! Come to think of it, maybe they meant the cumulative amount of green tea. Whatever. It's not that much.

But why green tea? Why 3 cups? Well, that's the average amount that most things I've read have suggested for daily consumption, though some suggest up to 5 per day. And at that amount, it's supposed to have all sorts of positive side effects. Well it's common knowledge that drinking green tea can boost your metabolism (which means that if you've made any weight loss or muscle toning resolutions, they'll be easier to attain!) According to About Food it can help prevent or alleviate rheumatoid arthritis. My family has a history of arthritis, so if I can avoid it, I'd love to. According to SFGate (disclaimer: this article cites some studies which involved animal testing which I do not endorse, and am strictly opposed to.) drinking green tea fights bacterial infections, (which can help with acne problems,) and may prevent certain viral infections including the flu, and certain STDs. According to Livestrong, the antioxidants in it can also prevent certain types of cancer, as well as heart disease. It's like freaking magic. I'd say those are some pretty great reasons to drink the stuff.

Now admittedly, if you are drinking 3 cups of green tea per day, you'll probably go through boxes of tea fairly quickly, and while it's a lot cheaper and better for you than carbonated beverages. However, it could feel like you're spending a lot more money than you used to. Now, I know Trader Joe's carries pomegranate white tea (which is the same as green tea, only it has more antioxidants (the stuff that helps you out so much, and less caffeine,) and I'm pretty sure they carry green tea as well. If you're not as familiar with Trader Joe's, they normally have some of the lowest prices of all the health food stores. But, Costco also carries green tea in huge bulk. I'm talking a case of 100 bags of green tea. It's their store brand, and I can't remember exactly what the price is, but I know I did the math once, and it was pretty much the best price I could find. It's technically matcha green tea, which means that there are super-fine particals which stay in the water after you take the bag out. Actually, normally a lot of them have already come out of the bag, and are loose in the individually-wrapped packages. You just pour them into the cup or mug you're preparing it in. The only set back is that instead of paper tea bags, they use nylon tea bags, so they're slightly harder to compost. You have to tear or cut the bag open to compost the leaves, but it's really not hard to do. I don't know if they carry any flavored green tea, so if you're wanting tea infused with fruits or something, you can either add them yourself, or you can just look for coupons and buy those sorts of teas at a regular grocery store. But if you're willing to give the normal green tea a shot, this stuff is great. Admittedly, I am not a big fan of any real tea plain. By real tea, I mean black, green, or white tea, which is actually made from a tea plant. Herbal stuff doesn't count. But there are several ways that I make it that I think are really delicious.

Tea Latte: So, basically, you brew your tea, and then put it in a cup with equal parts green tea and your favorite alternative milk. I usually go with soy. Sweeten it to taste. Easy enough. Your tea latte will have only as many calories as the amount of alternative milk you put in it, just in case you're counting.

The second way to make it is also really easy, but can be made entirely with bulk items purchased from Costco. (Though, I guess if you bought soy milk at Costo, you could make the other one entirely from Costco bulk products too.)

Tea Lemonade: First, you brew your green tea. Then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. (Costco carries TrueLemon.) Then Add 1-2 packets (I use 1 1/2) of Truvia, or your preferred sweetener. (Also available at Costco.) The advantage of this version of green tea, if you're counting calories, is that it has none. (Unless you use real sugar of course.)

Hopefully, I've convinced you that you need this in your life. So, let me know in the comments if you want to start drinking more green tea! If you don't, I'd still love to know. If you have any yummy, easy recipes for gren tea, please share! Thanks for reading everyone! I hope this has been helpful.

Fall Veggie Favorites

So, as you are surely well aware at this point, it is Pumpkin Everything Season. (Also known as Autumn or Fall.) However, there are lots of other kinds of squash that are soooo in this season. Today, I'm hopefully going to convince you to try a slightly less common one: Spaghetti Squash.

Why is it called spaghetti squash? Well, for starters, it's a squash. And when you prepare it, it looks a whole lot like spaghetti. Here's the part where I blow your mind. (Maybe.) You can even eat it like you would eat spaghetti. OMG. This is too much! But I'm serious.

Are you looking for something to eat that's easy, cheap, delicious, satisfying, vegan, (also gluten-free,) and good for you? (Note: vegan food is not always actually good for you. Might I remind you, french fries and Oreos. It's okay. We're all guilty. But anyway. . .) You really should try it. I got a medium-sized spaghetti squash for under $3 at Trader Joe's, and I got about 6 servings out of it. Add marinara sauce with gluten-free, vegan faux beef crumbles (for protein,) and vegan Parmesan cheese, and you've basically got everything you need in a meal in one dish. (BTW,  you can get all those things, except maybe vegan Parmesan, at Trader Joe's for cheapsies. P.S. They'll also be organic.) Preparing Spaghetti Squash is also really easy, like I said. Basically, you vent your frustration with *insert noun here* by stabbing the squash several times. Then you put the squash on a plate or even just some paper towels, and cook it in the microwave. NOTE: Cooking times vary depending on the size of the squash. Just look it up on the internet. It's pretty simple. Again, mine was a medium squash. I cooked it for 20 minutes, and it was perfect. Whenever you're done cooking it, pull off the stem carefully, and cut the squash in half. Scoop out all the little spaghetti-looking parts, and eat it! No boiling water or stirring necessary. Congrats. You're so fancy. That would cost you about $10 per plate at Ruby Tuesday. (My version is normally less than $3 a serving with toppings, and you can eat it at your own house. What.)



This is one of the most amazing vegetables out there, so what are you waiting for? Do you have a good spaghetti squash recipe? (Hint: You can also eat this stuff NOT like spaghetti. What.) What do you think about spaghetti squash? Have you ever tried it? Do you love it? Is it your favorite thing? Let me know in the comments! Until next time! Much love.

New Year's Resolutions and Contest

So everyone, there aren't necessarily a ton of things that I've resolved to do this year. I don't want to just have an ever-growing list of things that I'll never do just because I've resolved to do them. I don't really have any health resolutions. I mean, I'm already vegan. What else is there? I guess I could theoretically resolve to stop cheating my gluten-free diet, but I don't really have an ethical problem with gluten, and they make magic pills that can help you digest gluten occasionally.

I have resolved to post more on this blog, especially Vegan College Cookbook reviews, which I guess could be food-related, and thus health-related, but that's really a stretch. But I got a seriously nicer camera for Christmas, so the photo quality on this blog should be improving! YAY! I have also resolved to be more active for the causes and charities I care about, especially animal welfare. But I guess because everyone needs one resolution that they don't mind not keeping, I also resolve to keep my room cleaner. Ha ha ha! Oh, that's a good one. So, that's not an exhaustive list of my resolutions, but too many of them would require context explanations that it's not worth bothering to mention them.

I hope you've made some resolutions that you plan on keeping. Though, as a tip, make them realistic. For example, I would not resolve to be the #1 Pop star in America by the end of the year. First of all, pop isn't even my favorite genre. Like, at all. But that's beside the point. However, I also wouldn't make them so boring or non-specific that they're not motivational, such as resolving to be "a better person" or resolving to smell more flowers. Unless of course, that's your thing. And then, by all means, smell away. I hope you're not allergic to pollen. Basically, make sure it's something that can be accomplished to your satisfaction. If you're really not sure what you want to resolve, but you want to resolve SOMETHING, here's a list of suggestions:

• Plant a new tree or shrub by the end of the year.
• You can buy a tree already sprouted (as long as you have permission from the powers that be,) or if you're up for a bigger challenge, try starting out all the way from a seed. Avocados are a good choice if you aren't sure what to go with. First of all, you can make yourself some yummy guacamole to get the pit to start out with. Second, the plants themselves are very pretty.
•  Plant a veggie garden.
• The best part about planting your own garden is picking what veggies you want to grow. Then you get really inexpensive, fresh food once it's grown. If you don't really have a yard to plant a garden in, like if you live in a dorm or apartment, or maybe your parents don't want you to dig up their nicely manicured lawn, you can plant window-box gardens, or potted plants. Those are great for smaller plants or herbs. I'd recommend rosemary and basil if you're not sure what to go with, but you want something small.
• Complete 5 Actions per month at Peta2.
• This one is really easy because the people over at PETA have already dome the hard work for you by making posters, collecting email addresses and researching the details, etc. Plus, you earn points by doing all those things and you can get yourself free stuff with the points. Who doesn't love free stuff?
• Go Cruelty-Free!
• Maybe you already only EAT vegan, but you haven't made the switch with cosmetics, clothes, etc. There are so many great brands of cruelty-free products, and many of them are really affordable. 
• Go Vegan!
• If you haven't already done this one, it really has never been easier. There are so many recipes out there thanks to the internet, and veganizing existing recipes is also super-simple with the amazing options that are out there.
• Go Vegetarian!
• If for some reason, you can't go vegan yet, or would prefer to make the switch more gradually, this is a good baby step. Again, it's never been easier!  
• Go Organic!
• This one can be a bit pricey. But it's certainly more healthful than eating junk food. Though I guess they do make organic "junk" food. Eh. Whatever. Aldis and Costco have a surprising amount of organic options, which are inexpensive.
• Convince your Family / Friends to do Meatless Mondays.
• Maybe they won't go 100% vegan or even vegetarian. But there are a lot of doctors and specialists saying that giving up meat at least 1 day a week has a ton of health benefits. This might mean that you have to cook diner once a week, but I'm sure you've got some ideas that you're dying to try, right?
• Try one new vegan recipe per month.
• This could involve a bit of pre-planning, but trying new things can be a lot of fun, and if you have the Vegan College Cookbook, it can be really affordable too. 
• Stay Positive / Be Thankful.
• The holidays are coming to a close, and it's easy to get out of the habit of being thankful for small things in life, and to take the things you have for granted. One thing that I have found helpful is to get a notebook or journal and write down things that I'm thankful for / happy about. For example, a friend of mine recently had been struggling with depression, and I encouraged him to write down 5 things a day to be thankful for. You can write more or less things, and do it as frequently as you'd like. If 5 things a day is too much, you could do 3 things a day, or 5 things twice a week. The important thing is not to quit when you forget a day. Even if you forget a week. If you're ever feeling down or discouraged, read back through the things you've written, and you're likely to feel a lot better. Everyone I've ever gotten to do this has found it extremely helpful.

If you have any other good ideas for general resolutions you'd like to share, please leave a comment! I'd love to hear what you have to say.

So, whatever you've resolved, here is a motivational picture.

This is my cat, C3PO, who I adopted from my local animal shelter. He had already had one leg amputated when I found him, but he gets along without it pretty well, even if he looks kind of ridiculous when he runs. Anyway, the other day, he climbed on top of our giant old TV that was given away, and was acting like he had achieved the most amazing accomplishment possible. It was pretty much adoreable. This was just an excuse to post a picture of my cat.

Alright. So here's the contest part:

First, you must follow this blog by at least one method if you do not already. Next, using the contact form located in the right sidebar, send me your name and email address, and at least 1 activism-related resolution. The winner will be randomly selected by computer, but if your resolution is just "I resolve to be more active" or something like that, then you won't qualify. And trust me. You want to win. Why? Because here's what the winner gets (approximately $25 value):

•  2 stickers from Sevenly, a company which funds a huge variety of humanitarian organizations by selling super-cool shirts and other apparel
• 3 magnets made from Sevenly stickers that are great for lockers or mini-fridges
• 15 magnets made from PETA stickers that are also great for lockers or mini-fridges. 
• 1 customized bracelet made by me. You choose colors and specify size. The bracelet will appear similar to this one in my web store, only it will say "ACTIVIST" instead of a name. 
• The winner will also be featured on this blog with a photo, short biographical description, and their resolution. (The winner will be contacted for the photo and description, as well as the details of the bracelet after being selected. This will act as a conformation method.)

All entries must be received before February 1st 2014. There also must be more than 10 qualifying entries, or the contest will be canceled. If there are a large number of participants, I may add runner-up places with smaller but still awesome prizes. In the event of cancellation, a consolation prize will be available to any participants. I reserve the right to change the rules and awards at any time. I'm sorry if you don't think the prizes are cool. I'm a poor college student, remember?

Happy New Year, Everyone! Good luck! Feel free to comment and tell me what a great idea this is. Tell all your friends about this contest and encourage them to enter as well! Who knows. Maybe they'll share with you if they win.

*************** UPDATE: CONTEST IS CLOSED.

CTTVCC: Dirty Chick (Pea) Clean-Up Salad

Turn to page 115, please. This is a really delicious recipe that I know for sure I would not have thought of myself. It's a combination that I wouldn't have come up with, but yet, compliments each other very well. It's savory and sweet; soft and crunchy at the same time. It's a simple recipe that I know I will turn to in times of need, or need for something to pack as a lunch on those days when I don't feel like trusting the cafeteria.

The recipe calls for:

• 1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1 Red Delicious or Gala apple, cored and diced
• Salt, to taste

I used store brand chickpeas, and fresh celery, and a Gala apple. My favorite kind of apple (right now anyway,) is the Pink Lady apple, which I will use next time I make this salad. It would also be interesting to try using a Granny Smith apple for a more sour taste. Basically, it doesn't matter what kind of apple you use. The kind of apple will, obviously, slightly change the taste of the salad though. I would love to hear what kinds of apples you've used, and how you thought it tasted! Just leave a comment on this blog entry to let me know.

Also, I love celery. All the sources I've come across say that your body burns more calories to digest celery than the celery contains. Essentially, celery is negative calories. Figured I'd throw that out there, just in case you didn't know.

I only used a small pinch of sea salt, because I knew the chickpeas would taste great salted, but I wasn't sure about the apples.

Here is my finished salad:

This salad is really easy and fast to make. It doesn't require any baking, it doesn't really matter if your proportions are slightly off, you can eat as much or as little as you like at a time without wasting, or having half eaten sandwiches or whatever littering your fridge. It's packed with protein and fiber as well as good flavor. It makes a great snack or main course, and every bite is delicious. I hope you love this!

Gluten-Free, Vegan Cheese Melties

Recently, I have had to go gluten-free for medical reasons. That makes being vegan extra difficult because a lot of psuedo-meats and other vegan proteins are made with wheat. Also, a lot of gluten-free products aren't vegan, so it can get hard to balance. Really though, one of the things I miss the most is just bread. My inner carboholic has a hard time dealing with it, trust me. However, I found a fake sandwich round bread that is really delicious. Amy's Gluten-Free Sandwich Rounds are the perfect size for most veggie burgers, and they taste amazing. They also pair up perfectly with Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella for a delicious snack.
 

 

 

(FYI, when this cheese melts, it really melts. like, it turns to liquid. So, be very careful once you've heated it.) 

Really people, even if you aren't gluten-free, you should really try this stuff. It is so good and it goes perfectly with tomato soup, Ramen, pasta (gluten-free if need be,) or just about anything.

Ditch Dairy

Enough Said. This infographic thoroughly disgusted me. Seriously, this covers all the pro-dairy arguments I've ever come across. I'd say this is pretty convincing. Who ever made this is pure genius. This has a creative commons license, so you can share it with all your friends and family who haven't cut milk out of their diets. The best part of getting rid of milk is the substitutions you can use. There is such an amazing variety of substitution products. I will be posting about my favorite dairy substitutes soon.

Any Comments? Thoughts? Leave a comment!

Quick, Good-For-You Breakfast

It's been awhile since I've posted much of anything, but here's an original recipe that's cheap, vegan, and allergy friendly. No gluten, soy, corn, peanuts, etc. Now, before you turn your nose up at oatmeal for being boring, old-people food, let me tell you this is one of my favorite morning recipes. So yes. Oatmeal.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of oats
1 tablespoon of milled flaxseed
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
8 oz of very strong brewed tea (flavor variable)
Sweetner to taste (typically 1 packet of 0 calorie stevia sweetner)

Instructions: mix all dry ingredients together in a microwavable bowl. Add tea to bowl, and microwave for 1 minute to 1 minute and 30 seconds. Stir and allow oatmeal to cool enough to eat. Enjoy!

Nearly all of the ingredients can be bought in bulk. Oatmeal, flaxseed, cinnamon, and sweetners can be purchased at stores like Costco. Oats and flaxseed can be bought in bulk from specialty grocery stores. Buying larger quantities reduces the cost significantly.

The oatmeal base has fiber and protein, flaxseed has protein and omega-3, cinnamon has Antioxidants, and tea has vitamins and caffeine in addition to Antioxidants. All of these are essential to a balanced diet and help kick start your day.

Now, my favorite part about this recipe is how variable you can make it. The variation is in the tea. Using a variety of flavors helps to keep this basic food from getting boring. I prefer to steep my tea overnight for oatmeal to get the maximum amount of flavor from the tea. Because it is a morning food, I would suggest black tea because it contains more caffeine than other blends. Some of my favorite teas to make oatmeal with are black chai, black apple chai, black vanilla chai, morning thunder (a black matcha tea,) black Madagascar vanilla, nutcracker sweet (a holiday tea,) and orange black teas. Other non-black teas that are good include sugar cookie sleigh ride (a holiday tea,) green chai, green tea with red Antioxidants (strawberry and orange,) spiced apple herbal tea, raspberry herbal tea and others.

The best part of this easy breakfast is that it is filling; high in protein and fiber; omega-3 rich; full of caffeine, vitamins, and Antioxidants (depending on the tea you use;) and only 100 Calories!

Vegan in a Meat World

So, on Christmas my mum didn't want to cook anything for dinner. I think that she actually just didn't want to deal with the clean-up. But who can blame her? Well anyway, not very many places are open on Christmas Day. We ended up going to T.G.I. Friday's which is one of those restaurants where I can't eat anything. The only appetizer I could have was pita wedges and hummus without the added tomatoes (just because I don't really like them,) cheese, yogurt, and whatever else it was that they put on it that wasn't vegan. It wasn't bad hummus, but I felt like I was getting WAY over-charged for it. Though I must admit, soft, grilled pita bread is amazing. The only vegan entree I could find was a black bean burger though I had to order it without all the toppings except the avocado. I have recently developed quite a liking for avocado. It also came with candied onions that are vegan, but I really don't care for onion.

I put a layer of french fries on top of the avocado and gave the rest to my sisters. The burger was really good! It was spicy enough to have a good flavor, but not too spicy. And the creaminess of the avocado helped make the burger not too spicy. I loved it! If you are ever there, I would recommend trying it. Granted, I probably wouldn't pick T.G.I. Friday's as a first choice for restaurants probably because my meal choice options are so limited, but I survived holiday meals with my family. Though, afterwards, I went out and bought myself an avocado. I want to get some spicy black bean burgers too. I've heard that Gardenburger brand spicy black bean burgers are amazing. Maybe I'll do a post later about recreating this entree.

F.Y.I. They have no vegan desserts other than their fruit cup, but that was really lame. I could have made the same thing or better from the stuff in my fridge. (Same with the appetizer honestly.)

Well, if you happen to try this veggie burger, let me know what you thought. Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Vegan Nog Waffles

Well it's been a while since I've posted, and I apologize for that. I've been getting way too busy for my own good, but that's beside the point. Since today is Christmas, I figured I'd give you all a quick holiday food post!

Making waffles for breakfast today was kind of an excuse to try out the Ener-G Egg Replacer that I bought for recipes. It was also an excuse to use up a partially empty box of Belgian Waffle Mix from my family's overstocked pantry. I also just got back from a trip to northern Vermont, and you can't leave Vermont without buying at least one kind of Maple Syrup. We picked up Raspberry, Cranberry, and Chai flavored syrups, (the Cranberry is my favorite,) but I couldn't find them quickly because we hadn't unpacked them yet. (I'm not the most patient person in the world, so I used light Agave Nectar which I had also bought for the first time recently and haven't had a chance to try yet.) I basically followed the directions on the box, which are going to be pretty similar but could vary depending on what brand of mix you get and how many you're making.

In a small mixing bowl, I mixed 1 1/2 tablespoons of egg replacer mixture with 2 tablespoons of hot water with a whisk until a uniform consisteny was reached. In a medium-sized bowl, I mixed 1 1/2 cups of waffle mix, 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 3/4 cup of Silk Nog (instead of milk or water), a dash of nutmeg, a dash of cinnamon, and added the egg replacer mixture (instead of eggs obviously), stirring until I reached a uniform consistency with no lumps.

I poured half the mixture onto the center of my non-stick waffle iron and closed the lid to cook it. When it was ready, I put it on a plate, and as soon as I took a picture of it, I opened a few Christmas presents while the iron was heating up enough for the second waffle. Then I scraped the rest of the batter into the iron with a spatula, and let it cook. When it was done, I set it on top of my other waffle and poured a generous amount of agave onto them and dug in. I could only finish half of them, so I shared the rest with my sisters who thought they were delicious even though none of them are vegans.

You may have noticed from the picture that my waffle isn't really square. That's because I've had too many experiences with waffle batter dripping down the sides of the hot iron and making a huge mess that I have to clean up later. So, I just make slightly less visually attractive waffles that mean I don't have to clean up so much after myself because I'm sort of lazy. Okay, really lazy. But hey, it would be wasting perfectly good waffle if I made a mess.

By the way, I was really impressed with the Ener-G Egg Replacer. I've tried some other ways to replace eggs in the past, like flax seed for example, and those were less-than amazing in waffles. The Ener-G stuff didn't alter the taste of the waffles to make them taste like some horrible gruel, it kept them light and fluffy, and they're only 15 calories per replaced egg! (Eggs are 70 calories each.) I can't wait to try the egg replacer in other recipes.

If you try my little recipe, let me know what you thought of it, and if you made any other variations. I'd love to try out anything you all come up with. Personally, I am going to be trying something similar with some gluten-free mix that I found, though I don't know if I'll be using vegan nog. Maybe I'll try my vegan chocolate chips. . . Well anyway, happy holidays everyone! I hope this season has been wonderful and relaxing for everyone! Happy New Year!

P.S. Nog is a really funny word. Makes me want to laugh every time I say it.

"Hippie" Freebies

Now, before you start thinking about all the stereotypes associated with hippies, let me tell you that this post is not about hippies. Not really. What I'm actually talking about is a web page full of links that was created by a self-proclaimed "Modern Hippie" for the purpose of connecting young activists with campaign materials that fit into their price range. Everything on the link page is free. Are you interested now? At Hippie Freebies, you can find materials such as Vegan and Vegetarian Starter kits with helpful information and recipes, Animal Rights campaign materials and stickers, Human Rights and Equality stickers, Environmentalism buttons and clings, and much more. Most of these links help connect you to various organizations that send out newsletters, online petitions, forms for letters to congressmen, etc, and give you free items as a token of appreciation. There is also a page that has links to many more organizations. Most of these organizations and freebies only operate in North America or the UK, but several work worldwide. Maybe not all of them will interest you, but chances are, you'll find something you'd like to find out more about.

I'd like to thank the wonderful Salena for creating this list of links. Also, check out her blog, because she has reviews of some pretty awesome products like eco-friendly clothing etc.

Hope you all find everything helpful!

CTTVCC: Breakup Pudding

Well, I haven't been in any relationships lately, but I tried the "Breakup Pudding" recipe from PETA's Vegan College Cookbook when two of my friends were dumped by their boyfriends within a week of each other.

I have made it twice now, but both times, I've had a few variations from the original recipe. 

First off, I used light tofu. Now, seeing as tofu is usually considered a diet food, I thought it was particularly interesting that there was diet tofu. I'm not even kidding. The light tofu has half the calories per serving. It has 45 calories vs. regular tofu which has 70-80. I chose to make it with light tofu, because I didn't want my friends (or myself) to gain weight because of some stupid boy. (No offense guys.) I consider it a guiltless indulgence.

The second variation I had was that, because I have a cheap blender, I had to add a splash or two of unsweetened alternative milk to get the blending process working. I suppose you could use a regular sweetened alternative milk, even a vanilla flavored one two give it a bit more flavor. I just keep regular unsweetened milks at my house to cut down the amount of calories I consume when I use it in cereal.

The last alteration I had was using dark chocolate cocoa powder. When I was at the grocery store, a lot of the regular cocoa powder I found had some milk derivatives in it, and personally, I like dark chocolate better. Here's how I see it: if I'm going to eat something, like chocolate for example, I want to eat the real stuff. I mean, the chocolate I eat is practically baking chocolate, which if any of you ever tried as a kid when your mother wasn't looking, is pretty bitter. I guess it's an acquired taste I developed because of some of the other bitter things I consume, like coffee. That, however, is a story for another time.

Anyway, I really like this recipe, and now that I actually OWN a copy of this amazing book, I don't have to make it off the website, or using the recipe cards I've gotten in various activism packs I've ordered from PETA and Peta2. Even my non-vegan friends and family members love this recipe. When my (non-vegan) mother tried it, she said:

"This pudding is so good, it would definitely be worth breaking up with someone for."

 I would definitely recommend trying it, maybe even with my little twist on it. I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments!

Food Finds Friday: Annie Chun's

College students have a few kinds of reputations. However, there are two main things that college students are known for. One of them is for being party animals, and another is for being broke and having to live off only Ramen Noodles for weeks. I will only be addressing the latter of these two. Now, vegetarians and vegans are often thought, mostly by outside sources, to not get proper nutrition, especially while in college. I might just have a solution to the nutritional problems that students have, while keeping in mind expense and the fact that most students need nonperishable foods.

While it would be great if, while away at college, we could all cook all of our meals out of PETA's Vegan College Cookbook, there are still various reasons why we might not be able to. (By the way, the book can be purchased with Peta2 Street Team Points, which means basically FREE!) Sometimes, just the thought of having to think about what you're cooking might be too much for a brain about to go into a study-induced coma. There is something comforting about sitting down with a cup or bowl of hot noodles and taking a second to relax. So, before you place a bulk order of Ramen, (which is full or preservatives and has next to no nutritional value,) and become victim to the stereotype, consider trying a healthier, and in the opinion of many, tastier vegan option that should still be in your price range.

I recently tried Annie Chun's Miso Soup, and I was absolutely shocked at how good it was. It was more than a million times better than any prepackaged noodles I'd had before! Not only did it taste AMAZING, it's all natural, contains no MSG, or preservatives, has 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, only 240 Calories, and completely vegan. The container is also recyclable, or reusable since it's relatively durable and resealable. It is very fast to make. ( It takes 2 minutes vs. Ramen which takes 3 minutes. OMG A WHOLE MINUTE MORE TO STUDY! )

Annie Chun's also has other vegan soups such as the Udon and Korean Kimichi; vegan noodle bowls like the Garlic Scallion, Korean Sweet Chili, Kung Pao, Peanut Sesame, and Teriyaki Bowl; as well as Instant Rice; and well, they have Ramen too. Spring Vegetable is the only vegan Ramen flavor that I am aware of.

Soup and Noodle Bowls are $3.49 each if ordered or purchased individually, or $2.89 each if purchased in packs of 6 that cost $17.34. If you must have Ramen, theirs is $6.57 for a 3 pack, and $24.97 for a 12 pack. When I was researching this, I saw that there were other companies that were selling the Miso in huge bulk sets for a really good price, but I didn't really look at the actual website.

Anyway, I hope you have a chance to try the Miso, and that you love it as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments!

Update: I've added this to my Food Finds Friday series even though it  was written long before the series began. I also wrote this before I realized I needed to go gluten-free. So, I can no longer eat most of these products, sadly. 

Real Men

Photo courtesy of Plant Powered Living.

Well, if this isn't a great way to convince the men in your life to cut meat out of their diets, I don't know what is. If I were you, I'd share this infographic everywhere you can, and as soon as possible. You never know, but you could save someone's life! In fact, you could be helping to save a whole lot of lives, because if someone goes vegetarian or vegan, not only would they be lowering their own risk of getting heart disease, but animals wouldn't have to die for their meals!

I must admit, I am not the biggest fan of the way they illustrated the risk of heart disease. To me, it looks as if it's saying that the vegans don't 'have as much of a heart,' as the saying goes, as the omnivores do. I don't think that was their intention though.

We all need to let guys know that REAL men are compassionate. Spread the love!

In Your Own Words

It is absolutely ridiculous how much fun I had making these Anti-Cruelty signs. I was laughing maniacally under my breath while I was coming up with little phrases to type into Peta2's clever little generators. It actually impressed me how realistic these signs look. While I am more involved with the McCruelty campaign, mostly because there are more McDonald's restaurants in my area, the Kentucky Fried Cruelty Generator signs looked more like an actual photo to me. Maybe that's because there were cars in most of the images. I don't know. That is not to say that the McCruelty Sign Generator designers didn't do a good job, because they certainly did.

Now, if you click the links to the generators, you can type in up to 3 lines of text to display in the store sign. If you want to save and share your pictures on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or whatever, you'll need to use a screenshot. Just in case you aren't sure how to do that, I'll explain.

Step 1. Using the scroll wheel on your mouse, or the scroll buttons on the side of your browser, adjust the screen so that your Anti-Cruelty image is clearly in view. It is best to leave a visible margin of the webpage around your image.

Step 2. Locate the Print Screen button on your keyboard. It is usually toward the upper right-hand corner. It might be abbreviated to something like "PrtSc" depending on the maker.

Step 3. Push the Print Screen button.

Step 4. Open a new project in Paint, which comes pre-installed on most computers.

Step 5. In Paint, click the button says "Select" on it, and displays a dotted-lined rectangle.

Step 6. Using the select tool, right click anywhere in the empty project. A screenshot of the page with your Anti-Cruelty sign will appear.

Step 7. Left click on the selected screenshot, and drag it toward the upper left-hand corner of your project until only the Anti-Cruelty sign is in view in that corner.

Step 8. Left click anywhere within the image, but outside the the selected screenshot to deselect it.

Step 9. Using the scroll bars, scroll to the bottom right-hand corner of the image.

Step 10. Click and drag the small white box in the corner up and to the left until only your Anti-Cruelty sign is visible. Make sure that the borders are even.

Step 11. Click the "Save As" button, and save your image, preferable as a PNG. This will keep your image quality nice so that everyone will be able to clearly read your Anti-Cruelty message!

Step 12. Upload your image to all your favorite social networks, or email your image to share it with all your friends! Make sure you include a link to the McCruelty or Kentucky Fried Cruelty websites so your friends can get more information and make their own Anti-Cruelty Signs.

Alright. I hope that little tutorial was helpful, and that you have as much fun making your Anti-Cruelty signs as I did! For any of you who are members of the Peta2 Street Team, make sure you go to the "Take Action" page, and turn in a screenshot of the website where you shared your sign for Street Team Points!

Researching Vegan-Style

One of the requirements for Junior English in high school is a research paper. My teacher recommended choosing a topic you feel strongly about, so I chose veganism. It really wasn't much of a shocker for those who know me even the slightest. My teacher actually liked my paper very much, and was actually surprised at the amount of evidence I was able to offer, particularly towards the ethics side of it. Those who know much about veganism, animal rights, etc. probably would not have been so surprised. Within the 1350 word limit, my paper touches on why veg*nism is superior to eating meat in 3 different areas. Trust me, if it weren't for that word limit, I would have taken the time to wax eloquent. Here is my junior English research paper (left in the required format, and original word limit.)

Be a Happy Herbivore

It is said that what a person does not understand, he will either fear or hate because most people are raised with biases and prejudices. With controversial subjects, generally even those who are relatively uninformed wish to opine. Veganism and vegetarianism fall in this category. However, a surprising number of people do not know the difference between vegetarianism and veganism. Veganism began as an offshoot of vegetarianism. Like vegetarians, vegans do not consume meat. They also do not use any products made from or tested on animals. Avoiding animal products has a beneficial impact that makes vegetable-based diets physically, globally, and ethically superior to omnivorous diets.

Vegetable-based diets are more healthful than omnivorous diets. Eating meat contributes to diseases. Not only are animal products inefficient to produce, but they are unhealthful because “we take a crop. . . rich in protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. . . and totally devoid of cholesterol and artery-clogging saturated fat. . . . We feed it to [animals] to create a product with no fiber or complex carbohydrates at all, but with mega doses of cholesterol and saturated fat.” (Newkirk [1]). There are other hidden dangers in meat. According to Freston, achidonic acid, which causes inflammation and leads to Alzheimer’s and a plethora of other diseases, is unavoidable in meat (“A Few” [1]). A more frightening reality is that “one sausage a day increases our chance of bowel cancer by 20%. It only takes 1.8oz (50g) of processed meat daily to significantly increase our risk of this deadly type of cancer” (Walters [1]). Meat in diets is not the only animal source of problems. According to Dani Veracity, milk worsens asthma cases by stimulating mucus production, and many are allergic to milk proteins or the antibiotics found in it. Milk allergies, which are extremely common, manifest themselves in worsened acne and eczema, as well as diarrhea, asthma, ear infections, rashes, and hives. ([1-2]) Certainly all of these illnesses are plenty of cause to avoid meat and animal products.

Herbivorous diets provide essential nutrients and reduce risk of illness. Many people have qualms with giving up eggs, milk, and meat for fear of deficiencies; however, Veracity explains that broccoli and tofu provide calcium just as well as milk. ([2]) Other deficiency fears include vitamin B12 and protein. However, “Any food that gets dirty develops B12 from bacteria. . . . we get our B12 from meat because its dirty. And our need for B12 is tiny. . . akin to four grains of rice in our lifetime” (Rivera [1]). When it comes to consuming proper amounts of protein, “most people on a standard meat diet are actually protein deficient. . . . Vegetarians actually grow muscle mass at a faster rate with a diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.” (Rivera [1]). Not only do plant diets provide essential nutrients, but “a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that people of all ages, including children, that adhere to a vegetarian diet. . . are generally leaner than their meat-eating counterparts” (Huff [1]). Those who maintain healthy weights are less likely to suffer from heart disease and other diseases linked to obesity. In fact, “Dean Ornish, M.D. was the first person to prove that heart disease can be reversed, and he did so by feeding his patients a vegetarian diet” (Rivera [2]). Abstaining from meat protects from reduces cancer risk. “[Researchers] found that the lifetime risk of developing cancer was 14 percent lower in vegetarians than in the general population. The protective effect was greatest for stomach cancer, bladder cancer, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and blood cancers. Vegetarians were less than 50 percent as likely to develop lymph and blood cancers as nonrestricted eaters, while their risk of. . . multiple myeloma was 75 percent lower” (Gutierrez [1]). Vegetable-based diets obviously are more healthful because of their lowered risk of disease.

Second, vegetable-based diets reduce and discourage the animal cruelty caused by omnivorous diets. Eating meat promotes the unjust treatment of food-animals. The cruelty in factory farms exists from the beginning of animals’ lives. According to Matt Ball, animals live their whole lives with “the confinement and overcrowding, the stench, the racket, the extremes of heat and cold, the attacks and even cannibalism, the hunger and starvation, the illness, the mutilation, the broken bones and failing organs etc. Indeed, every year, hundreds of millions of animals. . . actually suffer to death” (“A Meaningful” [3]). Law requires that the animals lucky enough to survive until they reach the slaughterhouse be stunned before slaughter to desensitize them, but “it’s not uncommon for an animal to suffer one or two failed stuns. . . . Unconscious animals whose necks are not cut soon enough may regain their senses after being hung on the bleed rail” (Ball, “If Slaughterhouses” [1]). These stuns are supposed to be the humane way of killing animals, however, when they are unsuccessful, pigs “are dunked in tanks of hot water after they are stunned. . . . A botched slaughter condemns [them] to being scalded and drowned” (Ball [4]). Even worse, kosher and other ritual slaughterhouses are not even legally required to desensitize animals before they begin the butchering process.

Additionally, Herbivorous diets reduce the suffering of innocent animals by promoting ethical eating. A single person’s asceticism may not seem to have an impact, but the laws of supply and demand explain that when demand for a product decreases, the supply of the product decreases. The result would be the slaughter of fewer animals. Causing the suffering of sentient beings is ethically wrong, so if one reduces the number of animals who suffer, his action is ethically praiseworthy. Animals “are not things. They can feel pain. They can suffer frustration and boredom. They have lives of their own” (Mason, 122). According to “Vegetarian 101,” an article published by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 27 billion food-animals are slaughtered annually, but every year, an individual vegetarian saves approximately 100 of those animals (“Vegetarian 101” [1-2]). If more people would become vegetarians or vegans, the number of animals saved from the torture and slaughter would be astronomical.

Last, vegetable-based diets are environmentally friendly than omnivorous diets. Eating meat encourages environmental degradation caused by inefficient factory farms. These commercialized farms traffic millions. Their “livestock accounts for 18 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions” (Klein [1]). For example, “‘manure lagoons’. . . [are] acres of animal excrement that sit in the sun steaming nitrous oxide into the atmosphere” (Klein [1]). Additionally, Inefficiency continues because “we have to transport the animals to slaughterhouses, slaughter them, refrigerate their carcasses, and distribute their flesh all across the country. Producing a calorie of meat protein means burning more than ten times as much fossil fuels. . . as does a calorie of plant protein” (Freston, “Vegetarian” [1]).

Herbivorous diets promote a more efficient use of natural resources. It is commonly known that plant-based diets require approximately only a tenth of the crops that are required to create animal products. Because of this vast difference, “Americans and Europeans can't raise all the feed domestically that is needed to sustain their meat addictions. . . . Agribusiness has started cutting down the rain forest. . . . If more people went vegetarian, we would need far less land to feed people” (Freston, “A Few” [2]). Veganism also conserves water resources because “it takes about four times as much water to feed a vegetarian as it does to feed a vegan and 14 times as much water to feed a meat-eater. And, if you have to feed animals, you have to irrigate the crops that you feed to them and you have to give them water too. You have to hose down the factory farms and slaughterhouses with water” (Newkirk [2-3]). Clearly, going vegan is the most responsible lifestyle choice.

Meat-free diets are undeniably physically, globally, and ethically superior to eating meat. Many Americans believe in a right to eat meat, classifying it as part of their right to the pursuit of happiness. However, consuming meat is not a right, and trying to ignore the facts will not make them any less true. Those in wealthier countries should implement ways to reduce their use of animals products. Failure to do so is clearly irresponsible.

Works Consulted

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Ball, Matt. “A Meaningful Life.” Vegan Outreach. n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Ball, Matt. “If Slaughterhouses Had Glass Walls.” Vegan Outreach. n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Douglas, Jerome. “Smart Kids More More Likely to Go Vegetarian Later in Life.” Natural News. 2006. Web. 24. Jan. 2012.

Evans, Kim. “New Study — Whole Food Vegetarian Diets Reverse and Eliminate Many Serious Illnesses.” Natural News. 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Evans, Kim. “Wild Grass Makes Many Vegetarian Diets Work.” Natural News. 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Fox, Michael W. Eating With Conscience: The Bioethics of Food. Troutdale, OR. NewSage. 1997.

Freston, Kathy. “A Few More ‘Inconvenient Truths.’” Huffington Post. 2007. Web. 22 Jan. 2012.

Freston, Kathy. “Vegetarian Is the New Prius.” Huffington Post. 2007. Web. 24 Jan 2012.

Gutierrez, David. “Vegetarians Have Lower Cancer Risk Than Meat Eaters.” Natural News. 2009. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Huff, Ethan A. “Study: Vegetarian Diet May Help Children Stay Fit, Avoid Obesity.” Natural News. 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Jones-Shoeman, Cindy. “Four Reasons Why People Become Vegetarian.” Natual News. 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Jones-Shoeman, Cindy. “Vegan Vitamin B12 Deficiency is a Myth.” Natural News. 2010. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Klein, Ezra. “Gut Check: Here’s the Meat of the Problem.” Washington Post. Washington Post, 29 July 2009. Web. 22 Jan. 2012.

Mason, Jim and Peter Singer. Animal Factories. New York. Crown Publishers. 1980.

Minton, Barbra L. “Buckwheat: Gluten-Free Grain Substitute Offers Complete Vegetarian Protein.” Natural News. 2009. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Moritz, Andreas. “Eating Meat Kills More People than Previously Thought.” Natural News. 2009. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Newkirk, Ingrid E. “Saving the Planet One Meal at a Time.” In City Times. 2010. Web. 22 Jan. 2012.

Rivera, Duran. “Vegetarian Truths Empower.” Natural News. 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Singer, Peter and Jim Mason. The Ethics of What We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter. n.p: Rodale, 2006.

“Vegetarian 101.” PETA. n.d: Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Veracity, Dani. “Asthema Explained by Common Allergy to Milk and Dairy Products.” Natural News. 2005. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

Walters, Sheryl. “Eating One Sausage Per Day Causes Cancer.” Natural News. 2008. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.