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Showing posts from July, 2010

Quick Bean Sandwich

I like sandwiches cuz they are quick and easy nutrition. Most beans however, don't like to stay between the bread. One solution for this is to soften the bread and coat one side with some fake butter spread. Ingredients two slices bread buttery spread beans of choice garlic powder onion powder nutritional yeast massage your slice of bread. knead with your fingertps to soften and create a general array of indentations in the surface. spread one side of one slice with buttery spread. add garlic and onion powder and yeast. cover middle two-thirds of bread with beans. top off sandwich with other slice. cut in half and enjoy. Sliced pickles and corn make a good addition to this sandwich.

Datem and Whey Dilemna

Of course I know that whey is a compenent of milk and therefore entirely not vegan. Datem on the other hand is a connundrum. Sources claim it can be derived from either animal or vegetable sources. Personally I wouldn't care either way if datem and/or whey weren't in just about every bread available. It's awfully sad that of all the commercially available bread on the maerket I can't find any that don't contain one or the other. I mean. for god's sake people, it's bread! It should be entirely animal product free. Vegans shouldn't have to read the ingredients list and ponder whether or not it's safe. IT'S BREAD! isn't that pretty much the definition of veagn. What is wrong with food manufacturer's that they can't make something so simple as bread without adding mystery ingredients. I've a good mind to stop eating prepared bread altoghter. Just because it's wrong that they add this 'unknown' crap. if bagels can be made w

Dieting

I hate those yahoo articles about weight loss and exercise. I don't hate weight loss nor exercise. I just hate the way their articles address it. They're always so lame and fake and meant only for the terminally skinny. Anyway, I know the real truth. Meat makes you fat. Dairy makes you fat. Refined sugar makes you fat. Eat vegan and worry no more about diets or weight loss. Listen to those sad articles on yahoo and spend your entire life dieting.

Meat Makes You Fat

I don't understand why women are so weight obsessed. Tis better to be loved at a thirty inch waist than to be loved just because you're skinny. The media certainly doesn't help. Always shoving pictures of anorexic models in our faces and touting endless methods for quick and easy weight loss. It's a shame none of them are willing to admit the real truth. Meat makes you fat. Animal products make you fat. Stop eating meat and dairy and you will see the pounds beginning to shed. It won't be instantaneous. Although, probably in the first first weeks you will see a marked drop. After that it will be slow and steady. But since you're never going to eat meat or dairy again there is no hurry. This isn't a fad diet. It's a lifestyle. A commitment to doing the right thing. Not just for yourself, but for all the animals with which you share this planet. Contrary to what eighth grade health class taught you, you do not need meat or cow's milk products.

Super Garlic Black Bean Salsa

This dish is really easy and quick. It's been so unbareably hot here on the northeast coast lately that I can't fathom really 'cooking' something. So this was my compromise with myself and the foul weather. Ingredients 10 cloves garlic smashed and peeled, but uncut 1 can black beans 1/2 cup frozen mustard greens 1/2 frozen broccoli/cauliflower mix 1/3 cup frozen yellow corn niblets salt and pepper maple grove farms fat free caesar salad dressing (optional) lite italian salad dressing (optional) Add about 1/3 cup cool tap water to a a big saute pan. Never use hot water. That comes from your hot water heater and is sitting for long periods in the tank. You don't want to eat that. Heat the pan with water for three minutes and then add your broccoli/cauliflower. Cover and let steam for five minutes. Note: if your frozen mustard green are, as mine were, a big giant singular block, add them with the broccoli mix. If they are free flowing wait. After the

Too Much Soy Milk

A non-dairy, non-meat diet is important to me. Because I truly believe in not exploiting animals. Every summer, however, long before this diet, my right ear gave me problems. My sinuses would clog. Especially during sleep. This year however, has been the worst. I managed to narrow down the culprits to either soy milk or quinoa. I'm certain I do have a bad reaction to too much quinoa. I can eat a little bit and not have a problem. But ever since I switched from almond milk to soy milk the problem has become pronounced. It doesn't appear to be an allergy, so much as a sensitivity. I can eat soy. But too much and doom. Soy is not an essential component of a vegan diet. Beans, veg and grains can provide the majority of nutritional needs. Fortified cereal can supply the rest. Almond or rice milk is fortified with calcium and vitamin d. Soy products are a tasty departure from a typical vegan diet, but beware too much.

Vegan Lentil Barley and Tomato Stew

Since transitioning from meat eating to a vegan diet I've encountered very few difficulties. It was really quite easy. Actually, it feels like that's what my body wanted all along. It feels natural. I don't miss meat or milk. Though I must admit, once in a while I wish for some good vegan cheese, which I've yet to find. But I press on and I forebear. I love the fact that I can cook in big batches and not worry much about spoilage. I also love the textures and tastes I get from the succulence and crunch of a variety of vegetables. That's where this recipes comes from. Ingredients: 1/2 pearl barley 1/2 dry lentils 2 1/4 cups water 1 tsp olive oil 6 cloves garlic minced (divided in half) 1/2 small red onion diced 6-10 stalks asparagus 1 can plain petite cut tomatoes 1 small fresh tomatoes diced (optional) 1 packet or 1 tsp soy sauce 1/2 cup frozen kale 1/4 cup frozen corn niblets salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, basil a pinch of chili powde

Vegan Split Pea and Potato Soup

Split pea soup is a hearty and healthy meal and vegan would be glad to eat. It takes a little time, but it's not hard at all. You just have to be patient and your tastebuds will be rewarded. Ingredients 1/2 dried split yellow peas (soaked at least 24 hours) 1 can vegetable broth 1 can diced potatoes 3 cloves garlic 1/4 cup frozen bell peppers 1/2 medium white onion diced salt and pepper 1 tsp olive oil basil Heat a large sauce pan containing olive oil on medium high heat. When hot saute onions until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add broth and soaked peas. Stir. Cover. Adjust heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes. Test peas for softness. They should be tender. If not, add a little water and continue simmering until they are. When peas are tender turn off heat, but leave pan on warm burner. Use a hand masher or a stick blender to puree the soup until only a smattering of lumps remain. Add pepper and spices. Stir. Cover. Let sit about 3 minutes or until peppers ar

Vegan Potato Soup

It's hard to find canned vegetarian soups. Let alone vegan. I believe there's a healthy choice zesty veg soup that is and a progresso lentil one, but the choices are very limited. So, wanting some potato soup I set out to make my own. Ingredients 1 can diced potatoes 2 tsp olive oil 1 can vegetable broth 2/3 cup almond, soy or rice milk 1/2 a large yellow onion diced 4 cloves garlic 2-3 canned artichoke hearts 1 tsp rosemary salt and pepper In a large sauce pan heat the oil. After two minutes add onion and potatoes and saute three minutes. Add garlic. Saute one minute more. Add broth. Simmer for 7 minutes. Add milk and simmer five more minutes. Add garlic and rosemary. Cook two minutes more. Remove from heat. With a stick blender or potato masher pulverize your soup until only slightly lumpy and mostly very thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat a little more if neccessary. Served garnished with one quarter artichoke heart in center of bowl. Or add all chokes to soup and sto

Easy Pasta Salad

Here's a quick and easy way to make homemade pasta salad. 1 box tri color pasta 1/2 medium onion diced. 3 cloves minced garlic 1/4 cup frozen small cut bell peppers 1/3 cup frozen carrots 1/4 cup frozen corn niblets 1/4 cup frozen peas italian dressing to coat Cook pasta according to package directions. Add frozen carrots when there are 7 minutes left in the cooking time of the pasta. Drain pasta/carrot mix and add back to hot pat on warm burner. Stir in peas, corn and peppers. Let sit covered two minutes. Add fresh onions and garlic. Stir. Sprinkle with Salt and pepper to taste. Toss with italian or your favorite salad dressing. Or leave plain and let everyone dress with their own choice. Let chill at least two hours in the fridge. Serve with chilled beans for optimum nourishment.

vegan mashed potatoes

Vegan mashed potatoes are super easy. Some potatoes. Some soy milk. A little bit of garlic. And voila. deliciously mutilated root veggies the whole family can enjoy. I'm lazy. So I opt for the canned potatoes. Although nothing beats a fresh veg, that's a lot more work. 1 can diced potatoes 1/4 cup soy milk 3 tbls vegan margarine 1 tsp olive oil 3 cloves minced garlic 2 tbls salt 2 tsp pepper 2 tsps garlic powder 1 tsp basil Add margarine and olive oil to large sauce pan and let the margarine slowly melt over medium heat. Saute garlic in the liquified fat. Add potatoes and milk. Warm through over low heat for about 5-7 minutes. Turn off the flame, but leave the pot on the hot burner. Use a masher to turn the potato mixture into mashed potatoes. Add seasonings. Stir. Let sit two minutes and taste. Adjust seasonings as desired. Enjoy by itself with garlic toast or over warm rice. Add some black beans or garbanzos for a full protein and added texture.

Easy Vegan Bean Sandwich

It's kinda hard to eat most beans in a sandwich straight out of the can. They tend to roll off the bread. If you have the time it's always tasty to mash them up with some aromatics and spices to make a sticky substance that will hold to the bread. Or drown them in a delicious sauce that will keep them glued to your roll. However if you don't feel like it at the moment and still crave a tasty vegan bean sandwich there is a solution to get the beans and bread to your mouth in unison. Ingredients: Thick bagel, hoagie roll or the like 1/3 any variety or combo of beans you like 1 dill pickle (1/2 sliced into chips) optional Vegan salad dressing - also optional Spices The trick to this is the thick bread. Carefully pull out the meat of the bottom piece of sandwich bread. Making sure to leave some edging in place to hold your beans inside. Basically you want a tunnel through the center of the bottom half of the bagel. If you watch the food network show Good Eats you ma

Post Shredded Wheat is Vegan

Did you know that unlike the sinister Kellogg's brand of shredded what , Post shredded wheat cereal contains no gelatin? Check it out at the supermarket. Read the ingredients. It's true.