As I research the different aspects of animal welfare and veganism I will post (on the side of my blog) the sites that I found to be interesting, useful, or just informational. That way you won't have to search for them in between blogs. My first addition is 10 Tips For Going Vegetarian that was created by Savvy Vegetarian (Which seems to be an interesting site for vegetarian information, but take or leave the site. In my opinion it's marginal with a lot of advertisement to navigate around ~but hey they have to pay for the site somehow~. I was mostly interested in the tips list included on the site.). The tips report seems to have a similar motivation behind it's information as my blog, when it comes to becoming a vegetarian. Including an extended definition of vegetarians (as I mentioned before, there aren't rules to how strict you are in your diet to claim a specific type of vegetarianism).
"Vegetarians eat no meat, poultry, or fish.
Ovo-lacto vegetarians eat eggs and milk.
Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products, but not eggs.
Vegans eat no animal products at all, often including honey."
Please note it is up to your own investigative discretion to trust any of the websites listed. I won't purposefully include a soliciting or outwardly motivated listing, but I'm not perfect. It's always a good idea to be skeptical of any printed or posted source. I suggest (as I do for any of the information I take away from these sources) that you leave room for bias's or selling techniques. Be smart. Don't just buy into any new idea that sounds good. Give someone the right incentive and they can make any crap sound good.
The following questions can help you decide whether the information on a website can be trusted. Or you can check these tips out for a more in depth look.
Who has created the site?
Who has set up the website?
What are the aims of the site?
Is the site updated regularly?
Who has written the information?
Is it clear who has sponsored the site?
Does the information seem balanced and unbiased?
Do all the links work?
Can you contact the web master?
Does the site respect your privacy?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Crisis Diverted
So today I came to the abrupt realization that my veganism studying period is falling straight into, and over, my very favorite chocolaty holiday ... Easter.
It was a very sad moment as I stood at the end of the cash register, (where they display all the best impulse buy items, like any self respecting retail store) and stared at the enticing bag of Easter decorated M&M's. Moving quickly from my initial regret of being unable to consume the M&M's (due to their milk enriched chocolate content), onto the heart breaking realization that the pastel painted colors of those dainty little candies forced me to uncover ... almost ALL my favorite Easter candies have chocolate in them!
I'm telling you, I almost cried like a little girl. I'm positive a small whimper escaped through my loosely self controlled grasp. And as I started to stew about the cursed milk content of chocolate in all my favorite candies, the saddening names quickly turned from candy, into a stream of desserty goodnesses that was compiling (to my horror) into a endless list of "can't haves".
Damn Carob Chips and their unsatisfying flavor! Why does cocoa and milk have to taste so cleverly good together!
It's a sad world the day any self respecting girl realizes she must part ways with her beloved chocolate friends. A sad, sad day.
Alas! As I mournfully called my sister and recounted my tale of woe 2 minutes later, she (in her ever astonishing wisdom and determination), refused to give up so easily and began naming possible substitutions. Moping in my despair, she listed a few items that I quickly discounted because of their hidden milk content, and she had to repeat twice the name of the cookie that saved my evening ... nay, the next few months.
No Bake Cookies.
While overloaded with chocolaty goodness, No Bake Cookies are one of the few cookie recipes that are made from real cocoa rather then chocolate chips! And 100% cocoa is exactly that, 100%! Leaving no room for milky taintedness. And while the recipe does call for milk and margarine, both are easily substituted in a vegan diet by soy milk and fake margarine (I use Earth Balance)! Holy Mother of Mercy! All is not lost! My dreary days of trying to consume Carob Chips in substitute of chocolate chips were beginning to brighten. It wouldn't stop at No Bake Cookies, any item that is baked from cocoa instead of chocolate chips can be made dairy free! :) Yay! That means my favorite brownies are still fair game, and I already looked up a yummy cake recipe. Even that tricky egg is beautifully substituted by an egg replacer with the same baking results! Phew. Life is not as lonely as it was beginning to seem.
Granted, all good things must be consumed in moderation. But I was so focused on milk, cheese, and processed foods with small traces of whey or powder milk, that I completely forgot to think about my deprivation of chocolate. I don't intend on binging upon my new discovery of coveted treats, it simply eases my mind that they are still an option.
It was a dramatic moment, cleverly saved by my brilliant sister.
Gotta love family.
It was a very sad moment as I stood at the end of the cash register, (where they display all the best impulse buy items, like any self respecting retail store) and stared at the enticing bag of Easter decorated M&M's. Moving quickly from my initial regret of being unable to consume the M&M's (due to their milk enriched chocolate content), onto the heart breaking realization that the pastel painted colors of those dainty little candies forced me to uncover ... almost ALL my favorite Easter candies have chocolate in them!
I'm telling you, I almost cried like a little girl. I'm positive a small whimper escaped through my loosely self controlled grasp. And as I started to stew about the cursed milk content of chocolate in all my favorite candies, the saddening names quickly turned from candy, into a stream of desserty goodnesses that was compiling (to my horror) into a endless list of "can't haves".
Damn Carob Chips and their unsatisfying flavor! Why does cocoa and milk have to taste so cleverly good together!
It's a sad world the day any self respecting girl realizes she must part ways with her beloved chocolate friends. A sad, sad day.
Alas! As I mournfully called my sister and recounted my tale of woe 2 minutes later, she (in her ever astonishing wisdom and determination), refused to give up so easily and began naming possible substitutions. Moping in my despair, she listed a few items that I quickly discounted because of their hidden milk content, and she had to repeat twice the name of the cookie that saved my evening ... nay, the next few months.
No Bake Cookies.
While overloaded with chocolaty goodness, No Bake Cookies are one of the few cookie recipes that are made from real cocoa rather then chocolate chips! And 100% cocoa is exactly that, 100%! Leaving no room for milky taintedness. And while the recipe does call for milk and margarine, both are easily substituted in a vegan diet by soy milk and fake margarine (I use Earth Balance)! Holy Mother of Mercy! All is not lost! My dreary days of trying to consume Carob Chips in substitute of chocolate chips were beginning to brighten. It wouldn't stop at No Bake Cookies, any item that is baked from cocoa instead of chocolate chips can be made dairy free! :) Yay! That means my favorite brownies are still fair game, and I already looked up a yummy cake recipe. Even that tricky egg is beautifully substituted by an egg replacer with the same baking results! Phew. Life is not as lonely as it was beginning to seem.
Granted, all good things must be consumed in moderation. But I was so focused on milk, cheese, and processed foods with small traces of whey or powder milk, that I completely forgot to think about my deprivation of chocolate. I don't intend on binging upon my new discovery of coveted treats, it simply eases my mind that they are still an option.
It was a dramatic moment, cleverly saved by my brilliant sister.
Gotta love family.
http://www.zazzle.com/im_mostly_vegan_t_shirt-235314240438581140
(P.S. Many vegans swear by carob chips, and use them in place of chocolate chips on a regular basis to quench their chocolate cravings. It is only my personal opinion that they do not substitute nicely for chocolate. But I am an AVID chocolate lover and have a hard time replacing it with anything.)
Friday, February 20, 2009
Game Plan:
Shooting straight for the extreme, as of Tuesday the 17th I have adopted a vegan diet. Humurously against my final statement from the previous blog. For those of you who aren't sure what the difference is between vegan, vegetarian, and, well everybody else, here's a quick break down from the dictionary (keep in mind, just like religion, there is some "give" as to how strict one must adhere to the definitions and still claim a category).
Omnivore: noun
1. a person who eats all kinds of foods
2. an animal that feeds on both animal and vegetable substances
*(obviously the majority of people, and indeed fitting within the functional definition of human diets)
Vegetarian: noun
1. of or relating to vegetarianism or vegetarians.
2. consisting primarily or wholly of vegetables and vegetable products.
*(some vegetarians still include seafood in their daily diets - depending on the reason for their diet choices)
Vegan: coined by Donald Watson to distinguish those who abstain from all animal products (eggs, cheese, etc.) from those who merely refuse to eat the animals.
*(many vegans also obstain from using any consumer product that is made of, tested on, or harmful to animals - such as many cosmetics, leather, fur, etc.)
*notes added by me, not copied from the dictionary
There are many pros and cons to becoming a vegetarian or vegan, and I will address them in a seperate blog. For my purposes I am studying; 1st) my own ability to subsist off of such a limited diet, 2nd) if there is a better application than the drastict stand of the vegans that will still support animal welfare, 3rd) the practicality of becoming a vegan/vegetarian in our society, and 4th) whether I would continue such a lifestyle; if continued, whether my reasoning would be based on it's affect on animal welfare, or if I would maintain it's application for my own personal aesthetics.
I will continue a blogging record of my journey, as a diary of becoming a vegan and it's practicality.
Let me first note: after 3 1/2 days ... I miss my cheese. Terribly.
Omnivore: noun
1. a person who eats all kinds of foods
2. an animal that feeds on both animal and vegetable substances
*(obviously the majority of people, and indeed fitting within the functional definition of human diets)
Vegetarian: noun
1. of or relating to vegetarianism or vegetarians.
2. consisting primarily or wholly of vegetables and vegetable products.
*(some vegetarians still include seafood in their daily diets - depending on the reason for their diet choices)
Vegan: coined by Donald Watson to distinguish those who abstain from all animal products (eggs, cheese, etc.) from those who merely refuse to eat the animals.
*(many vegans also obstain from using any consumer product that is made of, tested on, or harmful to animals - such as many cosmetics, leather, fur, etc.)
*notes added by me, not copied from the dictionary
There are many pros and cons to becoming a vegetarian or vegan, and I will address them in a seperate blog. For my purposes I am studying; 1st) my own ability to subsist off of such a limited diet, 2nd) if there is a better application than the drastict stand of the vegans that will still support animal welfare, 3rd) the practicality of becoming a vegan/vegetarian in our society, and 4th) whether I would continue such a lifestyle; if continued, whether my reasoning would be based on it's affect on animal welfare, or if I would maintain it's application for my own personal aesthetics.
I will continue a blogging record of my journey, as a diary of becoming a vegan and it's practicality.
Let me first note: after 3 1/2 days ... I miss my cheese. Terribly.
Friday, February 06, 2009
What Peacable Kingdown did to me
I consider myself a pretty average American citizen. Involved in society just enough to satisfy my guilt, but not enough to boast about my contributions. During times of honest reflection, I am more apt to admit to my mutiple downfalls as a citizen, (or being all together). I'm certainly not involved in politics like a "good" American ought to be. Nor do I contribute to community service organizations that aren't easily accessible through my employer. I live day by day, consuming without much thought to my affect on our land, or the people outside of my small circle of acquaintance. And this has been fine with me. On a regular basis, this life suits me well. Living peacefully under the assumption that "ignorance is bliss".
There is however, a part of me, that sneaks up ever so often to confront my selfish means to an end way of life. I will generally shake the questions off, unanswered ... sort of like a snooze button for reality. But regardless of my cowardly avoidance, I've always wondered what difference I could be making if I did care to learn. If I did care to be aware. Ha ha. That's laughable, "care to be aware". Perhaps this will be my new slogan.
Perhaps not.
But I digress. The purpose of this thought today, this creation of a new blog, is directly correlated to the documentary "Peacable Kingdom" that I have recently been introduced to (tricked into watching through an assignment by my Environmental Ethics Professor). These types of films are exactly what I have been avoiding in my cushioned unaware life. Kind of like how I ignore the statistics on abortion so I don't have to become one of those fanatics with signs outside of the buildings who are killing babies. Ugh.
However, after watching this film, I was sort of indirectly assigned into becoming aware, ... and with awareness, reality ... and with reality, care. Truly all my professor was doing was using this film to illustrate the concept of animals being sentient beings, who are a piece of equal consideration within the Utilitarian concept. But the wheels started churning, and beyond my lesson of Utilitarianism, I began to question my personal contribution to the horrible mistreatment of animals that eventually become my food.
There's a lot to be said about the years of I have spent disregarding all sorts of ethical issues in life. But this one, what foods I consume, and what type of handling my food receives before it dies, is well within my power of control.
Or so it seems.
Coming to terms with this, and my previous total lack of concern, is just about the time my "food" ... became a "living being". For real. Let's call it my "coming to Jesus" moment, or moment(s), because I'm still coming to terms with the idea that this path may very well lead me away from my beloved dairy products that I do so relish. I mean, let's be real, I very well knew that my juicy hamburger used to be a cow, and that at one point and time my tender chicken had legs and squawked. What I chose to ignore was the individual dairy cow who was left without any real quality of life, as she was impregnated and milked into uselessness, before she was sent to be slaughtered and churned into my burger. Or the featherless chicken, who's beak was chopped off, and who never had a chance to learn to walk because she was raised in a minimally sized cage, in the dark, to reduce cost and maximize production. What I wanted to pretend never happened, (and certainly never wanted to hear) was the terrified cries of the cattle being led/dragged/bulldozered, into slaughter houses, as their fellow cattle scream their final cries of terror ahead of them.
Now this may all seem naive. Perhaps there is some necessary evil to this madness that I have to account for. After all, nature is full of scavengers and beasts that torment, torture and tease their prey before they consume them as their dinner. Hell, my cat torments mice before she ever thinks about killing them, and that death is never for eating. It's just vicious play. My biggest problem at this point, is that I have left myself so unaware, that I honestly don't know. I have no idea what is a better way, or if the quantity Americans consume allows for anything else. My next problem, is simply that ... I no longer want to remain unaware.
This leads into a dreaded journey of discovery that I always knew would be the only answer to my incessant nagging of a conscience. And that ... my friends, is the purpose of this blog. Here I will record my inquiries, experiments and (with any luck) answers to the questionable process of which we Americans produce and consume our fellow sentient beings.
With a newly tendered heart, and hesitant curiosity ... I enter into the land of the unknown.
(Dear Lord, please don't let me become a Vegan.)
There is however, a part of me, that sneaks up ever so often to confront my selfish means to an end way of life. I will generally shake the questions off, unanswered ... sort of like a snooze button for reality. But regardless of my cowardly avoidance, I've always wondered what difference I could be making if I did care to learn. If I did care to be aware. Ha ha. That's laughable, "care to be aware". Perhaps this will be my new slogan.
Perhaps not.
But I digress. The purpose of this thought today, this creation of a new blog, is directly correlated to the documentary "Peacable Kingdom" that I have recently been introduced to (tricked into watching through an assignment by my Environmental Ethics Professor). These types of films are exactly what I have been avoiding in my cushioned unaware life. Kind of like how I ignore the statistics on abortion so I don't have to become one of those fanatics with signs outside of the buildings who are killing babies. Ugh.
However, after watching this film, I was sort of indirectly assigned into becoming aware, ... and with awareness, reality ... and with reality, care. Truly all my professor was doing was using this film to illustrate the concept of animals being sentient beings, who are a piece of equal consideration within the Utilitarian concept. But the wheels started churning, and beyond my lesson of Utilitarianism, I began to question my personal contribution to the horrible mistreatment of animals that eventually become my food.
There's a lot to be said about the years of I have spent disregarding all sorts of ethical issues in life. But this one, what foods I consume, and what type of handling my food receives before it dies, is well within my power of control.
Or so it seems.
Coming to terms with this, and my previous total lack of concern, is just about the time my "food" ... became a "living being". For real. Let's call it my "coming to Jesus" moment, or moment(s), because I'm still coming to terms with the idea that this path may very well lead me away from my beloved dairy products that I do so relish. I mean, let's be real, I very well knew that my juicy hamburger used to be a cow, and that at one point and time my tender chicken had legs and squawked. What I chose to ignore was the individual dairy cow who was left without any real quality of life, as she was impregnated and milked into uselessness, before she was sent to be slaughtered and churned into my burger. Or the featherless chicken, who's beak was chopped off, and who never had a chance to learn to walk because she was raised in a minimally sized cage, in the dark, to reduce cost and maximize production. What I wanted to pretend never happened, (and certainly never wanted to hear) was the terrified cries of the cattle being led/dragged/bulldozered, into slaughter houses, as their fellow cattle scream their final cries of terror ahead of them.
Now this may all seem naive. Perhaps there is some necessary evil to this madness that I have to account for. After all, nature is full of scavengers and beasts that torment, torture and tease their prey before they consume them as their dinner. Hell, my cat torments mice before she ever thinks about killing them, and that death is never for eating. It's just vicious play. My biggest problem at this point, is that I have left myself so unaware, that I honestly don't know. I have no idea what is a better way, or if the quantity Americans consume allows for anything else. My next problem, is simply that ... I no longer want to remain unaware.
This leads into a dreaded journey of discovery that I always knew would be the only answer to my incessant nagging of a conscience. And that ... my friends, is the purpose of this blog. Here I will record my inquiries, experiments and (with any luck) answers to the questionable process of which we Americans produce and consume our fellow sentient beings.
With a newly tendered heart, and hesitant curiosity ... I enter into the land of the unknown.
(Dear Lord, please don't let me become a Vegan.)
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