With the leg bone connected
to the knee bone,
and the knee bone connected
to the thigh bone,
and the thigh bone connected
                          to the hip bone…

Whole grains, legumes, fruit, soy, nuts, berries, water and vegetables have been the mainstays given the rite of passage into my cleansed gullet these past 28 days (and some less honorable mentions if I’m being honest, like umm, a few Oreo’s), and my whole body feels like it’s been gently nudged awake from a sort of nutritional hibernation.

Going along with the allegory, the first order of business after sleep, is, fittingly, a trip to the toilet. Sure enough, the first transformation was in my gut. See: Grocery experience. This is the one “health benefit” of veganism I’m not sure I liked. Before this experiment I was already *ahem* using the restroom twice a day because I ate a lot of fiber. It was comfortable. But this past month? Let’s not even go there…it’s been a little excessive.

Next, waking up. Maybe for most people this comes first, but for me, open eyes does not equal “awake”. I’m not going to say there hasn’t been a single moment when a yawn has slipped out of my mouth mid-day, but generally I’ve had an abundance of energy-and if I have gotten tired, it’s because I work in a library.

Third, grooming. My skin has hardly required washing, and this is coming from a girl with acne. Not a cute little comically placed pimple at the tip of my nose every once and awhile kind of acne, the real deal. Again, I’ve still had to manage my acne, but my skin has become unbelievably dry. I tried using my acne medicine last night, but when I woke up this morning my skin was peeling. It’s been made obsolete!

It seems like so many things (and so many other smaller things I don’t have space to mention, like the fact that my eyelashes look like Brooke Shields’ in those Latisse commercials, or that my mouth doesn’t taste bad in the morning) are clearly affected by nutrition. I knew this before, but to see such dramatic changes, like with my skin, happen in 28 days, is pretty remarkable.

I’ll post my and my dad’s test results tomorrow for scientific proof, but for now, I’ll just sign off and leave you with the skeleton song stuck in your head. It’s a good one to remember whether you’re eating a salad or, perhaps, a delicious, creamy Oreo. What you allow yourself to eat will have an impact on your whole self. Whether or not I remain vegan, this is something I’ll never forget.

The words “elegant” and “cafeteria” put together may seem like a paradox, but it was actually quite lovely. It was so nice to step into an establishment with just as many options for vegans/vegetarians/gluten-free people as not. As I ordered the “Green Chow Chow Curry-vegan style” I caught myself expecting some kind of smirk, or “oh, she’s one of those…” looks, but no such look was cast my way! It was great.

Their description for the green chow chow curry is as follows: “sauteed spinach and mushrooms, green curry, coconut milk, cilantro served over brown rice with socca”. It was delish, and there was so much of it!! Two meals at least. My friend got their fries for us to share, and I’m so glad she did! They were perfect. I couldn’t try the mayonnaise based dip, (unfortunate because she was practically drooling over it), but I did have the pleasure of dipping in the apple one, which tasted like

apple butter to me. I also indulged in some Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet (Jenni’s Ice Cream) which was light and refreshing. The perfect finish to such a filling meal, even if 5 dollars is a little pricey for a few scoops of sorbet.

Then today, I went to Chipotle with my family and got a burrito sans meat, cheese and sour cream. It hit the spot! Why didn’t I go here earlier?

“Buttery” Garlic Brussels Sprouts

• Heat up 1 tsp vegan butter substitute (I use Earth Balance) and 1 tsp grapeseed oil on medium-high heat 
• Slice the brussels sprouts in half. Do not cut the tough end off at the end or else the leaves will all fall off.
• Place the sliced brussels sprouts, cut side down, in the oil and butter.
• Chop up about 2 tbsp onion and add to pan.
• Add 1 tsp chopped garlic, or two cloves chopped to the pan.
• Once the onion starts to brown, add a tablespoon of soy sauce (maybe slightly more?) and let some of the liquid cook out.
• Toss everything together and munch!

Chocolate Shake (approx. 390 calories, so I divided it into 2 servings and put one in the freezer)

• Put all ingredients listed in a blender: 2 frozen and chopped bananas, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tbsp agave syrup, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup soy milk.
• Blend and enjoy
• P.S. Total guesstimation on the amount of soy and almond milk. Basically add enough until you like the consistency. If you have a better blender than my family has, I would recommend only adding half a cup liquid and you’ll achieve an ice cream like consistency. This was phenomenal, I must say.

Notes: 

• If you make half the shake recipe, add a handful of spinach that you surely will not taste, and 1/4 cup cooked oatmeal, and you have a healthy chocolate shake breakfast!
• For the protein fiend/peanut butter addict, substitute the 2 tbsp agave for 1 tbsp peanut butter and add some truvia.
• Vegan butter substitutes have MORE calories than butter does. True fact. The difference is that they have no hydrogenated oils, trans-fats or saturated fats. They also have omega-3 fatty acids and obviously are casein free. Woot! Still, if you’re trying to lose weight, just remember that they are still high in calories and should be treated as a bit of an indulgence.

It’s possible you might feel guilty, but I’m only presenting facts. Don’t kill the messenger. And for kicks, here’s a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “The moral progress of a nation can be judged by how its animals are treated”. More than 9 billion farm animals would like us to think about that for a minute.

And here are those facts. (Hint: Number 5 is a doozy)

1) The approximate water footprint of one pound of beef is 3750 gallons.

2) “A German study conducted in 2008 concluded that a meat-eater’s diet is responsible for more than seven times as much greenhouse-gas emissions as a vegan’s diet is”

3) “It turns out that producing half a pound of hamburger for someone’s lunch… releases as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere as driving a 3,000-pound car nearly 10 miles.”

4)“If you are a vegetarian, you produce approximately 3,000 lbs. less of carbon dioxide annually than meat eaters… Land requirements for plant-based agriculture are a fraction of those needed for meat production. Decreased meat production reduces deforestation and land erosion, as well as air and water pollution.”

5) “The spread of disease from factory farming is exacerbated when waste products, including manure and the remains of animals who have died, are used to feed animals being raised for meat, milk and eggs. Hundreds of millions of farm animals die in the factory farming system each year, and by turning their carcasses into feed, the animal agriculture industry can save on disposal costs and feed costs at the same time. The whole system is unhealthy and irresponsible. Disease is so rampant, that the U.S.D.A. explicitly allows diseased animals to be slaughtered and sold for human food, because excluding these animals would result in financial losses for agribusiness.”

6) Leading health experts estimate that 70% to 80% of U.S. health care costs could be eliminated by replacing animal products with a whole foods, plant-based diet. 

7)”Flexitarianism refers to the choice to give up meat for a set number of days or meals per week …Meatless Mondays, for example, have become popular in school cafeterias and workplaces as participants strive for a more healthful diet with less negative environmental impact“

I have a friend who felt overwhelmed about these facts. She was thinking about being a vegetarian but then felt like she would have to give up leather, dairy, and other common items, knowing they have an averse effect on the environment.

But you don’t have to go to extremes to help make a change. Mother nature doesn’t need you to build a hut in the woods with the local stream as your water source and tree bark as your toilet paper to make her burden a little less. Here are some small changes you can make that WILL make a difference.

• Make one meal per week vegetarian. (This does not include your morning fruity pebbles)
• Borrow a vegetarian/vegan cookbook from your library, or look up a recipe online to try
• Replace meat in one of your usual recipes with a meat replacement like seitan, tofu or tvp
• In recipes that require milk like cakes, pancakes, homemade hot chocolate, etc…use soy milk instead of dairy
• Buy locally raised meat and dairy

Or for a big, bold, “I love the environment, the earth, my body, and all the incredible animals” statement, go vegetarian/vegan for A MONTH. Here’s a “Kit” to get you started

I will send my gratitude

for her chickpea cakes

Did you like that? A little literary/culinary juxtaposition there. I hope her last name is pronounced in three syllables like I’ve been assuming…

I have on my desk a plethora of vegan cookbooks. One of them is Kim Barnouin’s “Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook” from which the “Curried Chickpea Cakes” at left came from. Add some “Raspberry-Mango Salsa” on top from “The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys” and you’ve got a tummy-rubbing good meal, and so pretty to boot! I made three each for myself, my dad, and my brother, and everyone loved them.  I’ll put the recipes below…I hope that’s not some illegal copyright thing…I mean I told you who came up with them, right?

While we’re talking about cookbooks, I should also mention “The Vegan Table” by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Last night I made her “Chocolate Cake With Coffee Ganache”. It was fantastic! I had like three pieces this morning with my tea. I might make the ganache a little differently next time, but overall I was so impressed with this recipe. You know it’s good when I forget to take a picture before digging in. The one adjustment I made was replacing the 1/3 cup canola oil for 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce. This saves a whopping 596 calories, most all of which are fat, and I swear to all that’s holy, you cannot tell one bit of difference in the taste. I also only used half a cup preserves for the glaze instead of a cup. (That was an accident because we only had half a cup, but hey! It worked!)

Who says vegan food is boring?

Curried Chickpea Cakes

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions, both white and light green parts
• 1/3 cup light coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons evaporated cane sugar (*tms foodie* substitution: 1 teaspoon agave syrup)
• 2/3 cup breadcrumbs, plus 1/4 cup for coating (*tms foodie* substitution: I didn’t use the extra 1/4 cup, and I use Panko crumbs)
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2/3 cup COOKED brown rice (this means you’ll only need 1/3 cup dry)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or toasted sesame oil, for pan searing

In a large food processor, combine the chickpeas and green onions. Pulse until combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the coconut milk, sugar, 2/3 cup of the breadcrumbs, curry powder, nutmeg, and cumin. Stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the brown rice and the salt. Mold into 10 mini patties.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat (*I did not add all the oil at once. I used about a teaspoon at a time and added more as needed*). Add the chickpea cakes to the pan in batches and saute until there’s a nice golden sear on the bottom. Flip and sear the other side as well. Continue with the remaining cakes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Raspberry-Mango Salsa

• 2 cups pureed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup minced green onion
• 1 cup seeded and chopped fresh plum
• tomatoes (*we omitted this because we used tomato chunks instead of pureed)
• 1/2 cup whole fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup diced mango (*we added an entire mango*)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro

This past weekend I visited my grandparents in Indiana.

I walked in the door and my nose was greeted with the lovely aroma of sloppy joes and corn bread muffins, ripe for the taking. Knowing that I couldn’t indulge in the sloppy j’s I ran over to the corn bread muffin box, hoping against hope that maybe it was vegan. I mean it has corn in the title, right? Of course, it had “animal lard” in it…a big no-no. Shouldn’t CORN BREAD be vegan?? Sheesh. I’m really starting to sympathize with these people.

Somehow, I ended up with the meal shown here. Cereal and wine…womp womp. Not exactly a beacon of health.

Later, I did end up making the soup at the right. It’s a butternut squash, sweet apple soup. I’ll post the tentative recipe at the bottom. It was delish! Totally heart healthy and comforting for a cold winter day.

If you’re traveling and you like to keep animals in your home, not your belly, be prepared. Take some fruit and some basics, like bread, peanut butter and jelly (I did have the foresight to bring these at least), and prepare yourself for some mental turmoil as the rest of your family digs in to a myriad of food you can’t eat. Sad face.

Butternut Apple Soup

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 honeycrisp (or other sweet) apples
• apple cider
• vegetable broth
• garlic
• onion
• cinnamon
• almond milk
• salt, pepper, olive oil

Split the butternut squash in half and rub the flesh (ha…) with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a very hot oven until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork. Let cool.

Cut the apples up and toss with a very minimal amount of olive oil and some cinnamon. Roast until tender. You can put these in at the same time as the squash. Just remember that the apple will be done well before the squash is.

Saute onion and garlic in a soup pot. Once the onion is transparent, add the scooped out squash and the apple chunks. Pour in about 2 and a half cups apple cider and 2 and a half cups vegetable broth. Use an immersion blender, or a regular blender/food processor, to mix it all together. Let it simmer over the stove and taste. If it needs salt and pepper, add some. At the end I added some almond milk for creaminess, but had there been plain soy milk I would’ve used that instead. It’s thicker and has a better “creamy” consistency.

If only life were so simple.

Thankfully, we’re not living in 19th century England where a peppercorn was the height of culinary sophistication. We have cinnamon! And this morning I realized why ours seemed broken. It really wasn’t working. Thankfully, I got some cinnamon from a spice shop for Christmas and thought I’d give it a try. I’m so glad I did! Where before you could add a tablespoon and taste very little, this kind required 1/4 teaspoon and that was almost too much. Good quality, fresh spices make all the difference.

Here’s a picture of the four kinds of cinnamon we have at my house. They all smelled very distinct and lent a unique flavor. A is from the giant vat of cinnamon we got from Kroger. The reason it tastes so bland is namely from it’s age. Who could really use a half gallon of cinnamon before the essential oils dry out?? Pretty sure we’ve had it for a minimum of three years… B is “China Cinnamon” and smelled the most like standard cinnamon. C is “Ceylon Cinnamon” and smelled incredibly bright and sweet, almost like citrus. Finally, D is “Roasted Saigon Cinnamon.” I was totally taken aback by it’s depth and pungency. Earthy and spicy, I can’t wait to use this as a spice rub on…dare I say, meat?

Both the China and Ceylon cinnamon would have been good in the Oatmeal but I used the China one. The recipe is below.

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Scant 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Mix the oats, cider and milk in a small pot and let it thicken to your preference. Add the syrup and cinnamon. You can also chop up some apple into small, bite size pieces and add them to the oats before cooking. They’ll become softer once it’s finished.

For this recipe it’s important to use real maple syrup. The depth of flavor really carries throughout the oatmeal where maple flavoring wouldn’t. I use Grade B because it’s less processed, but some people find Grade A flavor more pleasant. If you’re on a low-calorie diet, a teaspoon would do the trick too.