Take The 1-Day Vegan Challenge!

Did you know it takes five times the resources to produce a single pound of beef versus a single pound of grains, vegetables, beans, or nuts? That's right, it takes five times more water, food, and antibiotics to produce one pound of animal meat, milk, or eggs.
This has a huge effect on the climate, as well as on poorer nations who could make better use of those resources to feed themselves and become self-sustaining.  Beyond that, the amount of suffering in the factory farming industry, as it now operates, is beyond description. You can look at the PETA website for more information on that, as well as find several resources on YouTube, such as the film "Earthlings".

I know it is not always practical to choose a vegan lifestyle, or even a vegetarian one. But every day that you choose not to consume animal products lessens your carbon footprint, your impact on the environment, and sends a message to meat, dairy, and egg producers that you want quality products for your family that are nutritionally dense, free of chemicals and antibiotics, and butchered in the most humane and sustainable way possible.

Think about it, can you go for one day without having any dairy products, eggs, or meat and fish? I know that you can, and you may find that you really enjoy it too. People always ask vegans, "What do you eat?" The answer is: EVERYTHING ELSE.

Challenge yourself, your family, your co-workers, your friends, to give up animal products in your diet for just one day, and you will learn that it is not about deprevation, it is about choice. If everyone tried it for just a day, not only would we see a huge environmental imapct, but also a new respect for those who choose to live vegan in a meat-eating world.

Start your day with Cereal and Almond Milk, Put Soy Milkin your Coffee instead, Have a Tofurky* Sandwich For Lunch, Have a Vegetable Curry and Brown Rice For Dinner. There are even vegan Cupcakes and Cookies for your snacks. It isn't that hard to do, and you may like the way it makes you feel. Ultimately, reducing the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy that you eat in the average week, even by just a few servings, can make a huge difference for you and for the world we will leave to our children. So give the 1-Day Vegan challenge a try, and see what you think. One day can change the way you see food forever!

Take The Pledge Here!

I ___________________________, hereby pledge to take the 1-Day Vegan Challenge in the hopes of seeking a better understanding of what it means to live a vegan lifestyle, choosing not to consume any animal products or by-products for a 24 hour period.

Remember:
Being a vegan is one of the most healthy choices an individual can make, not only for themselves, but also for the environment, and all of earth's creatures - great and small.  Every time you choose not to eat an animal product, you are choosing to live a kind and compassionate life, giving a gift to yourself, and to everyone and everything around you.

By choosing to skip meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, even just for one day a week, you not only reduce your carbon footprint, but you send a message with your hard earned dollars that you want healthier options for yourself and your family.

If you do eat meat, eggs, and dairy - and many people do, for many reasons - try to choose organic products, farmed locally from small vendors, such as the local farmers market.  Organic products may cost a little more, but you can be sure that the products you are purchasing are healthier, grown in more sustainable and responsible ways, and largely free of the pesticides and antibiotics pumped into large scale factory farmed products.

Challenge yourself to "go vegan" for just one day, and feel the difference in your body from eating nutritionally dense foods like soy, beans, vegetables, nuts, and other non-animal food sources. Feel the joy that comes from eating a 'kind' diet


*Please Consult a Physician Before Starting Any New Dietary Plan, Especially If You Are Pregnant, Nursing, Diabetic, or Suffering From A Chronic Illness.

**Recipes and Resources Are Available Across The Internet For Free! Take your time to plan your 1-Day Vegan Challenge so that you have everything you need to make it easy and enjoyable

Our Dietary Choices - Should Others Cater To Us?

I recently read an article on an online news zine, Toronto Life Magazine, that really bothered me. Here is an excerpt:

Dear Urban Diplomat,
Last week we sent out e-vites for our son’s 10th birthday. The RSVPs started coming back, and in two cases, parents wrote “gluten-free preferred” in the space for allergies and dietary restrictions. What the heck is that? I’m not asking for preferences—I’m asking if their kid will keel over if he catches a whiff of chocolate icing or offend Allah by consuming non-Halal pepperoni. I’m disinclined to accommodate these requests, but my husband thinks we should, to avoid any social awkwardness. Am I out of line here, or are they?
—Let Them Eat Cake, Streetsville

Glutenphobia has joined lacto-ovo vegetarianism, kangatarianism and Edenism on the long list of abstemious dietary trends that make throwing a party as straightforward as hosting the G20 Summit. The key word is “preferred.” If there were a true celiac in the group—someone for whom the consumption of gluten results in violent diarrhea—the request would have been far more adamant. Still, are you prepared to upset the fragile ecosystem that is your son’s social circle on principle? Ordering a gluten-free pizza won’t kill you. A kid playing Twister with an explosive digestive system, on the other hand, can be a party killer, and fast.

I am really puzzled by this new Gluten Free movement, it seems that what has been solely the concern of those suffering Celiac disease is now a trendy diet fad that is being thrust about. Much as true Celiac sufferers are benefiting from this boom in gluten-free options, what most Gluten Free 'Fadists' seem to be avoiding is highly refined and processed wheat flour. I can certainly understand a desire to cut out the white 'candy' processed flours, grains, sugars, and additives, and it will make you feel better, but to suggest that a mother having a birthday party avoid flour in pizza, cake, and other food offerings, is going a bit far for those who do not have Celiac disease. There is a difference between an allergy or intolerance, and a preference.

It is not like a Vegan who chooses to give up all animal products for their own health. For instance, even though most people tend to have issues with cow's milk, with lactose intolerance a natural state developing as we age, since non-human milk is not meant for our consumption, and even human milk is meant for newborns, infants, and young children - even as old a 5 or 6 years. Many dairy products and eggs can be very hard on our digestive systems and are known allergens. Wheat has been a dietary staple since the dawn of man, and only since it has been highly refined and genetically altered is it causing problems for many people, particularly on a digestive level.

If you have chosen a dietary course for yourself, such as vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free as a preference, no matter how noble your intent, you cannot expect the world to cater to your whims. You can provide for yourself and your family, but to expect others to do so when it is not medically necessary is absurd. If it is a peanut allergy, or something with the risk of a violent allergic response, then by all means notify the parents throwing the party and find out if you can work with them to make it safe for your child without inconveniencing them. Gluten free preference is not an allergy or even a reasonable request to make, it's all or nothing -- if it is an allergy or Celiac child, a parent would be explicit.

I think as a parent, you need to advocate for your child's needs and preferences, where possible, but children still need to learn to manage in a world that doesn't always cater to their wants. They may prefer a chocolate cake to vanilla, but you wouldn't be that specific when you RSVP to a party, no one ever suffered PTSD as an adult for not having their favorite frosting on someone Else's birthday cake. Children are growing up with an overblown sense of entitlement, must we contribute to this by teaching them that everything should always be altered to suit their wishes?

Am I missing something? Is there more to the Gluten Free movement than I am aware of, is there something concrete (other than Celiac Disease), that requires that so many people are suddenly adopting this choice over a much more obvious decision to improve the way you feel by eating a wider variety or foods and reducing the amount of animal products and fats in the diet? If there is, please educate me, I need to understand whether this is a preference as opposed to a dietary restriction. Please comment if you have any sources or links to good information. 

My Journey To Vegan Cooking Joy!

I am a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen, or so I have been told. I grew up at my mother's elbow, watching her cook everything as I offered to set the table, and help out. My mother was a homemaker with 4 children born over a 5 year period of time, who was an excellent cook, and we always ate dinner at 6pm sharp [even though my dad was always at work till we went to bed], and we always had a Friday night dinner with the whole family, my grandparents included.  Every holiday was a special event in the kitchen, with traditional Jewish recipes, and more food than we could ever eat.   We ate dinner together, shared our day, my father and Zaida (grand father) would discuss politics, and we would laugh and be silly, while tucking into familiar family favorites.

A Kosher home, I would say we ate vegetarian meals at least 70% of the time.  We would have our cereal [hot or cold], and milk for breakfast, with juice perhaps.  We sometimes had eggs on the weekends, or bagels with cream cheese. Lunch was always 'dairy' too. We would have sandwiches with egg salad, tuna fish, salmon salad, or cream cheese and jelly. Occasionally we would have the classic PB&J sandwich. We would drink our milk or juice, and eat fruit and veggies on the side. If we were lucky, we found canned spaghetti (no meat) in our little thermos, but basically lunch was a no meat (beef, poultry, lamb) affair. We never ate pork products, and we never ate shellfish.

Dinner time was where we might find some beef or chicken on the menu. Most nights, my mother would serve fish, a vegetarian cheese lasagna, or spaghetti with a canned sauce and no meat.  There was always a canned vegetable on the side of the plate [I still gag at the thought of wax beans], and some sort of starch, either rice or potatoes. We ate baked chicken livers or braised beef liver (for the iron, I was told), which was deliciously covered in ketchup and caramelized onions, but these were rare treats, usually once a month.  We would eat chicken (on the bone) on occasion, either "shake and bake" style, or baked in a sweet tangy tomato sauce.  Barbeque season would bring the occasional hamburger, hot dog, or even a small beef steak. We would eat these with salads and perhaps a potato side dish. Bread was only eaten with burgers and beef wieners. On Friday nights when we would have an Egg Challah, as part of the Sabbath meal. We would traditionally have a Chicken Soup, Beef Brisket, and Chicken on Friday nights, and only when we ate meat would we be allowed to have Soda Pop to drink, otherwise it was juice or water.

All in all, I have to give my Mother props, she always had a delicious dinner for us,  we always had some form of vegetable and a starch, and we didn't drink our calories in sugar soda, although there was a lot of apple juice and 2% milk. Given what was known about nutrition in the mid 70's, I think she did as well as she could have.  We didn't consume a lot of meat really, and we were always offered fruit, even canned fruit in winter time, as a dessert or treat. We may not have wanted the apple, but it was always in our lunch box anyways.

Fast food was a rare treat when we were kids. I can remember having "Kentucky Fried Chicken" less than 10 times before I was 15, we only ate it if my mother wasn't able to make dinner because she had a busy day of doctors appointments or shoe shopping for 4 kids. We had pizza only at birthday parties, usually not even our own, my mother would often make tiny party sandwiches for our parties, or home made English muffin pizzas of her own. We only went to McDonald's a few times a year, usually with my paternal grandmother, and I never really got into fast-fooding till I was in high-school and working for my own money. I was my own worst enemy in that respect, but I was still interested in all that went into cooking meals for the family.

Recipe by recipe, I memorized my Mother's greatest hits. I learned that cheesy lasagna recipe, and later added in frozen spinach for my own twist.  I made chili exactly as she did. I made her famous Velveeta Tuna dip for fresh vegetables, it was divine with celery. I learned to make egg salad, tuna salad, and tons of other regular everyday recipes by the time I was 10. Soon after my mother would allow me to cook some of the time, and side by side we would attempt new recipes too.  I learned a lot of basic cooking principles, like boiling pasta, eggs, and potatoes, how to make a crumb mixture and bread chicken or fish to fry or bake, and how to make my own oil and vinegar style salad dressings.  I loved the positive feedback I would get from cooking for my family, it was really wonderful.

My Grandmother, my Mother's Mother was a great cook as well, and she had a repertoire of depression era recipes that were filling and cheap to make. I watched carefully and learned her best too. From spaghetti casserole using all bits of leftover cheese in the fridge and canned tomatoes, to a "Jell-O" cake, made simply with flavored gelatin, sour cream, and graham crackers.  She was also a great baker, making amazing pies, cookies, and squares for us.  She had one recipe for a pan square "cookie" that I swear was different each time. She sometimes added nuts, candied fruits, chocolate chips, coconut and other goodies, all in different combinations. It was sort of freeing for me to see that you could use what you had on hand with the same basic recipe, and make something new each time.

So as I wowed my friends, their families, and my family cooking up new and interesting versions of family favorites, and trying new things I read about in the newspaper or on a cooking show (in the days before Food Network), I really learned to love the creative process of cooking. Now, this is by no means the "force to be reckoned with" that I speak of, that came a little later, but I was always a messy cook. I hated washing dishes, but I loved making that mess and seeing the results. My Mother was forever frustrated with the sink full of bowls and implements after I had used, saying "why did you use so many bowls?" My Grandmother once sat laughing hysterically as we made half a dozen apple pies after a trip to the local orchard, I was covered head to toe in flour, and so was the floor and every other surface. She couldn't believe anyone could cook in that kind of mess. It is rather funny, my Mother and Grandmother would clean as they went. Even when she was in her 80's, I would watch my 'hip-less' Baba [Grandmother], with one hand on her walker and the other arm leaning on the counter of her tiny retirement flat kitchen, as she washed each and every item as she was done with it.

When I was done with high-school, I was pretty certain I wanted to go into Nutrition at University, but one less than adequate, by a mere 5%, Chemistry mark meant I was short on the requirement. I decided that since part of the Registered Nutritionist course included some basic cooking courses, I would enroll in Culinary Management at the local Community College instead, and start from there while I boosted my Chemistry Mark.  It changed my cooking forever, both for the better and the not so great.

I remember the uniform, and I hated it. I wore heavy steel toed black work boots, a pair of itchy polyester hounds tooth pants, supposedly unisex, but not if you have curves.  A tight white jacket with a double buttoned front, starched stiff, and binding as heck on my 32DD chest.  A tight white scarf tied around my neck, and a white paper tall chef's hat on my head. I was further bound in by a long white apron, double tied around my waist. At 5'2", I felt like I was being suffocated daily.  I carried a red metal tool box, filled with fabulous [still] knives and tools, and I was off to class from 8am till 4pm daily, 5 days a week.

I can't explain to people who have not experienced it, what it is like to be making beef consume at 8am in the morning, having to taste it over and over for seasoning, and bound in the most unforgiving and awful clothes.  I quickly lost my appetite, and went from a healthy energetic 135 pounds to a  less than robust 115 pounds, and had no appetite for food, and didn't cook at home anymore, the joy had gone out of it.

Sure I learned a lot, I learned knife skills, how to make every stock, sauce, and dressing. I learned to make pastry and breads from scratch, I learned culinary history, which I have to say, I loved, and I learned how to work in a restaurant kitchen in the schools special dinning room.  I was forever told I was under-seasoning my food. What can I say, I grew up in a home where my relatives, many, had heart conditions and so my mother would leave off most salt, and let people add their own as needed.  I learned all the cuts from julienne to chiffonade, and I learned how to sear, sweat, and caramelize.  I learned how to butcher chickens and entire sides of pork, I learned how to plate meals to make them look appealing, I learned how to make seasonal meals, and how to cost recipes and price them to make a profit in a restaurant.  But I also learned that I was not meant to be a chef. Perhaps a cook-book author or TV cooking show host, but not bound in a uniform in a kitchen full of men working my butt off and never seeing anyone enjoy my food.

At the end of my first year in Culinary School,  I was hospitalized for my IBD again [something I had deal with since I was 12 years old], and as I sat surrounded by competent fabulous nurses, I knew that wise the 16 year old me was right, I was meant to be a nurse. I had thought about it for years, but somehow felt I needed to try something else too, just in case I was wrong.  I sat in the hospital and filled out the application for nursing school, as nurses wandered in and out telling me that I should think again, since "there are no jobs for nurses". At the time there were too many nurses and a system that needed to change.  By the time I was done with nursing school, things were changing.

The point is, once I was in a proper strict kitchen environment, where I was forced to season to my Chef Teacher's tastes and not my own, and was graded on that, I really started to really lose my love for cooking.  I enjoyed taking my products home for my family to try, I even 'worked' a dinner for my parents, in full uniform sans-hat making a full fancy menu from soup, plated salad and main, to a swanky chocolate ganache cake. I even made my own piped whipped butter curls and bread for the party. I worked the kitchen as my mother actually sat with her dinner guests for a change. That, I admit, was fun, but not enough to keep me in Culinary School, the Dean was heartbroken when I told him, I was a favorite student, one of only 2 females in my class, and earning near perfect marks in all my non-kitchen classes, and moderately good marks in my kitchen classes, he felt I was a great representative for the school with the industry partners. I just knew it wouldn't fulfill me on a deeper level.

I didn't cook for a long time after that. Several years actually, not till I was living on my own after my RN studies were over as I went to University to get my Baccalaureate Degree.  I had too many cooking implements, inherited from both Grandmothers and my Mother, and no space in my tiny galley kitchen in my studio apartment. But I would try to cook for friends on occasion.  Once I was working in Nursing, my schedule made cooking very difficult, so it was put aside in favor of take away and convenience foods.

It is now years [many years] later, and I have rediscovered my love of cooking with my new Vegan lifestyle. I can no longer order food on the phone or internet, and I can't afford heaps of prepared foods frozen in boxes.  Even prepared vegan meals are full of sugars, fillers, and sodium.  For about 7 dollars [Canadian], you get one tiny tray of Vegan food, one single meal, and no options.  I have opted to cook almost everything I eat now, with the exception of bread [I buy organic Vegan options], and some Soy/Plant Based "fake meats". It is a lot cheaper to cook this way,  and there are lots of leftovers too. Initially stocking my pantry has been a major expense,but I know I will have use for all of it.

So, now I have rediscovered my joy, I have used the favorite recipes passed on from my Mother and Grandmother as a framework for making my own new Vegan versions. I am using what I learned in Culinary School to combine my favorite flavors and techniques to create a pile of brand new creation that I could just eat over and over again [and have]. I have found some recipes in books or online, and customized them to what fruits or veggies I have on hand. I think that the Vegan challenge, eliminating the meat, dairy, eggs, and any animal products at all -- is really exciting to me. Finding new and interesting spice combinations, while leaving off salt if possible, and opting for lots of bright and fresh organic vegetables is really a nice change.

Vegan home cooking may not be for everyone, and there is definitely a benefit to be found from having a lot of previous cooking experience [vegan or otherwise], but I think it is really the best way to go for a healthy and balanced Vegan diet.  You could live off fast food veganist options, or ready to eat canned or frozen meals, but you will get a lot of sodium, spend a heap of money, and get little nutrition or fiber in the deal. Make no mistake, there are 'fat' [I hate that word] Vegans, and there are unhealthy Vegans. Just because you cut out meat, dairy, eggs, fish, and their by-products and embrace a kinder and more compassionate lifestyle, doesn't automatically equate with a balanced diet. You need to be aware of the calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates and sodium you are taking in, and you need to be sure you are covered with your vitamin intakes too. By cooking for yourself, even just once a day, you are giving yourself a fiber full and comforting meal, to your own taste and the seasonal offerings in your area.  Now I am a whole other kind of "force" to be reckoned with in the kitchen, and so far, everyone who has tasted my Vegan recipes is "If this is vegan, bring it on" thrilled.
 
Here are 3 of my self-created Vegan recipes; one hot, one cold, and one slow-cooker option, with fairly fast and easy delicious results. Enjoy!

Ketsy's Vegan Chilli Con Kindness

A 100% Vegan alternative for those who adore "Chili con Carne" made the Canadian way. All the rich chili flavor and texture and none of the fat. An easy throw it in the pot and simmer dinner for the whole family that can be modified to suit your own taste.
Ingredients:
1 Jar (660 mL) of Strained Crushed Tomatoes
1 Can (540 mL) Diced Canned Tomatoes (Chili Seasoned Variety Optional)
1 Can ( 390 mL) Organic Canned Kidney Beans
1 Package (340 g) Yves Veggie Ground
1 Packet of Club House Chili Seasoning (or Similar)
3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Small (Yellow) Cooking Onions
1 Large Stalk of Celery
1 Medium Carrot
2-4 Large Garlic Cloves (To Your Taste)
Directions:
1. Wash Raw Vegetables
2. Peel Carrot, then use peeler to shred Carrot into ribbons, chop ribbons finely
3. Chop Celery into small dice
4. Peel and chop Cooking Onions into medium/small dice
5. Peel and chop Garlic cloves into medium/small dice
6. In a small stock pot, add Olive Oil, heat to medium or when a piece of onion added starts to bubble
7. Add Onions, Garlic, Carrot, and Celery to pot, lower temperature to a simmer and "sweat" the ingredients until onions are transparent. (Approx. 8-10 minutes)
8. Add package of Yves Veggie Ground (or similar Vegetable Protein Crumble), break into smaller crumbles with wooden spoon, stir
9. Add remaining ingredients - Jar of Strained Tomatoes, Can of Diced Tomatoes (Seasoned or Plain), Kidney Beans (drained of fluid but not rinsed.)
10. Stir together well, cover and bring to a slow simmer over low heat.
11. Allow to simmer covered for 30 minutes or longer as desired.

Serve immediately in Large Bowls (Serves 6 - 1 Cup Servings as a Main Course).

Serving Suggestion: Serve with Toasted Organic Whole Grain Bread and Vegan Margarine. Grated Non-Dairy Cheese may be added as a garnish.

Storage: May be cooled, placed in jar or other covered container and refrigerated for up to 7 days, or frozen in single servings in plastic freezer safe containers or zip-loc bags for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information: Per 1 Cup Serving - 278 calories, 34g Carbohydrates, 9g Fat, 17g Protein, Fiber 7g, 875mg Sodium.

Ketsy's Decadent Avocado Quinoa Bowl

A versatile cold Quinoa salad with Avocado, Black Beans, Grapefruit, and Red Bell Peppers. Can be served as a lunch or dinner item, or serve as a side dish. Colorful, delicious, and versatile, you can easily switch in ingredients you enjoy and have on hand.
Ingredients:
2 cups (500 mL) Vegan Vegetable Stock
1 cup (240 mL) Dry Organic Whole Grain Quinoa (Pre-washed)
1 medium Organic Cooking Onion - Diced
1/2 Red Bell Pepper - Seeded and Diced
2 Large Cloves of Garlic - Crushed in Garlic Press
1/8 cup Chopped Fresh Organic Parsley
1/2 pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (Halved)
1 Medium Organic Grapefruit - Peeled, Sectioned, Chopped into cubes, Reserve Juice
1 Medium Organic Avocado - Cut into small cubes
1 Can (398 mL) Organic Black Beans - Drained and Well Rinsed
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
Directions:
1. Bring Vegetable Stock to a boil in a 2.5L sauce pan. Add Quinoa to Broth and stir. Return to a boil, then cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook covered for 14-18 minutes until all stock has been absorbed.  Remove from heat and fluff Quinoa Grains, add chopped Red Bell Pepper, Onions, and Garlic to to pot, and cover. Let Stand 15 minutes.

2. In a Large Bowl add Grapefruit Pieces and Juice, Tomatoes, Chopped Parsley, Avocado Cubes, and Black Beans. Add Olive Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar. Stir.

3. Allow Quinoa mixture to cool, or place in fridge. Cover Avocado mixture and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. Mix Quinoa with Avocado mixture and toss well. Scoop in 1 Cup Servings in Bowls.

Suggested Serving: Can be served over a bed of Organic Baby Mixed Greens. Garnish with Parsley Sprigs if desired. Store in fridge up to 2 days. [I dare you to make it last that long, this one has me eating it for breakfast the next day too!]

Nutrition Information: Per 1 Cup Serving - 313 calories, 43g Carbohydrates, 11g Fat, 8g Protein, Fiber 8g, 462mg Sodium.

Ketsy's  Kurry Potato, Chickpea, with Lentils (Slow Cooker)

A warm and filling easy slow cooker vegan curry, with delicious potatoes, chick peas, and lentils. Lots of warm curry flavor, with little fuss. Can be modified to suit your taste or pantry items, including adding additional spices to taste. Lots of protein, no added oil or fats. Use of Organic Ingredients is of course optional.
Ingredients:
8-10 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, Washed and Cut into 1 Inch Cubes.
1 Can of Organic Chick Peas (Do Not Drain)
1 Medium Yellow Cooking Onion (Large Diced)
1/2 Large Can of Organic Diced Tomatoes (Approx. 1.5 cups with Juice)
1 Cup Organic Vegetable Stock
4 tsp. Garam Masala Spice (Indian Mixed Spice Blend, Includes Curry Flavor)
1 tsp. Kosher or Table Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 Pinch Crushed Red Chili Flakes (or More to Taste)

To The Side: 1 cup Red (Orange) Lentils, Rinsed Well and Strained of Water.
Directions:
1. Turn On The Slow Cooker To High Setting (II). Place Potatoes, Chick Peas with Water, Onion, Diced Tomatoes and Juice, Stock, and Spices In Crock Pot. Make Sure Potatoes Are Close To The Bottom and The Allow Liquid To Settle Down Around Them.

2. Cover And Let Heat To Simmer, Stirring Occasionally To Distribute Spices.

3. After 3 Hours, Add Lentils To The Cooker With Previous Ingredients. Stir Well Into Liquids, Cover And Allow To Cook for 30 Minutes. 

4. Stir Once More, Turning Items From Top To Bottom Of Cooker Crock, Taste Liquid To Assess Flavors. Add More Spices As Needed, (Garam Masala - Salt - Pepper - Chilli Flakes To Taste) till desired flavor is reached. Less Spice Produces a More Mild Curry.

5. Allow To Simmer an Additional 30 Minutes. Once 4 Hour Mark Is Reached, Turn Of Heat to Serve Immediately, Or Lower to Low Setting (I), to hold warm and serve after an hour. Longer Cooking Develops Curry Flavor, But Will Make for A Mushy Potato Consistency.

Makes: 6 Generous 1 Cup Servings.
Suggestion: Serve Over Basmati Rice or Jasmine Rice For A Complete Meal. For A Real Indian Style Dinner, Include Soft Fresh Naan Breads and A Spicy Fruit Chutney On The Side.

Nutrition Information: Per 1 Cup Serving - 244 calories, 48g Carbohydrates, 1g Fat, 11g Protein, Fiber 5g, 629mg Sodium.

How Far Does Vegan Go For You? [Part I]

It is a difficult balancing act, to live a vegan life and make all the decisions associated with it while still allowing yourself to 'live'. I am not speaking about food alone, for it seems that may be the easiest part of the equation, at least for most of us.  We can read labels, see ingredients, and know whether our food has animal ingredients or by-products in it's makeup. It then becomes an act of choosing your favorites from among a number of brands, to search for the most nutrition dense options, and the purest offerings. We want to consume the freshest and most local ingredients when possible, and we can "vet" the companies that produce our foods to decide whether we like their overall vision and method of production. We can eliminate some brands based on their politics, or ethical means, and so on. Food is often what people think of when they hear the term vegan, and so it is often the most simple change we can make in our new compassionate lifestyle.

There are as many reasons to become vegan as there are vegans, and I really believe this is true.  While many of the most vocal, historically, have been 'compassion' based vegans, new studies about the health benefits of living vegan have seen a shifting consciousness and many are eschewing animals in their diet for medical benefits.  These new 'health' vegans may not extend their lifestyle to all areas of life, at least not initially, and that is just fine.

It is a steep learning curve, and this is why -- we are historically tied to animals in almost every aspect of our existence. Here is a list of areas that newer vegans might not have linked to animal use, and some that those that follow a vegan diet alone may not have even considered.

Personal Care Products

When you brush your teeth each morning and before bed, do you know what is in your toothpaste? Is it filled with chemicals you can't even pronounce, let alone determine their origins? Most dental care products are not vegan friendly, let alone natural, but does this really constitute a issue for all vegans? Should we toss our stash of products immediately, or use what we have and gradually replace them with natural and vegan friendly options. It can be quite a dilemma. Do we want to waste our hard earned dollars, add these chemicals instead to some land-fill trash pile, or do we use them, and allow them to wash down the drain into our water system, affecting the purity of our lakes and rivers.

It is a true vegan dilemma. I have leaned toward purchasing new and more environmentally friendly products, but it seems so wasteful on some level. The same can be said for skin care products, cosmetics, feminine care products, and paper goods. among other items in the bathroom.  Women often have decades of makeup and perfume, in pretty packaging, all on display by the sink. Do you suddenly give up all your favorite products and begin the search anew for vegan counterparts? Well, I think if you are living as a dietary vegan, you may opt out of this question out of the sheer challenge of it. But those who are living vegan because of a newly awakened sense of compassion and kindness for animals may feel that they cannot have their 'old' animal tested or animal product based cosmetics in their presence anymore. And don't forget your cosmetic brushes, applicators, and sponges, they matter too.

It is a sort of karmic balancing act, and it is very personal. If you see protecting the environment as part of your non-species preferential lifestyle, then it is sort of essential that you reduce your carbon footprint, reduce the amount of chemicals you flush into your water systems, and eliminate any items that have historically, or continue to, involve animal testing in their production.  But make no mistake, it can be an expensive undertaking.

Vegan and ethically produced natural products have a tiny market share among consumers, something we can only hope to change with our own dollars speaking for us. This smaller share means higher prices, often produced by hand or in small batches, with greater labor costs, and less shelf space in most regular stores.  We may have to roam the internet for specific items, determine local vendors, or order them via mail order catalogs.  A natural product, without preservatives, may not have the same shelf life, and likely won't stand for much sitting around, you need to use it within a smaller window of time, and it may need to be replaced more often.

 

Can you afford to make all these changes, or perhaps it is better to ask, can you afford not to? Companies like LUSH, are just one of the many who are offering mostly vegan goodies for all ages and skin types, from soaps and fragrances, to cosmetics and hair colorings, they have something for everyone. In addition, check out your local Etsy vendors, there are many making vegan cosmetics, soaps, and shampoos in small batches at home, that are good and cost effective choices. There are several blogs dedicated to reviewing vegan cosmetics, like the Vegan Beauty Review, that can give you heaps of options and reviews.

Cleaning Products and Detergents

Similar to cosmetics and personal care products, chemical cleansers for everything from dish soap to laundry detergent, are often full of animal byproducts and chemical compounds that can be harsh on the body, the water system, and the environment as a whole.  However, unlike personal care products, there are often many preexisting home recipes for cleaning that are mild on the home and the environment, and can be made in your own kitchen. Where women and men have flocked to cosmetics, embracing the 'Hollywood' look, and the advertising that appealed to our vanity and societal norms, the home is still a place where you can 'cheat' and use old tried and true recipes.

Why the difference, well, chemical based cosmetics are historically a relatively new industry.  While women have always used products to make themselves more appealing, think of Cleopatra for instance, they have usually used natural items that were available to only those who had the luxury of dedicating time to their appearance.  Kohl, henna, and berry stains are some examples. Chemical heavy compounds made for the every-woman, and man for that matter, have evolved only in the last century or two. However, cleaning products made from vinegar, lemon, baking soda, and other plant derivatives and natural animal fats and waxes, have been an ever evolving home science and economical pursuit for a greater segment of the population historically, and have never gone out of vogue. 

There have been so many books, television shows, and word-of-mouth movements sharing these 'handy hints', that they have never been forgotten. While we may buy into the advertising and ad campaigns of the billion dollar chemical companies that give us a dozen different scented concentrated laundry detergents, we have managed to keep the cottage industry of natural products alive along side it.  This is certainly a less expensive option in a vegan lifestyle, but not always to most convenient for a modern one.  The fact that we can use watered down vinegar and old recycled newspapers to clean windows better than a bottle of chemical Windex and a roll of bleached paper-towel, is not a difficult or expensive switch to make.

What it comes down to often is a matter of time, and convenience. Try to separate a new mother from a bottle of baby friendly laundry detergent and you may lose an eye. I am kidding, of course, but it is hard to give up a time-saving and nice smelling option for hand-scrubbing cloth diapers for hours, when you have a screaming hungry infant to wrangle.  This is an extreme example, but one that illustrates all the challenges a vegan has to consider when making a whole life-scope change to kinder, natural, vegan options.  It can be done, and there are many new store brands that are vegan friendly detergents that satisfy both the convenience and modern lifestyle issues, at a financial cost of course.  Here is a starter list of ideas for Cleaning House the Vegan Way.
 
Clothing and Shoes

What you wear is perhaps an obvious choice to most, I mean, leather is animal hide, you don't wear it if you are a compassionate vegan. But is it that simple? I suggest it really isn't simple at all.  If you are vegan eater, you have chosen to eliminate animal products from your diet.  But there are so many industry secrets in the productions of clothing and shoes, that many people don't realize how complicated the choices can be.  We can eliminate leather and fur quite easily, but are there other hidden ingredients that are animal based, that involve cruelty in their production, and what about petroleum based options, are they any better for the environment, do they not pollute the environment and therefore do significant harm as as well. Are all synthetic fabrics "kind", or are there some that are better than others.

Where do you draw your line, and there is no other way to express it, you need to really have your own 'line in the sand' on this one.  You may have a closet full of clothes, store bought or hand-made, that no longer fit your vegan world view.  We can eliminate silk, made by silk worms, and we can eliminate wool, which comes from sheep and other animals, including alpacas.  But do sheep really suffer in the production of wool, some obviously do, but some, those raised on small homestead farms in Scotland or Ireland, and treated well, allowed to roam and feed freely, and only sheered seasonally for their own comfort, their wool a historically valued commodity -- do they suffer simply by being sheered by the gentle hands of a farmer who cares for his flock as if it were an extension of himself? That is a less quantifiable "suffering", some may say it is not suffering at all.

Even if you abstain from wool, silk, and leather, and choose only plant based textiles, the dyes and chemicals used to fix those dyes, as well as the treatments, such as the use of wax to waterproof the fabric, may include animal products, and yes, even bees wax is off the list of options for most vegans.  So you really have to do your homework here, and there may be no way of telling in the end, if you have done yourself a service by replacing your entire wardrobe, or wearing your existing wardrobe till it needs replacement, using the textiles that are no longer wearable for cleaning or up-cycling into other items of use.

Certainly recycling and shopping in second hand stores will have an positive karmic effect, as well as a nicer environmental impact.  Up-cycling old and torn items into new and usable items is in itself a very vegan friendly concept, and a very crafty one too, perhaps even a profitable one as you pass it along a vertical use path, as opposed to down into trash and burn options.

Be aware that even buying a non-leather pair of shoes is not itself a vegan option.  Glues and coatings may include animal products obtained through the same factory farming plants that most vegans are fighting to eliminate.  The dyes on a cotton garment may include animal products, either in the dye itself, or in the fixing stage. While a garment made of hemp based textile may seem like a no-brainer, what about the thread used to sew it together, does it contain silk (which is a 'natural' product, just not an ethical one)?  Natural does not mean animal free, so shop smart, look for the term vegan, and don't assume anything if you are shopping by textile alone.

It is just as easy to print a pro-vegan slogan on a non-animal friendly t-shirt, as it is to print it on a 100% vegan one, and is the 'printing' itself vegan friendly.  A lot to consider, and really, a very individual decision. I may be comfortable buying a vintage handbag made of vinyl, while someone else may feel that a ethically raised wool fabric handbag is more 'natural' and vegan.  Try checking out Moo Shoes, one of my favorites in online or in person (from NYC), or VShoen in Canada. Hemp clothing producer Nomads Hemp Wear makes some really cute fashions for the men, women, and children.

Medications and Vaccinations

While we may find the pharmacy shelves stocked with natural dietary supplements, not all are created equal. Gelatin, used in making capsules, and waxes used on tablets, are not always vegan friendly. Be sure you are buying 100% vegan products, and look at the packaging too, make sure it is at least recyclable, if not made from a recycled products already.

If your doctor prescribes a medication for you, then as a nurse, I believe that after doing your research, with your doctor and alone, you may be best to take it.  Sometimes, frankly most times, antibiotics are misused to treat the common cold, which is a viral infection, not a bacterial one, and therefore not susceptible to the actions of antibiotics. Once a bacterial infection is detected, and found to be sensitive to a certain antibiotic, then (and only then) will it be effective in treating it.  If it a life threatening condition, you may have to start antibiotics before the cultures come back, and then adjust if you are on the wrong one, but this is done in a hospital setting, not something you can do at home once you start a full course of treatment for a non-life threatening illness. Most people don't know that a bad cold may last longer than 3 weeks in a healthy adult, and that it is not unusual for it to last even longer than that. Many time treating the symptoms of the cold can prolong it's course. If you are coughing and have a runny nose, there is a reason.  You are trying to get something out of your system.  If you suppress a cough, you are keeping the yucky stuff in your lungs longer, and making the illness last longer as a result.

If it is an issue that diet changes and weight loss, or gain, can't fix immediately, then medication is perhaps the only option in the near term. You need to live long enough to make those positive changes so that your body can balance itself. Sometimes taking the insulin you need while you lose weight to try to remedy Type II Diabetes, is your best and only move.

We know that almost all, if not all, medications go through animal and human testing prior to approval, and many may include animal byproducts, like natural insulin and hormones, although there are synthetic options too.  How far you take your vegan-ism, with respect to your own life, is also a very personal choice. But has a far more direct impact than a pair of shoes or a lipstick.  Be educated, try to find ways to heal your body and get off the medications you wish you didn't have to take, but don't throw them away without seeking out medical advice.

As for vaccinations, that is a far more important issue.  There have been many movements of late suggesting a link between certain health problems, most notably Autism, and the use of certain vaccinations in children.  But the causative link is just not there, and more studies are leaning towards other causes for the spike in rates of Autism in recent decades.  Vaccinations, not only animal tested, but often containing animal based ingredients, have saved more lives and have eliminated some of the most heinous illnesses known to man. Polio is perhaps the best example of an effective vaccination. Small Pox is another,  and while it may not have been eradicated, as many had believed, it is once again being beaten back into extinction with renewed efforts.  If we stop vaccinating out children, we will be responsible for allowing this and other deadly diseases to steal our children from us, or cripple and injure them for life.

For parents, this is a personal issue, and one you need to make a priority, by doing your own research and making the best choices for your child(ren).  Don't fall victim to the campaigns linking one illness to one vaccination, they are not always based on science or fact, and are merely anecdotal  in other cases. Find a physician, or nurse practitioner, that you feel comfortable with and ask all the hard questions, and don't be afraid, you deserve those answers and so do your children.

When it comes to the annual vaccinations, like the "Flu Shot", these are more open to personal scrutiny and choice.  Many are produced with the use of a chicken-egg based medium to grow the anti-viral basis for the shots.  That is an obvious and very well known fact, so you may choose to avoid this shot on the basis of being a vegan. However, there are newer and more deadly strains of flu in the offing, and the recent swine-flu epidemic is a perfect example.  The latest flu strains are largely evolving from animals, animals that are kept in inhumane and unsanitary conditions, those who ill and then used ground up in feed, fed to more animals still. They evolve in a antibiotic rich environment, like the giant agribusiness farms that house thousands of tightly packed animals prior to slaughter, and dose those animals with heaps of antibiotics to treat the rampant bacterial illnesses that have evolved from this cruel and inhumane method of farming and housing animals for food production.

I think we must take the flu-shots as they exist, until there is an alternate method of production that no longer requires animal byproduct mediums, or no longer requires hundreds of thousands of eggs each year to produce them.  The technology is not far off. What is also not far off is a deadly strain of bacterial influenza that may kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people, and may have arisen from the very food production methods that vegans are so against.  It is the treatment, or lack of treatment, of animals that will be the cause of the next super-bug, and SARS was just a drop in the bucket compared to what most experts fear is next.  The verdict is obvious, take your flu shots, do what you can to stay as healthy and well as you can, and fight the systems that exist in which the next deadly virus is likely to evolve.  Swine, bird, or bovine, the animals will be the seat of the next strain of antibiotic resistant influenza, what we must do is change the conditions these animals are living in in order to stop it before it starts. This is eminently in the scope of all vegan's interests, both those who are dietary vegans, and those who are choosing vegan-ism from a place of compassion for animals, and all points in between.
 

What Next?

These are just a few of the areas in which the vegan question becomes muddied and murky for some, and even non-vegans have reason to invest their time and efforts. If you are living on this planet, you share in the responsibility to care for it, and will reap the benefits of any strides made to improve it's health, and it's complicated and fragile ecosystem.  Even if you eat meat on occasion, enjoy milk products and eggs, you can still admit that you want the healthiest meat and animal products you can but into your body or feed your family.

Would you rather feed yourself, or your children a chicken breast from a bird that is force fed and kept in a box with 5 other chickens, unable to move their wings or even rest. One that is pumped full of antibiotics and then is butchered on a fast moving assembly line with hundreds of other chickens by the hour, by unskilled hands, and even with washing, are often covered in fecal material? Or one from a healthy and natural organically raised source, one that is butchered slowly and with care to prevent contamination, one where there are educated and experienced eyes and hands on the knives that make those precise cuts and kills with a minimum of cruelty and waste. I think even those who think non-meat eaters are crazy "hippies", would choose the latter, and the fact is, they can.  It may not be my choice, since I choose "none of the above", but it is a choice that can be made. You may not find it in huge volumes, or at the same bargain basement prices, but who want to eat from the basement anyways. The more often the choice for better food made, the more likely it is that it will be available, and the factory-farm meat producers will have no choice but to make the change or face extinction.

In a future post, I will be covering issues like alcohol, furniture, transportation, home goods, and travel. All have challenges and considerations for the vegan lifestyle, and there are so many things to consider.  Please leave your comments, let me know what else has been a challenge or a surprise for you as a vegan, or even a vegetarian, and what surprising facts you have learned in your journey.

What You Say Matters - Common Idioms For Vegans

  When you embrace a compassionate lifestyle, you start to see all sorts of things that you never considered inappropriate before.  You also begin to hear a lot of things that strike you differently than they might have in your pre-vegan days. Idioms play a major role in our everyday communications. These are those common little sayings that are time tested and widely understood. They save time, they connect us to our past, and they make communication more interesting. That said, it also communicates volumes about who we are and what makes us tick.

  Many idioms use animals in their expressions, and that is what we need to think about. Do you know what the original meaning of the saying is? Are we perpetuating a way of thinking that treats animals as objects as opposed to thinking, feeling being entitled to live a cruelty free life? Here are some common animal idioms, and some suggestions for alternates that may have a wider reach than you realize.

Photo Credit: Using English

Well I'll be a Monkey's Uncle. This one is just precious isn't it? It dates from around the time Charles Darwin began publishing his work on evolution. Those who thought it was all a bunch of hooey would say this little tidbit, expressing their disbelief at such a notion. Well guess what, we are basically all monkey's uncles or aunts, and that extends to every other living species too. We all share things in common, the will to live, to be free, to exist free of pain. Perhaps saying I'll be an Eggplant's Uncle is more appropriate. Really, that is an absurd thought. We know that we aren't related to vegetables, grains, seeds, and plants in the way we are to other species.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Another good one, it basically means not to inspect a gifted or free item in front of the giver. Not only is that downright rude, but it goes back to a time when inspecting a horses gum line could tell you about its relative age and health. Now I wonder why that information would be important. Any guesses? Animals are not put on this earth merely for our use and consumption, so nix this one from your vocabulary if you can. Better still, try switching it up for Don't look a gifted cabbage in the leaves. You can wash up those organic veggies when you get home.

Photo Credit: Holy Taco

What do we say when we are trying to express being grateful for what you already have? A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. It's pretty obvious where this little gem comes from, when hunting, it is better to go for the sure thing then to risk it and go for the risky bigger haul. Let's get the birds back in the bushes and fields where they belong, they are not for sport. I rather like the expression A blackberry in the hand is worth two in the thorns. Very yummy imagery and the only one that gets hurt is the one digging in the bush for those juicy berries.

Is there anything more adorable then the imagery of fluffy kittens and puppies a plenty? It's raining cats and dogs may seem to be a harmless expression, but its origins are rather macabre. What seems to describe a heavy rainfall rather refers to the aftermath of such an event. It hails back to a time when the streets of 17th century London would be filled with the carcasses of dead cats and dogs when the rain was heavy and they were flooded. There is no more distasteful image then that of starved, abused, or consumed and discarded animals floating in the streets. I think that this saying will never be the same for me. Saying It's raining rice and beans is far more palatable and even more appropriate. The earth can provide both of these delicious staples in plentiful numbers enough for every living sole, if we used our land and other resources better.

Crocodile tears refer to fake or unauthentic tears for mere effect. It originated from an observance of a crocodile eating, and its tendency to secrete 'tears' from its lachrymal glands when working its jaw. But let's look further, it also suggests that crocodiles are somehow 'other', and are not capable of feeling pain or fear, something that is simply not true. All animals feel, if they have a nervous system, they are designed to feel for self preservation. So let's just chuck this expression and put in one we all can identify with, Onion tears. Tell me the last time you were chopping onions and didn't get a little weepy eyed, but did that mean you were sad? Not likely, it is the effect of the sulfur being released in the juice of the cut onion, it irritates our eyes, but our tears are not from pain or fear, but rather the work of those same lacrimal glands.

Living High on the Hog is something few of us are doing in this economy, but the term refers to those who are living extravagantly.  It refers to the fact that the wealthiest individuals could afford the best, which included the best animal flesh, literally those cuts from high up on the pig, the back and belly. The lower parts, the feet for instance, were meant for the servants and the poor. Pretty awful imagery, but in today's world, one would hope that those with an extravagant lifestyle would be choosing to put the very best into their bodies. And while for non-vegans that may include meat, one hopes it would be limited to the best organic products in moderation.  For the rest of us, the saying I would rather use is living High on the Hemp, A nice double entendre there.  Hemp may just be one of those perfect crops, we can get great oils, milks, and protein from this plant and it is not only a great food source, but it can be used to produce sturdy canvas cloth as well as light linen-like fabrics. It is also the basis for many other goods, and is a hearty crop that can grow in many different climates. High on the hemp indeed!

Photo Credit: The Daily Mail

We were always warned as children; Don't count your chickens before they are hatched. This originates from one of Aesop's fables in which a young milkmaid imagines her bucket of milk being turned into cream and butter, and those items being traded for eggs that will then hatch and all the things that will come to her from having all those chickens. Seems harmless, but it does perpetuate the belief that cow’s milk and chickens are property to be used as mere commodities, a way to obtain other things, be it money or luxury goods. It is too close to the factory farming model for my liking. Switch this one for something a little more organic and sustainable; how about Don't count your pumpkins until they are harvested. Just think of those lovely big fat orange pumpkins, but not every pumpkin seed grows to become a viable pumpkin. No harm, no fowl, literally.

Photo Credit: Women's Day

Ever have a juicy secret and been told Don't let the cat out of the bag. We understand this to mean keep things on the down low, don't let the word get out.  It seems innocent enough, until you examine its ghastly origins. This was a warning to those early market patrons who went to buy what they thought was a fat piglet for dinner, and were tricked by the butcher who always handed over goods in a burlap bag.  If one did not inspect their purchase, they might indeed find a skinned cat in the bag instead of the desired piglet, it’s all pretty sickening.  Letting the cat out of the bag was really about discovering trickery and avoiding being the victim of a ruse.  Is there a compassionate way to express the same idea? There are many, but you can choose your own.  I may go with Don't let the banana out of the blender. Just thinking of smoothies makes me happy.

And finally, the mother of all idioms, Killing two birds with one stone. This one leaves little to the imagination, as it denotes taking down two birds with a single shot.  Do we even want to use a word like ‘kill’ in our vocabulary, unless we are discussing what we did to our daily workout? I think we can do without the word in common speech, and leave it for referring to what it really is, the taking of a life, any life, before its natural end.  We get enough of this sort of violence in our daily news.  As for me, I will happily replace it with the term Cutting two carrots with one knife.  Vegetables are not suffering a violent end when we use them in our daily diets, but this accomplishes the same intention of the original saying, accomplishing more with less effort.

  When you think about the words you use, the turns of phrase, the language you employ to communicate your ideas and intentions, it is easy to slip into the same old tired idioms. I think the words that come out of our mouths are just as important as the food we put into them. When you choose to live compassionately, it is often a series of small steps, small changes over time that bring us in line with a new values system and way of living. Using positive terminology and imagery helps us to become more self-aware, more evolved, and more enlightened. It may take time, but there is value is using words and sayings that express your kinder and more harmonious outlook.

  Imagine the next time you are having a conversation with a friend and use one of your ‘new’ improved idioms in place of the standards.  You might find your listener confused initially. They may say “pardon”, or even ask “what did you just say?” Imagine the ripple effect,  what if your explaining your new phrases got others thinking about what they say, imagine if people began to question where the origins of their own pet phrases came from.  At the very least you have made an impression, the best case scenario is that they begin to examine the role that animals play in their own lives.  I am not saying you will be out converting others to a new vegan lifestyle, you might, but more than likely you will not.  I don’t believe in preaching about a vegan lifestyle, it is not a religion, it is a choice made for personal reasons. But what if your new turn of phrase is the tiny pebble in the pond, one that sends out little ripples at first, but they get larger and larger as they move away from that initial splash. You never know where those ripples may lead, and your new kinder way of expressing yourself may just have the power to lead others to find a more compassionate way of being in the world, and isn’t that Cutting two carrots with one knife. Food for thought.

Television Food Advertising - What's The Real Message

  Last night, with my brother over to visit, we settled in to watch some TV and ended up watching a pretty insane Not-Reality show called "The Joe Schmo Show" on the SPIKE Network. I rarely watch TV in real time, opting for online shows that are screened commercial free, found on Netflix and other websites.  As a new Vegan, I am more aware of the amount of fast food, particularly meat pushing, ads on television. I was so overwhelmed to see that SPIKE Network's target audience is getting almost wall to wall fast food ads, and most of those (if not all) are pushing the meat.

Applebee's 500 Steak Ad - January 2013

I am a new Vegan, so I never really thought about the "what" of food advertising, more just aware that it was there, and that often the sight of a gooey stringy cheesy pizza was enough to have me reaching for the phone, even near 3am, when the last local delivery chain shut down for the night.  But during almost every commercial break, I saw ads for McDonald's, KFC, Taco Bell, a steak house (or maybe it was Applebee's or similar, all I saw was the hunk of meat in full frame), and others. So much fried food, so little vegetable representation, even potatoes seemed absent. Is it any wonder why Americans and Canadians are eating meat at almost every meal?

KFC Gameday Bucket Ad - January 2013

I know that these ads triggered me, I had to keep reminding myself that none of the above were in line with my new choice in diet and lifestyle, but even doing that I still could almost smell the fried chicken, I was almost salivating for the meat I have decided to cut out of my diet.  It makes you wonder why this is allowed to go on. If government health agencies are sounding the alarm on Obesity, and they almost all are, then why is this sort of advertising allowed.  I don't mean to say that these "restaurants" should not have the right to advertise, but shouldn't the block of advertising between segments of shows be split up to minimize the number of back to back food ads?

  Think about it, what if there was a law that said that for every food establishment advertising, there had to be a commercial for almost anything else, particularly a healthy alternative. Show me a KFC ad if you will, but then I want to see an ad for a great vacation spot. If you are going to show me a giant grilled hunk of steak, maybe the next add should be for a new car, a health product, a new appliance for my kitchen, a mattress, a vacuum, a new show coming soon, a film, almost anything but yet another food ad.

McDonalds Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger - January 2013

  I think the answer why is pretty clear, it's all about the Money. Ad time is sold to whomever can afford it, and the fast food giants have it in their mission critical to find their target audiences and hammer away at them. SPIKE's audience is primarily men, young men aged 18-30 particularly. So they are the ones with the disposable income, possibly living alone or with a roommate, likely unmarried, and a prime target for fast take-out food. Make it look manly with a football game in the background, lots of friends and a bevvy of cute babes, and a huge bucket of KFC looks perfect in any Man Cave. And those buckets keep getting bigger and bigger, and the bones in the meat seem to be disappearing, making it easier to just gobble it all up without even watching out for the bones.

  This is not a Vegan issue, it is an everyone issue. Every channel does it to some degree. Watch Dr. Phil on any weekday and you will be advertised all manner of Special K creations, diet yogurts, microwave "low fat and calorie" meals, and healthy snacks - all with some fabulously healthy looking model dancing in her kitchen, or taking on the office jungle, or dancing down the street like a loony bin escapee.

  More frightening are ads for "5 Hour Energy" and other wake-up products. Face it, if you need a 5 hour energy to get your day started, you are not eating well, not sleeping well, or not healthy enough to power yourself through a day.  Not to mention the link between this product in particular and several hospital admissions and worse.

  So do we have a choice? I guess that is the ultimate question.  We know it isn't just adults that get this sort of "special" advertising attention, kids are bombarded too. Is it any wonder we are among the most Obese nations on the planet.

  I find watching my TV on the PC helps, no commercials, no temptations, no worries. I am not going to be anyone's captive audience if I can help it.  The more people keeping the TV off and going elsewhere for their TV content the better, it will send a message that we don't want that kind of advertising on television.

  Cigarette ads went the way of the Dodo bird years ago, and ads for alcoholic beverages are shown only on Cable channels or after hours, when kids are in bed. Why? Because we know that these things can be harmful if misused, or used at all in some cases, so they are limited in their sponsorship and advertising opportunities.  So why is food any different, fast food in particular. Obesity related health problems kill more Americans that smoking, alcohol, and car accidents combined.  Shouldn't we demand that these ads are also kept in check, allowing other items to take their place or just limiting the numbers.  What would that fight look like in the press, the courts, the government.

  If you don't have access to online content, I suggest dropping the volume, standing up each commercial break and going for a little wander around your  home, maybe tidying things a bit, or stretching and walking in place for a bit. Don't fall for the trap they are setting, we are all stronger than that, we just have to recognize that the ad is the trigger, and what you do next is what really matters.