Eating Consciously

As I had mentioned before, I have been co-facilitating Wellness Workshops here in Philadelphia, to teach people how they can implement wellness and sustainability in their lives. In the Workshops I talk a lot about why choosing plant foods over animal products is more sustainable and on my own, I also counsel individuals on how make the transition to a vegan lifestyle. The point of this entry is that I got a phone call the other day from a local paper from a reporter who wanted to interview me about the work I am doing. Surprisingly enough, she asked me a lot of questions about veganism, so hopefully some of that will get into the interview! As soon as it gets published I'll post it up for everyone to read. Let's hope we get a plug for veganism!!

I went to Reading Terminal Market yesterday and picked up a ton of fruits and vegetables, so I decided to make some vegetable lasagna for dinner last night. I ended up skipping out on the pasta because I wanted to use up the 5 pounds of yellow squash that were very ripe and ready to be eaten. This dish was totally experimental, but came out AMAZING! Didn't miss the pasta at all and the tofu cheese I made was very satisfying. Ok, so here it goes: Makes one large pan, about 9x15 inches. 1 block of extra firm tofu 1 c unsweetened soy milk 5 cloves garlic 5 lbs of yellow squash thinly sliced 1/2 bunch of collard greens (deveined) 1/2 c sunflower seeds 1 can of no salt added tomato sauce 2 TBS olive oil 1 TBS lemon juice salt and pepper to taste (I used a lot in this recipe) In a food processor, blend the tofu, soy milk, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. This will be your vegan ricotta cheese. First make a layer of sliced squash, don't skimp, pile the slices right on top of...

Not only vegan diets, but typical American diets in general are severely lacking in omega 3 fatty acids. These acids are essential for important processes in our body including brain development and preventing various mood disorders. How do we get our omega 3s without eating fish? Crazy talk right? No, not really. While there are a few vegan supplements that offer omega 3 fatty acids, in my opinion, it's much more fulfilling and less expensive to use whole foods. You have two easily accessible options, one is consuming a handful of raw walnuts and the other is consuming a tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds. Do not heat either of these foods if they are going to be your sources of omega 3s since that will destroy these delicate fatty acids. Here's a yummy shake I came up with to get you covered: 1 c nondairy milk (soy,rice,nut milk, whatever) 1 TBS ground flax OR handful of raw walnuts sprinkle of cinnamon sprinkle of nutmeg (if using unsweetened nondairy milk, consi...

Duh! Way to state the obvious, but Dr Ann-Charlotte Elkan and colleagues from the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden carried out research to study "the vegan diet." I find it funny when people refer to it as "the vegan diet" as if it's some sort of cult or something. The study was based on participants that had rheumatoid arthritis and measured how effective a vegan diet was at lower their chances for cardiovascular disease. I'm not sure why they chose to test on rheumatoid arthritis patients, but it should be noted that they did not directly look at arthritis in any way, so I'm not really sure what the connection was there. What the study found, was that there were significant reductions in LDL "bad" cholesterol and weight. (No, really?) These are the two main factors in cardiovascular disease and a vegan diet seemed to improve them. Well I think it's obvious because vegan diets contain no cholesterol and tend to be lower in ...

I know I haven't been keeping up with posting new blogs as frequently as I would like, but I am definitely still committed to advocating veganism and reading all comments I have been receiving. I think I had mentioned a little while back about starting a cafe and wellness center. Well, while that is still in the works, my business partner and I have been focusing our energy on a vegan baking company. It's official, we formed an LLC and are almost ready to go into production. I present to you, Conscious Confections "Shameless Sweets", here is our mission statement: "Our mission is to produce the most delicious confections possible, while assuring they are truly shameless by upholding the highest standards that respect the quality of life for all earth's inhabitants. We are committed to using the healthiest and most sustainable ingredients that do not include those that are derived from our fellow earthlings, the animals. We refuse to choose taste over nu...

As much as the word "veggie" annoys me when referring to someone who consumes a plant-based diet, I am all for the Veggie Pride Parade coming up on May 18 in NYC. They have been doing these in Paris for the past 7 years, but this will be the first of it's kind here in the US. There will be a parade, exhibitors, and even a wedding for a pea pod? I'm sure it's going to be an awesome day to bring attention to veganism, animal welfare, and our environment. I can't wait!

The American Dietetic Association finally steps in to state that nutrition professionals stand on the front line when it comes to educating people to make food choices that improve environmental sustainability. Here is the official position statement along with some excerpts: "It is the position of the American Die- tetic Association to encourage environ- mentally responsible practices that conserve natural resources, minimize the quantity of waste generated, and support the ecological sustainability of the food system—the process of food production, transformation, distribu- tion, access, and consumption." "Within the food system, the major water user is the agricultural sector, which consumes 84% of freshwater supplies. In addition, agriculture is a significant source of water resource degradation. Pesticides enter surface water and ground water systems and have been detected in drinking water. Fertilizers and livestock waste con- tribute nitrates, which threaten eco- ...

Many people do not even consider the fact that animals can be exploited in products that do not contain animal ingredients. Isinglass, for example, is a collagen, derived from fish bladders, commonly used in beer and wine to clarify the final products. Campari, a cordial, is colored with carmine, derived from the bodies of dried cochineal beetles. In general, liquors tend to use the least amount of animal products, followed by beer, and the least vegan-friendly, wine. Luckily for us conscious eaters, there exists a comprehensive list that informs you as to which companies are vegan-friendly and which are not. It is user-developed, so if your alcohol of choice is not listed, you can determine if it is vegan or not and add it to the list. Subscribe to Eating Consciously by Email

Take a close look at the two photos above. It is so clear that the pig at the bottom is in complete and utter distress, while the pig at the top is full of happiness. While we may not be able to communicate with non-human beings through the use of language, these two photos make it obvious that we hold the ability to empathize and communicate with them in every other way. While you may be unable to speak the language of another human, you can certainly detect whether or not the person is happy, sad, or in danger. Non-human beings are no different in the same sense, they are able to non-verbally communicate feelings of joy, anger, and pain just the same as any other being, so why are we so quick to discredit their feelings when they are so apparent? It may be for the simple fact that most of us do not face the very beings that we exploit on a daily basis. Imagine a living hell, so cruel and relentless that death is the closest thing to peace that you would ever come close to. That ...

So, sorry it's been a while since my last post. I have been extremely busy with work, school, and my business!! I'm so happy, though, that I have and outlet to share what's going on with all of you. I figured you would be interested in what's going on with the cafe. Well, my business partner and I have been very intrigued by the vegan baking portion of our cafe, so we decided to begin our business solely as a baked goods enterprise! Who doesn't love good, vegan, baked goods? Free of cholesterol, trans fat, additives, and preservatives, that are also organic, whole wheat, and VEGAN! We initially plan to market to other cafes and health food stores in Philadelphia, but also are looking into selling our baked goods to individuals online and catering to parties and gatherings. This morning, I made some delicious cinnamon buns and while I cannot share a virtual sample, I would like to share a picture of the treats!!!