Eating Consciously

As you are probably already aware, the food industry is very political when it comes to guiding our eating habits and keeping animal agriculture in business. A recent example is the threatening of a lawsuit by the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) against PETA. PETA had been running a campaign against dairy with their ads and informational material alerting people that milk usually contains certain levels of blood and pus due to infected udders. CMAB is not only demanding that they stop running the ads, but to forfeit all promotional materials and all profits made though the campaign. PETA also filed a suit of it's own against CMAB claiming false advertisement on their "happy cows" commercial. Not only did the judge admit it was indeed false advertisement, but CMAB were not charged and allowed to continue with the promotion since they have government affiliation! This is not the first time we have witnessed food politics in action. Some years back Oprah addre...

only by adding the proper lingo! A study by the Cornell University Food and Brand lab found that people were much more likely to find foods more satisfying when the contained adjectives such as juicy, luscious, and creamy than the same foods without the fancy name. What would you rather serve for dinner, quinoa pilaf, or tender quinoa with fresh peas? I am thinking this would work to convince yourself that your own cooking is more appetizing, for those who are afraid of their own cooking. If you have children, try this method the the next time you introduce a new fruit or vegetable.

Here's a great vegan version of a thick alfredo style sauce that tastes as close to the real thing as you can get. Vegan Alfredo 2 cups baby portobello mushroom (quartered) 1 cup unsweetened soymilk 1/2 cup cashews 1/2 block firm or extra firm tofu 2 Tbs olive oil 2 cloves garlic 8 oz whole wheat fettucine or linguine (1/2 bag or box) salt and black pepper to taste In a food processor, blend soymilk, tofu, nuts, olive oil, and garlic until it reaches the consistency of a thick sauce (it will thicken more as it cooks and small pieces of nut are okay, they will resemble grated cheese). Saute mushrooms with salt, pepper, and a small dash of oil over medium heat until soft. Turn heat down to low and pour sauce over mushrooms. Cover and allow sauce to heat until hot, about 10 minutes. Combine with cooked pasta. Enjoy! Tip- Alternatively, you can replace the mushrooms with spinach, broccoli, or anything else you can think up!

WRONG! I am amazed at the amount of people who are disgusted by veal, yet they don't think twice about piling on the cheese. Yes, that right cheese is worse than veal in my opinion. This is because if it weren't for dairy, we wouldn't have the calves needed for veal production. Veal is a DIRECT BY-PRODUCT of the dairy industry. How is that, you may ask? Well, in order for a cow to keep producing milk, she must be in a constant cycle of artificial insemination and pregnancy. Where do all those baby cows go? Especially the males! Well, if they live past the first day, which many do not since they are denied mother's milk and in most cases, shelter, they will be sent off to the veal factory. Many die on the way, but that's okay because they can just be used to produce that nice pair of leather shoes you're wearing! Please consider giving up dairy, it's even worse than "meat", in my opinion. Take a look for yourself:

BEFORE AFTER

I have been thinking about this topic a lot and I believe you will find it interesting as it can be applied to what we eat and how we connect with animals. If you are unfamiliar with the theory of quantum entanglement, I will give a brief explanation, but I encourage you to get an introduction to the topic by reading the book, What the Bleep Do We Know?! It is available on my recommended books list. They also have made it into a documentary. Quantum physics/mechanics attempts to explain the science of the small; quantum particles that react very differently than normally studied atoms and molecules. What is has given us is a new view on science as we know it and also seems to show some very strong evidence that we are all connected through one universal energy. Entanglement defies space and time, let me explain how. Quantum studies has shown that when two particles are entangled, no matter how far apart we put them, what happens to one, instantly happens to the other! Normal sc...

This is by far the best recipe I have ever tasted for a vegan cake of any kind. So decadent and healthy at the same time. These are also great for the holidays and gingerbread is all the rage this season. Don't forget the peppermint frosting! 1 cup soymilk 1 tsp vinegar 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup canola oil 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 2 tsp ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp clove 3/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt Mix together all dry ingredients, set aside. Combine soymilk and vinegar and allow to curdle for 2 minutes. Add oil and vanilla. Slowly combine dry ingredients into wet and mix until lumps disappear. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Peppermint Frosting 1 box silken extra firm tofu (any silken tofu will work) 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tsp peppermint oil Blend until shiny and smooth. Top off cupcakes!