Animal Testing

I now realize that becoming vegan, at least my reasons for becoming vegan, is opening up an even bigger can of worms than I actually expected. Not that I'm shying away from the challenge; only expanding my awareness to the cause.

It's nothing new, but is something that has been pushed back into the dustier aisles of my filing cabinets: Animal Testing.

I really have to start paying closer attention to the products I'm consuming, but I realize that this goes beyond just my dietary habits. Hair care, skin care, makeup, etc.

Last night I did a little research as to which products I've been consuming aren't actually tested on animals, and THANKFULLY, some of my favorite brands are vegan: M-A-C, Urban Decay*, Sebastian International, John Frieda, Too Faced, Redken, Revlon, Wet n' Wild, Smackers, Maybelline, Bare Essentuals, Clinique, Bath and Body Works just to name a few. Of course, Trader Joes and Burt's Bees are on the list as well.

(*Be careful with Urban Decay as not ALL of their products are vegan.)

Unfortunately, though, there are a few brands that I've become accustomed to that I'm going to have to give up. I will of course do further research just to double check, but my vanity is not worth a living creatures well-being. So many amazing hair and skin care products can be made with ingredients that you stock in your own kitchen that one shouldn't have to resort to a product that was tested on an animal. Even makeup!

I found a website that lists companies which do not test their products on animals and even includes some of their contact information, should you be interested.

Another website I stumbled upon in my internet perusing last night was a diet called "The Caveman Diet". It consists of simplistic-style eating and embodies, for the most part, how I would like my lifestyle, as far as my diet is concerned, to be. This one is also caters to the carnivores out there! The only real restriction is that it says to cut out dairy products (milk, cheese, butter), which is hard, but doable.

I've stopped drinking milk long before I decided to go vegan and I actually prefer almond milk. I've replaced butter with Earth Balance, which I honestly can't taste the difference, but then again I'm not connoisseur of butter. Cheese is the hardest to replace. There are a couple replacements that are doable, but nothing (from my experience) that comes close. But in the bigger picture what's more important: your health or artery clogging goodness?

It's a choice and you are the only person who can make it.

EDIT: I was finally able to fix the disabled comments. So, comment! Comment away to your heart's content!

Those Crazians!

I realize it's been a while since I've blogged. This has been due to my untimely return to work at the Crappiest Place on Earth and partially due to falling off the vegan wagon. Yes, I cheated on my life for the past 2 weeks, and I will blame the majority of it on returning to work. It's hard to be vegan on the go! But I've started up again the past 2 days and I'm trying to stay focused.

Let me catch you up to speed.

I actually got my chance to work with fondant via Tresye's help and I couldn't have been more excited! It actually is easier than it seems, however possibly just as tedious. I tried baking a cake on my own for a friend's Thanksgiving get together and I had to nix the fondant idea due to the lack of time. I'll really have to set up a play date where I can comfortably experiment with it on my own. Anyhow, here's the turnout from my workshop with Treyse:




The cake itself wasn't vegan, however, I discovered that fondant is!

A new recipe I've played around with is Spaghetti Napolitan, which is an Italian-inspired Japanese-style dish.



If I remember correctly this recipe consisted of:
-spaghetti (I used a package of instant ramen)
-1/3 chopped onion
-1/2 can artichoke heart
-2 TBSP minced garlic
-2 TBSP Earth Balance
-1 vegan patty
-Ketchup

Yes, ketchup. That's how the asians roll.

You start off by sautéing your garlic, onion, and artichoke (or whatever other vegetables you want) in a pan via the Earth Balance, while bringing a pot of water to a boil to cook your spaghetti. Add your vegan patty before your vegetables have brown (let it defrost in the pan and chop it into smaller pieces with your spatula, or a knife and fork if you choose, once its had a chance to warm up a bit). Once your sauté has browned and your spaghetti is cooked, turn off the heat from your pain and drain your pasta. Then add the spaghetti to your sauté pan and proceed to mix your ingredients together. Once your satisfied, add your ketchup. Not too much! Just enough to marinate your dish and add a little flavor.

I was actually very surprised by the turnout. I was skeptical about the whole ketchup thing the entire time I was cooking, and this coming from a ketchup lover!

I threw together a quick cucumber salad on the side, the recipe of which I will not include as it was a rushed experiment and had I actually thought it out ahead might've turned out good.

Let me know if you decide to try out your own variation of Spaghetti Napolitan. I'm sure they are better combinations out there. I just worked with what I had on hand.

Disabled Comments?

A couple people have informed me that they have been unable to comment on my posts. I've checked through my settings twice and I've found no cause for this problem. I did, however, peruse the FAQ and it seems like other users are having issues with their comments as well for unexplained reasons.

I will get in touch with Blogger and see if they can help me sort this out and in the meantime see if I can't find what's wrong myself.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience!

Raw Lime Tart

I just made a spur of the moment lime tart tonight as I had most of the ingredients and didn't want them to go to waste. The recipe I used is from a book called "Ripe From Around Here" by Jae Steele, which was introduced to me by Heather, a vegan friend of mine.

I've made this tart before with Heather and another vegan friend of ours Erin and let me tell you, it's AMAZING! And here's the catch: It's healthy!

These are the ingredients it calls for: Raw walnuts/cashews, coconut, dates, lime, avocado, and agave nectar. Yeah, that's right; It's vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and raw!

I'm going to a vegan/vegetarian restaurant tonight by my house called The Green Temple with some friends and then I'll have them over to enjoy my tart.

My sister was sister was sitting with me as I was making it so she got to be my taste-tester and I got her approval, so I'm excited to devour it ;)

Lovely Cakes by Tresye

Ok, so these cakes aren't vegan, but I am a big fan of homemade things and these cakes are absolutely darling. I hope to work under her wing someday when I have a little extra money to spare; So, dear vegans, when that day comes: LET US EAT CAKE!

But until then...!

These cakes vary in price depending on the detail. Just give her an idea of what you want and she can give you a quote. A basic cake may cost around $60, including fondant detail and a message, such as, "Happy Birthday". Her work is truly beautiful and her cakes are made with love. What more can you ask for?!

She also offers fondant classes for $40 per class, and it's bring your own supplies (she'll provide you with a list of things you'll need) AND she will work with your schedule.

To order a cake or schedule a class you can contact Traci at LCByTresye@yahoo.com. With the holidays coming up, order ahead to ensure you'll get a spot!

To see more cakes by Traci click here.

-Dana-

Obligatory Intro Post

I'M GOING VEGAN!

So, the objective of this blog is to document my progress, share my progress, and hopefully inspire a few people while doing it.

IT DOESN'T STOP THERE!

I want to save the world! And I want you to join me.

I'm constantly researching ways to improve life in a GREEN way, this consists of alternative living and (creative) recycling.

This is all new to me. I have a small group of vegan and vegetarian friends helping me on my journey, but I would love to meet more people and learn from each other.

Before closing this entry I'd just like to tell you a little about myself:

Hi, my name is Dana! I just turned 25 on October 21st. I've been a vegetarian for 2 years now. I've been vegan for about 4 days. I've attempted to go vegan a couple times, but I think I'm finally ready to make that leap this time. I weigh roughly 200lbs. and a little side goal of mine is to drop a few pounds in the process, so not only am I cutting dairy and other animal products out of my diet, I'll be cutting back severely on bread and refined sugars.

I'm also looking to improve my cooking skills and have stocked up quite a collection of vegan recipes, but I could always use more! I'll be sharing recipes as I cook and critiquing them for your enjoyment.

Please Follow Me and help me on my Quest!

Forget the Cheerleader, Save the World!

-Dana-