First things first….

Today I got into graduate school!    I have been taking night classes in an attempt to gain entrance into USC’s Physical Therapy program, and I am happy to announce I earned one of the 18 coveted spots today.  I am not entirely sure what my game plan is right now because of the book, but it’s nice to know that all my hard work over the last 6 months have been rewarded.    Yay! (You can read more about my grad school application process in this post, and yes, we are moving in the summer).

Secondly, I did this huge Operation Beautiful note in a parking lot this afternoon (I was bored):

Thirdly, I also took this really cute picture of James.  My, my – what big ears you have!

By the way, I’ve been keeping the puppy page updated! 

Fourthly (OK, I’ll stop now), Blogger Vegan 4 A Day was a success!  As in, I did not give in to my 4 PM cravings to inhale an entire pint of coffee ice cream.    No, really – in all seriousness, here are my thoughts on being vegan for today:

• In many ways, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be in terms of finding things to eat.  I think it would’ve been harder if I was a meat-eater and was transforming my entire diet, but going from vegetarian to vegan (for just one day) wasn’t bad at all.
• In other ways, I felt like I was on a diet in the sense that “not” being able to eat something made me seriously want to eat it SO BADLY.  Now, I do not think veganism is a diet, of course.  It’s a serious lifestyle choice.  However, because I just agreed to do it for fun and didn’t actually have the desire to give up eggs and dairy, I was tempted.  This, my friends, is exactly why “diets” do not work in real life.  Restricting yourself from anything (when you secretly still want to eat it) is going to backfire.  I’m fine with restricting myself from meat because 99% of the time I don’t secretly want it.  However, I will probably have ice cream for breakfast tomorrow.   
• I realize that I should not judge veganism on one day.  I think I would probably have to do it for a full week to understand how it would impact my life and energy levels.
• Vegan 4 A Day taught me that I don’t need milk as much as I thought I did.  I liked using almond and rice milk in lieu of milk, and I think I’m going to make that change permanently.  It’s an easy way that I can reduce the amount of dairy I eat.

So, I am proud to say that I am going to try to choose non-dairy alternatives over regular cow’s milk from now on, when practical!    But seriously, I love my yogurt, cheese, ice cream, etc. and don’t plan on giving that up anytime soon. 

Thanks to Katy and Michelle for doing Vegan Week.  I learned a lot, and I hope other people did, too!

Here are my vegan eats for the afternoon:

I snacked on Grape Nuts (my granola wasn’t vegan!) and Rice Milk:

A Clementine:

Pita Chips:

Dinner was homemade Butternut Squash and Carrot soup, which was so easy to make!

I just boiled peeled and chopped butternut squash and carrots until they were soft, and then blended the veggies with organic vegetable broth.  Tada!

I’m also going to have a bagel with PB (vegan!) before bed. 

Going to get a little bit of work done, and afterwards, I’m prepping for my run and hitting the hay!  I’m also going to walk the dogs down to the chin-up bar and try to bang out 3 chin-ups.    Have a good night!

I had vegan tacos stuffed with black beans, grilled mushrooms, salsa, and spinach.  The taco shell was this brand:

At first, I missed putting cheese on my tacos, but I quickly forgot because they were SOOO DELICIOUS.

Plus, hummus and carrots:

And a wheatgrass shot:

The Big Vegetarian/Vegan Question:  Eating Ethically

I have eaten a vegetarian diet for 7 months, and sometimes, I feel like I’ve given up a great deal.  I miss filet mignon, I miss scallops, I miss turkey burgers.  A lot of people have said to me, “Why don’t you just eat a flexitarian diet and eat meat when you feel like it instead of boxing yourself in with the “label” vegetarian?”

A while ago, I did a post about why I found it necessary to “label” myself a vegetarian, and this prompted a really interesting discussion in the comments section about how defining yourself as a vegetarian or vegan is either helpful or limiting.  Personally, I believe labeling myself as a vegetarian helps me stick to this lifestyle on a day-to-day basis, and truthfully, if I really want to eat meat one day for one meal, I will (I’m sure it will eventually happen, probably on a vacation).

I read the following quote about vegetarianism in this article, and I really identified with the message of it:  "We defined not just by what we do; we are defined by what we are willing to do without. Vegetarianism requires the renunciation of real and irreplaceable pleasures." 

Why have I chosen to give up these “real and irreplaceable pleasures” that I grew up eating and enjoying (and still long for occasionally)?  Mostly, my vegetarianism is the result of two major concerns: 

• The damage to the environment.  The factory farming, transportation, and slaughter of cattle, poultry, fish, and other animals is extremely damaging in terms of air, water, and ground pollution.
• The inhumane treatment of animals.  After reading Skinny Bitch and seeing Food Inc. (my reviews of both are hyperlinked), I really did not feel that I could eat meat in good conscience anymore.

However, vegans will argue that dairy farming and egg farming are just as damaging to the environment and result similar atrocities to animals. 

Dairy production is pretty bad.  Anytime you have a large number of animals crammed into one facility, the treatment is not going to be up to par.  Large operations have higher stocking densities and tend to confine their cows in barns or in drylot feedyards (source).  In order to keep producing milk, farmers impregnate cows twice a year, and the cows are not allowed to nurse their young (males babies are either killed immediately, used for veal, or sold to become beef cattle).  It is unprofitable to keep cows alive once their milk production declines. They are usually killed at 5 to 6 years of age (source).  Only 11% of dairies allow their cows to graze (source).

“Egg laying” chickens fare no better.  They are debeaked to prevent the birds from mutilating each other (out of boredom/insanity) and live in tiny cages for their entire life.   Similar to cows, male chickens serve no purpose to farmers, and millions are killed each year upon birth.

As you can tell from my morning post, the Husband and I are committed to eating 100% organic dairy products and eggs.  Although organic dairy and eggs do not contain the chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics, etc. that conventionally created products contain, the label of “organic” does not mean the animals are treated better.   Organic cows are required to have access to pasture (access being the key word).   “Free roam” or “cage free” eggs, while better than conventional eggs, just require that the chickens have access to a run. 

At the Healthy Living Summit, Stonyfield Farm (an organic yogurt company) brought in an organic dairy farmer, and I was really impressed with what she had to say.  That farmer made me believe that it was possible to have humane dairy and eggs.  That’s why the Husband and I try to buy “smaller brand” organic products when possible (Horizon brand is notoriously bad).

As part of Blogger Vegan 4 A Day, I am forced to think about my own hypocrisy.  I am a vegetarian because I love animals, but I still support the inhumane treatment of dairy cows and egg-laying chickens by purchasing these products, despite my efforts to buy organic.   How do I reconcile this knowledge?

• First of all, I believe that every little bit (bite?) counts. I believe that we all need to eat more ethically, and that doesn’t necessary mean we must be vegetarians or vegans.  We need to try to buy more organic and local foods, for example.   Even by cutting back out meat, dairy, or egg consumption, we are sending a strong message to factory farms.  However, sometimes I do feel like a hypocrite. 

• Secondly, I also believe that not everyone is ready to – or even wants to – give up meat, dairy, or eggs.  Do I think this makes them (or me) a “bad person”?  Truthfully, no.  Food is such a large and pivotal part of our life, and many people are just not willing to give us “real and irreplaceable pleasures” for abstract concepts such as the environment and the ethical treatment of animals.   And honestly – that’s OK with me.  To each their own.   Also, I’m not 100% convinced that is healthy for everyone to be vegan, either.

I should point out that not all vegans (or vegetarians) eat in the way they do because of the environment/animals.  They might eat that way because they believe it is healthier, for example, than eating meat.

What’s your opinion?  Do you try to eat ethically or do you just eat?  Are vegetarians hypocrites (argue your case, I won’t get mad!)?  Are you surprised to learn how bad dairy and egg farming is?  Do you choose organic products over conventional ones – why or why not?   Ready, set, discuss!

One goal of vegan for a day is to see how “hard” it is to change over from a vegetarian to vegan diet.  I eat a lot of eggs, dairy, and PANCAKES, and I wanted to discover what vegan pancakes would taste like.    Vegan pancakes require that I make some substitutions.

Instead of skim milk, I used Unsweet Almond Breeze.

I actually use Almond Breeze for lots of things (mostly in oatmeal, smoothies, and wheatgrass shots), but I’ve never used it in pancakes.

Instead of an egg, I used a “faux flax egg.”

To make a faux flax egg, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax with 3 tablespoons of water and let it stand for a few minutes.  It ends up becoming gel-like and mimics an egg rather well.

Ironic, I know.

With my pancakes, I typically have a cup of coffee.  I put half and half and Stevia in my coffee.  Today, I swapped the half and half with Rice Dream Vanilla.

The verdict?

My vegan pancakes were great!  They did not taste the same as non-vegan pancakes (less fluffy and more gritty) but they were still good, and I could definitely get adjusted to the taste long-term.

My vegan coffee, however, was no good.  I had to add so much Rice Milk to my cup, and I couldn’t get close to the caramel color I like. 

More Maggie Wishes

Jaclyn’s dog Nate, who is also a piebald dachshund, sent Maggie get-well wishes, too!  Aww! Maggie says thanks, Nate!

Nate and Maggie look EXACTLY alike! 

There are a lot of meat, dairy, and egg substitutions out there – what are your favorites?  Instead of meat, I like to use beans or tofu over the “faux meat” products, and I LOVE Almond Breeze!  Also, I’m really glad I discovered the “faux flax egg” tricks because I’m always running out of eggs and usually have flax on hand!

Obviously, I am a vegetarian, but tomorrow, I’m going to eat vegan.  I’ve prepared this little post to explain some components of veganism, but as I am not a vegan and this is just based on my research (not experiences), I hope my vegan readers will jump in and expand on my thoughts.

• What exactly does “vegan” mean?  Vegans do not eat meat, fish, or poultry.  They do not eat any foods that contain animal products, such as eggs, yogurt, cheese, or milk.  Vegans also do not eat honey, milk chocolate, and Jell-O.  Vegans might choose to not wear leather.  Here’s a complete list of “tricky” food products that vegans avoid.

• What’s the point of being a vegan?  Well, like vegetarianism, people are vegans for many reasons, including moral, ethical, social, environmental, and health concerns.   Many vegans eat this way because they are concerned about the welfare of animals in factory farms and dairy farms.  Here’s more information (click at your own risk).

• So, if vegans don’t eat meat, dairy, or animal products, WHAT in the WORLD do they actually eat?  Vegans can eat whole grains, fruits, veggies, dairy-alternatives such as hemp milk or almond milk, tofu and other meat-alternatives, beans, legumes, and nuts.   Ryan has a great post on how to eat like a vegan.

• Is it possible to be vegan and be healthy?  Aren’t they missing key vitamins?  Well, there are tons of vegan bloggers (feel free to introduce yourself in the comments section!) who are healthy and strong.  You can even be a vegan athlete!  Vegans do need to take special care to get enough B-12, iron, calcium, zinc, omega 3’s, vitamin D.

• Is it hard to be a vegan?  I’ve spoken to a lot of vegan friends about whether it is “hard” to be a vegan, and the answers vary.  Most vegans find it difficult to eat at restaurants, but in the comfort of their homes, they find it easy to cook and prepare lots of delicious vegan meals.

• Aren’t all vegetarians hypocrites for not being vegans?  Ah, the MILLION DOLLAR question (in my mind!).  Many, many people have argued to me that dairy farming is just as bad as factory farming, so I should be a vegan (I’m a vegetarian mostly for my love of animals).  I’m going to fully address this question tomorrow, but I wanted to get your minds working about this issue – I think it’s really interesting!

My goals for Blogger Vegan 4 A Day are:

• To discover any vegan substitutes I can make on a daily basis to make my diet more sensitive.
• To determine whether I feel like I’m being restricted by a vegan diet.
• To find new snacks (because you guys know I rely on yogurt and granola way too much).
• To have fun trying new recipes.
• To assess my energy levels on a vegan diet.
• To learn more about a very interesting lifestyle and hopefully take something positive away from vegan for a day.

I do want to add that I do NOT plan on transitioning to veganism for the long-term (ever).  I will explain why tomorrow.

Are you participating in Blogger Vegan 4 A Day?  What are your goals? Also, if you’re a vegan blogger, please say hello in the comments section so people can check out your blogs for inspiration tomorrow!