So, yesterday I wrote a post about 5 things vegans do that annoy me. I could not have possibly predicted the immense hatred that came as responses to that post and while I don't regret posting it, I will say that I am glad my comments section is moderated, because almost all the comments I got were swearing at me, calling me a liar and an idiot, and worse. Needless to say, only those comments that aren't full of cussing and hate will be tolerated on this blog...which sadly means that very few comments get through.
That said, I don't mind it when people disagree with me. I knew that the honey issue was going to get people all crazy, because, lets face it, vegans are passionate folks and I can't blame them for seeing some hypocrisy in my stance on local "ethical" honey.
I shared that post, just for fun, on the "Vegan World" Facebook page. I thought it would give some a laugh, and give others something to think about. Sadly, I am embarrassed to say that I took it down an hour later because of the onslaught of anger that it instigated, one of the least hurtful of which read:
"What a whinefest. How about "necrovore?" Literally, "eaters of death." I prefer that. What's not to be negative about, while billions are living in abject suffering and being slaughtered in the most unimaginable ways? Kumbaya vegans...making friends and being popular. What about the animals, you say?
Well...irk away on the fact that she eats honey, and believes that there is such a thing as "cruelty-free" silk and wool. For anyone out there that doesn't know any better, that is not a vegan. She's a liar, and the reason why people are so very confused about what the word means. She's not even a DIETARY vegan lol".
I also got a couple: "You're the reason nobody takes vegans seriously"s and more than a couple "You're not even vegan"s.
(I share these, only because they get the point across that I'm a moron without swearing at me or calling me names.)
I'm okay with this. So, maybe according to this woman I am a liar, and perhaps I am not really a vegan. But I love the planet. I love the animals on it, and that includes humans. I refuse to be the type of person who puts shit out into the world and expects it to turn to gold. The animals don't need a bunch of angry, mean, and hateful people on their side. They need kind people who are willing to listen and teach and even learn from others.
The perfect example of this that I can think of are the people who run Piebird Vegan Farmstay. I met Yan and Sherry a few years ago, when I was a new vegan working for the Nipissing University Peace Research Initiative and I had the joy of filming an interview with them. They take in farm animals - chickens, a turkey, and lots of happy goats (and recently built some homes for some bees to live in peace!) - and invite their guests to interact with and help care for the animals. They spoke about peace, about being in nature, about how we can learn so much from the animals about love, friendship and joy. Yes, they are activists and they fight for animals. Yes, they completely disagree with animal suffering in any form. But they offer a place where people can come and learn about veganism in a safe and peaceful environment, free from hate and judgement.
I would love it if we could take a page from their book and continue to love other humans as much as we love animals.
If this makes me a "kumbaya vegan", and if being a "kumbaya vegan" makes me some how less worthy of respect than other "perfect vegans", then I think I'm okay with that.
Actually, I'm thinking of retiring the word vegan from my vocabulary and just calling myself a good damn person. (I'm just kidding. I'm vegan, haters!)
Happy Wednesday!
-J
Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Why I'm switching to a whole foods plant-based diet
So, as you obviously are aware, I am pretty damn vegan. I don't eat any animal products; I don't wear animal fur or skin, and I do not use any product that contains animal bits or excretions; I don't even use products that are tested on animals (except for, sadly, Midol...because nothing else dulls the horrible aching, can't-do-anything-all-day-except-cry-and-puke pain I get with my monthlies...if you have any suggestions for an ethical alternative please let me know!)
There are two reasons why I am vegan: for the animals, and for the planet! Recently I was reading a post on One Green Planet that mentioned eating vegan junk food still lends itself to a pretty hefty footprint, so I started thinking seriously about why I am vegan. Every day animals are found with plastic lodged in their stomachs from consuming what they thought to be food in the ocean, but turned out to be trash. Consuming oil in the quantities that VOMD and I do also has a pretty negative impact on animals and the planet. Olive oil production creates waste biproducts that are not biodegradable and can seriously harm the planet if not treated properly. Producers in less wealthy countries like Morocco (where lots of our olive oil comes from) can't afford the pricey treatment necessary to protect the environment. And then there is the production and packaging of all the other crap we eat - from Daiya cheese to Yves veggie meats, to vegan Becel. While we recycle almost everything around here (we produce maybe 1/2 a grocery bag of real trash per week) even recycling has a huge impact on greenhouse gas and makes our carbon footprint unacceptable by environmentalist standards.
Switching to a whole foods diet would mean eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, and less processed packaged foods, which would together have a fairly huge impact on the planet.
But aside from the whole good for animals, good for the planet angle... I am also starting to think about my own health. Here's a little TMI: after three years of having perfectly healthy menstrual cycles, I have started getting really messed up timing-wise. Where I used to have a steady 29 day cycle, now it ranges from 26 to 45 days. I have to think that this has something to do with my lifestyle. Since starting my relationship with VOMD I have eaten more processed foods than I ever had before - things like Daiya and olive oil and veggie burgers. I also have more acne than ever before. Since the age of 20 I have has mild acne issues - flare ups at certain times of my cycle and in times of stress and so forth, but never so bad as it has been for the last year. I also have to assume that has to do with changes in my diet.
I don't like being the type of person who hates the way they look, but we live in a culture of makeup and photoshop, so having bad skin is unacceptible. Even with the whole #nomakeup trend, it is pretty uncommon for a woman to post a picture of her acne covered bare face for all to see.
I am ready to start choosing healthy, unprocessed foods instead of what has now become the norm in my household - i.e. VEGENAISE. Being vegan is about protecting the animals...so why do I treat myself so shittily? Aren't I an animal?
I would love any advice on go whole from anyone willing to offer it, and I will be sure to update you on my whole foods journey!
Happy Wednesday!
-J
There are two reasons why I am vegan: for the animals, and for the planet! Recently I was reading a post on One Green Planet that mentioned eating vegan junk food still lends itself to a pretty hefty footprint, so I started thinking seriously about why I am vegan. Every day animals are found with plastic lodged in their stomachs from consuming what they thought to be food in the ocean, but turned out to be trash. Consuming oil in the quantities that VOMD and I do also has a pretty negative impact on animals and the planet. Olive oil production creates waste biproducts that are not biodegradable and can seriously harm the planet if not treated properly. Producers in less wealthy countries like Morocco (where lots of our olive oil comes from) can't afford the pricey treatment necessary to protect the environment. And then there is the production and packaging of all the other crap we eat - from Daiya cheese to Yves veggie meats, to vegan Becel. While we recycle almost everything around here (we produce maybe 1/2 a grocery bag of real trash per week) even recycling has a huge impact on greenhouse gas and makes our carbon footprint unacceptable by environmentalist standards.
Switching to a whole foods diet would mean eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, and less processed packaged foods, which would together have a fairly huge impact on the planet.
But aside from the whole good for animals, good for the planet angle... I am also starting to think about my own health. Here's a little TMI: after three years of having perfectly healthy menstrual cycles, I have started getting really messed up timing-wise. Where I used to have a steady 29 day cycle, now it ranges from 26 to 45 days. I have to think that this has something to do with my lifestyle. Since starting my relationship with VOMD I have eaten more processed foods than I ever had before - things like Daiya and olive oil and veggie burgers. I also have more acne than ever before. Since the age of 20 I have has mild acne issues - flare ups at certain times of my cycle and in times of stress and so forth, but never so bad as it has been for the last year. I also have to assume that has to do with changes in my diet.
I don't like being the type of person who hates the way they look, but we live in a culture of makeup and photoshop, so having bad skin is unacceptible. Even with the whole #nomakeup trend, it is pretty uncommon for a woman to post a picture of her acne covered bare face for all to see.
This is me (right) in 2010, on a mostly plant-based, whole foods diet without any concealer or powder on my face. Look at that glow! (also...my crazy beautiful sister!)
This is me a couple weeks ago on a 100% vegan, but not whole foods diet sans make-up of any kind. Takeaway: being vegan doesn't magically cure all of your ailments...the internet lied to me!
I am ready to start choosing healthy, unprocessed foods instead of what has now become the norm in my household - i.e. VEGENAISE. Being vegan is about protecting the animals...so why do I treat myself so shittily? Aren't I an animal?
I would love any advice on go whole from anyone willing to offer it, and I will be sure to update you on my whole foods journey!
Happy Wednesday!
-J
Monday, July 20, 2015
Monday Happies: My best friends wedding!
So, last week was a bit nuts. My internet went down on Monday morning because a huge truck drove by and tore down the cable. It wasn't up and running again until Friday, but by then I was in Barrie helping my best friend prepare for her wedding day!
The wedding was on Saturday and it was probably the most beautiful wedding I've ever seen. They rented out a barn at Lazy Dayz B & B in Coldwater, Ontario, and with all the tulle and twinkle lights in the world, the place was transformed into a magical country wonderland.
The front of the building had a big porch where they set up a buffet. We strung up the basement of the barn with twinkle lights as well, and by 11pm that place was rumbling with the stomping of so many cowboy boots!
The wedding party was absolutely gorgeous, and so much fun!
The makeup artist, and the hairdresser (the bride's Aunt is a hairdresser and she was an absolute super star!) did an amazing job.
Posing for pictures makes you a little grumpy after a while!
We all wore cowboy boots in honour of the bride is is an absolute country queen. It's strange that my best friend and I are so completely different. But when it comes down to it, all the history we have together, the secrets we've shared, and all the amazing times we've had together has made us the type of friends that will be close until we are a hundred.
Before she asked me to be her maid of honour we had not spoken in a few years, and I am so happy and honoured that she asked me to be part of this day, and that it reconnected us. I will never let us slip that far apart again.
The night before the wedding, we stayed up in the dark, giggling about silly memories, talking nonsense, and thinking about happy, beautiful things to calm her nerves. It was like we were 10 years old again, laying in her single bed, talking about boys and planning the silly adventures we would go on the next day.
That's it for me. I will post something veg related later this week!
Happy Monday!
xo
-Jo
The wedding was on Saturday and it was probably the most beautiful wedding I've ever seen. They rented out a barn at Lazy Dayz B & B in Coldwater, Ontario, and with all the tulle and twinkle lights in the world, the place was transformed into a magical country wonderland.
The front of the building had a big porch where they set up a buffet. We strung up the basement of the barn with twinkle lights as well, and by 11pm that place was rumbling with the stomping of so many cowboy boots!
The wedding party was absolutely gorgeous, and so much fun!
The makeup artist, and the hairdresser (the bride's Aunt is a hairdresser and she was an absolute super star!) did an amazing job.
Posing for pictures makes you a little grumpy after a while!
We all wore cowboy boots in honour of the bride is is an absolute country queen. It's strange that my best friend and I are so completely different. But when it comes down to it, all the history we have together, the secrets we've shared, and all the amazing times we've had together has made us the type of friends that will be close until we are a hundred.
The night before the wedding, we stayed up in the dark, giggling about silly memories, talking nonsense, and thinking about happy, beautiful things to calm her nerves. It was like we were 10 years old again, laying in her single bed, talking about boys and planning the silly adventures we would go on the next day.
That's it for me. I will post something veg related later this week!
Happy Monday!
xo
-Jo
Friday, July 10, 2015
Good Food Friday: Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup (and happy thoughts!)
It's Friday again, already! This summer is flying by. I feel like if I blink I will miss July altogether.
I didn't do a "Monday Happies" this week, so I thought I would share some of the things that make me smile today, for good measure before giving you the BEST recipe EVER for Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup.
First, last weekend VOMD and I went up North to visit family. We went to Temiskaming QC to see his parents and ended up loading up the car with free stuff they wanted to get rid of. As much as I am attempting to downsize and be less of a consumer, I can't say no to free things, especially if they are just going to end up in a landfill. We scored three comforters, three sets of sheets, a new (to us) desk and throw pillows! LOVE IT! But now, alas, we need a place to store all this stuff, and we don't have a linen closet so its basically going to sit in a pile in our bedroom until we move into a bigger place. Then we headed to Magnetawan to see my Mom for her birthday. We had a BBQ and a pool party, and I got to see two of my big sisters and some of my nieces and nephews. Being around them makes me desperate to move back up north again. I don't like being so far away from my family.
It was nice to actually just relax, lay in the sun, and hear the voices and laughter of my family around me. I often feel very disconnected from them, being here in Hamilton, so this weekend was so badly needed.
I am so lucky to have such an amazing family. My mom bought veggie burgers for me and VOMD, and even made vegan pasta salad, and an awesome bean salad with carrots and broccoli, and one of my sister's brought vegan taco salad (with veggie ground round!).
Now on to the vegan mushroom soup recipe I promised! Mushrooms are VOMD's favourite vegetable (I guess they aren't technically vegetables though...but saying they are his favourite Fungi just doesn't really hit home), and when he still ate animal products his favourite soup was Cream fo Mushroom. I thought I would give it a try as a surprise because I found a bunch of mushrooms on sale because they were a tiny bit brown...but that just makes them more flavourful! It actually turned out amazing!
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
2 cups chopped cauliflower florets
2 cups chopped white mushrooms
1 can whole mushrooms, unsalted preferably
1 large onion, peeled and cut in quarters
4 large cloves of garlic, peeled
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cube of vegetarian vegetable soup base (or a little spoon full if you only have powdered)
Splash of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded vegan cheese (optional, I used Vegan Gourmet mozzarella)
Fresh parsley to garnish (optional)
Deep fried onions to garnish (you can make them yourself or buy them...this is optional)
Start by boiling your cauliflower until it is literally falling apart. If you drop it on the counter from a couple feet, it should be mushed on impact. Strain and set aside. Then throw onions, white mushrooms and garlic into a food processor and pulse until well chopped but not so well blended that it isn't chunky any more. You want some texture in your soup. Turn on you cast iron pan, add a tiny splash or oil, and fry up this mixture until the onions are golden and the mushrooms juicy and darkened - you can add a little salt and pepper for flavour here. You can put a lid over it once its slightly browned to get the juices flowing, and add the canned mushrooms to the mix. While this is sizzling away, put your cauliflower in the food processor and blend until totally creamy. Add almond milk, soup base cube, and sift in flour, and keep blending until totally combined. Once this is done, combine cauliflower mixture with onion and mushroom mixture in a pot and put on medium low heat and stir until thickened. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. You can also add garlic powder or onion powder if you feel like it could use a boost, but don't overdo it because natural fresh flavours are always best! IF it isn't as thick as you'd like, add a tiny bit more flour to a cup, whisk it with a tiny bit of water until completely combined, an stir it into soup. If you prefer not to use flour, you can make this soup flour free by using more cauliflower and less almond milk.
Serve garnished with onions, cheese and parsley and eat way too much!
I didn't do a "Monday Happies" this week, so I thought I would share some of the things that make me smile today, for good measure before giving you the BEST recipe EVER for Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup.
 |
| I love my momma! |
First, last weekend VOMD and I went up North to visit family. We went to Temiskaming QC to see his parents and ended up loading up the car with free stuff they wanted to get rid of. As much as I am attempting to downsize and be less of a consumer, I can't say no to free things, especially if they are just going to end up in a landfill. We scored three comforters, three sets of sheets, a new (to us) desk and throw pillows! LOVE IT! But now, alas, we need a place to store all this stuff, and we don't have a linen closet so its basically going to sit in a pile in our bedroom until we move into a bigger place. Then we headed to Magnetawan to see my Mom for her birthday. We had a BBQ and a pool party, and I got to see two of my big sisters and some of my nieces and nephews. Being around them makes me desperate to move back up north again. I don't like being so far away from my family.
 |
| The most handsome man in the world, VOMD. Oh, and Coors is VEGAN, fyi. |
It was nice to actually just relax, lay in the sun, and hear the voices and laughter of my family around me. I often feel very disconnected from them, being here in Hamilton, so this weekend was so badly needed.
 |
| My beautiful big sister and I! I miss her so much. We used to have girls' nights every Friday, so going months without seeing her is awful! |
Now on to the vegan mushroom soup recipe I promised! Mushrooms are VOMD's favourite vegetable (I guess they aren't technically vegetables though...but saying they are his favourite Fungi just doesn't really hit home), and when he still ate animal products his favourite soup was Cream fo Mushroom. I thought I would give it a try as a surprise because I found a bunch of mushrooms on sale because they were a tiny bit brown...but that just makes them more flavourful! It actually turned out amazing!
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
2 cups chopped cauliflower florets
2 cups chopped white mushrooms
1 can whole mushrooms, unsalted preferably
1 large onion, peeled and cut in quarters
4 large cloves of garlic, peeled
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cube of vegetarian vegetable soup base (or a little spoon full if you only have powdered)
Splash of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded vegan cheese (optional, I used Vegan Gourmet mozzarella)
Fresh parsley to garnish (optional)
Deep fried onions to garnish (you can make them yourself or buy them...this is optional)
Start by boiling your cauliflower until it is literally falling apart. If you drop it on the counter from a couple feet, it should be mushed on impact. Strain and set aside. Then throw onions, white mushrooms and garlic into a food processor and pulse until well chopped but not so well blended that it isn't chunky any more. You want some texture in your soup. Turn on you cast iron pan, add a tiny splash or oil, and fry up this mixture until the onions are golden and the mushrooms juicy and darkened - you can add a little salt and pepper for flavour here. You can put a lid over it once its slightly browned to get the juices flowing, and add the canned mushrooms to the mix. While this is sizzling away, put your cauliflower in the food processor and blend until totally creamy. Add almond milk, soup base cube, and sift in flour, and keep blending until totally combined. Once this is done, combine cauliflower mixture with onion and mushroom mixture in a pot and put on medium low heat and stir until thickened. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. You can also add garlic powder or onion powder if you feel like it could use a boost, but don't overdo it because natural fresh flavours are always best! IF it isn't as thick as you'd like, add a tiny bit more flour to a cup, whisk it with a tiny bit of water until completely combined, an stir it into soup. If you prefer not to use flour, you can make this soup flour free by using more cauliflower and less almond milk.
Serve garnished with onions, cheese and parsley and eat way too much!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)