Day 28: Dinner

Is it at all possible for pizza to be a health food? Let's see the stats on this twelve inch pie:

• One 12" Rustic Crust Organic whole wheat pizza crust: 780 calories, 10 grams fat, 32 grams protein;
• One 8 ounce package Galaxy Nutritional Foods mozzarella flavor "rice shreds": 560 calories, 32 grams fat (8 grams saturated fat), 48 grams protein;
• Olive oil for brushing: 120 calories, 14 grams fat (2 grams saturated);
• 6 ounces Enrico's All Natural Pizza Sauce: 120 calories, 5 grams fat, 3 grams protein;
• One half of a large tomato: 17 calories;
• One third of a large purple onion: 15 calories;
• Garlic, oregano, and fresh basil: negligible

Total intake for entire pizza: 1,612 calories, 61 grams fat (10 grams saturated), and 83 grams protein; for one slice (1/8 pizza): 202 calories, 7.625 grams fat (1.25 saturated), and 10.375 grams protein. Not bad for pizza, I'd say. Especially since a Meat Lovers' of the same size and similar crust will give you 310 calories and 17 grams of fat per slice (and only 14 grams protein- not much more for a pie laden with processed meats).

This is the first pizza I have ever made from scratch, not counting those Chef Boyardee kits that come with the too-thick sauce and powdered mozz. Wanna make one yourself? Making a pizza with a prepared crust is not rocket science, but just in case you were dropped on the head as a child, here goes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush your crust with olive oil and sprinkle with chopped garlic (I used about four cloves; you can use as much or little as you like). Spread about 3/4 cup of pizza sauce on top. Sprinkle with 4 ounces of soy or rice mozzarella (the pre-shredded kind) and top with sliced tomatoes and diced onions. Sprinkle with dried oregano and then another 4 ounces of cheese. Top with torn fresh basil (about five leaves will do it). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted (it'll melt somewhat) and nosh! It also reheats beautifully. This pizza was good!

Reflections On a Simpler Time

Today I'm celebrating one month of self-denial by having my first cup of coffee in four weeks. It's not decaffeinated or fair trade either- it's good ol' Red Diamond, packaged right here in Birmingham. With all fairness, I'm drinking it with soy milk, not the macadamia nut flavored creamer that I still have in my fridge. I thought I'd be jittery but I'm really not. It is probably the best cup of coffee I've had in my entire life though.

It makes me think of the days when I'd go to Books-A-Million on a Sunday morning and order a venti dark roast, load it down with half-and-half and cinnamon, and sip whilst reading the New York Times and perusing the art books. When it ran low, I'd bring my cup back to the barista and get a discounted refill. I was ruining my circulatory system and didn't even realize it. And let's not forget the high school days, when I thought my ubiquitous cup of gas station cappuccino paired with my heavily dog-eared copy of On the Road made me better than my peers. (We didn't have Starbucks in Alabama until my first year of college, and at that point those were only found in Barnes and Nobles.) Whatever happens, I really don't ever plan on returning to those days.

Even more disconcerting, I remember a time when I worked a third shift in the IT department of a printing plant. (That's 6 pm to 6 am, by the way.) I never got used to it. The days when I didn't work were harder than the ones that I did. Try staying up all night and going to bed at seven in the morning on your day off; if you're a club kid I'm sure it's great, but for me it was quiet, dark, and lonely. Even worse, I worked the shift alone, and there would rarely be any actual work to do. Someone had to be there just in case something went wrong- and rarely did that happen.

Oftentimes a 500 page Atwood novel or a twelve hour Internet surf wouldn't do the trick, so I had to have a Snickers bar from the vending machine. Or two. Or three. And about ten Cokes to wash them down with. I'd feel no guilt at all for loading my system with preservatives and refined sugars. Not to mention empty calories and unhealthy fats. Ehck, bad Nicole. Strangely enough, I actually lost weight during that period in my life- that was sadly all that I was eating.

I go on to reflect on people I have known who eat like this all the time. College is one thing- when you're forced to eat dorm food your palatable options are usually limited to burgers, fries and the dessert table, and some kids can't resist the privilege of eating six brownies in one sitting. (Hey, all you can eat means all you can eat!) And we all know that the "Freshman 15" (or 20, or 30) is from alcohol and ordering pizza at 2 am when you're stoned, not cafeteria food. I utilized the salad bar more than most Montevallo students, but I'll admit to eating several bowls of Cocoa Frosted Flakes for dinner more than once. (As a side note, my school had about 3000 students, which made it too small to have a food court and too large to really give the food attention, so it wasn't all that great. I envied my friends who attended the University of Alabama, where one could have Chick-Fil-A or Pizza Hut for lunch, or Judson, which had a student body of 500 and REALLY good meals. Whenever I come back to visit my campus I eat in the cafeteria and wonder how I made it through four years of that junk.)

You also have to consider the poor. I live in a state that has one of the highest obesity rates in the nation, and also a very large poverty rate, especially in the rural areas. These two facts are interrelated, and a lot of people even here cannot figure out why poor people (and even homeless people) are fat. It's easy- if you can't afford fresh fruit and a bagel, which is what you should be eating for breakfast, then you tend to gravitate towards biscuits and sawmill gravy. (That's one dish I have been trying to find a vegan recipe for- if you're not eating it out of economic necessity, it's indulgent and it's good.) One of my least favorite things to hear from people is "She can't be that poor- she must weigh 300 pounds." Think before you speak, people.

But what about those who have better options available and can afford them, but still eat nothing but junk? I used to have a co-worker who was in her early to mid forties, but who looked ten years older. She was obese, albeit not "Why doesn't she join the circus?" such, and she took no fewer than a dozen medications (I know this because they were piled in a corner of her desk). What was her diet like? She ate five or six items from the vending machine a day, bragged about chugging a minimum 64 ounces of coffee a day, and made me hate lunch hour because of the ever-present odor of KFC chicken livers that would inevitably waft from her cubicle. And I would be willing to bet she hadn't exercised since high school gym class. I'm a Libertarian and all, but this woman made me not at all opposed to limiting civil liberties concerning personal health habits.

Day 26: Dinner

So I had a bit of a junk food night. Shoot me.

I finally found a brand of vegan buffalo wings. They're made by Health is Wealth, and they're all natural enough to find a place at Whole Foods Market. Unlike Morningstar Farms, Health is Wealth makes an effort to form their goods into actual buffalo wing shapes. Or little guitar shapes, you be the judge. Also unlike Morningstar Farms, they're not really all that good. Very tough and sinewy, like the gristle on a real buffalo wing, and not nearly spicy enough for my taste. I really wouldn't recommend these, to tell the truth. 

What was much better about the meal was the homemade almost fat free french fries. They were delicious. And simple to make; cut up a couple of potatoes into french fry shapes, spray with vegan butter-flavored spray, douse with salt and pepper (I used paprika too), and broil for 20 minutes, turning after ten. Yummy with ketchup! You can also experiment with garlic, Italian seasoning, or any spices you prefer.

I also succeeded in making a good homemade vegan ranch dressing for the wings. Whisk together 1/2 cup of vegan mayonnaise with about 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk, and sprinkle in a generous amount of pepper, onion flakes and garlic powder. Better than the real thing, and much fresher.

Day 25: Dinner

Ah, cooking for the first time in three days. And wondering why all Creole rice-based dishes tend to look the same. This is jambalaya, if you can't tell.

It wasn't spicy enough in my opinion- I'd throw in more cayenne and file powder, for one. And maybe some of that stuff Emeril makes. Also, even though the recipe called for two large tomatoes, I saw fit to add some tomato paste. I'm not sure how much, just one generous squirt. I'm still getting used to this low-sodium thing. I also finally got to use TVP, although in this recipe it really can't be tasted. It gives the dish bulk- I always find myself searching for a chunk of ham or a shrimp when I eat jambalaya.

Here's the recipe for vegan jambalaya:

• 1 cup rehydrated TVP (soak 1 c. of TVP in 7 ounces of boiling water or vegetable broth for about 5 minutes)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. file powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth (you may need more to keep vegetables from sticking to the pan)
• 3 cups cooked brown rice

1. Cook the rice while you're doing everything else.

2. Saute TVP in olive oil until it looks slightly crispy and brown. Then add vegetables and spices; saute for about 10 minutes. Add water or broth and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes (or until the rice is done). 

3. Add rice slowly and mix in. Cook 10 minutes longer.

4. Serve with hot sauce.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

I considered having blood work done before and after my vegan experiment, to see if it affected me health wise. I chose not to because my insurance doesn't cover that sort of thing just for the heck of it, and it's kinda pointless to spend several hundred dollars for a service that I can get for free from my employer once a year. Today we had health screening day.

The nurses and lab techs on hand assured me that my health is nothing to worry about. Lose a little weight if you can, exercise a little more if you can, good job quitting smoking, etc. They had this BS scale that said I weighed 167 pounds. I told the girl manning it that earlier that morning I weighed 160.5, and that was after breakfast. She told me in return that some other people had been reporting it weighing a little heavy; however, if their calculations were correct my BMI (body mass index) is 26.2. The ideal BMI is between 18.5 and 25; 25 to 30 is overweight; 30 to 40 is obese; and 40 and above is morbidly obese. So I am slightly above my healthy weight. Gotta work on that.

My blood pressure was perfect, at 112/73. Anything less than 120/80 is good, and it is possible for your blood pressure to be too low. Blood sugar was also in the healthy range- it had been about two hours since I had eaten, and it clocked in at 95. For two hours after a meal, a healthy range is 70 to 145 (a pretty wide range) and it usually takes a 200 to warrant any serious concern. So I'm good there too.

My cholesterol is what was a little confounding. A little over two years ago I had my cholesterol checked and it was a 195. Which is a tad high, but not unhealthy. Today it was 137. Huh?! The nurse congratulated me- "Wow! Have you been eating better, or exercising more often? Have you lost a large amount of weight?"- and I merely explained that, while I was on a perpetual quest to better myself, I had done nothing major enough to merit a nearly sixty point drop in only two years. Of course, this isn't all good. My LDL (bad cholesterol) was at 106 when it should be less than 100, and my HDL (good cholesterol) was 31 when it should be at least 40 and optimally about 60. Also, my ratio of good to bad cholesterol is 4.4, when it should be less than 4.0, and optimally 3.5.

What did they advise me to do to raise my good cholesterol and lower my bad, to make the ratio a little more in line?

• Eat red meats 3 times a week or less. (Shuh)
• Ease up on the high-fat luncheon meats, such as bologna, bacon and hot dogs. (Double shuh)
• Avoid organ meats such as liver and kidney. (I have never eaten these by choice.)
• Limit or avoid egg yolks and butter
• Limit or avoid whole milk, cheeses, and dairy products made from whole milk
• Eat more soy products, nuts, and garlic, as they are found to be beneficial to people in my situation.
• Eat foods high in monounsaturated fat, such as, say, olive oil. (Lately I have practically guzzled that stuff.)

So next year when company health screening day comes up I'll rock the house, eh? EH?

Day 22: Dinner

This caribbean vegetable stew was one of the most unusual dishes I've ever prepared. Its incongruous ingredient list consisted of foods I'd never think of eating together- three kinds of beans, sweet potatoes, apples, tomato sauce, and a melange of spices- convinced me to try it. It's very easy to cook, very healthy, and very delicious. You'll also have enough leftovers to bring to lunch at work for about a week.

The recipe, everyone:

• 1/3 cup water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped (I used half a red and half a green, but you can use either)
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked
• 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 15 ounce can diced tomatoes (with jalapenos, if you can find)
• 20 ounce can pineapple chunks with juice
• 2 green apples, unpeeled and chunked
• 4 ounce can green chilies
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 15 ounce can black beans
• 15 ounce can kidney beans
• 15 ounce can pinto beans (drain and rinse all beans)
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar (I used agave nectar instead)
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1. Boil water in a large pot; add onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add sweet potatoes, tomato sauce, tomatoes, pineapple, apples, chilies, and vegetable broth. Boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add beans and spices. Mix well and continue to cook 10 minutes longer.

4. Serve over brown rice.

Day 21: Dinner

Burritos are among the easiest dishes in the vegan kingdom. Simply mix together one cup of cooked rice, a can of black beans, and 1/4 cup salsa (I also added in some leftover seasoned tofu from last week's tacos) and heat. Microwave your tortillas and assemble the burritos the regular way, with tomatoes, onions, lettuce, vegan cheese, and a little more salsa if you like. Cooking the rice takes about 30-45 minutes, if you're using the long grain brown rice that I prefer, but except for that you can throw these together in five minutes or less. The leftovers make a great snack or lunch for the next day.

The Origin of Root Beer

When I first started this diet, I brewed myself two cups of dandelion and burdock root tea a day. It's pretty nasty stuff, but very good for the kidneys. Today I only brew it with burdock root, the less nasty of the two.

Today when surfing the web I found out an interesting factoid- dandelion and burdock is actually a popular drink in the United Kingdom, where it's even sold commercially as a soft drink (usually carbonated and sweetened). There are a number of probably apocryphal stories concerning its origin, the most popular being that it was created by Thomas Aquinas. After a full night of prayer, he "trusted God to provide" while walking through the countryside and made the drink from the first two plants that he saw. (Guess which ones.) This same formulation was later made using sassafras root, today known as root beer.

I love root beer, though I could probably count on one hand the number of times I drink it in an average year. Another interesting factoid is that root beer greatly increased in popularity in the United States during Prohibition, when it was seen as a popular alternative to regular beer. For this reason it isn't nearly as popular in European countries, where it's always been legal to drink alcohol.

Three Weeks Later (Almost)

Oh boy. I think I have gotten to the point where I'm not craving meat. The occasional cheese craving I have not become elusive to yet. In fact, today I really had a hankering for a goat cheese, pear and walnut sandwich on cracked sourdough, like they serve at Chez Lulu. I know such a thing sounds bizarre, but I ordered one on a whim once and I was hooked. I went and bought a wheel of extra-creamy fromage de chèvre and a loaf of extra-fancy bread so that I could have one at three in the morning whenever I felt like it. I just want to spread that buttery soft cheese on a slice of bread and then lick the knife clean. Oh well... it'll pass.

I am not cooking tonight. I have so many leftovers that I'm going to just save some money on groceries next week. On a positive note, someone at work today asked me if I had lost weight. Woohoo! I have made the plunge from 164 to 158, though my clothes don't fit any better yet. I have also made it my goal to hit the YMCA every day instead of just whenever I feel like it, even if it's just for fifteen minutes on the elliptical. And tomorrow I'm waking up early for the 8:30 am Pilates class. Okay- now that I've written it I had better do it.

Day 19: Dinner

Well, I loved those lentils soooo much that I thought I'd have them again. This is another one of those healthy as they come dishes, dhal.

I've had dhal before, and it's a quintessential Indian food, but this recipe wasn't really where it was at. I mean, kidney beans, tomato, cumin, chili powder and onion? This more resembled lentil chili. As with last night's recipe, this one, in spite of its plethora of herbs and spices (what the hell IS fenugreek anyway?!), didn't have a whole lot of flavor. It mainly tasted like... lentils.

It was very simple to make, however, and again it was healthy to the core- no oil was used. Here's how to make it:

• 1 cup brown lentils
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1 chopped tomato
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. fenugreek
• 1 tsp. chili powder

1. Boil lentils until soft, about 15 minutes.

2. Fry the onion, garlic, ginger, and spices in a little water, then add enough water to cover. Cook on high until this mixture thickens. 

3. Add lentils, kidney beans, and tomato, and cook for about 20 minutes.

4. Serve over brown rice.

Day 18: Dinner

Is anyone wondering why I haven't posted for a couple of days? Simple- I haven't felt like cooking. In fact, I haven't felt like doing anything. It's been too cold! When Birmingham's temp dips below 20 degrees it's the local equivalent of the 105 inches of snow that covered Oswego, NY a couple of years ago. We view it as a natural disaster, and no one does anything but stay indoors under the electric blanket. It sure doesn't help that the first floor of my drafty old townhouse is incapable of a temperature above 63 degrees.

Tonight, however, I enjoyed a dish that I haven't eaten as much of as the standard vegan- lentil soup. Actually, Provencal lentil soup. I'll eat at Highland's or Cafe du Pont whenever I can afford to, but I've never actually cooked French food myself. All that makes this soup French, however, is its use of leeks rather than onions and the addition of that elusive herbal blend, herbes de Provence. So it's no fondue bourguignonne, but it's a good start.

This soup is as healthy as it gets, but has little flavor. The herbs add aroma but little flavor; it does smell awfully good. It's also VERY simple and freezes well. Here's the recipe:

• 5 cups water
• 1 tbsp. vegetable bouillon (or two large cubes)
• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 cups chopped leeks (you can use onions in a pinch)
• 4 carrots, diced
• 1 1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence (the masochist may make his own, using equal parts tarragon, basil, summer savory, marjoram, rosemary, chervil, and lavendar flowers)

1. Boil water with vegetable bouillon.

2. Add lentils, leeks, carrots, and herbs. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for about 20 or so minutes (a good gauge is when the carrots are tender). 

That's it! Simple, huh?

Vegan Options at Chain Restaurants

A vegan can still dine out at chain restaurants- some of the time. According to Vegan Eating Out, here are the restaurants that have vegan options, and what they are. (I am not including the ones with the disclaimer "without cheese or chicken;" Chick-Fil-A has a plethora of vegan options if you order them without chicken, and where's the fun in that?)

Applebee's- salads with oil dressing

Atlanta Bread Company- Garden Vegetable Soup, Veggie Sandwich; vegan breads include French, Nine Grain, Pumpernickel, Rosemary Tomato Onion Focaccia, and Rye
Sourdough

Brixx- Pasta Pomodoro, Artichoke Pizza (with Soy Cheese), Margherita Pizza (with Soy Cheese), Pear & Gorgonzola Pizza (with Soy Cheese), Wild Mushroom Pizza (with Soy Cheese), Wood-Roasted Vegetable Pizza (with Soy Cheese)

California Pizza Kitchen- CPKid's Salad, Grilled Vegetable Salad, Steamed Vegetables, Tuscan Hummus with Neapolitan Crust, Wok-Stirred Mixed Vegetables, Dakota Smashed Pea & Barley Soup, Lettuce Wraps with Chinese Vegetables

Carabba's Italian Grill- Capelini, Cavatappi, Linguine, Penne, Rigatoni, Spaghetti, Pomodoro Sauce

Chick-Fil-A- Fruit Cup, Side Salad, Waffle Potato Fries, Hash Browns, Plain Bagel (kudos to Chick-Fil-A for not frying their fries in chicken grease, as KFC does.)

Chili's- Black Beans with Pico de Gallo, Broccoli (without Oil or Butter), Corn on the Cob (without Oil or Butter), Rice, Steamed Fresh Veggies (without Oil, Butter or Cheese)

Chipotle Mexican Grill- Chips & Guacamole, Chips & Salsa, Vegetarian Burrito (without Cheese or Sour Cream), Vegetarian Fajita Burrito (without Cheese or Sour Cream), Black Beans

Cracker Barrel- tossed salad, oatmeal, baked potatoes

IHOP- fresh fruit bowl, oatmeal

Johnny Rocket's- American fries, bananas, Streamliner Burger

Longhorn Steakhouse- mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette, Fresh Seasonal Vegetables, Fresh Steamed Asparagus (without Butter), Plain Baked Potato (without Butter or Sour Cream), Plain Sweet Potato (without Butter)

Manchu Wok- Mixed Vegetables

Moe's Southwest Grill- Chips, Personal Trainer

Olive Garden- Minestrone Soup, Capellini Pomodoro, Steamed Veggies

Outback Steakhouse- Classic Wedge Salad, Jacket Potato (without Butter), Steamed Green Beans (without Butter), Steamed Vegetables (without Butter), Sweet Potato (without Butter), Eggless Pasta

P.F. Chang's China Bistro- Garlic Snap Peas, Shanghai Cucumbers, Sichuan-style Asparagus, Spicy Green Beans, Spinach Stir-fried with Garlic, Vegetable Dumplings, Chang's Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps, Harvest Spring Rolls, Buddha's Feast, Coconut Curry Vegetables, Stir-fried Eggplant, Vegetable Chow Fun, Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu

Panera Bread- Low-Fat Vegetarian Black Bean Soup, Low-Fat Vegetarian Garden Vegetable Soup, Portobello & Mozzarella Sandwich (without Cheese); vegan breads include Ciabatta Bread, Country Bread, Focaccia Bread (Plain only), French Bread (Artisan only), Sesame, Semolina Bread, Sourdough Bread, Stone-Milled Rye Bread, Three Seed Bread

Qdoba- Tortilla Chips, Mango Salad, Vegetarian Taco Salad (without Sour Cream or Cheese), Tortilla Soup

Red Lobster- Garden Salad (without Cheese), Baked Potato (without Butter), Fresh Asparagus (without Butter), Fresh Broccoli (without Butter)

Ruby Tuesday- Fresh Garden Bar, Veggie Burger (without cheese)

The Cheesecake Factory- Guacamole, Tossed Green Salad, Vegetable Chopped Salad (without Pomegranate Vinaigrette), Asparagus, Edamame, Snow Peas & Vegetables, Spinach

The Melting Pot- California Salad with Raspberry Black Walnut Vinaigrette (without Cheese), House Salad with House Dressing (without Cheese or Egg Slices), Spinach Mushroom Salad with Warm Burgundy Shallot Dressing (without Bacon Pieces)

Zaxby's- Basket of Celery (without Ranch Sauce), Crinkle Fries, Pickle Spear, Tater Chips (without Ranch Sauce)

Pitiful, huh? I guess if you're vegan and are going to eat at chain restaurants, you'd better like salads and steamed vegetables. Even worse, here are the chain restaurants that have NO vegan options:

Black Angus Steakhouse
Buffalo Wild Wings
Denny's
Hooters
Logan's Roadhouse
O'Charley's
Red Robin
T.G.I. Fridays

And if you're lucky enough to live in a city that has one of these (I'm not), here are the 100% vegan chains:

Blossom
Candle 79
Food Swings
Herbivore
Horizons Philadelphia
Lov'n It Live
Loving Hut
Native Foods
Real Food Daily
Spiral Diner & Bakery
Vegan Village Internet Cafe

I'm not a big fan of chain restaurants, to tell the truth, but I am a little disappointed that the tofu burritos at Moe's are not vegan. That's life, huh?

Day 15: Dinner

Tonight I just ate leftovers from lunch, with some steamed zucchini. Geez, this picture looks better than the one I took earlier today, eh?

Day 15: Lunch

I grew up with my grandmother's recipe for sauce Bolognese, so I have trouble eating Ragu. Likewise, my Russian-American friends have given me a look of utmost repulsion when I tell them that my only experience with stroganoff has been the Hamburger Helper kind. They'd probably really hate me if I told them I made the beef, sour cream, and egg noodle classic with chicken-style seitan, rombi (the closest egg-free pasta I could find to those wavy egg noodles), and such cultural anachronisms as soy sauce and tahini.

Nonetheless, it was a keeper. Tahini is a great component for a creamy, thick gravy, and while the seitan tasted a lot like turkey (no wonder it's the basis for Tofurky) vegan stroganoff is a hearty and tasty dish. It contains a LOT of onions. While chopping them we elected to open the back door, which is an option now that the freeze has passed over us. (It got down to twelve degrees here in the Ham last week! Of course, I know the folks in North Dakota are laughing at us for complaining, eh?)

The recipe for vegan stroganoff:

• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups sliced mushrooms
• one package sliced seitan
• egg-free noodles

1. Make the gravy: Stir the cornstarch and soy sauce together in a small saucepan, being careful not to burn. Once you have a thin paste stir in broth and two cloves of garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and beat in tahini. Cover and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onions and remaining garlic for 10 minutes.

3. Add mushrooms and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes.

4. Add seitan and gravy. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, or until seitan is heated through. 

5. Serve over egg noodles.

I REALLY Cheated This Time

Remember when I said that I just can't read my Sunday paper without a cup of coffee? Well, the boyfriend can't see a movie on the big screen without a bag of popcorn. So when we went to the movies last night he asked me, "Can I PLEASE get some popcorn? PLEEEASE?" I made it clear to him that his choice to follow me on this diet was his, and he was free to eat whatever he wanted. It's just too bad that I can't sit next to someone with a bag of popcorn and not eat a few bites. What am I saying, I probably ate at least a third of his popcorn during the movie.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest published a famous report in 1994 about the dangers of movie theater popcorn, which stated that a large popcorn had the saturated fat of six Big Macs (eight if you order it with that greasy fake butter liquid poured on top). This was mainly due to the fact that it's typically popped in coconut oil, which gives it its distinctive flavor. Oddly, in countries where coconut oil is a staple (such as in the Philippines) heart disease rates are relatively low. But here in the States, it's dangerous.

Well, once I got home I thought since I'd cheated once I may as well again. So instead of cooking a full meal I heated up a box of Morningstar Farms buffalo wings and ate them with ranch dressing. I still haven't eaten any meat, but the original pretense of my resolution was temporarily abandoned.

What concerns me a bit is that this morning I don't really feel that bad. My boyfriend called me earlier in the week to confess that, while hungry and in a hurry, he stopped at Wendy's and ordered a #1 Value Meal. He couldn't even finish half of it, because it tasted so horrible, and when he got out of his car he vomited in the parking lot. Why am I not vomiting?!

So I made a mistake. All I can do is pick up and continue the original course.

Day 14: Lunch

I had my first restaurant meal in two weeks today, and I forgot to bring my camera. (Too bad- it was pretty.) It was at the Golden Temple (of course), and I had kitcheree, a green salad with Goddess dressing, and a decaf sweet tea.

What is kitcheree? It's a vegan Indian dish, which was very similar to the Indian food I have eaten in Britain, where I fell in love with Indian food. Due to the high Anglo-Indian population, Indian restaurants are as ubiquitous there as Mexican restaurants here, and for some reason we just can't get a handle on it stateside. I love Taj India, and I'm itching to try the Hyderabadi restaurant that just opened in the old Pyramid's, but American-Indian food isn't the same. Kitcheree is a stew-like dish of mung beans, rice, chopped vegetables, and garam masala. It's "very good for the digestive system" (as one of the employees told me) and is traditionally served with yogurt. Of course, I had to stop them from putting yogurt in mine; they substituted vegan sour cream in its place, which when mixed in gave the kitcheree a creamy texture that was most palatable. (If I use the word "palatable" too often in this blog, somebody please stop me!)

Day 13: Dinner

I noticed a long time ago that all taquerias (or at least the ones I have encountered in the Southeast) have one of a dozen common names. Let's see here... Guadalajara, Jalisco, Azteca, Acapulco, Jalapenos, Habaneros, et al. Sometimes a Peruvian-flavored spot will have a name beginning with "Sabor." Very occasionally you will find one that has a name like "Two Pesos" or something else more creative but lame.

Well, tonight I tried my hand at tofu tacos. The technique for cooking the tofu was similar to making the perennial vegan brunch classic Scrambled Tofu, so the filling has a distinct egg-like taste. Not bad though. Very heavy on the cumin, chili powder, and a little oregano and soy sauce (seriously). Vegan cheese isn't bad on these.

I also had some pinto beans (canned- I'm a bit of a sellout) with some chopped serrano peppers. As spicy as they are, they imparted little flavor to the beans- I will just know to use more next time.

Day 12: Dinner

Compared to last night's feast, its leftovers look rather sparse. However, I made the decision to try amaranth again, this time as a side dish. I followed some tips for amaranth "grits" and added onion and garlic as well as plenty of salt and pepper. It really DOES taste like grits. GOOD grits. As much as I've complained about amaranth, I have finally managed to make it palatable. I think I could have eaten more. Woohoo!

Day 11: Dinner

Yep, that's manicotti, and yep, that's eggplant that it's wrapped in. Woohoo! In addition to making a very nice impression, it's very good. It's a little extra work but for a special dinner it's worth it. The hardest part is slicing the eggplant into 1/4" strips. You should be able to get at least ten good slices from it, but do the best you can. DON'T attempt to do it while drunk. (I wasn't the drunk person who cut this eggplant, I might add.)

Here's the recipe:

• 1 large eggplant (biggest and straightest you can find!), sliced into 1/4" slices
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning (or oregano and basil mixed)
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder or flakes
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• small sprinkle of nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 2 cups marinara sauce (jarred is okay)

1. Cook both sides of eggplant in olive oil until tender.

2. Heat 1/4 cup water in a skillet and cook onions until water is evaporated. Stir in 1/4 cup more, and add spinach and seasonings. Stir in flour and cook two more minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Place a spoonful of spinach mixture on each eggplant slice, then roll around filling, beginning at narrow end. Arrange in an oiled baking dish seam side down and top with marinara sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes.

Day 10: Dinner

Vegan gumbo just isn't right... I learned tonight that you can't make a proper roux without butter. It just won't thicken properly with olive oil. This was more like a soup than a thick, spicy okra and sausage stew. Speaking of sausage... I used vegetarian chorizo. (That's right, vegetarian- I accidentally bought a variety containing a small amount of egg white powder. I gotta remember to check the ingredients next time.) Chorizo is a dry, breadlike sausage to begin with, but this was really dry. 

Still not too bad. I would recommend chopping it a little finer than I did, and using more than the allotted one cup of okra. (By the way, "gumbo" is a native African word meaning "okra," which is why I find it hilarious to see a gumbo recipe that doesn't even call for okra.)

Whole Foods' Meat Counter

If you take a look at Whole Foods Market's exhaustive website, you will see that they have a lot of "values," and some of these concern the meat that they sell.  They hold the corporate philosophy that every animal deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, even those being raised for slaughter, and the consumer deserves the freshest, healthiest and most natural meat available if they're willing to pay Whole Foods' premium prices. Don't believe everything you hear. It would be nice if you could believe everything you hear, but you just shouldn't.

In spite of the fact that my local Whole Foods Market sold me and my townspeople previously recalled ground beef last summer, I still salivate whenever I walk past their meat and seafood sections. They're just so pretty. Who would have thought dead and decomposing flesh could be so aesthetically appealing?

Last Sunday, while I was picking up my eggplant, tofu, et al., I got a glimpse at the fresh seafood. They had wild-caught Alaskan salmon. As much as I like regular ol' farm raised salmon, comparing it to the wild kind is like putting Little Debbie swiss rolls up against a gourmet buche de noel- it just isn't fair. Fourteen dollars a pound, and I'll bet that ruby red flesh was worth every dime. Then I saw the baby octopus for sale next to it. If you don't know, I have a bit of a kinship with the octopus- it's my favorite animal- and it just wasn't all that great seeing those little infant corpses with their tentacles sprawled out on the counter like that. I lost my appetite.

I also couldn't help but scratch my head over the $25/lb. veal chops. (Scallopine was $19.) I assume that one has to be crafty to produce cruelty-free veal... but I must say it had to be the most beautiful meat I'd ever seen.

Day 9: Dinner

(Yes, I occasionally eat at my computer.) I really don't like artichokes, but I always find myself giving them another try. Pictured above is artichoke and tofu pasta salad, which I think will make excellent leftovers tomorrow at lunch.

See that powdery stuff on the salad that looks a little like parm when you don't look too close? That's nutritional yeast. Its name is self-explanatory; it's deactivated yeast, similar to brewer's yeast, and an excellent source of protein, B complex vitamins, and fiber. It's also good as a topping for popcorn, and is supposedly a key ingredient in a killer vegan mac and cheese.

Day 8: Dinner

I have discovered a few things tonight. One, vegan bacon is decent on a sandwich but not all that great just to nibble on; and two, vegan cheese has a loooong way to go.

Tonight I ate two BLTs and a bowl of chili. (I didn't eat lunch and I was hungry.) The bacon, which is pictured above, didn't look all that much like bacon, or at least not pork bacon. Turkey bacon, perhaps? No fat, and obviously shaped into a bacon-like strip. According to the package, the bacon could be cooked either in a skillet or in the oven. I chose the oven. Although the package said 5 minutes at 450 degrees, it took about twice that long to achieve a crispy texture. When matched with bread, vegan mayo, lettuce and tomato, it tasted much like regular bacon. When eaten alone, it didn't.

I bought a chunk of vegan cheddar-like cheese, which clearly stated on the packaging "It Melts!" NO IT DOESN'T. It has the texture of Velveeta when cut or shredded, and it tastes like nothing else- especially cheese. The soy flavor was very heavy. Raw tofu, perhaps? I don't think I will buy it again, especially seeing as it's rather expensive. I would love to see the day when fine artisanal cheeses come in vegan varieties- my kingdom for a cruelty-free Gorgonzola!- but I don't see it coming any time soon.

Veganaise, the brand of vegan mayonnaise that I purchased, was awesome. No different from regular mayo, if not better.

One regret that I have here is that I purchased white bread for the BLTs. White bread is just better for that purpose, but I forgot what I had read earlier and related in this same blog- that white flour turns to papier-mache in the stomach. I'm going to feel bad tomorrow. But it was organic, and it was made by 365 Organics (Whole Foods' store brand). I couldn't have been that bad!

One Week Later

Well, I've made it through a week with no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, preservatives or artificial anything. The only sweetener I have had is a little pure maple syrup in my oatmeal, and the only fats I've consumed are olive and sesame oils. I have only had one sip of alcohol, which was only one sip because I couldn't finish one glass of wine. I'm changing.

Do I feel better? I'd say yes. I haven't been quite as tired, nor quite as demotivated. I haven't had the digestive trouble I've had in the past. I feel properly nourished, though I do have hunger pains occasionally.

I have however become convinced that it is animal products that make food taste good. I think it is butter that I miss the most (I thought it would be cheese). 

Well, one down, seven more to go. I think this week I will try some more traditional American foods, rather than just health nut-type stuff. Tonight I plan on making some killer BLTs, using "fakin' bacon" and Nayonaise.

Day 7: Dinner

(Yes that's the Unsharp Mask you see. This pic was for some reason very blurry.)

Day 7 was Italian-style cannellini beans with kale, leftover quinoa pilaf, and a green salad. A typical end of the week meal. 

I'm not sure if I like kale. It's a highly nutritious vegetable with remarkable antioxidant properties; a great source of beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, and calcium; but for some reason I am reminded of a restaurant I worked in where it was used to decorate the salad bar. Icky.

I Cheated... Sort Of.

Well, last night I figured I had done so well the previous six days that I thought I might indulge by having a glass of wine. (It was a $6 bottle of Cabernet from the grocery store- definitely not organic.) I took one sip and began to feel sick. I could taste the sulfites swirling around on my palate. So my one indulgence was actually a bit of a downfall. Poo.

If you're going to drink wine while on a vegan diet, there are a few things you should know. Not all wines are vegan- actually, very few are. Wines typically use fining agents, which clarify the wine and remove nasties such as proteins and yeast. Typical animal-derived fining agents include gelatin, isinglass (from the swimbladders of fish), chitosan (from the exoskeletons of crustaceans, particularly shrimp), casein, and egg albumen. Some Mediterranean countries even use bull's blood, though those wines are not allowed to be imported to the US.

A popular vegan fining agent is Bentonite, which you're probably familiar with if you took ceramics back in school; the more patient vintners even let their sediments settle naturally, without being filtered. There is no FDA requirement for wines to list which fining agents they use, though most vintners who do not filter their wines say so on their labels.

Kosher wines are always vegan. If you're not a huge fan of Manischewitz, a list of vegan wines can be found here.

Day 6: Dinner

Yes, I know it looks like it's been partially eaten, because it has. I forgot to take my picture until I'd already had a few bites.

Tonight I had my first tempeh experience. It's okay. A little bit lumpy, as can be expected. The fermenting agents can be readily tasted; I think I will try some of the other flavors made by this same brand. Tonight's tempeh was plain, seasoned with olive oil and soy sauce.

It's a very simple food to prepare. To cook tempeh, cut it into fingers (like I did), marinate it briefly in a mixture of olive oil and soy sauce, and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. It has a dry, grainy texture, similar to boiled peanuts (though not quite as good). 

I also had steamed squash and a very yummy quinoa pilaf. The pilaf was worthy of a recorded recipe.

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 a red onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups filtered water
• 2 teaspoons naturally brewed soy sauce
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onions, carrots, and quinoa until slightly brown. 

2. Add the garlic, soy sauce and water. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. 

3. Add the peas about 5 minutes before finish; then allow to sit for 5 more minutes before serving.

Crikey! I can't be anemic!

Three days later, I have finally conquered my beeturia. (Yes, there is actually a name for it.) For those of you just tuning in, "beeturia" is the passing of red or pink urine after eating beets. It's caused by the presence of betalain (the pigment that gives beets their purple-red color) and it's pretty unsettling when you don't know what's going on.

The kicker is that only 10-14% of the population experiences it at all. For some it's a recessive genetic trait, and for others it's a sign of an iron deficiency. Yikes! Maybe that's why I'm so tired.

I have heard before that taking iron supplements without a doctor's permission is potentially dangerous, but I eat plenty of greens and, at one time, red meat, so I really can't be anemic... right? It may be one reason why I've been so tired. Oh well... I have attached earlobes, bent pinky fingers, and a ton of other recessive genes, so here's hoping it's that.

Day 5: Dinner

"Millet"- such a fun word to say. It's been cultivated in China for thousands of years, it's eaten widely throughout India and much of Africa, and in the United States it's commonly used in bird feeders. Yummy!

Pictured above is herbed millet with a creamy tomato sauce (creaminess achieved with unflavored soy milk) and steamed zucchini. Millet is actually pretty decent. It reminded me of grits, and I'm willing to bet that it could be fried or grilled in the same manner as polenta. On the nutritional spectrum, it's not up to par with its peers (less than one gram of fiber per serving) but I think it's the tastiest of the new grains I've tried.

Something must be said about organic winter tomatoes- they SUCK. They're colorless, they taste like wet flannel, and they really make you realize how much you take a juicy summertime tomato fresh from the garden for granted. Miraculous advances in non-organic horticulture has made it possible for any fruit at all to be grown at any time of the year, but that definitely doesn't help those who want to keep from being poisoned, does it?

Day 5: Breakfast

I am learning to love breakfast again.

Today I made an extra large bowl of oatmeal. It was Quaker Oats- I didn't feel like going to Whole Foods and Publix doesn't sell organic oats- but it was at least the kind that came in the cardboard canister and took a full five minutes to cook. And I did cook it on the stove... I have not sold out completely yet!

Oatmeal is a good source of fiber, but not quite as much as the more eclectic grains that I've been eating (four grams per serving as opposed to seven), so I saw fit to throw in a spoonful of flaxseed. To cut the bitter taste I also stirred in some cinnamon, a handful of walnuts and- shoot me- a dollop of maple syrup. Seriously, it was a half-second pour! 

All-natural organic pure maple syrup is permissible in a detox diet in very small amounts; it can actually be beneficial, because its high zinc and manganese content help coddle the immune system. Nonetheless, I think I will pick up a bottle of agave nectar next time I go shopping. It doesn't spike blood sugar levels like maple syrup does.

Day 4: Dinner

Whoa! This ain't your grandmother's red beans and rice. Tonight's dinner was some good stuff. (I also had a mesclun and tomato salad, with the same shiitake vinaigrette.) For the first time I got to use kombu, a Japanese seaweed that comes in sheets and is good for seasoning beans, soups and the like. This Cajun-style dish isn't very spicy at all, but it is a little sweet, thanks to the addition of pure maple syrup (which I shall mention is the only sweetener of any type I have had since Saturday evening). 

As is customary with good dishes, I must include the recipe (it's a wee bit complicated but worth it):

• 1 can (25 ounces) red kidney beans
• 6 cups filtered water, divided
• 1 2" piece kombu
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large chopped onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 tsp. oregano or Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup brown rice
• 3 large stalks chopped celery
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1. Place beans, 2 cups water, and kombu in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove and discard kombu.

2. Saute garlic and half of the chopped onions in olive oil until tender (3 minutes). Add to beans.

3. Also add to beans 2 cups of water, bay leaves, maple syrup, bouillon, red pepper, and oregano. Cover and simmer 30 minutes longer.

4. While you're doing this, cook rice in other 2 cups of water for 45 to 55 minutes.

5. Saute remaining onion, celery, bell pepper, and corn in olive oil for about 10 minutes or until soft. Mix these vegetables with the rice and serve with beans on top.

FYI (or TMI?)

Here's an interesting factoid that I now know as a fact based on personal experience: Eating lots of beets will make your urine pink. They'll also give your feces a distinct fuschia-like hue. Just a word to the wise. Now thank me for sharing that.

Day 4: Lunch

I've been eating the leftovers from last night's dinner, and it's really given me a Chick-Fil-A craving. I think the quinoa would be better with zucchini and eggplant instead of beets and parsnips (keeping the onions, of course) and perhaps using basil instead of rosemary. Sorry, but rosemary makes anything taste like it's just been dug up out of the woods.

Day 3: Dinner

Ah, taking a picture of my dinner every day for the whole Internet to see. I feel like a Google employee.

Tonight it was roasted root vegetables with quinoa and sauteed bok choy with onions. I'd say it was pretty yum. The beets, carrots, and sweet onions gave my palate a hint of sweetness that it had been lacking for the last three days. (It's only been three days?! It feels like so much longer!) Of course, beets are going to overpower any dish as well as impart their unique red-purple color. I had never tasted parsnips before (they're really not a staple in the American South) but they had a unique flavor- I'd say the jury's out on that one. Rosemary was used generously in this dish. It's an herb that's probably more notable for its aroma than its flavor, though it's always good for roasting. It really gave my whole kitchen a woodsy ambiance.

This is the first dish that I have made with quinoa. Like amaranth, it's an ancient cereal grain, but it's much better in my opinion. A little fluffier, and very well-suited for a good pilaf. Hmmm... there's an idea for later in the week, I think.

The First Major Test

At my place of employment birthdays are celebrated with a cake. And not just any cake either- a cake from Edgar's Bakery. This place makes some damn fine baked desserts, I am not afraid to say, and I felt very special when I was purchased the Chocolate Decadence cake for my own birthday last June. What can I say- if the cake is hedonistic and unhealthy enough it can make any girl feel like a princess.

Today one of the salesmen celebrated his own birthday, and it was complete with a moist yellow cake with caramel icing, and lots of vanilla ice cream to go around. The good news is, caramel is my least favorite cake. The bad news is, it's still a cake, so I still like it. I just stood and watched everyone else eat theirs. Tons of fun.

What was even more difficult? Twice today I walked through the lobby of my building, forced to glance at the candy dish filled to the brim with red- and green-foiled Reese's Cups. I had to grind my teeth to avoid grabbing a handful. I can only imagine that narcotics withdrawal has its similar moments.

Day 3: Breakfast

So I've made a concession- no more of these mega-fiber ancient grains with gelatinous texture and no taste for breakfast. I just can't wake up to that anymore. So this morning I ate old-fashioned organic rolled oats with cinnamon and walnuts- no sugar or honey, which was a little hard, but still familiar. It's still vegan, and it's still pure... it just tastes a little better, and you can't cook it in a thermos. No harm in that.

Sometimes I find myself saying that I should have taken this in stages, rather than just gone cold turkey. Then I say, "Nope. That's not how I roll."

Day 2: Dinner

Today was a solemn day. I'm not going to talk about anything in this blog except my vegan experiment, so I won't say why, but that's why I'm not explaining here.

Tonight's dinner was tomato and avocado stir-fry with rice noodles and herbed tomato and avocado salad. Delicious! However, for more in the "re-learning how to live" category, it was something awful watching Desperate Housewives without my customary Morningstar Farms buffalo wings, brownie a la mode, and Diet Coke. But two days later and I still haven't cheated. Woohoo!

Day 2: Breakfast

I think I have decided that I don't like amaranth. It's too bland! I'm convinced that it might have potential if seasoned properly. Butter's out of the question, sugar's out of the question... I found a recipe for amaranth "grits" containing garlic and salt and cooked in vegetable broth instead of water. I might try that, and also experiment with some others. If I just can't get it to taste palatable, then I'm not going to be able to eat it much longer. I will have to experiment with others, such as quinoa and millet. And if I can't find a proper whole grain cereal that doesn't suck, then I will have to either resort to organic whole oatmeal or find an acceptable cold cereal that I'll eat with soy milk. "Acceptable" would mean organic, whole grain, high in fiber, high in protein, no added sugar or artificial sweeteners... hmmm, anybody got any ideas?

I'm also going to have to find a means to grind my flaxseeds. When whole, they make anything gag-worthy; I'm reminded of their origin as an oil paint binder.

Day 1: Dinner

So let me gloat a little bit: I have successfully cooked tofu!!! It wasn't that difficult, either. It just had to be drained properly. I used extra firm tofu, which didn't have as much moisture as the standard kind, and I followed some directions I found on the internet: Lay the tofu on a cutting board, on top of about four layers of paper towels. Lay about four more on top. Then take a second cutting board, lay on top of that, and press firmly. This will remove the majority of the excess moisture. Then discard and replace the wet paper towels, and this time set a few canned goods on the top cutting board. Leave for at least twenty minutes (I let it drain for an hour). It will be perfectly drained, and ready to cook.

Tonight I made a stir-fry with tofu, asparagus, and bok choy cabbage, with coconut curried rice on the side. The stir-fry was very good; the rice was a little too spicy for my taste.

Asparagus is one vegetable that only the mature palate can appreciate. Before my eighteenth birthday I ate it exactly once, and it was canned. Due to my reaction, it was never served to me again. But now I love it, especially pan-fried with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Bok choy is among the most flavorful and nutritious cabbages. I'd probably eaten it at an Asian restaurant before, but this was my first time cooking it.

Here's the stir-fry recipe:

• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 1 piece (1/2") fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 10 asparagus spears, cut into 2" pieces and with woody stems cut off
• 4 cups chopped bok choy
• 7 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp. water

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet.

2. Saute the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds. Do not allow it to burn.

3. Add soy sauce, asparagus, bok choy, and tofu. Add the water and allow it to steam for 5 minutes. This will lightly steam the ingredients.

4. Serve hot.

My advice concerning this recipe: Use a large pot rather than a skillet, and let it steam covered for about 10 minutes. When the cabbage wilts you'll know it's done. You might also need to add a little more soy sauce. 

This is a very good recipe, and I can imagine it would be a good dish to serve to die-hard meat eaters as well.

Day 1: Lunch

Today's lunch consisted of black bean and sweet potato chili and a green salad with tomatoes, onions, and Whole Foods brand shiitake mushroom vinaigrette. I'd say it was a success.

The chili was very tasty and very easy to cook- I'd have to say I will make it again. But this recipe will need a little bit of tweaking to be perfect. For one, it was a little thin; I think a couple handfuls of TVP might be just the thing for it. The recipe calls for only ten minutes of cooking time after adding the tomatoes, but for this many sweet potatoes, that just won't do. I'd say at least twenty. For such a huge recipe (it made eleven cups) it didn't  call for nearly enough spices. My suggestion would be to double the cumin and chili powder, use at least two more garlic cloves, and maybe even zest and juice another lime. If you're one for lots of heat (I'm really not), add another jalapeno, or maybe even a serrano or two. (This might even be the rare recipe that a habanero wouldn't overpower.) What purpose the cocoa powder served I can't figure out.

If you want to try the recipe, here it is:

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
• Zest and juice of one lime
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes (DO NOT make the mistake of getting Italian-style tomatoes with basil, as I did without even thinking.)
• 4 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, or 6 cups cooked black beans (I used the canned kind- shoot me.)
• 1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cocoa powder
• Cilantro, for garnish

1. Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onion, red pepper, garlic and salt. Saute until soft, about 4 minutes.

2. Add the sweet potato and lime zest; cook 10-15 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

3. Add tomatoes, black beans, jalapeno, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cocoa. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. (As aforementioned, you'll need to cook it a little longer than that.)

4. Serve with chopped cilantro.

This is my second bowl. It actually looks really good, doesn't it? It was. And high in lycopene, beta carotene, and fiber.

Drats!

It's just occurred to me that I simply cannot read the Sunday paper without a cup of coffee. Crud! This is already like re-learning how to live.

Day 1: Breakfast

Here's a picture of this morning's breakfast. (As you can see, I'm not a professional photographer or food stylist. Oh well.)

I ate amaranth with flaxseeds and walnuts, with a glass of papaya apple juice. The amaranth I cooked in a thermos overnight. The package said that a serving size was a quarter cup, which just didn't sound like enough, so I made a half cup. Big mistake... this stuff swells. I ended up with more than I could eat, but I did manage to eat half of it.

Amaranth is something that both my palate and stomach will need to get used to. I think it would be much better with a couple pats of butter, but that's off  limits, of course. And as soon as I finished the half bowl that I ate, I could feel the cogs moving in my intestines. Indigestion is imminent. Just like how in two months, after I've eaten this stuff every day, the leisurely brunch I have at the Original Pancake House will churn my insides.

My first taste of nutritious whole food veganism. Yummy.

Flaxseeds

The plant flax was first grown in the Fertile Crescent in Mesopotamia about 10,000 years ago; it was later cultivated extensively in ancient Egypt. Its fibers are used to make linen and to a lesser extent paper. Its seeds are used to make linseed oil, a binder and drying agent in paints, printing inks, and varnishes. Why am I even mentioning this? Because flaxseed is nature's perfect food.

Flax seeds contain among the highest levels of lignans and Omega-3 fatty acids. Lignans are powerful antioxidants that protect the heart and combat cancer, especially breast and prostate cancers. Omega-3s are among the most powerful cancer fighters. Flaxseed can also stave off diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar levels. And its high levels of antioxidants can efficaciously battle aging and wrinkles.

A mere three tablespoons of flaxseeds contain four grams of Omega-3 fatty acids (nine grams of fat overall), seven grams of dietary fiber, six grams of protein, and a plethora of vitamins and minerals. Where else will you find such a healthy punch in such a small amount?

Flaxseeds are traditionally eaten ground, using a coffee or spice grinder, pepper mill, or for the traditionalist, mortar and pestle. I don't have any of these items; I plan on eating mine whole. It is no trouble at all to sprinkle three spoonfuls of flaxseed onto your cereal or porridge every morning. There's no easier way to make your breakfast a little healthier.

Best Lunch Ever... Sort Of.

Ah, the Golden Temple- Birmingham's bastion to bohemianism. Where else in this city can you get a vegan burrito, a Hansen's all-natural apple soda, an eight dollar smoothie, a pack of Tofutti Cuties, a pound of dried burdock root, a bar of Dr. Bronner's soap, an autobiography of purported avatar Sathya Sai Baba, a statue of Isis (or the Venus of Willendorf, for that matter), a bottle of holy water, a t-shirt that says "We All Live In a Yellow Butterbean," and a copy of Hinduism Magazine all under one roof? I find it completely amazing the way that it has thrived in this dying land for over thirty-five years.

Today I dined there for lunch (they're not open for dinner). I had the pita bread pizza, a bowl of black bean chili, and a mint tea. If I may say so, it was superb. The personal-size pizza, which was a toasted pita bread with organic pizza sauce, vegan cheese, spinach, and fresh vegetables, was one of the best pies I have ever had, bar none. I had a very hard time believing it was made with vegan cheese because- get this- it was fully melted. All the way. It tasted like regular cheese. The black bean chili was also very good- not spicy at all, but thickened with what I can only guess was TVP (I would have thought it was ground beef) and served with organic corn chips.

Afterwards I did some shopping at their store. My first inclination was "only to look around," but when I saw the dried herbs I had to indulge myself. I picked up some burdock root, milk thistle seeds, and dandelion root, and also some very gourmet loose green tea. Herbs are so inexpensive when you buy them in bulk; I saw the prices on the pre-bagged herbal teas and made the decision to try my hand at making my own tea.

While I am on this diet, I will probably be frequenting this place pretty often.

Veganism and Weight Loss

It is estimated that four percent of America's population are vegetarian. Of those, five percent consider themselves vegan. Therefore, about 0.2% of the US population is vegan. They may not be the healthiest 0.2%, but they are definitely among the slimmest.

Ever see a fat vegan? Probably not. I'm sure they exist, and of course there's fat vegetarians out there. We all knew them in college, the ones who feast on french fries and cheese pizzas in the cafeteria. There's the guy who would eat a big plate of spaghetti with nacho cheese sauce poured over it every single day at lunch and dinner- you better believe he was above his ideal weight. I even knew one strict vegetarian (a female) who weighed close to 350 pounds, though I'm fairly certain she had a glandular disorder.

Anyway, remember when I said that weight loss was not one of my main goals here? Scratch that. Since resolving to do this diet, I have thrown caution to the wind, making sure to enjoy all of the foods that I won't be able to after this Sunday. And of course there was the Christmas season. In the last month I have become unable to wear some of my clothes. I am actually afraid to weigh myself now... sucks.

It has been said that one reason why some people have difficulty losing weight is that it is the fat cells in the body that hold the most toxins; these make it difficult to shed the fat. Interestingly, the brain is composed mostly of fat, which is why being toxic can cause mental cloudiness and poor motor skills. For similar reasons, the prostate (composed mostly of fatty tissue) and the breasts are more susceptible to cancer than other glands.

But dammit, I just want to fit in those size 12 Calvins that I bought on eBay a couple weeks ago! Is that too much to ask?!

Best Reason Yet To Go Vegan

Once you think about it, meat is actually pretty gross. Anybody want to take a crack at what this picture's of? You can tell from the background that it wasn't taken at a TCBY. That's right, kids; it's mechanically separated chicken.

I ate a ton of this as a youth. Hell, what do you think Chicken McNuggets are made from? Spam is a little more obvious, of course. Last night I ordered a dozen boneless wings from the Wing Zone down the street, and yes, they were typically delicious. But after taking a little bite I looked at the mincey gray meat and thought, "Hey, this is actually mechanically separated chicken."

So what is mechanically separated meat? As we all know from Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, the meat industry doesn't like to waste anything. And that includes the small pieces of flesh still attached to the bones after the meat is torn off. Oh, but how to remove it? The bones are forced through a high-pressure sieve or similar mechanical device and the teeny pieces of meat are ground into a "slurry." This thick, gelatinous liquid can be used for several purposes, such as pouring into chicken nugget- or hotdog-shaped molds and the like.

Of course, this process does decimate the amount of nutrients in the meat, which is why in the early 1980s consumer groups pressured the FDA to regulate the amount of MSM allowed in certain foods. Hotdogs, for instance, can only contain 20% MSM. Concerns were raised again in the 1990s with the Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) scare in Great Britian. BSE is carried through the brain and spinal cord, and bits of these made their way into the meat with cow vertebrae. So today the production of mechanically separated beef carries a stigma.

Also wonder why Chicken McNuggets are made from all-white meat? That gets pretty expensive, doesn't it? Not really. The dark meat used in slurries merely has the myoglobin (the pigment in muscle that undergoes regular use, which makes the meat dark in color and a little more rough) removed, using emulsifiers and a centrifuge. It was a doctor at the University of Georgia who perfected this process. Go 'Dawgs!

So, wanna stick to Morningstar Farms from now on? (With all fairness, I'm sure there are similar processes used in making meat substitutes that are just as repulsive.)