Reader's Digest

Reader's Digest is one of my favorite magazines. I admit, I mostly read it for the jokes ("How many fisherman does it take to change a lightbulb? Five, and you should have seen the size of that lightbulb! Five of us almost weren't enough!"... No? Not funny? Fine.), but I also love reading the health section. And this week, I was especially happy: there was a little blurb about vegetarians!

I'll recap.

In a study by Dean Ornish, MD, and Elizabeth Blackburn, MD, subjects ate a low-fat, vegetarian diet, walked for thirty minutes a day (six days a week), and used stress-reducing techniques. In doing so, they reduced their LDL cholesterol levels and exhibited a 29 percent increase in telomerase, an enzyme responsible for repairing and lengthening telomeres (protein complexes on the ends of chromosomes). Higher telomerase levels are not only critical for immunity and longevity, but they decrease your risk of heart disease and cancer. So, the conclusion? Follow a low-fat vegetarian diet, of course!

But what constitutes a "low-fat" diet, anyway?

Well, first off, it does not mean no fat whatsoever, so you can go ahead and have that peanut butter sandwich. Low fat simply means no more than 30% of your calories should come from fat. For a 2000 calorie diet, that translates to about 66 grams a day. Not too bad, right?

An easy equation to figure out your maximum daily value of fat...

Calories a day x .3 = Calories from fat
Calories from fat / 9 = maximum grams of fat

Just make sure your fat is good fat. Nuts, seeds, high quality oils (olive, etc.), and avocados are all excellent sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Try to limit your intake of saturated fats to a maximum of about 20 grams for a 2000 calorie diet (or 10% of Calorie intake).

A Vegan Thanksgiving, 2008

I love fall. It's a time of beautiful colors...



And pumpkins!



I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year, and I hope you got to spend it with someone you love. Being vegan and eating with an omnivorous family can be a little tense at times, especially if you have recently turned vegan (or vegetarian), but, if you come armed with delicious food and a good attitude, it will work out in the end.

Here's what was on the menu for me:

Pumpkin Scones



1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup vegan margarine (such as Earth Balance), softened slightly, but still cold
2 cups pureed pumpkin*

You can use canned pumpkin (just be sure to get 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix), or you can bake your own. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Split the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and strings. In a rimmed, oven-safe glass dish or roasting pan, place the pumpkins cut side down in one cup of water. Bake for about 90 minutes until the flesh is very tender. Let cool. When safe to handle, and scoop the flesh out into a food processor and puree.

For the scones:

Preheat the oven to 425°F or 400°F convection.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder and soda, ginger, and cinnamon. Cut in the margarine (I like to break it up in chunks and basically knead it into the flour with my hands). Once the margarine is incorporated, stir in the pumpkin. Mix well, and knead a few times so that the dough holds together.

Transfer the pumpkin dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead a few more times and form the it into a large circle that is a few inches thick. With a pastry knife, divide the dough into twelve even slices (cut the circle into fourths, then cut each fourth into thirds).

Now here is the only mildly tricky part. Separate the twelve pieces (it can be a little like trying to get the first piece of cake out perfectly!). Place onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet, and bake for about 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Tzimmes with Pecans and Raisins



This dish was great. Everyone loved the pear/sweet potato combination, and it is definitely going to become one of those dishes that I will make every year.

Adapted from Veganomicon.

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about two medium/large), chopped into chunks
2-3 Bartlett pears, chopped into chunks
1/2-1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons mirin (get a good one, not the kind with cornsyrup)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/2 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly oil a large, rimmed baking sheet, and toss in the sweet potatoes and pears to coat. Sprinkle on the mirin, maple syrup, cinnamon, pecans, and raisins, and stir to distribute evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about thirty minutes. Stir, replace the foil, and bake for about thirty minutes more. Stir every now and then. Serve warm.

Fall Loaf



This lovely loaf will fill your home with the fresh scent of sage.

1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup rice mixture (such as Lundbergs), or brown rice
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, finely ground
1 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 slice of whole wheat bread, crumbled
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (or sage)
1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed

Place the lentils, barley, and rice in a medium-sized pot and cover with about three cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and then simmer for 45-55 minutes. Take a peek at them every now and then to make sure they do not run out of water.

When the grains are almost done, sauté the onions in water or oil. Add the celery and sauté one or two minutes more (the celery will add a nice crunch to the loaf, so don't sauté too long).

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large oven-safe dish, toss together the cooked grain, onions and celery, ground almonds, crumbled whole wheat bread, poultry seasoning, and celery seed. Mix well. Then add the tomatoes, including their juice. It depends on how moist your loaf is at this point, but you will probably want to add a cup or so of water. The loaf is going to cook for a while, and you don't want it get too dry.

Bake uncovered for about an hour.

Enjoy!

Cranberry-Banana Bread

Ever eaten a raw cranberry?



They will make you pucker up like none other (trust me, there is a reason cranberry juice has so much sugar!). But here, in this lovely, festive bread, they provide the perfect contrast ti the creamy sweetness of ripened bananas without the use of too much sugar. Plus, cranberries are packed full of cancer-fighting, immune system-boosting, heart-protecting antioxidants, and studies show that they may even prevent urinary tract infections! (because I know you've been so worried about them.) So what have you go to lose? Eat up! Your body and taste buds will thank you.




Cranberry-Banana Bread

4 ripe bananas, mushed*
1/8 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/2-3/4 cup sugar, depending on the level of sweetness you like
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
A pinch or so of cloves
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup or so fresh cranberries


*To mash: place peeled bananas into a gallon sized zip-lock bag. Squeeze out the air, zip tight. Now, mash with your fingers until they are mushed to your desired consistency (I recommend leaving them a little chunky). Cut one of the bottom corners of the bag to squeeze out all of the banana goodness into a bowl.


Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, oil, apple sauce, sugar, and vanilla. Stir well.

Next, add the spices. Smell that cinnamon. Yum.



Now, stir in the baking powder and salt, then gently add the flour. Mix until just combined (you don't want to form too much gluten), then fold in the cranberries.



Pour into lightly oiled, 9x5" loaf pan or a bundt pan. Place in the warm oven, bake for 50-55 minutes (until the edges begin to pull away from the sides, or a toothpick comes out clean). Serve warm, or cool part way on a rack and place in a zip-lock bag or other container to keep it moist.

Avocados and Chocolate?

I love birthdays... especially when I get to bake the cake!

Last weekend was my brother's twenty-first birthday. A fan of everything chocolate, I had to make sure his cake had extra chocolatey goodness.

Glazed Chocolate & Avocado Cupcakes

Yes, you read that right. Avocado. You wouldn't believe how moist and rich it makes these little bundles of deliciousness.

Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour*
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled**
1 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup soymilk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing
1/2 cup soft silken tofu, drained
3 Tbs pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips, melted

*I usually bake with half whole wheat flour and half unbleached white. It turned out well for me with this recipe

**the bigger the better!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (not convection). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil liners (I prefer foil because it doesn't stick to the little cakes, but you can use paper if you so desire!). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl or in a food processor, purée the avocado, maple syrup, soymilk, oil, and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Pour the avocado mixture into the flour and mix well.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before attempting to glaze.

For the icing: Blend the tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add the melted chocolate, and blend until smooth. This will turn out almost like a pudding (in fact, you could eat it just like pudding!).

To glaze: dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes into the icing, pulling straight out to form professional-looking peaks at the top (mine didn't turn out so well this time because I was pressed for time and I did not let them cool completely!). If you would like the glaze to harden, simply place the cupcakes in the refrigerator for about five or so minutes, and voila, they're ready for devouring!

Oh, and I apologize for the terrible picture. Like I said, I was pressed for time, and I wanted to snap a quick shot before they disappeared!

Tears of a Chef

Favorite knife. Check.
Cutting board. Check.
Sunglasses.... Check!



Alright. Bring on the onion.

You may laugh (and I admit, I do look a bit ridiculous chopping onions with giant sunglasses on...), but dammit, it works. If I don't wear them, I always end up with big, fat, salty tears pouring out my face like a water fountain. Which makes my makeup run. Which invariably ends up my eyes. Which makes them sting like fire. Which makes me rub them with my onion juice-covered hands... Which- well, you get the picture. So, yes, even though people my laugh, I don't care. You can go ahead and "tough it out like a man," but I will continue to wear my sexy, rhinestone-studded onion glasses.

If you are nerdy enough to want to know why they make you cry, I will gladly explain the evilness. As soon as you commence the chopping, the onion cells release enzymes that decompose other substances in the onion (among them amino sulfoxides), and the remnants quickly arrange themselves into a volatile gas. The gas eventually reaches your eyes, reacts with the H2O that keeps them moist, and forms a mild sulfuric acid. In order to dilute this acid and prevent damage to the eye, your body produces tears. And, if you are like me, when this happens, you like to rub your eyes... but this actually makes the irritation a lot worse, of course, because of the onion juices all over your hands.

You can try all the other "remedies" such as breathing through your mouth, sticking your tongue out, or even chewing gum (vegan, of course!), but let me save you the pain: they do NOT work! Onion glasses. They are the only way to go.

Yummy Veganomicon Muffins

These healthy muffins taste almost like banana nut bread. They are perfectly moist and delicious, and they definitely did not last very long in my house!

Adapted from Veganomicon

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins

1 cup soy milk (vanilla or plain)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 very ripe large bananas
1/4 scant cup oil
1/3 cup natural sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans, optional
1 carrot, grated, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix the soy milk and vinegar together. Set aside to curdle.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl and stir in the soy milk mixture along with the oil, vanilla, and sugar. Mix well. In another medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nuts. Pour this mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Lightly oil a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Fill the cups 3/4 full and bake for 22 minutes. Remove from oven and place them on a cooling rack once they are cool enough to handle. Enjoy warm, cold, or even toasted!

Dairy part 3: What's in that glass?

From Wikipedia: "Milk is an emulsion or colloid of butterfat globules within a water-based fluid. Each fat globule is surrounded by a membrane consisting of phospholipids and proteins; these emulsifiers keep the individual globules from joining together into noticeable grains of butterfat and also protect the globules from the fat-digesting activity of enzymes found in the fluid portion of the milk."

Mmmm... Fat globules. Sounds delicious.

Simply put, milk is a white, opaque liquid produced in the mammary glands of female mammals for their newborn offspring. Each species of mammal's milk is different, and rightfully so. A cow most certainly does not have the same nutritional requirements as a cat, a dog, or even a human, and as such, milk is tailored to each individual newborn.

Take your average Holstein cow, for example. At birth, she will weigh about 55 pounds, and during the next three months (most calves will be weaned at this time), she will put on 195 more pounds for a total of 250 pounds. Compare that to a human child who weighs an average of six pounds at birth and puts on a mere 7 more pounds during the first three months of life.

Let me just emphasize this one more time: Cow milk is perfectly designed to bring a newborn 55-pound calf into a hefty 250-pound three-month-old. Human milk, six pounds to a healthy thirteen. Once we are weaned from our mothers, we have absolutely no more need for milk, and in fact, two thirds of the world cannot drink milk after infancy.

Moving on.

So, fat globules, protein, calcium, lactose... What else is there?

Hormones

Cows, when left alone, naturally produce about sixteen pounds of milk a day. However, with the help of hormone injections (such as recombinant bovine somatotropin or rBST), that production has increased to 50 pounds per day. Not only does this significantly shorten the life of the cow (the other culprit being the need to be frequently impregnated to keep up the milk production), but all of the added hormones may also be adversely affecting your health. More research needs to be done, but the hormones in milk are linked to obesity, early pubescence in girls, cancer, and endocrine disorders such as diabetes or hypothyroidism.

rBST also raises the levels of the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a protein hormone that is identical in cows and humans. Although it occurs naturally in humans, new research (such as the Harvard-based Nurses' Health study) suggests that elevated levels of this hormone are associated with breast, colon, and prostate cancers.

In the European Union and Canada, the use of injected hormones is illegal, but yet absurdly enough, our FDA continues to give them a thumbs up.

If you think buying organic milk or other milks free of added hormones, do not fall into the trap of thinking they will be hormone free. This simply is not the case. All milks have naturally occurring hormones, and these are still a significant threat to your health.

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/12.07/11-dairy.html


Feces

Cow feces are perfectly allowable in milk. Why? It is simply too hard to keep the manure out of the milk. Feces are full of nasty bacteria, and while pasteurization may take care of some of the them, occasionally there are contaminations which result in food poisoning from e.coli, salmonella, etc. Never drink raw milk. It is very unsafe.

Blood

From McGill University: "Mastitis (Mast: breast, itis: inflammation) is defined as an inflammatory reaction of udder tissue to bacterial, chemical, thermal or mechanical injury. Mastitis may be infectious caused by microbial organisms or noninfectious resulting from physical injury to the gland. The inflammatory response consists of an increase in blood proteins and white blood cells in the mammary tissue and the milk.

Contagious mastitis can be divided into three groups:
1- Clinical mastitis
2- Sub-clinical mastitis
3- Chronic mastitis
1- Clinical mastitis
Characterized by the presence of gross inflammation signs (swelling, heat, redness,
pains). Three types of clinical mastitis exist.

1.1- Peracute mastitis
Characterized by gross inflammation, disrupted functions (reduction in milk yield,
changes in milk composition) and systemic signs (fever, depression, shivering, loss of
appetite and loss of weight).
1.2- Acute mastitis
Similar to percute mastitis, but with lesser systemic signs (fever and mild depression).
1.3- Sub-acute mastitis
In this type of mastitis, the mammary gland inflammation signs are minimal and no
visible systemic signs.
2- Sub-clinical mastitis
This form of mastitis is characterized by change in milk composition with no signs of
gross inflammation or milk abnormalities. Changes in milk composition can be detected
by special diagnostic tests (see below).
3-Chronic mastitis
An inflammatory process that exists for months, and may continue from one lactation to
another. Chronic mastitis for the most part exist as sub-clinical but may exhibit
periodical flare-ups sub-acute or acute form, which last for a short period of time.

Only relatively few udder infections result in “clinical mastitis” in which the udder is noted to be abnormal and the quality of milk secreted is altered. The vast majority of mastitis are “subclinical."'

This means the majority of mastitis goes unnoticed, and therefore the white blood cells (pus) end up in your glass of milk (and other dairy products). Not only is this pus in your glass, but so are residues from the antibiotics used to treat mastitis. In humans, this can cause severe allergic reactions and microorganisms to become resistant, therefore making antibiotics ineffective when needed to treat infections. Even now, scientists are having a hard time battling these mutating, antibiotic resistant microorganisms.

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=9D808AD46A08242F93EF689273BE068F.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=313045
http://www.foodsci.uoguelph.ca/dairyedu/biosynthesis.html
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/abstract/159/9/1129

Fat globules. Feces. Blood. Antibiotics. Hormones.

Got milk?

Polenta and Vegetable Stew, Tempeh Chili

Polenta and Vegetable Stew

This is a great stew for when you have a lot of fresh vegetables in your fridge, and for when you want to try out your mandoline. Although not required, a mandoline makes things go much more quickly. Use your 1/4 inch attachment.

Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:

1 large carrot, sliced into 1/4 inch matchsticks
1 large yellow squash, sliced into 1/4 inch matchsticks
1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch matchsticks
2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced into rounds
10 oz. mushrooms
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, including juice
1 or 2 cans navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup polenta (grits)

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil, add carrots, and boil for a minute. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. After a minute, add the zucchini and squash. Cook for one minute more, drain, and immediately pour into the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Sauté mushrooms in water (or oil, if you prefer) for about 5 or so minutes. Add the leeks, sauté for five minutes, and stir in the olives and garlic. After a minute, stir in the tomatoes with the juice and beans, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the stew is simmering, start cooking the polenta in a separate, small pot. First, pour the polenta into the pot and stir in four cups of salted water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, and keep stirring! It will be thick and porridge like when done. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir the veggie mixture into the stew and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve over the polenta. Enjoy!

Tempeh Chili

I love the texture tempeh offers this perfectly seasoned chili.

Serves: a whole heck of a lot, but it freezes well!

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
2 celery stalks
1 can tomato paste
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 package tempeh
1 scant tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp maple syrup
1 small jalapeño, optional
1 can of red kidney beans, optional

Sauté the onion and carrots for one minute in water (or oil, if you must) for about five minutes. Stir in the celery and jalapeño and sauté for a few minutes more.

Purée the tomatoes with juice in a blender until smooth. Stir the puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, two cups of water, and the red kidney beans, if using, into the onion mixture. Sprinkle on some pepper and salt to taste. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir every once in a while.

In a food processor, lightly pulse the tempeh, red pepper, remaining chili powder, and garlic together until crumbly (don't overdo it). In water, or oil, sauté the tempeh mixture until browned. When done, add to the tomato and onion sauce along with the maple syrup. Simmer for about 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Scoop into bowls and serve with some quality bread if desired.

Hummus

What better to go with pita bread than hummus?

Hummus

1 can chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
juice of one lemon, about 3 TB
1 or 2 TB tahini (sesame paste)
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 TSP cumin or more, depending on what you like
1/2 TSP tamari
water
1 TB plain soymilk, optional

Throw all of the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth, adding tablespoons of water every now and then if needed. A word of caution about the garlic: it may not be strong at first, but the flavor intensifies! I'm a garlic lover myself, and I love lots of garlic, but this is plenty, trust me. Oh, and the tablespoon of soymilk just makes the hummus creamier. Plain rice milk or soygurt can also be used.

Dairy Part 2: Cancer

Dairy may increase one's risk of prostate cancer.

It's a scary prospect, isn't it? This tremendous "health food" causing cancer? How could that be? But the government said it was healthy!

Prostate Cancer

In a 2008 study on 142,251 men in Europe, the relationship between the consumption of animal foods, protein and calcium versus one's risk of prostate cancer was studied. After an average of 8.7 years, what was found? Those who consumed the most dairy products had the highest risk of this cancer (2727 incident cases of prostate cancer, 541 of which were advanced-stage disease). (I find it ironic that calcium from dairy products was also positively associated with risk, but not calcium from other foods... I think of all the poor men blindly following the governments recommendation to eat 3-A Day for "strong bones," all the while increasing their chances of prostate cancer...)

This study observed inverse associations with higher intakes of plant foods.

This in particular concerns me. My father is an avid dairy eater... He eats several servings of sour cream, buttermilk and/or skim milk, cheese and blue cheese dressing every day while shunning most plant foods (besides potatoes, of course). He's really worrying me.

Next up: What,exactly, is in that glass of milk and lactose intolerance.

Pita Bread

Finding vegan pita bread where I live is a nightmare. Why does honey have to be in everything? I can't take it anymore. Hummus just isn't the same without the pita! Anyway, I've finally broken down and I'm going to try my hand at baking this ancient, Middle Eastern bread. (If you know anything about me, then you know I have to change the original recipe, but, of course, that does not always work out so well!)
So, that being said, here goes nothing. You need a HOT oven for this.

Whole Wheat Pita

2 1/2 tsp quick rising yeast
1/2 cup warm water (warm, not scalding! If it stings your finger when you hold it in the water for a bit, it is too hot!)
3 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup lukewarm water

First, grab a small bowl and stir the yeast, sugar, and a teaspoon or so of flour together. Slowly pour in the 1/2 cup of warm water and stir until sugar dissolves. Let sit for about ten minutes until the yeast/flour mixture is nice a frothy.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the three cups of flour and salt together. Make a depression in the middle, and when the yeast is ready, gently pour it into the depression. Slowly add the rest of the water and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined and doughy.

Next, prepare the kneading surface (I use a plastic pie-crust-making mat) by covering it with a generous amount of flour. Have the bag of flour ready because you will need to frequently add more to keep the dough from sticking to everything. Transfer the dough to the prepared surface, and knead for about fifteen minutes until elastic and not sticky. If you don't know how to knead, I'll try to explain, but if my instructions don't suffice, google "how to knead bread."

Step 1: First, cover your hands with flour. Using the heel of your hand, compress and push the dough away from you, and then fold it in half back towards yourself.

Step 2: Next, turn the dough 90 degrees, and repeat step 1, adding more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.

Step 3: Keep repeating steps 1 & 2 (get into a rhythm and put some weight into it!) until the dough is nice and elastic. You'll notice the difference, don't give up.

It will look something like this:



Okay, so once the dough is kneaded, coat a large bowl with oil (vegetable, canola, olive, etc.) and transfer the dough. Turn it gently until coated. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and allow it to sit and rise for three hours (or until doubled in size) in a warm place.



Now for the fun part.

Roll the dough out into a long rope and divide into 10 or 12 small sections (divide into thirds, then halve, and halve once more).




On a floured surface, form them into balls, transfer to a plate, cover, and let sit for ten minutes. Preheat the oven along with your baking sheet to 500 degrees F. Make sure the rack is at the very bottom of your oven.

With a rolling pin, roll out the balls until they are about 5-6" across and 1/4 inch thick.

Like this:



Place them on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes (they should puff up a bit). Flip them over and bake for an additional 2 minutes. Once out of the oven, gently push the puff down and store in airtight plastic bags. They should keep for about a week in a bread box or for about a month in the freezer. The great thing about pita bread is the little pouch that forms in the middle. You can spread on some quality hummus, stuff it full of your favorite veggies, and devour. Or, dunk it in soups, make chips... whatever you like! Enjoy!



I have so much fruit right now... I'm trying to figure out what to do with it... Smoothies? Fruit salads? Grilling? I'll let you know!

Ahh-may-zing Nutty Oatmel Cookies

These are absolutely delicious! My family downed three or four of them apiece in just a couple of minutes. I warn you: they are very addictive!

Nutty Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup Earth Balance
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 medium/large banana, well mashed
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Stir the flours, oats, sugar, baking powder, and spices together in a large bowl. Gradually add the margarine (you can soften this a bit to make it easier to stir), peanut butter, banana, vanilla, raisins and chocolate chips. Mix well.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper (or spray with cooking spray), and spoon out rounded spoonfuls of the dough. Press down on them with your fingers to flatten slightly.

Bake for 10-12 minutes and let cool before moving them to a cooling rack. Makes anywhere from 12 to 20 cookies, depending on how big you like them.

(I did get a picture of these, but it was terrible and promptly after taking the first shot, I knocked the cookies into the sink and a big bowl of water. Sad day. But, the good news is the ones pictured above look very similar...)

30 Days on FX

This week's episode of 30 days on FX deals with an avid hunter, George, who goes to experience life in a vegan family. Through seeing the horrific cruelty of animals first-hand, protests, and heart-felt conversations, George slowly opens his eyes and realizes the true plight of the "food" animal.

Really try to see this moving episode. Although in the end, George does not become a vegetarian and he still continues to hunt, it made me feel like there is still hope for this world yet.

http://tv.ign.com/articles/882/882790p1.html

Wonders of Tofu

From tofu "steaks" and stir-fries, to pies and smoothies, the possibilities of tofu are limitless. But as if taste weren't enough, tofu also has the added benefit of being highly nutritious.

Protein

This little flavor sponge is a great source of complete and easily digestible proteins. At just 70 calories per serving, tofu provides 9 grams of muscle-building amino acids.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Research over the years has shown tofu to have the ability to lower triglycerides, LDL levels (the so-called "bad" cholesterol) by 35-40%, and total cholesterol by 30%. It also has been observed to raise HDL cholesterol (the good guy) and reduce the tendency of platelets to form clots.

Wait... What does this mean?

Cholesterol, a substance manufactured only by animals (which includes humans, for those of you who don't know), is a fat-like waxy substance found in cells and bloodstreams all over the body. It plays a part in producing certain hormones and cell membranes, among several other important bodily functions.

Two carries of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), transport cholesterol through the blood to the cells. This, along with triglecerides, a form of fat in the body, make up your cholesterol count.

Cholesterol is necessary for a healthy body, but problems start to arise when one develops elevated levels of LDL. When too much LDL circulates throughout the blood, a build up of cholesterol starts to deposit on the walls of the arteries. This thick, hard substance known as plaque narrows the blood vessels and makes them less flexible. When this plaque becomes too large or if it breaks off, a subsequent heart attack or stroke may result. Higher HDL levels seem to help prevent this from happening.

Elevated triglycerides, which can be due to physical inactivity, being overweight, smoking, or consuming an excess amount of alcohol, usually go hand in hand with high cholesterol and/or diabetes, and they may contribute to heart disease and a build up of plaque in the arteries.

Consuming soy protein, which lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, can help prevent and reduce your rise of these serious diseases.

I also would just like to note that your body makes cholesterol and there is no need to consume extra amounts from animal products.

Menopause
Supporting other recent research, a study on menopausal women published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the daily consumption of more than 90 milligrams of soy coincided with a significant increase in spine bone-mineral density. The average was noted to be 20.6 milligrams more per square centimeter.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Other Nutrients

Providing over 30% of your DV, tofu is a great source of iron, a mineral primarily used as a part of hemoglobin to produce energy and transport oxygen throughout the body. Hemoglobin relies on copper for iron to be properly utilized, so it's a good thing tofu supplies 11% of this vital mineral as well.

Other nutrients tofu provides include calcium (10%), manganese (35%), omega-3 fatty acids (15%), selenium (14%), phosphorus (11%) and magnesium (8%). (percents in daily value per serving).

Selenium

Selenium in particular is a powerful trace mineral. It is needed to reduce the levels of damaging free radicals in the body, and it is a necessary cofactor of a very important, internally produced anitoxidant glutathione peroxidase. The actions of this antioxidant help protect against heart disease and certain cancers, reduce asthma, and help relieve arthritis symptoms. In addition, selenium is involved in the repair of DNA, which also reduces your risk of cancer.

So tofu. It's tasty, versatile, and highly nutritious. What's not to love?

Tofu Scramble

I thought this was pretty good. It's the perfect breakfast with a piece of toast and strawberry jam... but, of course, I had it for dinner. Why? Because breakfast is the best meal of the day! Seriously, if I could, I would eat breakfast for every meal.

Anyway, on to the recipe. It's easily doubled if you want to make more.

Scramble

1/2 firm or extra firm tofu, pressed and drained
1 small onion, chopped
2 mushrooms (add more of less depending on what you like), sliced
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
1 small carrot, grated
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp tumeric (gives it a golden color)
salt, optional

Sauté the onions in water (or oil if you prefer) until soft. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about five minutes, and then stir in the spices, garlic, and 1/4 cup of water. Crumble the tofu in and coat with the spice and onion mixture (do not smash the tofu! Just stir it around). Cook for about fifteen minutes over medium heat, adding more water when necessary. Pour in the lime juice, nutritional yeast, and stir. Finally, fold in the grated carrot and serve!

Next up: health benefits of tofu.

Mexican Spaghetti Squash with Tropical Salsa

This recipe is delicious! It is definitely one of my favorites.

Based on a recipe from Veganomicon.

Salsa Ingredients:
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped mango
1 avocado, cut into chunks
juice of a lime

Spaghetti Squash Mixture:
1 spaghetti squash (the brighter the yellow the better)
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup corn (I use frozen)
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp or more hot sauce

Before preparing the ingredients, bake the squash. Preheat the oven to 375. Slice the squash in half width wise and scoop out the seeds. Poke a few holes on the outside and place cut-side down into a baking dish. Fill with about an inch of water. Like this:



Bake for about 45 minutes or until tender.

Next, prepare the salsa. Combine ingredients in small bowl and stick it in the fridge. Done.

Bean Mixture:
Sauté the onions in water until tender. Add the beans, spices and garlic. Simmer for about five-seven minutes or until the water is reduced. Stir in the corn and hot sauce. Heat through.

If your squash is done now, carefully take it out of the oven. Scoop out the flesh (I move in and round and round motion, trying to keep the "noodles" long) into a medium sized bowl.

Get out a portion of the squash, spoon some of the beans over it, and top with the fresh, tropical salsa. And do the happy dance.

Spaghetti squash... What's good about it?

Spaghetti squash is an excellent source of vitamin A, supplying 145% of your daily value in just one cup. They are also a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, and manganese, providing you with 32, 25 and 21% of your RDV respectively. In addition, this squash is a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, thiamin, copper, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, niacin and copper. Oh, and did I mention how low in calories spaghetti squash is? Only 75 calories per cooked cup! Compare that to regular noodles with about 300 calories. And the great part is that you can use spaghetti squash in many places that you would use spaghetti noodles, including spaghetti!

Black beans

Black beans are pumped full of fiber. We all know that fiber is key to being regular, but did you know it can lower cholesterol and keep your blood sugar from spiking after a meal? Plus, they are virtually fat free and are a great source of protein.

Do you have a sensitivity to sulfates?

Black beans can help. They contain 172% of your RDV of the trace mineral molybdenum, which is an integral part of the enzyme sulfite oxidase. What this benefitial enzyme does is work to detoxify sulfites (a preservative commonly added to salad type vinegars and dressings) and if you have a sensitivity, consuming enough will help keep you from experiencing rapid heartbeats, headaches or disorientation.

Antioxidants

Black beans contain ten times the amount of antioxidants that oranges have, and are comparable to the antioxidant superstars grapes and cranberries. In fact, black beans have the most antioxidant activity of any bean.

Vitamins and minerals

These little health stars are great sources of folate, maganese, magnesium, thiamin, phosphorus and iron.

All of this, and I didn't even get into the health benefits of tomatoes, mango, and avocados. So go ahead, eat up. Your body will thank you (and your taste buds just might too!).

Four-legged Friend Update

Finnegan, the lovely Irish Wolfhound, is as full of life as ever, and he's huge. He officially weighs more than I do now.



To my dismay, he has found a love for swimming in the pond. Sure, it's hilarious to watch him swim, but when it comes time to bathe him almost every single day because he reeks, it's not so fun anymore.



Oh, and did I mention that he is huge? Like, gigantic? Dogs like him take a long time to bathe... There's just so much of him!



The beautiful Charles and Jaydee walking towards me. While I would love to say that they were coming just because they love me, I'm sure the carrots in my hand had something to do with it.

Dairy Part I: Calcium and Osteoporosis

If you live in the United States, you have undoubtedly been bombarded with the miracles of dairy: "milk your diet, lose weight!", "3-A-Day for strong, healthy bones!", and, of course, "Got milk?" Since much of this is endorsed by the government, that means milk must be healthy, right?

Maybe, maybe not. As always, the government typically has an agenda, and this time, that agenda is a pot full of money from the dairy industry. If you are looking for unbiased information, do not look towards the government.

Also, I would advise you to not look towards sites such as notmilk.com or milksucks.com for reliable information either. While I'm sure there may be some truth to what the websites claim, they have an agenda as well.

So, I am going to try to present you with information that is neither biased nor subjective to try to clear up any confusion you may have.

Alright, here we go.

Traditionally, vegans have taken this mentality: Too much protein, especially from animal sources, increases calcium excretion in the urine. Therefore, dairy, a high source of protein, does not protect against osteoporosis but actually contributes to it. Due to the lack of animal protein in our vegan diets, we are protected and thus calcium intake isn't as important for us.

Sounds convincing, right? However, this isn't necessarily true. Let's take a closer look at the whole picture, shall we?

Protein and Calcium Excretion

As this study suggests, excess protein intake, especially that of sulfur-containing amino acids (which are high in meat products), increases calcium loss in the urine. However, certain proteins actually increase absorption in the gut, which may or may not counteract the loss in the urine. Also, although low protein diets exhibit less calcium excretion via urine, they have been shown to limit calcium absorption in the intestinal tract. As of right now, evidence is mixed as to whether it is more beneficial to have a higher or lower protein diet in regards to calcium.

Vegans and bone strength

In 2007 EPIC and Oxford releases a study that was conducted with 57,000 participants, 1,000 of which were vegans, over a span of 7 years from 1993 to 2000. Over the years, questionnaires were sent out to measure what the participants were eating and if they had suffered from any bone fractures. At the end of the study, only adjusting for age, vegans had a 37% higher fracture rate than their meat-eating counterparts. When age, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass, physical activity, marital status and hormone replacement therapy were taken into account, vegans still had a 30% higher fracture rate.

However, when calcium intake was considered, vegans no longer had a higher fracture rate. In the subjects who consumed at least 525 mg of calcium a day (55% of vegans compared with 95% of the other participants), similar fracture rates were seen from all groups.

Do not fall for the misconception that a diet free of meat and other animal products automatically means calcium is no longer a concern for you.

Next, osteoporosis: what is it?

According to niams.nih.gov: "Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased risk of fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist." Your risk of developing this bone disease increases if you are: a woman, older, small and thin-boned, Caucasian or Asian, have amenorrhea, low estrogen in women, low testosterone in men, a lifetime low intake of calcium and vitamin D, a smoker, or have excessive alcohol intake.

Prevention steps include meeting one's recommended daily value of calcium and vitamin D, and doing weight-bearing exercises (this forces your bones to work against gravity and thus helps to increase bone density) .

Vitamin D

When thinking about bone health, vitamin D is often forgotten, and in fact, it is estimated that more than 80 percent of Americans have some degree of a vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D absolutely should not be overlooked. This vitamin is critical for bone health, and without it, bones can become thin, brittle, soft, or misshapen. A lack of vitamin D also causes rickets in children and skeletal diseases in adults. The major biological functions of vitamin D are to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, aid in the absorption of calcium, and to maintain strong bones. (source)

From veganhealth.org:

"A 2003 report from the Nurses Health Study showed vitamin D to be more important than calcium intake for preventing hip fractures in postmenopausal women.5 In 2007, a meta-analysis of prospective studies and randomized controlled trials found that calcium intake and calcium supplements were not associated with a lower risk for hip fractures."

Requirements and Sources of Vitamin D and Calcium

To meet your RDV of vitamin D (400 IU for 69 and younger, 600 IU for 70 and older), expose un-sunscreened hands, face, and arms to the sun three to four times a week for ten to fifteen minutes a day between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Other sources include multivitamins (look for D2, D3 is not vegan) and fortified foods.

As for calcium, amounts vary according to age.

From this site:

Ages mg/day
14-18 1300
19-30 1000
31-50 1000
51-70 1200
70 + 1200
Pregnant or lactating
14-18 1300
19-50 1000

Good sources include non-dairy milks, tofu (make sure it is made with calcium sulfate), leafy greed vegetables (kale, collards), broccoli, fortified orange juice, beans, blackstrap molasses, sesame seeds, and almonds.

Although spinach, swiss chard, and beet greens have calcium, it is not well absorbed due to their high content of oxalates, which bind calcium.

The Importance Of B12

Please, please, please make sure you are getting enough B12 in your diet. Failure to do so can have serious consequences, such as impaired memory, paranoia, mild depression, numbness, infertility, neurological problems, and a higher risk for degenerative brain diseases, to mention a few.

To clear up any confusion about B12, let me state this: B12 does not come from animal products. It is made by a bacterial fermentation, and it used to be readily available in streams, rivers, and from vegetables in gardens. Now, however, since we as a society have become obsessed with clean water and scrubbing our produce free of dirt (I am in no way saying this is a bad thing!), these sources of B12 are no longer reliable.

Moving on.

Today, many foods are fortified with B12, but still some vegans and vegetarians have milk to overt deficiencies. Why is this so? Simple. Some of us are not putting forth the little effort it takes to make sure we are meeting or exceeding our recommended daily value, or we are simply relying on our bodies' stores, incorrectly thinking that this is all we need. While it is true that our bodies can store small amounts of B12, sometimes this is not enough to be able to prevent mild deficiencies, which invariably tends to result in elevated homocysteine levels. Elevated homocysteine levels are linked to early mortality, heart disease, stroke, pregnancy loss, Alzheimer's disease, neural tube defects and some eye disorders.

Early Symptoms of Deficiency

-unusual fatigue
-faulty digestion
-no appetite
-nausea
-loss of menstruation

Common Vegan Sources of B12

Fortified foods include cereals, non-dairy milks, some nutrition bars, oatmeals, some nutritional yeasts (Red Star and Twinlab brands), etc. Check your food labels. Chances are some of them have B12. Another source would be a supplement. Supplements in which the pill is chewed or a strip that is dissolve are a good choice.

How much do you need?

For ages 15 and over, at least 1.5µg is needed (1000 µg = 1mg). If taking B12 is supplemental form, make sure yours has at least this much or more. High intakes of B12 is not thought to be dangerous as it is water soluble.

For much more detailed information, please see this valuable website: http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/all

Nutrition

I've decided that in addition to posting my [fabulous] recipes, I'm also going to point out the nutritional aspects of each one. So, not only will your taste buds be happy, but your brain will get a little tidbit as well. And this way, everyone's happy!

I know you're excited. Don't deny it.

Summer

So! Long time, no blog!

What's going on in the life of the lovely vegan? I'm sure you are just dying to know.

Schools out, finally, I got my license on the 15th of May, and right now I'm visiting my father and twenty-year-old brother in Kansas City (my parents are not separated; my father's job just transfered him again). If you ever plan on visiting KC, I strongly recommend this website: www.vegkc.com. Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to try out some of those fantastic sounding restaurants, but I'm sure I will next time. Oh, also, check out the Auboretom, if you are a nature lover. The gardens there are b-e-a-utiful, and the trails go on forever. Bring a camera.

On June 23rd, this little vegan will be traveling far, far away to Spain, the land of the meat, meat, and more meat. It seems like it is going to be practically a nightmare to fine vegan food, but vegan food I shall have to find. I'm determined. But, just in case, a few Luna bars or other nutrition bars are going to be making there way into my travel bag. I hope I can take them... Oh, and don't worry, I will post lots of pictures!

On the food front, I have not been doing so well lately. Between finals and traveling, I just have not had the time to eat well. Now that I'm here at the apartment, I'm starving for something green. I'm seriously wondering how these boys live like this. What in the world do they eat? All I could find in the pantry was tuna, mustard, mayo, refried beans with (gasp!) lard, potato chips, and some Campbell's chicken noodle soup. Yum. Their fridge did not fair too much better... Hot sauce, yogurt, cheese, sour cream, meat and of course, beer. I've tried my best to remedy this problem, but there is only so much I can do. My father's been traveling so I have not been able to use his credit card, and I only brought sixty dollars with me. I had to be very pragmatic when planning my grocery list, and needless to say, there is not so much you can buy with sixty dollars, especially with the prices the way they are right now. I had to buy spices, regular base veggies such as potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and celery, and then some fruit, grains, oil, cereal, soy milk, bread/tortillas... etc. It was tough, but I did it. It would not have been so bad if I were only buying for me, but I was buying to feed several people. Ugh. I did it though, and now hopefully my boys will have something green to eat!

I got a great compliment from my diehard meat-eating brother the other day. He told me my cooking was fantastic and he actually went for seconds a few times! (He actually ate vegetarian for a day!) Before, he said, my cooking was... so so... (hey, I was just starting out and I had never cooked before!) but now it's great!

It made me happy.

Spice Up Your Life

It's a beautiful day today... The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and a gentle breeze is blowing... Feels like spring!

But if that's not sweet enough for you, how about a moist, chocolate-y cookie? And if that's still not enough, how about one spiced up with a little cayenne pepper and espresso?



The Chocolate Cookie with a Kick

3 oz unsweetened chocolate*
2 cup (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Earth Balance (or something similar)
1/4 cup flaxseeds
12 tablespoons of water
1 cup + 2 TB natural sugar
3 and 1/2 teaspoons ground dark roast coffee beans, such as Italian-roast
3/4 cup 50/50 whole wheat/uninriched, unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper**
1/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 on convection bake. Spray two cookie sheets with Pam or the like and set aside.

Melt the unsweetened chocolate, one cup of the chocolate chips, and the Earth Balance (either in the microwave- be careful not to burn it! use 15 to 20 second intervals- or on the stove top). Stir until smooth and creamy. Set aside. Mix the flax seeds and water and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Then, in a large bowl, mix them with the sugar, cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, and beat with an electric mixer. Add in the chocolate mixture, beat, and just stir in the flour, salt, baking powder and nuts, if using. Mix in the remaining chocolate chips last.

Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the cookie sheets, about three inches apart. Bake them in the oven for about 11 minutes, take them out, and let sit for about three before attempting to remove them. Transfer the cookies onto cooling racks, and taste if you dare. Be sure to keep a glass of soy milk near by, if needed.

*Not semi-sweet or anything like that. Try to find 100% cacao.
**Be warned. These will be spicy, and they only get spicier. If you desire only a little kick (wimp), use 1/2 teaspoon.

Jamaican Stew

Jamaican Stew

I slightly changed this recipe, so it's not exactly authentic. It still tastes great to me and it's a whizz to prepare. All you need is one slow cooker (crock pot, no other pans required) and you're good to go!

Careful, your whole house will smell of this wonderful island stew.

-3 cloves of garlic (less or more depending on what you like... I, personally, love garlic)
-2 cups of carrots, sliced any way you like
-1 leek, medium sliced on a diagonal
-1 sweet potato, chopped
-1 can of diced tomatoes (drain out some, but not all, of the liquid)
-2 teaspoons curry powder
-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
-1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or how ever much you want, but I warn you, they are hot!
-1/4 teaspoon allspice
-fresh black pepper
-1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-1 cup soy milk OR 1 unsweetened can light coconut milk
-1 cup water OR vegetable broth

Add the garlic, carrots, leeks, sweet potato, and tomatoes to the cooker. Stir in the curry, thyme, red pepper flakes, allspice, and pepper. Then, add the kidney beans, "milk," and water or broth. Cover, and cook for six to eight hours.

Serve over brown rice, couscous, or even a piece of toast. Bon appetite!

I got the results back from my science fair project... Outstanding!! (level below the one person who received best in show)

Noodly

Curried Noodle Salad

This is great. I'm sure you could even mix in some green, too, and it would be good.

Two servings of dry rice noodles
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon or so curry paste
1 teaspoon tamari
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup soy milk (I even used vanilla)
1 large tomato (or more, if you like)

Start a pot of water to boil. While the water is heating, cleanse the rice noodles by running them under water. Once the water is boiling, add the rice noodles and start to prepare the other ingredients. (If your directions on the rice noodles say one and a half minutes cooking time... they lied. It takes about 5 to eight minutes. Just taste them every once in a while to check for "doneness") Sauté the onions, add the curry paste, tamari, turmeric, and soy milk. Simmer for a minute or two and remove from heat. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes and even some fresh basil if desired. Set aside. The noodles should be done by now. Drain them, and run under cold water until they cool. Add the sauce, let chill for a bit in the fridge, and enjoy.


My Finn Finn is growing up. It's so sad! I remember when he was just this big...



And now he is this big. Granted, you can only see his face, but you can tell he is HUGE.




Now, for the picture I promised. This, this vast nothingness, is where I live (I do not live on a farm, this is the neighbor's place). Exciting, isn't it?

Free as a bird

Now that science fair is over (yay), I have free time.

Free time...

Such foreign words...

I think I need a dictionary.

I heard birds the other day. I can't believe how incredibly excited I am for spring. Warmer weather, flip flops, flowers, green, green, green... What's not to love? Not to mention I can finally ride the Charles. Poor boy. He has been horribly neglected. Bella is a bit of a wimp and can't keep her fingers warm.

I'm going for a bike ride later. I'll take pictures.

Long time, No post

Wow, it's already February 10th? I can't believe how fast (and how slow) this past month or so has gone by. I've been so busy with school and being sick (I had a horrible case of strep throat. My doctor had to put me on two different anti-biotics because the one was not working, and codeine with tylenol so I could swallow. My throat was actually bloody for a while).

February 29th is the science fair. I am not looking forward to it. I have two science fair projects to do. One is build a toothpick bridge (sounds fairly easy but it takes forever to make) and the other is testing the relationship between music, gender and memory. For the second science fair project, I have to research and write a long paper and a separate oral presentation... I also have another paper to write for English on Julius Caesar. I'm not excited.

I went to a birthday party last night (I didn't have a good time unfortunately). It was a little awkward because nothing was vegan. It's not that I didn't expect that, but sometimes I just kind of hope there will be something I can eat besides potato chips (which I'm not exactly a fan of). I also hate to get the question, "So what *do* you eat then?" Actually, the other day I got, "Can you eat potatoes?" *gasp* POTATOES? Those poor, innocent french fries! Oh, how their screams haunt me so.

I feel like filling out a ridiculously long survey, so here goes.

200: My middle name is:
I'm not telling. I'm too googable.
199: I was born in:
Canada.
198: I am really:
Shy.
197: My cell phone company is:
Sprint.
196: My eye color is:
Sea green.
195: My shoe size is:
Seven.
194: My ring size is:
My wedding ring finger is a four.
193: My height is:
5'6, 5'7
192: I am allergic to:
Hot peppers and pollen.
191: My 1st car was:
I have not had one yet, but I will in 90 days.
190: My 1st job was:
Babysitting.
189: Last book you read:
Empress by Shan Sa, I don't recommend it.
188: My bed is:
Unmade and white.
187: My pet:
Is large and goofy. His name's Finn.
186: My best friend:
Has a wet nose.
185: My favorite shampoo is:
I'm still looking for a good one.
184: AIM name:
Don't have aim.
183: Piggy Banks are:
Cute. Mine says Pay Day.
182: In my pockets:
I think I have an almond in my pocket.
181: On my calendar:
Is the due date for science fair...
180: Marriage is:
great, someday anyway.
179: Sponge Bob can:
go away.
178: My mom:
is asleep.
177: The last three cd's I bought were:
I don't buy CDs.
176: Last YouTube video watched:
Something about sesame street.
175: How many cousins do you have?
Way too many to count.
174: Do you have any siblings:
I have a brother.
173: Are your parents divorced:
Happily married for 27 years.
172: Are you taller than your mom?
Yes, by an inch or two.
171: Do you play an instrument?
I play the piano.
170: What did you do yesterday:
I worked on my French and went to a birthday party.
I Believe In:

169: Love at first sight:
Something like that, yeah.
168: Luck:
Maybe.
167: Fate:
Yes.
166: Yourself:
Of course.
165: Aliens:
Heh, yes.
164: Heaven:
Yes.
163: Hell:
Yes.
162: God:
Yes.
161: Horoscopes:
No.
160: Soul mates:
Yes.
159: Ghosts:
Yes.
158: Gay Marriage:
Sure.
157: War:
At times.
156: Orbs:
?
155: Magic:
In a sense.
Which is Better

154: Hugs or Kisses:
Both.
153: Drunk or High:
High on love.
152: Phone or Online:
Depends.
151: Red heads or Black haired:
Red heads.
150: Blondes or Brunettes:
Brunettes.
149: Hot or cold:
Depends on my mood.
148: Summer or winter:
Summer.
147: Autumn or Spring:
I love both.
146: Chocolate or vanilla:
Vanilla with chocolate chunks.
145: Night or Day:
Day.
144: Oranges or Apples:
Apples.
143: Curly or Straight hair:
Curly, but I have straight.
142: McDonalds or Burger King:
I wish they would both die.
141: White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate:
Neither. Dark chocolate.
140: Mac or PC:
Hello, I'm a Mac...
139: Flip flops or high heels:
High heels.
138: Ugly and rich OR Sexy and poor:
How about someone who makes me smile.
137: Coke or Pepsi:
Neither. I don't drink soda.
136: Hillary or Obama:
I would not vote for either.
135: Burried or cremated:
Buried. I would not want to be cremated.
134: Singing or Dancing:
Dancing, but I don't dance in front of people.
133: Coach or Chanel:
Neither. I'm not a label whore, and I don't like leather.
132: Kat McPhee or Taylor Hicks:
Katherine McPhee.
131: Small town or Big city:
In between.
130: Wal-Mart or Target:
Target,
129: Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler:
Adam Sandler.
128: Manicure or Pedicure:
Pedicure.
127: East Coast or West Coast:
East.
126: Your Birthday or Christmas:
Christmas. I love to give gifts and birthdays are not a happy time for me.
125: Chocolate or Flowers:
Flowers, lilies please.
124: Disney or Six Flags:
Six flags. I've never been to either, though.
123: Yankees or Red Sox:
Red Sox. I don't watch baseball.
Here's What I Think About

122: War:
Fine in certain situations.
121: George Bush:
No comment.
120: Gay Marriage:
Sure.
119: The presidential election:
Has no good candidates.
118: Abortion:
I'm pro-life.
117: MySpace:
Don't have a myspace.
116: Reality TV:
Some shows are good.
108: Designer Clothes:
I prefer the kind that do not shout labels.
107: College:
I want to go to Yale.
106: Sports:
I like horse related sports.
105: My family:
is spread out.
104: The future:
is today.
Last time I

103: Hugged someone:
Last night.
102: Last time you ate:
Thirty minutes ago. I had some almonds.
101: Saw someone I haven't seen in awhile:
I don't know.
100: Cried in front of someone:
Last night.
99: Went to a movie theater:
I can't even remember when.
98: Took a vacation:
What's a vacation?
97: Swam in a pool:
A year ago.
96: Changed a diaper:
Never have.
95: Got my nails done:
Never have.
94: Went to a wedding:
Never have.
93: Broke a bone:
Never have.
92: Got a piercing:
I got a second piercing in seventh grade.
91: Broke the law:
I drove when I was not supposed to.
MISC

89: Who makes you laugh the most:
My brother.
88: Something I will really miss when I leave home is:
My family.
87: The last movie I saw:
The Devil Wears Prada, someone else was watching it.
86: The thing that I'm looking forward to the most:
My trip to Spain.
85: The thing im not looking forward to:
Science fair.
84: People call me:
Bella.
83: The most difficult thing to do is:
Lie.
82: I have gotten a speeding ticket:
Nope.
81: My zodiac sign is:
Taurus.
80: The first person i talked to today was:
Haven't yet. I wake up at an hour when most sane people are asleep.
79: First time you had a crush:
Kindergarten.
78: The one person who i can't hide things from:
I can hide things very well.
77: Last time someone said something you were thinking:
Yesterday talking to my mother.
76: Right now I am talking to:
My wet nosed friend.
75: What are you going to do when you grow up:
I'm going to be a doctor, either an oncologist, cardiologist, neurologist or something else...
74: I have/will get a job:
This summer, but not during school.
73: Tomorrow:
I will be at school.
72: Today:
is tomorrow.
71: Next Summer:
I'm going to Spain.
70: Next Weekend:
I'm working on Science Fair.
69: I have these pets:
four horses, two dogs, and a cat.
68: The worst sound in the world:
disappointment.
67: The person that makes me cry the most is:
My mother.
66: People that make you happy:
My family.
65: Last time I cried:
was last night.
63: My computer is:
a mac.
62: My School:
is old.
61: My Car:
does not exist.
60: I lose all respect for people who:
cheat.
59: The movie I cried at was:
I cry a lot at movies, but I can't think of the last one I cried with.
58: Your hair color is:
I'm a dark brunette.
57: TV shows you watch:
Lost, Sarah Conner, and Project Runway.
56: Favorite web site:
veggieboards.com ben sûr!
55: Your dream vacation:
would involve going to a tropical island without a lot of tourists.
54: The worst pain I was ever in was:
many years ago with my infected ear.
52: My room is:
Fairly clean.
51: My favorite celebrity is:
Don't have one.
50: Where would you like to be:
with the people I love.
49: Do you want children:
Maybe, I'm not really sure yet.
48: Ever been in love:
No.
45: One thing that makes you feel great is:
doing well in school.
44: One person that you wish you could see right now:
My brother who is away at college.
43: Do you have a 5 year plan:
Sort of. It's just a goal and just so I know where I'm going.
42: Have you made a list of things to do before you die:
No.
41: Have you pre-named your children:
I like the name Luke.
40: Last person I got mad at:
myself.
39: I would like to move to:
Yes. Away from here, please.
38: I wish I was a professional:
doctor.
My Favorites

37: Candy:
Dark chocolate.
36: Vehicle:
BMW.
35: President:
No comment.
34: State visited:
Maryland.
33: Cell Phone Provider:
Sprint.
31: Actor:
Heath Ledger.
30: Actress:
Sandra Bullock.
29: Singer:
Norah Jones.
28: Band:
I don't have one.
27: Clothing Store:
I like to shop at many stores, but I usually buy a lot from American Eagle.
26: Grocery Store:
Anything but Wal-Mart.
25: TV show:
Project Runway and Lost.
22: Animal:
Horse.
19: Sport to watch:
3-day eventing competitions (horse related)
18: Sport to play:
Showing jumper on a horse
12: Thing to cook:
I make a great split pea soup.
11: Food:
Cereal.
6: Flower:
Lily.
5: Color:
Violet.
2: Dog Breed:
Irish Wolfhound
1: Are you ready for this survey to be over?
Yes, actually.