All the Celebs are Going Veg, You Should Too! - Stuff You NEVER Knew About Veganism.

Still not sure how, but I ended up on some website that had a link that led me to another website, and another, and another. I've spent about an hour now, reading, absorbing, and loving all that I have found. One really positive thing about the internet is the possibility to connect to others like you. I have found so many plentiful resources in such a short amount of time, and have conversed with other people who have committed to veganism, I feel truly inspired. I know that not everyone who reads this blog is vegan, and I know that a lot of you are either veg-curious, or just plain being supportive (thank you!!) of Bryan and my decision. At any rate, the following is a list of fantastic websites and videos that I've found. I hope you find them as inspiring, informative, and wonderful as I did!!


Ecorazzi.com - This is a "good gossip" blog rag that centers on eco-friendly celeb news. Good news for us:  a lot of their reporting (from what I've seen so far!!) centers on veganism. Whoo hoo! Here are a few of the pages from them that I've been reading:

• Top 10 Celeb Vegan Moments
• 8 Veggie Cookbooks Worth Devouring
• Natalie Portman Creating 'Eating Animals' Vegan Documentary
• Report: Decline in U.S. Meat Consumption Expected to Continue in 2012

From Fitsugar.com: 

• What Foods Do I Need For Going Vegan?
• Hey Vegans! Complete Protein Meals Under 400 Calories

And a few videos from around the inter webs:

                            Why Vegan? by EVOLVE! Campaigns

A Life Connected: VEGAN from NonviolenceUnited.org on Vimeo.

Video: Vegan: For the People. For the Planet. For the Animals. (Click here if you can't see the video above)

Check these links out for more information about why Veganism is such a great thing!! I hope that you're not thinking or feeling like I'm trying to push veganism on you; I'm not! I think it's a great choice for me and my hubby, and I think it's an excellent choice for the planet as well. We don't really need animal products to survive; our bodies don't need it, the planet will be better off environmentally if we stop eating so much of it, and there will be less helpless animals out there suffering (and polluting the environment, yech!) everyday. Sometimes I feel like I sound like a withering hippie with a peace daisy in my hand, but then again... I sorta feel like I'm riding the wave of the future a little bit.

Thanks for reading :)

<3
Courtney

< rant > SERIOUSLY?! Who the what now? < / rant >

I want to clear something up. I have recently been accused of being shy about criticism, and having avoidance issues when it comes to discussing my new viewpoint on my diet. I’m not sure why people think that I don’t want to discuss my viewpoints on veganism, because I actually do (Please see my earlier post: Societal Concerns). What I DON’T want is for someone to come into my house, take a crap on the floor, and proceed to tell me I’m the dirty one, when they are clearly the one with the problem.

Ok, bad analogy. But my point is, while yes, I am posting my recipes and viewpoints publicly, you should never feel like you have the right to come in here and tell me that this, that, and the next thing are wrong and bad and unhealthy. This is true in any situation, but it’s especially true if ... lets say this actually happened, and a  person who commented negatively was obese, unhealthy, and clearly wouldn’t know healthy eating if it hit them in the face.

Side note... great article to check out: "Going Vegan: Trimming My Waistline, Trimming My Budget, Expanding My Horizons"

I want to encourage discussion. I want to hear your viewpoints. I want to educate you, and of course I want you to educate me. If you can cite the source you’re using and you can present your comment/topic/question politely (not like you’re a spoiled, rude, know it all brat), of COURSE we can have an intelligent, reciprocal conversation about something you’re not sure about or something you maybe disagree with that you see on my blog. 

Other side note... Check out tonight's dinner recipes: BURGERS AND FRIES, yum!

I think (PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong- seems like I’ve been wrong a lot lately *sarcasm*) that all I’m asking here are for my readers and/or commenters to follow the basic rules of politeness and societally imposed rules of conversational engagement.

For instance, I wouldn’t post anything negative on your Facebook or your blogpost about eating a McDonald’s cheeseburger, even if you had proclaimed that you’d be eating healthier or whatnot more often, EVEN though I have rather strong opinions on the nutritional content of said cheeseburger. And they are yummy (yes, I still think that! I just don’t eat them…), and they have their place (hangover/weekend/nom time food). But I won't say anything rude or opinionated because if Cheeseburger-eater posted this, even if they said they were going to eat healthier, its none of my damn business if they didn't stick to their mission statement for one meal. It's really none of my business anyway. I truly believe “to each his own,” AND that sometimes, you just need to bite your tongue (even if you know... you just KNOW you're right. You know that little excited voice in your head that goes, "Oooooooh! OOOOOH! I know the answer!!! I know, I know!! Say it out loud! Pick me!! Say it!  I KNow that one!!!" Ignore that voice; that voice is a bitchy snob incarnate). 

Besides all of that, the cheeseburger-post may BE a public post, but that doesn’t mean that I can say something like … “I remember you said you were thinking about eating healthier? This is not healthy. Actually, the cheeseburger you’re referring to is very high in saturated fat and sodium, as well as dreadfully high in calories; it is very heart unhealthy and I suggest you rethink your choice.” Did Cheeseburger-eater/poster ask anyone’s opinion? Hmmmm….

Ummmm... you really should rethink your choice! You know, that vegan
mumbo-jumbo doesn't MEAN you're healthy! Clearly, I would know!
You're putting OIL on those! OIL HAS FAT. Fat is bad, therefore,
(with no sources to cite and no personal background in health or no
background or *ahem* Bachelors degree in Health and/or
nutrition) I say, VEGAN BAD!

Here, try some Kale Chips! They are super yummy, vegan, and healthy!

So, is that nice? (No.) Is that civilized? (No.) Was an opinion asked from the Cheeseburger-poster in this scenario? (No.) Is the Cheeseburger-poster within their rights to ask Cheeseburger-commenter (privately, of course) to please stop saying negative things about their behavior? (Yes, and if they feel bullied, they absolutely should say something to the person posting nasty comments to them.)

I’m a firm believer of two things: 

1. "What goes around comes around” 
2. “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

Also high on the list are: 

       3. “Think before speaking (or writing) to another- how do I come off? Am I rude?” and/or 

       4. “Am I being unreasonable right now? Am I being an insufferable bitch?” 

… these are things (in my opinion) that one should think about before posting online.. or speaking in person, for that matter.

The quest to be correct shouldn’t trump common decency.

SO, again, just to be clear, I DO welcome your comments, and I DO welcome your questions. I WILL NOT, however, tolerate blatant rudeness or opinionated (and unsubstantiated) bullshit about how my recipes are unhealthy.

If you’d like to discuss something, let’s discuss! But, please, keep it clean and courteous! (In other words, please keep any nasty, opinionated comments to yourself.) I can say pretty much whatever I want... and I can delete any comments I want as well. Remember, I have freedom of speech AND a public forum on my side. This is my blog; if you don’t like what I have to say, stop reading. 

Thanks for reading; love you all!

<3 

Courtney

Societal Concerns. Open Your Mind...

Why does veganism = looks of 'Oh my... you're strange!'? I typically don't tell people I'm "vegan," for a few reasons:

1. They think it's weird, because they don't understand it.
2. They don't understand it.
3. The time it would take me to explain it and/or convince them that I'm not a militant, PETA activist-ing, paint-throwing-on-fur, non-leather-wearing, health freak nut job is just not worth my time.

I do not consume animal products. No meat, cheese, dairy, eggs, or byproducts (including rennet and gelatin). This is a choice I made to benefit my health. (Again, watch Forks Over Knives or read Skinny Bitch- good stuff.) I do wear leather occasionally (I'm not going to change my wardrobe and throw out half my shoes... come on! :) ), I am a non-violent member of PETA- but I won't throw paint on you now that I'm a vegan (they do have really good recipes and web resources, but even I think they can be pretty out there), and believe it or not, I do eat more than salads everyday! (Go to Courtney's Vegan Kitchen for a sampling of what the heck we eat!)

This was my lunch. Homemade, delish, and NOT a salad :)

My husband decided to take this leap with me, and together, we've noticed an improvement in our energy level (no more sluggishness!), ability to taste, our allergies have improved (overall nose/throat/respiration improvements due to no dairy-produced mucous and whatnot), we have more drive to do things (exercise, etc), and we feel... for lack of a better word- better. Cleaner. More like we should. Not weighed down. I didn't realize that I felt yucky, until I didn't feel yucky anymore. The thought of eating cheese or eggs now doesn't appeal to me because now I know how great I feel without it, and there is SO MUCH great food out there-- I don't need eggs, milk, dairy products, or cheese (yes, I'm aware the last three items I listed all come from milk. I just like to list them separately because they are used so independently from one another) in my diet. There's soooo much good food out there that's better for me anyway. Being vegan kinda rocks in that respect; yummy AND good for you. Why not?

How could you resist this? LOL- I suppose if you'd rather have a steak you could. This does have as much protein as one, does that count?? (it does for me! Check out the recipe here..)

SO- all this being said, WHY do people think veganism is strange? You may think it's strange; you may have come to this blogsite with a preconceived notion of what a vegan is, and now you're looking for the crazy to be present in my writing. Is it there? Is feeling better and having more energy crazy? Is it strange?

Here's the other side of the coin. You may think I'm strange because I don't eat the foods that probably 90% (I'm guessing on that..) of the population routinely eats. If you're in that percentage, please realize two things:

1. I'm not trying to make you eat like me, or change your mind about the way you eat. You have your beliefs and I have mine. I won't judge you for that; please don't judge me.
2. Do you realize what it is that you're eating when you eat a steak? When you drink a milkshake? How about a Turkey dinner? I'm not just talking about the source of the food (Have you thought about that? Have you seen where your food comes from? Not trying to change your mind; I'm just asking.), but also what's IN the food. How much protein per calorie? How much fat IS in your food? What's the source of it? I'm just asking you to think about it. 

Now think about why we (as a society) eat what we eat. Would you have bought all that milk, meat, and eggs at the store if you hadn't learned that you need those things for protein, calcium, and good fats when you were in school? When did you last analyze your eating habits? Your shopping habits? Are you thinking for yourself, or are you going off of what others have told you that you should eat? Who came up with the Food Pyramid? (hint: the same people that run and pay for the meat and dairy industry) Are they in it for your health? Or to line their pockets?

Ok, now, if you have thought about all of this, and you're at peace with this, and you like to eat what you like to eat and that's that- that's fine with me. I'm not judging you. Really, I'm not. 

So why does society have a standard viewpoint of "veganism = weirdos"? Because of all the stuff I wrote above? Probably. But am I wrong, about me and my beliefs, I mean? 

I want you, yes, YOU, reading this, to open your mind... Am I really that strange? Is wanting to eat healthier really that weird? True, I can't go out to eat at a lot of restaurants because I choose to be vegan. And there are whole sections of the grocery store that I have to avoid. But I'm not upset about that. Why is everyone else? 

Look, vegan ice cream! That's so weird!! Wait... no it's not :) Just made from soy and coconut milk instead of Cow's milk.

I'm asking you... ask yourself why society views veganism, vegetarianism, or any other "different" diet (like Paleo, etc) as bad. Do you think it's bad? Do you think we're weird? Or are you just not used to it? Think for yourself... and tell me what you think. 

Thanks for reading, everyone. I appreciate each and every one of you! 

Want to dip your toes into the world of vegan cooking? Try my newest discovery, Creamy Mac and Cheese! It's seriously yummy, and there's ZERO cholesterol :) Can't beat that!! 

Happy Eating everyone!

<3

Courtney

Vegan + Chocolate? OH YES, MY FRIENDS! :)

It starts as a fruit on a tree...

... Chocolate is made from the cacao plant. It's a bean, that is roasted just like coffee beans are, then ground to make what we know as chocolate. Vegans can definitely enjoy this delectable treat, just in a different way. Here's a pictorial of how we get chocolate...

The beans (=cocoa!) are inside!!

These are the cocoa beans...

And the rest of the story goes like this: How cocoa beans are roasted and turned into chocolate....

SO- what this means for vegans...is that it's plant based, natural, and doesn't contain animal products! Well, unless milk has been added. Then it's no bueno. 

BUT lots of chocolate IS produced without milk or butter. Specifically, baking chocolate or high % Dark Chocolate bars (cheap) and specially-made-for-vegans-chocolate (NOT cheap). I'll opt for the baking/bar variety that's naturally vegan, thank you! :) Check out Peta's "Accidentally Vegan" website for a pretty comprehensive list of vegan items that can be found in any grocery store. On the list: Bacos, Oreos,  Sara Lee's Cherry Pie, and Hershey's Syrup to name a few... pretty great resource!!

This weekend, Bryan and I fed our collective sweet tooth...s (teeth?) by indulging in Hot Chocolate and Homemade Double Chocolate-Mocha Cookies. Here are some pictures...

OMG, so yummy!! (Hershey's Chocolate Syrup, Coconut and Soy Milk)

My Homemade Double Chocolate-Mocha Cookies! Adapted from the Toll House recipe...

And yes, they did taste as good as they looked!! Next time I'll add more chocolate I think, but besides that, I was very pleased with my first attempt at Vegan Cookies!

... I am super happy that I can still have all the foods I had before, just in a different way. It's like a reinvention of what I've always known into a tastier, healthier version; what's to lose? Love this stuff!!!

Happy eating, everyone!!

<3

Courtney

New Recipes are UP!

Kale Chips & Nutritionally Sound Salad



Don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow Courtney's Vegan Kitchen for the latest updates! I'm always coming up with something new :) Tell me what you think too!! I'd love to hear your feedback, and feel free to share any meal ideas, recipes, questions, etc! Thanks!!

Enjoy!

<3
Courtney

OOPS! Read the label, Courtney!

Well, I said this was an adventure, this vegan thing. Adventures are never without their antagonists, and I suppose in this real-life story, hidden (or *ahem* unnoticed) items in food stuffs are mine.

The hubby and I were enjoying ourselves last night, trying his new beer he made, and attempting to stuff him so full that he could cheat the beginning of the "Biggest Loser" contest at his school (oh, it's not really cheating if you have a binging problem!... for one night...) among other things...

Yep, it's vegan! <3

And I decided to try my hand at a "mexican night" dinner. I LOVE me some tacos/burrito/taquitos/enchaladas/quesodillas/insert other awesome food here, and I decided to make a sort of taco bar with a cabbage slaw and salsa-rice. It smelled delicious, it looked amazing, it had maximum potential for getting Bryan sufficiently plumped up for his weigh in the next day, and it was vegan! ...or so we thought....

Taco Bar!

So we dive into the meal, enjoying it to the fullest, and I notice that the "beef" (which consists of Boca crumbles [vegan], cilantro [vegan], and taco seasoning [vegan?]) tastes a little... different. Now I'm sure you can guess (in some capacity) what happened.. so I won't draw it out. But I will tell you that going vegan (even for only 5 days so far!) does make your taste buds more active in a sense, more sensitive and able to detect flavors. This is a great thing when you're eating an apple (OMG they are delicious, did you know??? Seriously! I never knew!), but when you're eating a meat substitute compilation that happens to have some animal product in it, you can TASTE it.

I started suspecting that something wasn't quite right when I thought the "beef" tasted really "meat like" (which I commented on), and I noticed Bryan coughing all of a sudden. My throat felt different, and I began to mentally run through my cooking process. As I sat there, chewing and ticking off items in my mind that I knew were vegan, I came across the taco seasoning I used. This was a package deal we got at CostCo, and a darn good deal too, if I say so myself ($9 for this package!)

NOT vegan!!! :(

So, near the end of the meal, I got up and checked out the ingredients list...

And there it was, in BOLD no less, milk products in the form of whey solids. Ah HA! Mystery solved. This was why the taco meat tasted really "meaty," and why Bryan had a bit of a phlemy reaction...


ALRIGHT, my non-vegan friends- at this point you think I'm nuts, I'm sure. It's just a little bit of milk stuff you're thinking, right? Agreed. It's not enough to hurt an animal... or make a difference in your body... I barely used a teaspoon of the stuff... right?

Here's where I tell you my philosophy.

If you're going to do something, do it. I said I was going to avoid ALL animal products; for my health, and consequently the health (or lives) of millions of animals woldwide who are needlessly killed and tortured... and no, they don't have to be if we stopped eating them. Truth. Eating even this much goes against what I've set out to do here, and that is to avoid all milk, including all dairy, and eggs. Even the smallest bit ingested, as I learned last night, WILL cause a reaction in your body, and not a good one. Within 3 or 4 minutes of starting to eat, I noticed more mucous production in my throat. This means there was an increased reaction everywhere, my lungs, intestines, lungs, etc, etc. Why is this bad? Some scientists say it can cause fatigue, lung problems (asthma, allergies), malnutrition (coats your intestines... I could see that), and perhaps even contribute to the mutation of cells.. which could mean cancer. I really don't know that I believe ALL of that (particularly the cancer thing..), but who knows? And anyway, mucous in the throat feels yucky. *hack*

The bottom line is, after 5 days of eating vegan (except for this boo boo last night), I have more energy, I can taste things better, I've lost 3 pounds (YES!), and I'm not ingesting any hormones or antibiotics from my milk, cheese, or eggs like I was before. I know what the majority societal opinion of Veganism is; I used to think the same way about vegans until I became one.

But it's really not that hard to eat this way, and it's really not that weird. You just have to get your head outside the box and look at all the positive things that can come from this diet (and how many health problems it can eradicate)... I am loving this new diet; it's a transformation that's becoming a way of life and we are so happy we're doing it.

Please share your comments and reactions with me!

As always, happy eating!!

<3
Courtney

p.s.- I will post more recipes tonight!! I promise!

A quick, (super) easy lunch...

Relishing in my new vegan-ness, I was super thrilled today when I realized that I could make myself a sandwich... that's vegan... and yummy! We bought some Tofurky brand Peppered Deli Slices at the store on Sunday, as well as some rice cheese (Galaxy brand- cheddar flavor)- and while these were purchased at the same time, I wasn't thinking sandwich until today. So, long story short, I made an awesome sandwich for my lunch today! A nice little treat for my first day back to work after Christmas break :)

Looks good enough to eat!! ;)

Seriously yummy!!!!

Now, I have to talk about the vegan cheese I have on this sandwich here... I've mentioned my love (LOVE) of (dairy/real) cheese before... it's a pretty serious addiction, and it's probably going to be one of my bigger battles as I dive headfirst into Veganism. I'm doing okay so far- mostly because the last couple of times I had cheese (after becoming educated on the benefits of a vegan diet and/or the drawbacks to eating dairy), I noticed how salty and heavy (not in a good way) the cheese was, as well as how heavy it sat in my stomach. I definitely had images in my head of saturated fat, cholesterol, and all kinds of other yuckies in my bloodstream, attacking my artery walls shortly following eating said cheese as well, which was enough of a turn off to stay away from dairy permanently.. no matter how much I'm in love with it! It's just not worth it- even though it seems so SILLY to avoid cheese; at least that's what my little since-birth-indoctrinated-into-animal-product-lifestyle mind screams at me... I know it's better for me, but this is defintitely an adjustment on every level.

All that being said, the Rice cheese in my sandwich recipe is decent.. not fantastic.. to my begrudingly adjusting tastebuds. The texture is chewy (think ...like rice), and it tastes very lean, not creamy, like dairy cheese does. It does, to its benefit, actually taste like cheese. I don't think I'll be pulling slices of this cheese out of my fridge's deli drawer to snack on (which I LOVED to do with Kraft American Cheese singles); I'll probably opt for fruit instead (a wiser choice anyway!). All in all, this Rice cheese was a great addition to my sandwich today-- it mingled with the flavors of the avocado, tomato, and deli slices VERY well-- and I think I'll learn to love it- in time. :)

Happy eating (vegan cheese and all)!

<3
Courtney