The more I research veganism and other people's view points online, the more I run into angry responses. There seems to be so much hate surrounding a diet that claims to be non-harming and compassionate, and the anger isn't only from the omnivores. I've found that vegans can be just as angry if not more so than omnivores, spewing hateful words left and right like it's a sport. Recently Christina Pirello posted an article with her views on why omnivores seem to get so defensive over veganism. She raised some interesting points, but I feel that she failed to address the problem of omnivores getting upset as a reaction the vegans who are soap box preachy and all holier than thou. I believe this reaction to Pirello's post offers a more level headed approach to dealing with angry omnivores, it also generated kinder comments in response.
Personally, I believe people are going to argue no matter what. Some people you meet are going to be put off by veganism and get rude as a result whether you instigated an argument or not. Just remember that we're all human and should be treated with respect and compassion. :)

I woke up craving...

So apparently yesterday Bob Harper craved egg whites, so naturally he decided to have some. Normally something like that wouldn't bother me. People post useless information about themselves on facebook and twitter all the fucking time, but not everyone is Bob Harper. His decision to talk about his dietary downfalls on a social networking site was going to have consequences no matter what. The consequence of this decision? VEGANS WENT FUCKING CRAZY! And as a result, so did everyone else. Clearly, I have problems with this from all sides.
1. I'm disappointed that Bob decided to cave into a craving that went against his "morals"
2. Why share it with everyone on facebook and twitter, thus making a bad name for vegans everywhere?
3. Yes, vegans should be vocal about their feelings, but some went overboard and once again, making a bad name for vegans everywhere.
4. Where were some of the omnivores getting their logic?

Moral of the story, everyone makes mistakes, but for the love of God don't share them with the world. People get the wrong idea and these instances make it hard on everyone. Grow up, keep these things to yourself.

Being Sick Sucks

I'm sorry I disappeared for awhile. Basically my home computer crashed and I got super sick last week. So not only could I not get on the Internet at home, I was too sick to go use WiFi in public. :( I did manage to eat two entire boxes of Key Lime Cuties, which are so addicting it's not even funny.

On a positive note, I created a dinner that my brother fully enjoyed! I even have my own recipe to share with you! Before I indulge you with my delish recipe, I'll give you a little back story of where it came from. My dad and brother are both in Boy Scouts, so once a month they leave for a weekend camping trip. On the weekends they were gone my mom and I always made zucchini spaghetti. I don't remember where the recipe actually came from, but we only made it when it was just the girls at the house. Sadly it was full of cheese, so while I was sick I made this vegan version to satisfy my comfort food needs! Enjoy

Zucchini Pasta

1 small Shallot, thinly sliced

1 or 2 Garlic Cloves, minced 

2 small Zucchini, shredded (or one large)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2-3 cups Pasta, cooked and drained ( I like linguine)

Sea Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Vegan Parmesan, to taste (like Parma!)

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and saute for about one minute. Add zucchini and continue to saute until zucchini starts to soften. Stir in pasta, salt, and pepper, and divide into two bowls. Top with Parmesan and enjoy!

Serves 2

Weekly Dose of Cuteness: Kitten Hug!

Weekly Dose of Cuteness: Kitten Hug!

Is it Enough?

Oregon lawmakers are working to pass a law to give egg laying hens larger cages. I understand that we have to take animal rights one step at a time, but is this step large enough? Should we push harder for free roaming structures? Or should we celebrate what lawmakers have been able to accomplish? Give me your feedback and enter the discussion with OPB.

Ani Phyo - Raw Food Goddess

[Ani Phyo and I at Powells]

Last Wednesday I had the honor of getting to meet Ani Phyo and hear her speak at Powells Bookstore. She was there discussing her new book Ani's Raw Food Asia, which explores Asian raw food fusion recipes. The cookbook covers everything from cocktails to curries with a theme of longevity. Longevity was her word of the night, focusing on doing things more simply and in a way that isn't harmful to yourself. I really related with her approach to this book more than her others because it's written for people who are looking to incorporate more raw foods into their diet. Even though she was taking a more realistic look at diet, I was a little bummed to hear her promote "ethical" meat eating if you felt you still needed to consume animal products. I guess that's the difference between vegans for health and vegans for ethics.

Computer fail

Im sorry that I have yet to post about my visit with Ani Phyo. I am having serious computer issues so I'll get it up as soon as I can.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

Ani Phyo Tonight!!

I'm going to see Ani Phyo tonight at Powells Book Store! She is basically my raw food hero and can't wait to meet her in person. More on her later. :) In the meantime enjoy this raw taco recipe. It's one of my favorites!

safe sun

Here in Portland people tend to get really excited when we have sun, and as a result get sun burnt very easily. So I put together a fancy list of a few vegan sunscreens to keep your skin as healthy as your insides!

This sunless tanner from Nature's Gate is the perfect way to add a little glow to your skin during the winter if tanning beds aren't your thing. I'm a huge fan of their unscented lotion, making this lotion great to use whenever I'm not nursing a new tattoo. Just remember to wash your hands after application! They will turn orange, and no one likes that.

As a rock climber this Aqua block, also from Nature's Gate, is exactly what I need in the summer. When climbing at places like Smith rock, it's necessary to wear the highest protection of sunblock you can find so you don't burn to a crisp. The water resistance is a big plus for anyone who does summer sports or spends a lot of time in the water, nothing worse than sweating off that spendy sun block.

Food Fight grocery carries this sport sunscreen by Alba Botanica. Other local stores that carry vegan sunscreens are New Seasons and Whole Foods.

It's always important to take care of your skin after being in the sun as well, because everyone forgets sunscreen sometimes! Aloe vera is always a good option or you could try an after sun lotion like After Sun Face & Body Moisturizer by Aubrey Organics. 

For those of us who like indoor tanning I am sad to report that I haven't been able to find an indoor tanning lotion suitable for vegans. If anyone knows of such a thing please contact me! I miss my tanning salon. :(

[note: Even though I have been known to use indoor tanning, I don't promote indoor tanning because I know that it can cause cancer. If you choose to tan indoors please be aware of the health issues involved.]

knowing your meat

 This discussion thread from Oregon Public Broadcasting's (OPB) Think Out Loud series "Knowing Your Meat" was meant to stir questions about locally sourced meats and if there was any value to it. The discussion quickly spurred lots of rage and debate among the Portland vegan community (thanks to the ladies at Herbivore clothing via their twitter @herbivorecc), and rightly so if you ask me. The photo used to promote the discussion (as seen previously on vegansaurus) is so sickening and unbelievable. I could only imagine holding a dead animal like that if it was my cat if she passed away, not something I was about to consume for food. Naomi Pomeroy, the woman from the photo and the owner of the restaurant Beast, says that the photo is meant to help us acknowledge that the meat we come from was once a living animal. As an ex vegetarian herself, Pomeroy suggests that we should only eat meat if we can understand where the animal orginated from. I don't know about you, but that's why I wont eat meat. As with most vegans and vegetarians it simply seems ludacris to eat something that was once a living and breathing sentient being. The ethics of this woman seem very strange to me, I feel like it would be natural to create a restaurant that equally caters to vegetarians as well as meat eaters with vegetarianism being in her past. Instead on the website for Beast she says that "pescatarians, vegetarians and vegans would find it a challenge to enjoy our six-course dinners."  But what more could we expect from a woman who turned away from vegetarianism for the benefit of her business. To feel like she was still doing something good, Pomeroy decided to start sourcing the meat for Beast from "ethical" and "local" distributors. This being the whole reason for the online discussion and radio broadcast, finding out if it's worth it to only purchase "ethical" and "local" meats, and if so where do you draw your lines on that? I agree with Michelle from Herbivore, she wanted to know why they weren't going to have any vegans or vegetarians as guests on the radio show. Just because we personally don't eat meat doesn't mean we can't offer some valid points on ethical eating. Instead the whole broadcast was full of ex vegetarians calling in to explaining why they began eating meat because they could now get it from ethical sources. My question here is WHERE THE HELL WHERE ALL THE VEGAN CALLERS! I know there were no shortage of vegans posting on the internet discussion, but not a single one was on the radio. I'm worried that OPB screened the calls, or maybe no vegans actually called in, which either way is a serious shame.(According to the Think Out Loud  blog there were a few technical difficulties with the calls. I understand that a few off the calls were dropped instead of being put on hold, so I'm sorry if that's what happened to the vegan callers.) Instead I listened to someone who was a vegetarian for over 20 years describe how she started eating meat out of respect for her husbands avid hunting. 

One of the other callers (also an ex vegetarian) spoke about buying whole animals to have butchered for food for her and her husband. The caller said she wasn't ready to yet raise her own animals for food for fear of growing attatched to them. I think this sums up what is wrong with her meat eating. She's admitting she has a problem with the death of animals for food, so why try to deny that by continuing to eat them? 

Overall, I'm sad this radio broadcast failed to represent realistic ways for Portlanders (and anyone for that matter) to eat ethically.

I think I've found my new favorite online clothing store. Everyday apparel is the style of Urban Outfitters but with clothing that is 100% vegan and fair trade! Mainly I'm just in love with their shoes. I own a pair of the black "drifters" and they have quickly become my favorite shoes to wear. Admittedly they look just like Tom's, but unlike Tom's, I can purchase solid colors in vegan styles. You can even purchase a few of their styles at Herbivore in Portland if you don't have the time to wait for an internet order to ship. (I promise they do carry them at Herbivore, they just aren't on the website yet.) My only problem I have with these shoes is the fact that my feet stink pretty bad after wearing them. I think socks would help... but we all have to make sacrifices for fashion!

Yesterday I took advantage of the beautiful weather and went on a bike ride. After a few miles it became very obvious that I'm in need of a new bike. My 1980's centurion has a flat tire, squeeky gears, and padding that has started to disinegrate from the handle bars. So this got me thinking about how to invest in a new bike for myself, and make sure it's all vegan. I'm all about buying anything gently used (except underwear... that's straight up creepy) and Craigslist is always a great place to start your search for buying anything. Not all of the bikes are going to have vegan saddles (bike seats) but those are easy to replace. If finding a new vegan saddle is something you need to do lovely bicycle has a wonderful list of them.

This vegan option by Soma called the Okami is my personal favorite. It's aprropriately girly, and functional all at the same time. It also comes in a plain white or black if you're boring like that. 

If I could afford a brand new road bike I would get myself the Brava by Bianchi. This beautiful hunk of carbon and alloy is my dream bike, and if I'm not mistaken, even comes with a vegan saddle. It doesn't have the pedals included, but ones with matching paint are currently only $39.99 if you order them directly from Bianchi. 

booooooze

I'M 21 NOW BITCHES!!!!

well okay, I've been 21 for a few weeks, but hey, it's super cool still. In honor of my new found freedom I want to make it my personal mission to go to all of the vegan bars and happy hours in Portland (yes, even including the vegan strip club). Today I'm starting with the Bye and Bye, an all vegan bar in NE. This was the first real bar I went to on my 21st birthday. I dragged a few omni friends with me and we gave it mixed reviews. Some of my friends said it was a little "yuppy" and that they felt out of place amongst all of the hipsters. If you don't like hipsters don't come to Portland... or come anyway and laugh at them. My friend Alexa also thought the prices were too high. (In reality she was just upset that they didn't have everything to make a "long beach".) The first time I came, I only stayed long enough to have the "Vitrola," and sadly I can't recall everything that was in it, but it was delicious! We weren't there for long before we noticed many people with this monstrocity.

This craziness in a mason jar (so very Portland) is called the "Bye and Bye", so naturally I had to come back and try it for myself. It may look sweet and innocent, but this drink could clearly get you into some trouble! (especially at only $7!) It has a peach infused vodka, peach infused bourbon, cranberry juice and a lemon. After trying this drink, I have no complaints about this bar (maybe it's just because I'm kind of tipsy... oh well). The food is all fairly priced, even more so at happy hour, which they have every day from 4-7 PM. True, the crowd can seem kinda yuppy, but it's a vegan bar in Portland, what did you expect? I'm just excited to go somewhere where I don't have to scrutinize the menu or the drinks after I've had a few. 

The Vegan Guide to SE 12th st

I consider Portland to be one of the most vegan friendly cities in the U.S. right now, but on an even smaller scale, SE 12th st. might be the most vegan friendly street in this whole city. I didn't always notice this until I started making frequent trips to the vegan mini mall (which is located on 12th and Stark).

 [Black forest cake from Sweetpea]

The vegan mini mall is possibly the most ingenious thing Portland has ever come up with. It has a tattoo parlor, grocery store, clothing store, bakery, and a cafe. You wont find a single thing on that block that isn't vegan! I am proud to say that I have two tattoos from Scapegoat Tattoo and would highly recommend their work to anyone, vegan or not. Food Fight! grocery has just about anything your heart desires from vegan marshmellow creme to queso! The cutest vegan threads can be found at Herbivore Clothing, they even carry shoes now! If you start to feel hungry stop in at Sweetpea Baking Co. for a slice of cake, one of their sandwiches, and a latte. They even offer free Wi-Fi for those of us who feel like taking up space while we write on our blogs. (*cough* like me *cough*)

[courtesy of Portobello]

This is just the start of the great things that await you on your vegan adventure on 12th st! For a fun, fancy night out, be sure to make a reservation at Portobello on 12th and Division. It's an all vegan Italian restaurant that's open for dinner Tuesdays through Saturday. The menu changes due to the season and has plenty of options for the gluten free folk (you can find all of their current menus on their website). Some people might say the prices are a little high, but if you consider the quality of the locally sourced vegan foods, I would say that it's a bargain! I guess the best way to find out is by checking it out for yourself, just don't forget the reservation. The wait can be up to an hour for a table on any given night, so be prepared!

[the Potato Champion]

If having a nice sit down dinner isn't your thing then the food cart pod on 12th and Hawthorne is the place to be! I am sad to report that currently none of the food carts featured here are exclusively vegan, but you'll be able to find vegan options at just about every cart before you can say "I'll have the vegan poutine please!" (try saying that five times fast!) If you have never heard of poutine then make your way over to the potato champion right now! It's basically fresh french fries covered in a savory gravy and vegan cheese (be sure to specify you want the vegan one! You'll end up with a real cheesy disaster if you don't). Pyro Pizza also allows you to sub vegan cheese on any of their fire roasted pizzas. Once you've ordered your meal take some time to chill out at one of the covered picnic tables in the area and make some new friends or be all lame and eat in your car, I wont judge...
If the food carts don't seem classy enough for you, then take a trip to the Hungry Tiger Too. They have $1 vegan corn dogs and PBR. Nuff said.
No trip to SE 12th would be complete without at stop at Microcosm Publishing for a little literary fix. Granted they aren't actually on 12th (they are on 11th one block southeast of the vegan mini mall), but they are close enough in proximity to it that I had to add them to this fancy little list. Microcosm carries and decent amount of vegan/ vegetarian books and zines for your browsing desires. If your brain hurts from vegan overload (highly unlikely!) check out any of their other zines and books covering just about any random topic you can think of. They even carry those fancy stop sign vandalism stickers so you can get in trouble with the law.
I didn't think it was so possible to pack so much vegan awesomeness into such a few blocks, but thanks again to Portland, SE 12th will forever be my vegan haven and maybe it can be yours now too!

Easter Bust

Yesterdays Food Day in the Oregonian was a super big let down for me. Most weeks they have an article on something vegan, whether its a recipe, book review, or whatever. But this week there wasn't anything! I expected there to be a few vegan recipes this week because Easter is on Sunday. Maybe I'm just crazy (don't answer that) but I like to try new vegan recipes for holidays to share with my family. I still have many vegan skeptics within my family so it's fun to impress them with something new and fancy, but no thanks to Food Day this year! Good thing I know I'm cooler than the writers of Food Day anyways, so I'm giving you some recipes to jump start your own vegan Easter brunch ideas!
start your meal off right with these hot cross buns from the crazy cool Vegan Dad and make a huge batch of raspberry jam swirl crumble cake to share! (or to hoard in your room. I wont judge.)
also any breakfast or brunch wouldn't be complete without "bacon" or some jazzed up tofu scramble!
most importantly, enjoy a few mimosas and spend some quality time with family and friends!

The Biggest Vegan

until this morning i was unaware that Bob Harper from the biggest looser was a vegan! ever since i started watching this show i have been in love with Bob. him with all of his fancy tattoos and positive attitude. i mean how could you get better than that?!?! have him be vegan as well! duh.
he will even be appearing on Rachel Ray and making this tasty stir fry! (all vegan of course) i think i'm going to start declaring today happy bob harper day today. everyone should make that stir fry and eat it while watching the new episode of the biggest looser tonight. and uh if thats not your thing you could join me later in eating some chocolate and crying because i'll never get to marry bob.

Awww

http://i.imgur.com/9vlI9.png

How cute is this?!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

My mind is blown

chelsea catchpole (@crcatchpole144) has shared a Tweet with you:

"sweetpeabaking: Maple bars with chocolate covered bacun? Yeah, we do that."
--http://twitter.com/sweetpeabaking/status/59278659189616640

I have to get me one of these!!!!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

portland hotlist

check out this weeks hot list here! i normally don't get too excited about things in the news paper (unless we are talking about coupons for almond milk! save that shit for me) but this hot list is super cool for two reasons.
1. there is a film coming out on HBO about a pelican and its journey after the oil spill in the gulf. be sure to tevo that!
2. there is a sale at buffalo exchange and the proceeds will be going to the humane society. this gives me a reason to blow a bunch of money i don't have to support something i love!
i think this is the sign of a good weekend here in stumptown! :)

i got the new babycakes cookbook yesterday and was SO FREAKING EXCITED! so i made crepes and fed them to an omni friend to celebrate. gluten free soy free vegan crepes with carmelized onions and cheddar cheese to be exact. (yes all vegan!) the night was a success.

vegan friendly rock climbing

I wasn't a vegan when I started rock climbing a few years ago, but I was lucky enough to already own a pair of synthetic climbing shoes when I decided to become a vegan. For all of you climbers who weren't so lucky or if you're a vegan and new to climbing I did some research on some of the top synthetic climbing shoes to share with you all. :)

defy's are my original climbing shoe love. They are great for beginners or any level for that matter! they even come in purple for the ladies! or ya know... for whoever.

If you are looking for something a little bit more agressive you might like the Five Ten blackwing's. These shoes provide stability and comfort while giving you the edge to tackle the more advanced climbs.

and these are just hella cute! Can anyone say avril lavigne??

For you mini climbers you can check out the venga's by evolv. Nothing better than a day at the local craig with the kidlins :)

In general evolv is going to be your basic go to company for climbing shoes. They offer the most vegan friendly climbing shoes out of any climbing company. Vegan win! When you go to purchase climbing shoes I deffinately recomend going into an actual store and having someone fit you. Buying climbing shoes is nothing like buying your trendy Toms. You want them to fit very tight (but not painful) and have to know what you'll be wearing them for. It would be a huge waste of money to buy some advanced shoes if you are just a beginner. If you already know how to fit yourself and don't mind waiting for a package to come in the mail then feel free to try ordering a pair online. If you live in the Portland area I think you should check ClimbMax. They don't have the biggest selection of vegan climbing shoes but everyone who works there is very knowledgable and will do their best to answer your questions. ClimbMax also carries ropes, quick draws, cams, guide books and just about anything you could think about needing for your climbing adventures. For all things outdoors make sure to take a trip out to Next Adventure. Always start in their bargan basement for gently used products such as tents, sleeping bags, and hiking shoes! If you prefer shiny gear, stay on the main level and don't forget to head upstairs for camp cooking utensils and gear.
Next to having the right gear, I'm all about planning what to eat when I go climbing! Don't make the mistake my friend made on one unfortunate climbing trip. He decided to leave the house with only a Costco size box of danishes. FOR A WHOLE WEEK! Needless to say he was crazy, and lucky for him I showed up with a car full of food. When planning what to eat you have to take into consideration your surroundings. Will you be in a traditional camp site? Are you staying in someones house or a hotel? Or are you just going out for a day? No matter what the case, always remember that you are classier than PB&J and veggie dogs (gag). For ease prepare what you can at home. Plan on having stir fry? Portion out your rice or grain of choice and have your vegetables pre sliced. For climbing trips some of my favorite foods to cook include
-Curries
-Stir fries
-Soups
-Pita pizzas (super easy to make if you have a dutch oven)
And really just about anything you can think of! I love being the envy of the cooking site when I go out on climbing trips. For breakfast try to keep it simple, oatmeal with some fruit mixed in is a perfect hearty meal to start your day with. It's fast and clean up is fairly easy. The goal is to get the job done and beat the other climbers to the best climbs, or ya know... to try to catch up to the other climbers because your alarm didn't go off. Lunch is always best kept in snack form. I always keep an assortment of Cliff bars, mixed nuts, and dried fruits in my pack (and sometimes a PB&J *gasp*). But most important of the food rules, DO NOT FORGET YOUR WATER! I know from experience that it can get above 100 degrees very fast at Smith Rock State Park in the summer and you would be a dead climber walking without your water bottle. (on a side note, vitamin water and crystal light do not count as water! Only plain Jane water will do.)
When you're out there climbing just remember to have fun, be good and learn something new (like how to apply your vegan ethics to the basic ethics of climbing)! So vegan brothers and sisters, there are no more excuses. Get some shoes, get out to smith rock or whatever, and do your thing!