tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87550941617011220262024-03-12T23:12:14.392-07:00Growing VegansThe How-To of Vegan Parenthood
Ideas, tips, and encouragement in growing your own vegans. Results may vary.
** If you have a question, please email us! We're happy to help. Growingvegans@gmail.comSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-42969767245337451002011-03-29T14:13:00.000-07:002011-03-29T14:35:53.574-07:00Mom Finds Out That Healthy Vegan School Lunches Have Added BenefitsA third-grader at a local elementary school recently reported to her mom that there has been a rash of lunchbox break-ins. When questioned if her lunchbox has ever fallen victim to the petty crime, the daughter responded that it hadn't. It seems that the thieves had been looking for such items and bagged cookies and chips, which are evidently not a part of the girl's daily meal. <br /><br />When the mother was questioned as to what she usually puts in her daughter's lunchbox, the mother replied, "A lot of times I make the kids a very simple lunch, like a sprouted wheat bagel smeared with avocado and sprinkled with nutritional yeast and a little salt. Sometimes they'll get some homemade hummus and some whole wheat pitas or crackers, and maybe some carrots. They always have some sliced fruit in their lunch, as well." <br /><br />The evidence seems to point to the fact that the lunchbox bullies prefer to stay away from these healthier items, leaving the vegan kids to enjoy their lunch, undisturbed. The reporter notes that the mom was pleasantly surprised that her daughter's lunch has been untouched, yet that her daughter seems perfectly happy with the lunchtime offerings. Looks like another happy ending for the vegans...SubHerban Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09328772419539928434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-70945365878011517802011-03-28T12:17:00.000-07:002011-03-28T12:17:56.219-07:00Your questions answered!Thank you for the question Facebook fan Julie!<br />
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"How do you handle pickiness? My 4 y.o. is refusing all beans for the past few months, which I usually eat daily!"<br />
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<div>Hey Julie, </div><div><br />
</div><div>Well, my kids <i>never, ever </i>refuse any food I offer them. They are totally aware of all the kids in the world who are starving, and of the enormous nutritional benefit of a high density diet. They regularly ask for more healthy snacks in their lunches and always drink their smoothies. Yeah - right. I WISH!! </div><div><br />
</div><div>I am not sure there is any parent out there who isn't exposed to finickiness over some foods. I always laugh at my own kids - Dylan likes jelly, his sister peanut butter. Kayla likes mustard, Dylan only ketchup. He likes tofu squares, she likes it scrambled. It can be challenging! We have a rule in our house that everything goes on your plate, and you can choose what to eat. I think there are rumors that you have to expose a kid 30 times to a new food until they'll eat it. I have no idea if this is true (certainly doesn't seem to be in our house), but I do notice that every year or so their tastes seems to change. Their favorite foods are no longer favorites, and things they wouldn't even try before are now expected to be in their lunches (like, duh mom! Of course I like pickles!) So, I don't worry too much when they're going through a food phase. </div><div><br />
</div><div>That said, for a while my kids also eschewed beans, which totally freaked me out because they are such a huge part of a vegan diet. After trying to force them to eat them (and after countless renditions of "Beans, beans, they're good for your heart, the more you eat them, the more you fart!" at the dinner table), I gave up. I took a break, and after a while, I decided to present them in a different way. Here are some ideas that worked for us - let me know if they work with your kiddo! </div><div><br />
</div><div>1. Bean taquitos - just wrap refried beans (homemade when I have time, but usually canned) in a corn tortilla. They can be lightly fried or baked. Make sure the tortilla is warmed so it folds easily. </div><div><br />
</div><div>2. Chickpea cutlets from Veganomicon. These are made with chickpeas, and oohhssoogood! </div><div><a href="http://www.theppk.com/2010/11/doublebatch-chickpea-cutlets/">http://www.theppk.com/2010/11/doublebatch-chickpea-cutlets/</a></div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://www.theppk.com/2010/11/doublebatch-chickpea-cutlets/"></a>3. Hummus, though it can be hit or miss with my kids. </div><div><br />
</div><div>4. I LOVE homemade veggie burgers! I can use tons of beans in it and they have no ideas. This is my favorite site for inspiration: </div><div><a href="http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html">http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html</a><br />
</div><div>5. Veggie lunch "meat" with beans! </div><div><a href="http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/06/veggie-lunch-meat.html">http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/06/veggie-lunch-meat.html</a></div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/06/veggie-lunch-meat.html"></a>So bottom line, I wouldn't freak about too much the pickiness, just keep offering up the frijoles and someday I am sure you'll be surprised - one day!! </div><div><br />
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</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-50796630350198674562011-03-01T14:20:00.000-08:002011-03-01T14:21:43.399-08:00I have a new lover, but don't tell my husband...Okay, you can tell him, because he already knows. In fact, he and I are both madly in love with this new object of our affection. We take turns with it, declare our love for it at least once a week, and have even used it at the same time.<br /><br />Before you start worrying about our marriage, our new lover is not a person (and not an animal either). We really aren't kinky like that. What we are in love with is....our new pressure cooker! Oh, baby, has this stainless steel beauty made the dinner hour much more freedom and freed me (at least a bit) from being chained to the stove top.<br /><br />For a while now I had wanted to break my addiction to canned beans. I didn't like the waste of the cans, though they can (in theory) be recycled, and I also didn't like that BPA is present in all cans (with the exception of Eden Organics beans--not their tomatoes, though). Canned beans can also take up a whole shelf in a bean-lovin' vegan pantry. I am a hummus fanatic and usually make a big batch at least once a week, and I would use at least two cans of chickpeas each time. Now that I have a pressure cooker, I have forever broken the canned-bean habit, and I am FREE! =)<br /><br />Beans really taste better from a pressure cooker! My neighbors, who are of Mexican descent and own a taqueria, LOVED my refried pinto beans. The wife even said they are better than her husband's from the restaurant. Now, that's a compliment!<br /><br />The true beauty of the pressure cooker is the time and energy that's saved. I bought the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Presto-8-Quart-Stainless-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0000Z6JIW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1290028695&sr=8-3">Presto 8-Quart Pressure Cooker </a>from Amazon. I first got interested when I read an article about pressure cookers in Vegetarian Times magazine a few months ago, and then began doing some research on Amazon. The model I bought looked the best for my family. I nearly got a smaller size, but then realized that I'd like the option to make large amounts of food at a time. (I'm big on doubling recipes so we can eat what I've made for at least two meals.)<br /><br />I never use a regular old pot for soups anymore, because the pressure cooker is just so darn cool! I don't have to stir its contents to prevent them from burning like I'd do if I was cooking soup, etc the traditional way, and it's so fast! I also have grown to like the loud hiss that emits from the pressure cooker while it cooks at high-pressure because it can drown out the noises my children are making! LOL!<br /><br />I throw just about anything in there to make a soup. I now subscribe to a service that delivers fresh produce from local farms and I get so many veggies a week that I can barely contain them in my fridge! I find that throwing just about any veggies (think greens such as chard or kale along with carrots, celery, onions...) and some soaked dried beans into a pot with some veggie broth or bouillon cubes and seasonings, and I have a soup that my whole family will eat--and most of the time, even enjoy! No, really my kids are often excited by my crazy soups and they end up eating a lot of veggies at once that's otherwise hard to fit into one meal. And, best part? Reheating the soup the next night couldn't be any easier-only one pot to clean! Woo hoo! It's one purchase I've made that my husband hasn't complained about because it's actually NOT collecting dust.<br /><br />Speaking of the pressure cooker, I'd be remiss not to mention the source of my beloved beans. For the basic variety (think chickpea, black and pinto) I get them from the bulk section of our local Whole Foods, but I've also been buying them online from an awesome website and semi-local (to me) distributor, called <a href="http://www.ranchogordo.com/">Rancho Gordo</a>. Every bean I have tried from them is amazing, and I love the names and colors of the beans! They're gorgeous! Some I've tried and enjoyed are: Good Mother Stallard, Yellow Eyes, Christmas Limas, and Runner Cannelinis. They are heirloom organic beans and are just so fun to make. Some are tiny, some are HUGE and they are just so beautiful. (Yes, I think I'm now in love with beans and pressure cookers!) Rancho Gordo sells other things, like spices and chiles, and I highly recommend checking them out if you're at all curious.<br /><br />I'll leave you to ponder whether the addition of a pressure cooker is right for your family while I give you one of our fave recipes. My kids absolutely LOVE butternut squash soup, and so do I! It couldn't be easier to make (even without a pressure cooker)! Here is my basic recipe for the beautifully orange soup: (This is a loose recipe, meaning that I never measure anything and I always make it with differing amounts of veggies, depending on what I have on hand or feel like chopping.)<br /><br />2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped<br />1 yellow onion, chopped<br />1 or 2 large butternut squashes (start with one if this is your first time trying it so you can gauge how much your family will eat), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks<br />3-5 large carrots (you can use more if you're using more than one squash and the squash is particularly large. I think the more carrots the better, because they deepen the orange color of the final product), sliced<br />2-3 stalks celery, sliced<br />2-3 vegetable bouillon cubes, crumbled (try salt-free or low-sodium) OR vegetable broth, enough to cover veggies in pot<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Saute garlic and onions in a few tablespoons of water in pot (or pressure cooker WITHOUT lid on if using pressure cooker) until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, you can heat water in a teapot to add to soup pot in a few minutes if you'd like to cut down on boiling time when the soup starts cooking.<br /><br />Add squash, carrots and celery to pot. Cover with either WATER or VEGGIE BROTH until butternut squash is NEARLY covered, but not quite. If you leave a little of the veggies out of the water (perhaps 1/2 to 1 inch sticking out) you will have a thicker, creamier soup after it's pureed. If you are using water and not broth, crumble 2 or 3 bouillon cubes (two if only one squash is being used) into the water and stir into water/veggie mixture.<br /><br />If using pressure cooker, cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then turn off heat. (Pressure can be released a few minutes after the 5 minutes of cooking time are up if desired.) If cooking soup in a pot, cook in covered pot on medium-high heat, checking for tenderness of the squash after 40 to 45 minutes. Squash should be able to be pierced easily with a fork, but not be falling apart. Puree in pot with an immersion blender (another of my FAVORITE cooking tools) or blend in small batches in a blender, waiting until soup has cooled a bit. Transfer back to pot, if necessary, and season with salt and pepper. If soup needs extra flavor, you can crumble another bouillon cube in it and stir it up a bit.<br /><br />I think you will love this soup as much as our family does! Even my 21-month old snooty eater will eat it. YUM!<br /><br />xoxo<br />tamiSubHerban Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09328772419539928434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-6738135513197483912011-02-17T12:32:00.000-08:002011-02-17T12:34:27.622-08:00Meet Draculara, the Vegan Vamp<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="320" src="http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/296/8/5/mh___draculaura_by_0xsarachanx0-d31dp3c.jpg" width="287" /></div><br />
"Mom!! MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM! Come quick, look!"<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>My 8 year old daughter was watching T.V, and excitedly informed me "Look, she's a vegan, too!" pointing to the trendily dressed vampire on her morning cartoon, Monster High. </div><div><br />
</div><div>HOW COOL. I love watching veganism going mainstream! I LOVE Draculaura. And I want a doll. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Here's Draculaura's bio: </div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Draculaura</b> — daughter of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula_(1931_film)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Dracula (1931 film)">Dracula</a>. She is a vegan vampire, abstaining from any blood. She is <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemophobia" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Hemophobia">hemophobic</a>, being unable to even say the word "blood" without feeling faint. According to her biography, she is 1,599 years old. She has a pet male bat named Count Fabulous that Draculaura dresses up in pink clothing. In the books, she goes by a more normal name, Lala. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Name: Draculaura (Daughter of Dracula) <br />
Favorite Food: I'm a vegan, no icky blood for me, so it's fruits, vegetables, and a lot of iron supplements. <br />
Pet Peeve: The lack of vegan selection in the Creepoteria is so sad.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Draculaura is the brainchild of Mattel, and now has her own line of EVERYTHING - dolls, stationary, cartoons, music, clothes, costumes, games, etc. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Check her out! <a href="http://www.monsterhigh.com/bios/draculaura">http://www.monsterhigh.com/bios/draculaura</a></div><div><br />
</div><div>The whole series is super veg friendly. Here is an example: DIS the DISSECTION! </div><div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">xo,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sarah </div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-13367589906906318272011-02-14T20:52:00.000-08:002011-02-14T20:52:48.961-08:00Happy Valentines Day!So, I've totally overindulged in chocolate today! Yum, and <i>uggghhhh</i>.<i> </i>I came across a posting for vegan(ish) peanut butter cups a few days ago, and became crazy obsessed. Resses be damned!<br />
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What better timing to cater to my not-infrequent-enough- choc-o-holic-whims then V-day? Hey, I'm single so no flowers for me, and I'll drown myself in sugar if I wanna! I set to work. Unfortunately, I am a typical over-planner, and get overwhelmed and rush my projects. In between painting my daughters room (with eco-friendly paint of course!), vacuuming the sand out of my car, turning the seriously overripe nasty bananas into oh-so-yummy muffins, and dodging "mom, mom, MOOOMMMM!!"s, I decided to make these treats. WHAT WAS I THINKING?<br />
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All the recipes I looked at were amazing, beautiful, and decadent. But I'm a mom - an insanely busy one- and I just wanted some dang PB and chocolate! Is that sssooooo much to ask? <br />
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I cheated.<br />
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And you know what? They were gooooooood. So good in fact, I almost did not share this with you because I can now so easily fake my non-existent confectioners talent with these. <br />
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Here's the secret:<br />
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Take a mini muffin pan<br />
Put 1 Tbsp. chocolate chips in the bottom of each cup (please use liners. Do as I say, not as I do.)<br />
Put in the oven for 2-3 min (I had mine set at 350 because I was baking)<br />
Take out of oven<br />
Put in a dollop of your choice of filling (I used Dandies vegan marshmallows - YEAH, baby! And PB)<br />
Cover with another tablespoon or so chocolate chips (this isn't rocket science)<br />
Put in the oven for 2-3 min<br />
Take out of oven<br />
Swirl chocolate to make it look pretty<br />
Place in freezer<br />
Take out of muffin cups<br />
EAT IT and LIKE IT.<br />
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If you know me at all, I don't apologize for my food. But, I am sorry. These are so ugly. I forgot to take a picture of the pretty ones, and by the time I went to do so, they had all vanished! :-D <br />
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xo,<br />
SarahSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-51748755384596202842011-02-11T13:57:00.000-08:002011-02-11T13:57:43.997-08:00Valentines is Coming!<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"></div><br />
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Valentines Day is Monday! I am not big on celebrating this holiday, and one year tried to convince my kids that it was an unimportant holiday. We had recently become vegan, I didn't really think about getting vegan chocolates, and I was in a very idealistic place, not wanting to contribute to a "Hallmark holiday", encourage the kids to consume junk, etc. BIG FREAKING MISTAKE. Though we had talked about it, my kids were <i>devastated </i>when they woke up that morning and there was no candy and trinkets - I am a bad mom, so I didn't even make a card. It was tears and "don't you love us?" all morning! Talk about feeling like crap.<br />
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Lesson learned. Here is their gift this year:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=6be36c91d2&view=att&th=12e169f0c9a21ad6&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=6be36c91d2&view=att&th=12e169f0c9a21ad6&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Above: Go Max Go Jokerz Bar </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sjaaks Chocolate Heart of Cherry, Peanut Butter Bites, and solid Dark Chocolate Heart </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.gomaxgofoods.com/">Go Max Go bars come in four flavors</a>! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gomaxgofoods.com/Images/products/CandyBars_Packaged.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://www.gomaxgofoods.com/Images/products/CandyBars_Packaged.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
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<div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">All Go Max Go candy bars are covered in our signature-recipe rice-milk chocolatey coating. Light and lovely, it makes dairy-milk chocolate positively passé.</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"><br />
</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">When your idea of the perfect candy bar is all about peanutty goodness, then we've got you covered. If layers of dry roasted peanuts, buttery-tasting caramel, and rich peanut nougat, sweetly wrapped in a delicious chocolatey coating sounds like a little slice of heaven, then smile, the <span class="style2" style="color: #8d372b;"><span class="style21" style="color: #c55e4f; font-weight: bold;">Jokerz</span><span class="style23" style="color: #8d372a;">™</span></span> bar is for you!</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"><br />
</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">How does a rich, fluffy, chocolatey nougat covered in a creamy chocolatey coating sound right about now? If you can't answer because desire is consuming you… aye matey, 'tis a<span class="style2" style="color: #8d372b;"><span class="style18" style="color: #c65f50;"><strong>Buccaneer</strong></span><span class="style20" style="color: #8e382b;">™</span></span> bar for you!</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">Now imagine that rich, fluffy, chocolatey nougat topped with a layer of thick, buttery-tasting caramel all wrapped up in our very own creamy, rice-milk chocolatey coating. If this gives you sweet dreams of good taste, then the <span class="style2" style="color: #8d372b;"><span class="style18" style="color: #c65f50;"><strong>Twilight</strong></span><span class="style23" style="color: #8d372a;">™</span></span> bar is for you!</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"><br />
</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">If you crave a gently sweetened coconut candy bar topped with three whole dry roasted almonds and covered in a luscious chocolatey coating… hang loose, the <span class="style2" style="color: #8d372b;"><span class="style24" style="color: #c85e50; font-weight: bold;">Mahalo</span><span class="style23" style="color: #8d372a;">™</span></span> bar is for you!</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"><br />
</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"><br />
</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah.... YUM!! </div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are carried at most Whole Foods stores, and here is a list of other locations: </div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.gomaxgofoods.com/where.htm">http://www.gomaxgofoods.com/where.htm</a></div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">TOTALLY WORTH IT!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> </span></u></b></div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><br />
</span></b></div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><br />
</span></b></div><a href="http://sjaaks.com/categories/show/Vegan+Chocolates">Sajjaks </a>makes various vegan chocolates, and they are DE-LISH! Chocolate and PB? Yes, please! They have seasonal treats, and a bunch of vegan options. Watch out though, because not all their products are vegan (I thought they were, and ended up buying treats for my office).<br />
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They can be purchased at some Whole Foods, and many natural foods stores and Co-ops. If your local stores don't carry them, they have a request form available. Of course, they can also be purchased online! <br />
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xo's and chocolate,<br />
<br />
Sarah<br />
<div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><br />
</span></b></div><div align="justify" class="style6 style7" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-6583872629043676362011-02-04T06:56:00.000-08:002011-02-04T07:05:38.878-08:00Kids Perspective - a follow up to Have a Heart<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font: normal normal normal 30px/normal Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> </span></span>recently wrote about our struggle with dissection in school: <a href="http://growingvegans.blogspot.com/2011/01/have-heart.html">http://growingvegans.blogspot.com/2011/01/have-heart.html</a><br />
<br />
The outcome was that my son decided to observe the dissection. I bit my nails all day at work, anxiously awaiting for his report on the lesson. When I picked him up, he said "WOW! That was the coolest and most disgusting thing I have ever seen!!" Hmmm... not so much the reaction I was expecting. What was I expecting? Remorse. Horror. Scarring. But you know what? He's 11. Things like this <i>are </i>cool when you're 11. As ethical and thoughtful and empathetic as he is, he's still a kid.<br />
<br />
We talked about his feelings about participating - he felt bad for the animal, but didn't feel terrible about participating. I asked him if he thought he learned more, less, or the same than if we had decided to learn about it at home, online, and by making a model. His answer? "Way more mom, because everyone was excited to learn 'cause that was cool".<br />
<br />
So when he wrote this a few days later, I was somewhat surprised. I asked him why the change of heart (pun intended) and he looked downcast, saying "I don't want to talk about it. I just feel really bad about what I did".<br />
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When this comes up again (it will next year), I think I will handle it the same way. It's not perfect, but it's true to who we are. It's my job to help him make good decisions, but at his age, it's up to him to carry them through. I'll have him re-read what he wrote, encourage him to remember why we're vegan, and let him make his own decision.<br />
</span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font: normal normal normal 30px/normal Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
Here is his post:<br />
www.growingvegan.blogspot.com<br />
<br />
<b><u>Dissection</u></b><br />
<br />
OK one thing every vegan on earth worries about dissections at school. We did that in class a week ago, I had a raging battle inside my conscience over it but in the end I did it. I will NEVER do that again. Next time I might walk out of the classroom if I have to. anyways I wish I hadn't done it.<br />
<br />
-Dylan</span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font: normal normal normal 30px/normal Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font: normal normal normal 30px/normal Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">xo,</span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font: normal normal normal 30px/normal Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Sarah<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
</h3>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-55335561914835140012011-02-01T09:38:00.001-08:002011-02-01T09:38:55.270-08:00Find us on Facebook!Under "Growing Vegans". <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>xo,</div><div>Sarah </div>Growing Veganshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18136601773891503628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-70252038047502051202011-01-27T10:27:00.001-08:002011-01-27T10:27:23.997-08:00Have a heart!Dylan, my 5th grader, informed me yesterday that he would be missing class today. "Really?" I responded. "Why's that?"<br />
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"They're going to dissect a pigs heart, mom."<br />
<br />
Damn. I knew this would come one day, but not today! He'd mentioned it earlier in the year, but I blew it off as something we'd deal with "when the time came". Well... the time is here! Lesson learned.<br />
<br />
My first instinct was to conform. "It's part of the curriculum; part of your education." I told him that he did not have to participate, but that he could observe. Yes, I asked my son to be a passive bystander in the mutilation of an animal. "Mom - no way. I will walk out of class; I don't care if I get suspended!"<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="200" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS6DeGbrW4A7x01qx619Epg_gw91GoM4i6LtB5sFJRcKXWFaMU6&t=1" width="196" /></div><br />
I was feeling really conflicted, and luckily for us, we were at my BFF and fellow blogger, Tami's house. I asked her opinion, since she's often more thoughtful about these things than I am. "Really?" she said skeptically. "You know there are alternatives, right?" I looked it up, and she was right!<br />
<br />
<i>"If you’re in grades kindergarten through 12 and attend public school in the following states, just say “no” to dissection: California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. These states have dissection choice laws or policies in place. Private schools, colleges, and universities are not covered by those laws, but you can still get an alternative.</i><br />
<br />
So into the car we went, driving to the school to speak with his teacher about this. It was a while after school, and she'd gone home for the day. Luckily, our school Principal was there. She's awesome, very thoughtful, and there are rumors that she's vegetarian :-)<br />
<br />
She sat down with us as we explained that Dylan was "highly uncomfortable" with the lesson. She listened to our concerns, and then reviewed the requirements for 5th grade California standards, which read <i>"Students <b>know </b>how blood circulates through the heart chambers, lungs, and body and how carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) are exchanged in the lungs and tissues". </i><a href="http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/sciencestnd.pdf">http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/sciencestnd.pdf</a><br />
<br />
The key word, she explained, was the <u>students "<b>know</b>".</u> There are many ways to know something, so she was supportive of us seeking an alternate lesson. She did encourage him to observe, and mentioned that at some point, he may have to in school. She explained the value of research on animals has provided, which, while in agreement, allowed me to use my new favorite argument. "You're right," I said. "Science has gained a lot from using animals, but I think at a student level, it's unnecessary. I hear what you're saying, that it's a good way to learn, but he feels it's unethical. I hope one day we can teach the information learned, rather than replicate the experiments; kind of like we do since they found the Milgram and Stanford Prison experiments unethical?" (Argument stolen from the amazing Megan Rascal of Vegansaurus - check out her rebuttal to animal experiments here: <a href="http://vegansaurus.com/post/2814951409/animal-testing-no-really-its-awful">http://vegansaurus.com/post/2814951409/animal-testing-no-really-its-awful</a>)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="167" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf347bDcKJ1qzrvd9.png" width="200" /></div><br />
I let the principal know that we'd research and come up with something that night. When we got home, I explained to Dylan that, while I would support his decision, we had lots of work to do. We made a list of pros and cons. It was about equal, but the cons included staying true to our ethics., and a notable pro was when Dylan said "I won't get made fun of like last time".<br />
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I didn't want him to look at this as an easy way to get out of an assignment, so I had him watch a video of a pig heart dissection on YouTube, and we looked up alternative lessons online. I decided we'd make a clay model of the heart, and have him write a paper on why he chose to do an alternative assignment, and demonstrate what he'd learned.<br />
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That's when he said....."Mom? Maybe I'll just observe and see how it goes."<br />
<br />
Oy vey! Was it because it seemed easier than doing all the extra work? Probably. Is there value to letting him participate? Yes... and no. Did I make the wrong decision, choose the easy way out? Probably; I should have been more on top of this, and supported his original decision more. Am I a good parent? Who knows! Did I just allow my child to be scarred for life? I guess I'll find out tonight how it went, and be able to make a more informed decision next time. Damn, this parenting stuff is hard!<br />
<br />
Here are some resources we looked at:<br />
<a href="http://www.peta.org/issues/Animals-Used-for-Experimentation/dissection-lessons-in-cruelty.aspx">http://www.peta.org/issues/Animals-Used-for-Experimentation/dissection-lessons-in-cruelty.aspx</a><br />
<a href="http://www.dissectionalternatives.org/">http://www.dissectionalternatives.org/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.dissectionalternatives.org/concerned.cfm">http://www.dissectionalternatives.org/concerned.cfm</a><br />
<a href="http://www.dissectionalternatives.org/concerned/dissection_comparative_studies.pdf">http://www.dissectionalternatives.org/concerned/dissection_comparative_studies.pdf</a><br />
<a href="http://www.petakids.com/dissection_alternatives.asp">http://www.petakids.com/dissection_alternatives.asp</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aavs.org/eduDissection.html">http://www.aavs.org/eduDissection.html</a><br />
<br />
Thoughts?<br />
<br />
xo,<br />
SarahSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-66786668767165279212011-01-03T14:23:00.000-08:002011-01-03T14:31:11.608-08:00VEGAN PIZZA DAY IS COMING!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 57.6px; font-weight: bold; "><a href="http://www.veganpizzaday.com/index.php" style="text-decoration: none; color: black; ">Vegan Pizza Day!</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 48px; font-weight: bold; "><div style="text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: black; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 28.8px; "><a href="http://www.veganpizzaday.com/index.php" style="text-decoration: none; color: black; ">Saturday, January 29, 2011</a></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><div id="photoborder" class="clearfix" style="display: block; zoom: 1; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 242, 242); margin-top: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 17px; margin-left: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><div id="photo_container" class="photo_container" style="display: inline-block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; position: relative; vertical-align: bottom; zoom: 1; "><span id="myphotolink" style="display: table; margin-top: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: auto; margin-left: auto; "><img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs801.snc4/68104_148474871867951_148474295201342_247600_6121726_n.jpg" width="720" height="480" id="myphoto" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); float: left; " /></span></div></div><div class="clearfix photo_metadata" style="display: block; zoom: 1; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: left; "><div class="left_metadata lfloat" style="float: left; width: 490px; "><div id="photocaption_parent" class="clearfix" style="display: block; zoom: 1; "><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix" style="display: block; zoom: 1; "></div></div></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 20px; "><b>What is Vegan Pizza Day?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 20px; "><b><br /></b>Simply put, Vegan Pizza Day is a celebration of the most awesomest food ever...VEGAN PIZZA! We love it so much, we think it deserves its own holiday.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; "></span><a href="http://www.veganpizzaday.com/index.php">http://www.veganpizzaday.com/index.php</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Sponsored by Teese and Quarry Girl.com</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>They're also looking for people to add vegan pizza places to expand their list, so please add if you know of any! </div>Growing Veganshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18136601773891503628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-3407615661474767572011-01-03T14:10:00.000-08:002011-01-03T14:22:15.037-08:00Happy New Year!The holiday hiatus is officially over, and both my butt and my liver are thankful for it :-) Yes, even vegans overindulge in the good stuff! Hope you and yours had a fabulous holiday!<br /><br />I want to mention that my son, Dylan, has started his own blog! You can find him and his thoughts at: <a href="http://growingvegan.blogspot.com/">http://growingvegan.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />Dylan is 11, and super-duper awesome. He recently played the lead role in the school play, as hero Chuck Wagon - Wagon Master. it was a western, with corresponding costumes.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQnob_tMFQZALyXlMzSCryXKYVifuMy54yG-76WIaqg1fSUSaQYkT22TDfJfWIJglwJJPmnrqRWy-X5oKmGMPt5O9MIy21B47DiWW58mkulaizFNb7Uzy3nZSdr6CsrT2OXCa3ebj_QM/s1600/chuck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQnob_tMFQZALyXlMzSCryXKYVifuMy54yG-76WIaqg1fSUSaQYkT22TDfJfWIJglwJJPmnrqRWy-X5oKmGMPt5O9MIy21B47DiWW58mkulaizFNb7Uzy3nZSdr6CsrT2OXCa3ebj_QM/s320/chuck.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0h_R58dv5VpbUMXWY5VO9vmcMhVhcN8ncCl9gADbfZF8_ZHDUB8gZCrN3lUv5WnH0uZuGhUp-AeYaqk95J7jbw1awLPnOkip5VQJX6Mnuo0vMGR2tD0753HYkxYidA7BCCWoORTCADLs/s1600/chuck2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0h_R58dv5VpbUMXWY5VO9vmcMhVhcN8ncCl9gADbfZF8_ZHDUB8gZCrN3lUv5WnH0uZuGhUp-AeYaqk95J7jbw1awLPnOkip5VQJX6Mnuo0vMGR2tD0753HYkxYidA7BCCWoORTCADLs/s320/chuck2.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />One day I'm at the school during rehearsals, and I overhear the costume designing team talking about Chuck's costume. Basically was, "nope, can't use this. Nope, can't use that". I peeked my head in, and saw all kinds of cool costumes hanging around. "How about this one?" I butted my way in, grabbing the most traditional looking one.<br /><br />Some of the mom's started laughing, and said "okay Sarah, <i>YOU</i> try to get you son in that!" Apparently, my amazing, compassionate, awesomely-cool kid had vetoed anything that used to be someone else's skin. He may have been more politically correct than me, saying NO to leather. How awesome is that?! I checked in to make sure he had been polite about it, which he had. Our awesome costume team then made him one out of synthetic materials! Cool, right??<div><br /></div><div>xo,</div><div>Sarah </div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-2743504140499874422010-11-02T19:24:00.000-07:002010-11-02T19:24:37.896-07:00Goooey gooooey goodness - We love Dandies!Soooo, any of ya'll who regularly read this blog might have realized that I am a teensy, weensy bit obsessed with baseball and the <a href="http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=sf">San Francisco Giants</a>. And, as you might well expect, I am a little insane over their ummm.....<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;">WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUB47YskWMgFn76XPntbuODLtzQALKvM-KdfM2TB-bnXXhMsYu-MxHMp5fj1KGPf8N0EQYO4j9x9_ovAOdHEwnSr2fxvwNyEoJ5nQ8EBbDwug6T1S7rjTEGvpoHmFffPzEhh2bhiLuVQ/s1600/WSC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUB47YskWMgFn76XPntbuODLtzQALKvM-KdfM2TB-bnXXhMsYu-MxHMp5fj1KGPf8N0EQYO4j9x9_ovAOdHEwnSr2fxvwNyEoJ5nQ8EBbDwug6T1S7rjTEGvpoHmFffPzEhh2bhiLuVQ/s320/WSC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(I sincerely apologize to any of my readers who are fans of teams that suck. )</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyways, when I am stressed, I eat. And I want the ultimate comfort food - CHOCOLATE! So, while the boys were battling into first place, and I was pacing, bitting nails and not breathing, I decided to bake. Well - to not bake. </div><br />
A while back, I mentioned <a href="http://growingvegans.blogspot.com/search/label/contest">Dandies</a>. For those of you still living in the pre-vegalicious age, <a href="http://www.chicagosoydairy.com/dandies_vegan_marshmallows/">Dandies </a>are AMAZING-MAKE-YOU-BOW-DOWN-TO-THE-SOY-DAIRY-GODS-SQUISHY-MELTY- GOOEYNESS that does not contain the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin">collagen of animals skin and bones</a>! Yes, boys and girls, I speak of the holy grail of veganess..... MARSHMALLOWS! (Those of us who remember the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYrhWHQ6pb0">Great Marshmallow Fiasco of 200</a>7 are especially appreciative).<br />
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I had been playing with ideas for a while, but had tons of trouble coming up with an recipe idea worthy enough to give these babies justice. The stress eating finally took over, and I just did it! The recipe is to follow, but the verdict is VEGAN MARSHMALLOWS! There is no way to go wrong!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sfuYFQf5Abh70e1y3CjoUIsJzVLuyKYfCdzSLraIfGFLSoHx2ULyHYP2Lkd_QuLMM1jVJgw6iZL8HK5uMzvBGSnJHiJaT9MA2zQhIvluKOUWSiuWAlx_XgmK9W6XjJVW8uMviCyVWcc/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sfuYFQf5Abh70e1y3CjoUIsJzVLuyKYfCdzSLraIfGFLSoHx2ULyHYP2Lkd_QuLMM1jVJgw6iZL8HK5uMzvBGSnJHiJaT9MA2zQhIvluKOUWSiuWAlx_XgmK9W6XjJVW8uMviCyVWcc/s200/3.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
I've said it before, and I'm gonna say it again - I am not a brilliant chef. My food is UGLY. But it always tastes good! That being the truth, I'm going to show you the end product first:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQu8ny2_hhT_2KhEre44jsefYvgQMrHphQUcwZkmRwlqpCpBRQmckcOpSnMYM4u30-UBvcnAz2Hx4LFS2Ou0yo05VboEC5QfCT2_xJPEdJCH-tRk4Mc_fuf6hjNiaZmUd3KnM_Ul-zPI/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQu8ny2_hhT_2KhEre44jsefYvgQMrHphQUcwZkmRwlqpCpBRQmckcOpSnMYM4u30-UBvcnAz2Hx4LFS2Ou0yo05VboEC5QfCT2_xJPEdJCH-tRk4Mc_fuf6hjNiaZmUd3KnM_Ul-zPI/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I'm the Queen of Ease - I love being in the kitchen, sometimes. World Series game 5 was <u style="font-style: italic;">not </u>one of those times. I chose to make do with what I had in the kitchen and could put together quickly!<br />
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Here are the ingredients:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDYvylq8kL9gWmPBemwx7FpPMEkMY8e0VvNhihepVZCdnSAW4ZmvXYkOyPb2KRvJj04r-v2-4XeuV2VBpSOn11JExm_w7jY6H26Xxl_Z93LcLPnAHX5ISDA0a4wcsZ-Uyva5s233tUC4/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDYvylq8kL9gWmPBemwx7FpPMEkMY8e0VvNhihepVZCdnSAW4ZmvXYkOyPb2KRvJj04r-v2-4XeuV2VBpSOn11JExm_w7jY6H26Xxl_Z93LcLPnAHX5ISDA0a4wcsZ-Uyva5s233tUC4/s200/4.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDYvylq8kL9gWmPBemwx7FpPMEkMY8e0VvNhihepVZCdnSAW4ZmvXYkOyPb2KRvJj04r-v2-4XeuV2VBpSOn11JExm_w7jY6H26Xxl_Z93LcLPnAHX5ISDA0a4wcsZ-Uyva5s233tUC4/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Yes! That's it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">* Original graham crackers, vegan chocolate chips, Dandies! * </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And again.... I make UGLY food. Thank goodness for me, Dandies taste great no matter how hard you try to screw them up! Please, please, please don't judge me based on the below, please! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAxGb9B1fWtSknauMI3OPH8-qff3zFmJtH5_sNMaUHrnW-keCFvJvRwtY2km44nPat-IPXW7KutF8b1QGxfZm1CWphyphenhyphen90lZ-PRRGestmPC2ut51hkduLVz5KLy9inWyeQ5HMpnq-EOPY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAxGb9B1fWtSknauMI3OPH8-qff3zFmJtH5_sNMaUHrnW-keCFvJvRwtY2km44nPat-IPXW7KutF8b1QGxfZm1CWphyphenhyphen90lZ-PRRGestmPC2ut51hkduLVz5KLy9inWyeQ5HMpnq-EOPY/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAxGb9B1fWtSknauMI3OPH8-qff3zFmJtH5_sNMaUHrnW-keCFvJvRwtY2km44nPat-IPXW7KutF8b1QGxfZm1CWphyphenhyphen90lZ-PRRGestmPC2ut51hkduLVz5KLy9inWyeQ5HMpnq-EOPY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Step 1. Place graham crackers in baking dish </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBNTS8ne_9D1pcp82oPjmzmK0CCzy9AjkcWqvo8IS6zxmL6Vlaw2aflYsv45YlJ2VZ8q8li-wQmlA39LNTrLsu8fTukOHte-YG07-W7Ne_jyvsv7egvBrHmgLCOpIOXI8pznrqSkDlzo/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBNTS8ne_9D1pcp82oPjmzmK0CCzy9AjkcWqvo8IS6zxmL6Vlaw2aflYsv45YlJ2VZ8q8li-wQmlA39LNTrLsu8fTukOHte-YG07-W7Ne_jyvsv7egvBrHmgLCOpIOXI8pznrqSkDlzo/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBNTS8ne_9D1pcp82oPjmzmK0CCzy9AjkcWqvo8IS6zxmL6Vlaw2aflYsv45YlJ2VZ8q8li-wQmlA39LNTrLsu8fTukOHte-YG07-W7Ne_jyvsv7egvBrHmgLCOpIOXI8pznrqSkDlzo/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> Step 2. Melt the chocolate</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRVTXZb-ff7bGk505d8z-vr_qyLwbf5lmj_vVJhzGc_mQ0JEH3O52BV_LmKXjmKDZSGUQ74w6fOMs-V9LAVumrcTbWo4-_G_DEq51ymlgGreRcHDayEis_w1rbG2W-dDd9BEfP2a-Xh4/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRVTXZb-ff7bGk505d8z-vr_qyLwbf5lmj_vVJhzGc_mQ0JEH3O52BV_LmKXjmKDZSGUQ74w6fOMs-V9LAVumrcTbWo4-_G_DEq51ymlgGreRcHDayEis_w1rbG2W-dDd9BEfP2a-Xh4/s320/2.jpg" width="240" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step3. Quickly stir in Dandies vegan marshmallows </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxxusEiz-OcphL10unGFLVcEMcUPBvnhU43li_z3ffH1bdVVW8y1h6ocyyCDnpLuZ6gc7Espm_jsnbe5zLErN_QTPx0Of8wsKavpbUArXJXOL3D5a2M65385hXd79vHYvWDC6PklUXAU/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxxusEiz-OcphL10unGFLVcEMcUPBvnhU43li_z3ffH1bdVVW8y1h6ocyyCDnpLuZ6gc7Espm_jsnbe5zLErN_QTPx0Of8wsKavpbUArXJXOL3D5a2M65385hXd79vHYvWDC6PklUXAU/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxxusEiz-OcphL10unGFLVcEMcUPBvnhU43li_z3ffH1bdVVW8y1h6ocyyCDnpLuZ6gc7Espm_jsnbe5zLErN_QTPx0Of8wsKavpbUArXJXOL3D5a2M65385hXd79vHYvWDC6PklUXAU/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> Step 4. Try to spread it over the graham crackers. I ended up using a piece of foil to pay over it and smooth. (Waxed paper would have worked better.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step 5. Refrigerate for 30 min.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step 6. Cut into squares </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><h1 style="font-family: georgia, arial, verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><u>Voilà!!</u></span></span></h1><div style="text-align: center;">(Not so ugly, right?!) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR79OJzqBSOBICoL7mbN31x6zVU8qCvMMyVFlMYb1eJMMVAFBvFXH02iTSvzjrn7C6pUJezRmoEk82ltInlzCriClIshwH7i9GDP6xllxRDRgd_QgNHsbLp67rQ9lpV26iF5mglglBmKc/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR79OJzqBSOBICoL7mbN31x6zVU8qCvMMyVFlMYb1eJMMVAFBvFXH02iTSvzjrn7C6pUJezRmoEk82ltInlzCriClIshwH7i9GDP6xllxRDRgd_QgNHsbLp67rQ9lpV26iF5mglglBmKc/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><br />
</span></div><form action="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/voila" class="results-pagination" id="entry" method="post" style="font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></form><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank you, thank you, thank you to Chicago SoyDairy for this phenomenal product! Trust me, go <a href="http://www.chicagosoydairy.com/where_to_buy/">get your Dandies today! </a>I will be making these again for sure! Hope you enjoy! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">xo,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sarah </div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-57759604479059707342010-10-29T16:36:00.000-07:002010-10-29T17:02:16.568-07:00To Trick-or-Treat or Not?Yes, definitely! At least, that's what my kids would say! I am a mom who tries to keep her kids away from candy and other crappy sugar- and dye-laden products as much as possible, but we do participate in this Halloween tradition. Kaylee has been vegan ever since she could tote around her own treat bag, and we've always gone trick-or-treating with her. <br /><br />The kids know in advance that we will be getting vegan and non-vegan candy put into our bags and that we will be separating the candy at the end of the night, giving the non-vegan candy to the cousins that we traditionally trick-or-treat with. Kaylee and Braeden have even gotten pretty good at knowing which candy is vegan and which is not (although Braeden definitely needs some help and supervision). In the past, it hasn't been a problem to give away half (or more) of their loot. (I like that we end up with a pretty small amount of candy in the end!)<br /><br />This year, I wonder if it will be a little bit more challenging. Braeden came home from preschool today with a little goody bag that contained stickers, a small toy, and three pieces of candy--disappointingly all non-vegan. He was quite sad that he couldn't eat any of the candy. My non-vegan toddler niece was over and we decided to give her the candy to eat at home and I let Braeden have some vegan candy that I kept in the pantry. It helped, but I do think that Braeden is more sensitive to not being able to eat everything than Kaylee has ever been.<br /><br />Even if Braeden gets a little upset at having to part with some candy, I do think he'd rather do that than skip trick-or-treating all together. I feel like, as vegans, our kids already have to do so many things differently and miss many of the things that most kids do. If I can let them participate in a fun tradition that I enjoyed as a child, then I will. I think it's nice to see my cousins become aware of which candy is and is not vegan and offer to trade candy with my kids. Dressing up it itself is so much fun, and who doesn't like to show off their Halloween costume as they go door-to-door to collect candy? (Me, that's who...Yes, I WILL be dressing up this year!)<br /><br />So, if you're so inclined, print up PETA's list of <a href="http://www.petakids.com/candy.asp">vegan-friendly candy</a>, grab your plastic jack-o-lantern, and trick-or-treat until either you or your kids drops--and I'm guessing <span style="font-style: italic;">you'll</span> poop out before your youngster does!!SubHerban Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09328772419539928434noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-66694387959581193432010-10-29T14:12:00.000-07:002010-10-29T16:36:21.647-07:00Spooky CelebrationsTwo weeks ago, we hosted our second annual Halloween/birthday party for our now eight-year-old daughter, Kaylee. As is common for us, we had about forty-five guests at the party, including about 15 children.<br /><br />Halloween has been special to me ever since I was a little girl and my mom threw birthday/costume parties for my birthday. I would have about 8 girls come over and my mom would have fun party games for us to play, and we'd often end the night with a sleepover. I remember my party in seventh grade when I had my first boy/girl party where we batted at a candy-filled pinata in my front yard. Oh, the memories. The cute boy I liked was there in his costume and I hoped he would like me in my ragged black witch's dress and ratted up spray-painted hair. My mom, a single parent, always managed to throw the best parties. A few years back, I ran into a childhood friend who brought the parties up and commented on how great they were. My mom also found time to sew elaborate and unique costumes for my sister and I. I remember LOVING my costumes and enjoying all the compliments I got when I wore them.<br /><br />Because my mom created so many wonderful memories surrounding the spookiest holiday of the year, I am now trying to follow in her footsteps, at least a little. I am more into the Martha Stewart holiday crafts than she was, so I spent two weeks preparing my home for the ghoulish get-together. My mom does have me beat, though, in the costume department. This is only the second year that I've made all of the kid's costumes and they were much simpler than the ones she made for us as children.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMWFI0HaorXd0ip1TgMoPYZ5DLLGUfxTeL__tiroLBCBb_SMNS634KcNxUAGLsp01lT5hwv4bnyGjhOVU4Bod8VMxDz1AJ0fvpd07N2Kew1_vvuNc4oQPAKcs-dKGDmVU-aUotqNRKsJI/s1600/Hall+family+photo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMWFI0HaorXd0ip1TgMoPYZ5DLLGUfxTeL__tiroLBCBb_SMNS634KcNxUAGLsp01lT5hwv4bnyGjhOVU4Bod8VMxDz1AJ0fvpd07N2Kew1_vvuNc4oQPAKcs-dKGDmVU-aUotqNRKsJI/s320/Hall+family+photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533605224868675858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" > Aren't we lovely in our party attire?</span><br /><br />I though I'd share some of the pictures and food ideas from Kaylee's party with you in case you are hosting a Halloween shindig of your own. I hoped to post this earlier and I apologize for not doing so, but even if you don't use any of the ideas this year, maybe you'll use them in the future.<br /><br />Most of my food ideas came from Martha Stewart's Halloween magazine and from her website. My husband made the witches' finger (see photo below) from her magazine and used soymilk to adhere the salt to the fingers instead of the egg wash called for in the recipe. My mom made a "spooky cemetery" dip that I found in another magazine. It was basically a layered mexican dip that we often make for parties, but we just rearranged the layers. The layers are: (starting with the bottom) refried beans, guacamole, Tofutti sour cream, tomatoes, and green onions. The top layer is shredded lettuce, which represents the grass in a cemetery. I made tombstones, a tree, and scaredy cats out of different flavored and colored tortillas (which I cut into shapes, brushed with oil, sprinkled with salt, and baked at 350 until crispy) and stuck them into the dip. Chopped olives were placed at the base of the tombstones to represent fresh dirt.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrqdFCvoto3dKoPZjkubM7_zU0XTqwSOPZtFVzCHBW24sux-tvBJIK1kzIK88sr8Gh5Chfa4Ss_dQlhmVwaTAboHW3UBaCUS02lDvvHjbm-33uNpiPMeDSVFEnkTFLyUIXW1g9APrOE5S/s1600/Hall+cemetery.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrqdFCvoto3dKoPZjkubM7_zU0XTqwSOPZtFVzCHBW24sux-tvBJIK1kzIK88sr8Gh5Chfa4Ss_dQlhmVwaTAboHW3UBaCUS02lDvvHjbm-33uNpiPMeDSVFEnkTFLyUIXW1g9APrOE5S/s320/Hall+cemetery.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533605719529816722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" > Cemetery Surprise</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8ytdgLdj2Yxj1JWmAUIfsPuCumqMcANfS8OOMwnr99oruyYNttfpRgfWdZs_f8Zlp4Qh11FuCvxpTS5Npf-3AbmbJImPhcAiz_JHPN1BSa5PGXSMkCRa_6hKVoNWdJJ8_sSmnNApnZgy/s1600/Hall+food+table.jpg"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOZiUBuKl0RnmvC5YdNVylD7hpM1CwfXNQJkVseaa_qU39CgJUeMJBru_qllfjw_JPArEV6Ki5kImkzqQfgeYMTAwxKyP0idAcLpY4Of3Wn3hRGUTvBh_42-mA5TksylWBIV5V9Pi8985/s1600/IMG_0053.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOZiUBuKl0RnmvC5YdNVylD7hpM1CwfXNQJkVseaa_qU39CgJUeMJBru_qllfjw_JPArEV6Ki5kImkzqQfgeYMTAwxKyP0idAcLpY4Of3Wn3hRGUTvBh_42-mA5TksylWBIV5V9Pi8985/s320/IMG_0053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533593169861283858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" >Witches' Fingers</span><br /></div><br />I had "guacamoldy" with "toasted spirits" (more baked tortillas cut with Halloween cookie cutters and and baked as described above), sliced baguette with heads of roasted garlic ("to keep the vampires away") and "chopped beetles" (olive tapenade). A delicious favorite recipe( from Vegetarian Times) for onion dip became "puree of carmelized worms" with "dragon skin flakes" (potato chips). A bowl of black olives were "spider bodies", and red salsa with blue chips became "diced witches' hearts" and "lizard skin". Really, you could think of any spooky-looking food and find a creepy name for it. Kaylee made little cards with the creative names of the foods on them to place around the table. We also had a large pot filled with a simple punch with dry ice in it to become "bubbling blood."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8ytdgLdj2Yxj1JWmAUIfsPuCumqMcANfS8OOMwnr99oruyYNttfpRgfWdZs_f8Zlp4Qh11FuCvxpTS5Npf-3AbmbJImPhcAiz_JHPN1BSa5PGXSMkCRa_6hKVoNWdJJ8_sSmnNApnZgy/s1600/Hall+food+table.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8ytdgLdj2Yxj1JWmAUIfsPuCumqMcANfS8OOMwnr99oruyYNttfpRgfWdZs_f8Zlp4Qh11FuCvxpTS5Npf-3AbmbJImPhcAiz_JHPN1BSa5PGXSMkCRa_6hKVoNWdJJ8_sSmnNApnZgy/s320/Hall+food+table.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533602352824045282" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0YZVTWIDS3jgc5hRwMJ21vCckTr1YN4wNeyM6uOHTT38Ij1ZFgmJinPgKBXYB1H-aDkRInC5wK1c5iqxfjD8jStGbb4hv8ki5gNfUx6dKEC6epmcXRzaAdptN1L-rz9EiRKPbghV7zJl/s1600/Hall+cauldron.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0YZVTWIDS3jgc5hRwMJ21vCckTr1YN4wNeyM6uOHTT38Ij1ZFgmJinPgKBXYB1H-aDkRInC5wK1c5iqxfjD8jStGbb4hv8ki5gNfUx6dKEC6epmcXRzaAdptN1L-rz9EiRKPbghV7zJl/s320/Hall+cauldron.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533606318487560082" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiwUf3otPuTxacAcdiec6fpH6DnRrlP8ZiJ9rFPpIIsTndnTbRYDF0EhFq9uSiRjvuVcYKdrGOzerdXOaQKuD0KkQPJQDbopyi8oYGF03_vkOYwmrN8eAHWDY4PD9s42YRWRFcJx7C6B4/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiwUf3otPuTxacAcdiec6fpH6DnRrlP8ZiJ9rFPpIIsTndnTbRYDF0EhFq9uSiRjvuVcYKdrGOzerdXOaQKuD0KkQPJQDbopyi8oYGF03_vkOYwmrN8eAHWDY4PD9s42YRWRFcJx7C6B4/s320/IMG_0069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533602861718193090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" >Party-goers mingle around the food</span><br /></div><br />For dessert, I made full-size mummy cupcakes and mini-spider cupcakes, again from Martha Stewart. (I used her decorating ideas, but used vegan recipes for the cake and frosting.) They were time-intensive, but I like to make fun and unique desserts/cakes for the kids' parties. Food is a good way to impress those skeptics we know who doubt the deliciousness of vegan goodies!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99Ns_j523_OtB3bCctPMdm20SqyUWSdv9jJkrve8XUGci4dr58wiZQ1Wk9CNMykPeC9NpONskjXonjB0Gg5iN_a_QpehMScQrPqtD2Y_gaBV3R3oLu3pS7hm3wP0734OLoXq1r5iWrX2p/s1600/Hall+mummy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99Ns_j523_OtB3bCctPMdm20SqyUWSdv9jJkrve8XUGci4dr58wiZQ1Wk9CNMykPeC9NpONskjXonjB0Gg5iN_a_QpehMScQrPqtD2Y_gaBV3R3oLu3pS7hm3wP0734OLoXq1r5iWrX2p/s320/Hall+mummy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533602115965630578" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQqegFI_PPPvGmYzlDDZXlFnC-57r-ShcDqxZeQKVsGZWJLwVGqdM2_nYlBDzEpiyAofPuwCQZoi69YpZas5dN6oZjBCHVagRyKtuEx5QMPmpFjPjRvTQf3cCmrg-RUJGqIN5gEs_tkJW/s1600/Hall+mummy+cupcakes.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQqegFI_PPPvGmYzlDDZXlFnC-57r-ShcDqxZeQKVsGZWJLwVGqdM2_nYlBDzEpiyAofPuwCQZoi69YpZas5dN6oZjBCHVagRyKtuEx5QMPmpFjPjRvTQf3cCmrg-RUJGqIN5gEs_tkJW/s320/Hall+mummy+cupcakes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533599037914920098" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo28Q1ERA7mxf0rbhKXPZIqQE-RiUJOVDMupT9ujhjIoY9GyIq4PTl_IYGx80wOtabvlnZFSXZMc2ofBxKboV9EuMI88ost5OMLw3B0cGyi7KdqPJqP2StCwvJHoKsPnEnfWdTR6D-eCTv/s1600/Hall+spider+cupcakes.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo28Q1ERA7mxf0rbhKXPZIqQE-RiUJOVDMupT9ujhjIoY9GyIq4PTl_IYGx80wOtabvlnZFSXZMc2ofBxKboV9EuMI88ost5OMLw3B0cGyi7KdqPJqP2StCwvJHoKsPnEnfWdTR6D-eCTv/s320/Hall+spider+cupcakes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533594014416059346" border="0" /></a><br />I've included a lot of photos for you to look at for decorating and food ideas. I hope you find them fun and helpful! I love throwing the party, even though it takes me two full weeks to prepare for it. (When my husband would come home from work at night, I would ask him to spot the decoration I had added that day and would be annoyed if he didn't notice all my hard work. Poor guy!) I think it took me longer to decorate for this party than it does when I decorate for Christmas!<br /><br />I hope my party ideas show you that it's possible to create a successful, fun, tasty, all-vegan party that family and friends will be happy to attend! I must admit that many of my family members tell me that my parties have the "best food" and that one aunt and cousin drive for several hours to come to our parties. I think I'm changing misconceptions about veganism and opening minds one party at a time! =)<br /><br />Anyways, Happy Halloween to all you wonderful vegans! And may you get lots of Smarties, Skittles, and Laffy Taffy in your trick-or-treat bags this Sunday!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEDUBw3xdV_KULdn8nxZbCrmctsfhWmA1ejvDyiiHMqsgPyZg4qcCUhwPnpWK8Vhpft2Bi_vhNA-YLMLm51T9ozR9v9sFvMgffzmx7Pxv7ngpGXTaqTFLUx2pBUdTUZYUWYzEotFUfWaC/s1600/IMG_0045.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEDUBw3xdV_KULdn8nxZbCrmctsfhWmA1ejvDyiiHMqsgPyZg4qcCUhwPnpWK8Vhpft2Bi_vhNA-YLMLm51T9ozR9v9sFvMgffzmx7Pxv7ngpGXTaqTFLUx2pBUdTUZYUWYzEotFUfWaC/s320/IMG_0045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533603752331072930" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" >My spooky living room. A fog machine and strobe lights are a MUST!</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwt2_svYW0vXT2OCEKjHoGoqw4SifuoFGl7O-petWi682w8eTn7CdQii5vzrkcYZXROuK5mtx_Wd9VBxKmn-SE4d0K6k3iBVxqyFhag5WLpoF6wfAgwkc6YJNqb5SsWv1lj-f_q-VLWE0A/s1600/Hall+photos.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwt2_svYW0vXT2OCEKjHoGoqw4SifuoFGl7O-petWi682w8eTn7CdQii5vzrkcYZXROuK5mtx_Wd9VBxKmn-SE4d0K6k3iBVxqyFhag5WLpoF6wfAgwkc6YJNqb5SsWv1lj-f_q-VLWE0A/s320/Hall+photos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533604856704495378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" >Each year I take serious-faced photos of all of us at put them in my everyday frames. I also have pictures I took from the internet of The Adams' Family, The Munsters, along with a werewolf and a vampire. Everyone loves to look at them. (I print them in black and white for a creepy effect.)</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8wdWqEYyu1L8GaJFW4ag5gavrVT0BPuntsC5MQMEmkL9JHsJM-Zm5PJ1sS0tGRLO1fF6rYK_SKG24huLYOtcpDkvMUTJmg8MuT0ZIIcCxHRN11XiPp_64NxLn3b8gph1BcnO93ZkFkuQ/s1600/Hall+jars.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8wdWqEYyu1L8GaJFW4ag5gavrVT0BPuntsC5MQMEmkL9JHsJM-Zm5PJ1sS0tGRLO1fF6rYK_SKG24huLYOtcpDkvMUTJmg8MuT0ZIIcCxHRN11XiPp_64NxLn3b8gph1BcnO93ZkFkuQ/s320/Hall+jars.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533605234722428402" border="0" /></a><a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sAmzxARGexpnyo0-nDld2xbuyGT7FcU63H4VRztP2m2g4gn1uTugrsWNCJfscNNILgJxEBRLZdKmM-0ohRo-FANyHW92huKnXaDBiBmXK_eqBiZsdoAOdpmArjtnFr0iYrS37Jxoptjj/s1600/Hall+caul+brain.jpg"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: courier new;">Water and food coloring in old jars make for a simple and fun decoration. My mom found the labels at a craft store.</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sAmzxARGexpnyo0-nDld2xbuyGT7FcU63H4VRztP2m2g4gn1uTugrsWNCJfscNNILgJxEBRLZdKmM-0ohRo-FANyHW92huKnXaDBiBmXK_eqBiZsdoAOdpmArjtnFr0iYrS37Jxoptjj/s1600/Hall+caul+brain.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sAmzxARGexpnyo0-nDld2xbuyGT7FcU63H4VRztP2m2g4gn1uTugrsWNCJfscNNILgJxEBRLZdKmM-0ohRo-FANyHW92huKnXaDBiBmXK_eqBiZsdoAOdpmArjtnFr0iYrS37Jxoptjj/s320/Hall+caul+brain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533604851425795106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" >Cauliflower in a jar with water, food coloring, and a splash of soymilk make a gross specimen jar, giving the impression of a floating brain. Eew!</span> </div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9sg7bnxxsKHtVtJwAblFSew1Bn6CVDZwc31yi0Jr0BQnMcCu9-4IGUBc60AUFLB17uAlSwRskMTAnl91JSkMwxExKiLTXxGZb_txeLUoTPFOllh1Es2c7-cxZ367MYvjjAftiZJX6naU/s1600/Hall+bottles.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9sg7bnxxsKHtVtJwAblFSew1Bn6CVDZwc31yi0Jr0BQnMcCu9-4IGUBc60AUFLB17uAlSwRskMTAnl91JSkMwxExKiLTXxGZb_txeLUoTPFOllh1Es2c7-cxZ367MYvjjAftiZJX6naU/s320/Hall+bottles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533604590310524562" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family: courier new;">I used old wine and lemonade bottles from family members and filled them with colored water. Martha comes to the rescue, again, with ready-made labels. Tealights add a nice effect when placed on the mirrored tray.<br /></div>SubHerban Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09328772419539928434noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-39975350734684921322010-10-06T22:07:00.000-07:002010-10-06T22:07:14.377-07:00This is what a vegan eats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIhuPnKnGoh6Z8HEkvjuOon2tsIWJlkVdkJy3e_OahUgaO0PE8jx6BGGckcaoxyr_clEQWrTVVIsu1mrEbbImIhBiDLp0cXw3HSavqo_Y6rzFxg8FwZjAyhyh0kQYNyd1pQDTOf63GGA/s1600/f1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIhuPnKnGoh6Z8HEkvjuOon2tsIWJlkVdkJy3e_OahUgaO0PE8jx6BGGckcaoxyr_clEQWrTVVIsu1mrEbbImIhBiDLp0cXw3HSavqo_Y6rzFxg8FwZjAyhyh0kQYNyd1pQDTOf63GGA/s640/f1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Ah hem.. excuse the lack of veggies. My CSA delivery is tomorrow and I've been on vacation! Yes, it may seem exceedingly strange to the naked un-vegan eye to view a veg fridge so devoid of VEGGIES, but rest assured it is the exception!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7RRjgB-AqaXTAP5GaMe9amVzsyHNIFhZe2pE8T5p3zN_2CNlzWHzWHY5cKcUSBr2ojXg0k9QAwT_kGo4wUR7y9oZ8IwDI98vWve0EnEM9y3QeKx0ifvyIsTJi1aZUH7x0e_XjdmhcAs/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7RRjgB-AqaXTAP5GaMe9amVzsyHNIFhZe2pE8T5p3zN_2CNlzWHzWHY5cKcUSBr2ojXg0k9QAwT_kGo4wUR7y9oZ8IwDI98vWve0EnEM9y3QeKx0ifvyIsTJi1aZUH7x0e_XjdmhcAs/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajXQSC_kQwMzha89JwBKiPsVSFDqFARnoNQzQNHlWwuL5VKP04a9P4xgPH5qucOdVDy_oSAX4gfN4UILkvyIOnnCpdKA9eq-0qwkso69bGMTTrKspiiS_qtkkKDzSBHgH7ML-BboAcQ4/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajXQSC_kQwMzha89JwBKiPsVSFDqFARnoNQzQNHlWwuL5VKP04a9P4xgPH5qucOdVDy_oSAX4gfN4UILkvyIOnnCpdKA9eq-0qwkso69bGMTTrKspiiS_qtkkKDzSBHgH7ML-BboAcQ4/s320/IMG_0006.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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My favorite artwork in my kitchen<br />
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FOOD in the fridge:<br />
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Silken, firm, and extra firm tofu<br />
YVES chicken patties<br />
Soy milk - vanilla, plain, and chocolate<br />
Hummus<br />
Garlic<br />
Tofutti sour cream<br />
Flax seed<br />
Daiya cheese<br />
Sunbutter<br />
Olives<br />
Pickles<br />
Cherries<br />
and of course... beer!<br />
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Speaking of beer, ya'll know my obsession with <a href="http://growingvegans.blogspot.com/2010/04/beer-bbq-and-baseball.html">beer and baseball</a>, so I gotta say:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">GO GIANTS, NL WEST CHAMPIONS!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-23552368096040056772010-10-06T21:45:00.000-07:002010-10-06T21:45:35.874-07:00What Should Vegans Do?Okay readers, I know you're out there (in my head you are all members of a giant fan club that have banded together and are inspired and confidant to raise you're kids as vegans knowing there is such a goddess as myself sitting at her kitchen table, just waiting to read her words of wisdom gained form <i>years </i>of vegan parenting...)<br />
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In any case, I'm asking for advice. A vegan friend is planning a dinner time (only opening and location that works) birthday party for her 7 year old, and the joint says nay on the vegan pies. They want her to buy cow cheese pizzas. GROSS!<br />
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I've written about my feelings of financially supporting the meat and dairy industry, and she shares similar views. But is there ever a time when it is okay to give in to the peer pressure of the carnivorous society at large?<br />
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The Good:<br />
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*Others coming to the party are veg-UNfriendly. Having cow cheese would make them shut up and avoid comments like "eewww, my kids won't eat this"!<br />
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*Easier and cheaper<br />
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* Can still bring in 1 veg pizza for b-day boy under guise of allergies<br />
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The Bad:<br />
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*What the heck is the world coming to? Serving curdled baby cow juice at a veg b-day party?<br />
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*If she doesn't, they'll be 21 kids with a veggie plate (no dip) for 2 hours - during dinner time!<br />
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<a href="http://www.biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/Rennet/Rennet.html">The Ugly:</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCxrC1E6e2poaR-5REqkUinesKquvQhOCDnuVwhXWectPkzxwwsglys7r5UP077suw9j_7EUbKsJLnnmw3DoDe5DIWQHs2PMTsW-GAXwegK88DkkPL8B5o8pTqnl39jx34_G4TyLcOGQ/s1600/rennet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCxrC1E6e2poaR-5REqkUinesKquvQhOCDnuVwhXWectPkzxwwsglys7r5UP077suw9j_7EUbKsJLnnmw3DoDe5DIWQHs2PMTsW-GAXwegK88DkkPL8B5o8pTqnl39jx34_G4TyLcOGQ/s1600/rennet.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">"Presumably, the first cheese was produced by accident when the ancients stored milk in a bag made from the stomach of a young goat, sheep or cow. They found that the day-old milk would curdle in the bag (stomach), yielding solid chunks (curds) and liquid (whey). Once they discovered that the curd-chunks could be separated out and dried, they had discovered a means by which milk, an extremely perishable food, could be preserved for later use. The addition of salt was found to preserve these dried curds for long periods of time.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">"At some point, someone discovered that the most active portion of the young animal's stomach to cause curdling was the abomasum, the last of the four chambers of the stomach of a ruminant animal. (In sequence, the four chambers are rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum.) In particular, the abomasum from a suckling kid or calf was especially active. The abomasum was cut it into strips, salted and dried. A small piece would be added to milk in order to turn it into curds and whey."</span><br />
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It's too late to change the location, date or time. So.... what would you do? Give in or stand your vegan ground?<br />
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xo,<br />
Sarah<br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-20777827147572387392010-09-30T21:57:00.000-07:002010-09-30T22:18:06.735-07:00Gross Out!My kids are dutiful vegans, and I'd like to keep them that way. When a commercial comes on for fast food, I point out the commercialism of it- how the food isn't healthy, how they just give toys to kids to get their parents to spend money, etc. My kids are really good about it, and I don't think they have any desire to eat those foods. Just in case, though, I occasionally will share visual reinforcement<span class="Apple-style-span">s:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span">A chicken: </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyNKe6M8jIEDyZuzplQkHdDpV-JMK_7SQMx9C-rQWHzd7ZjmtvCYXhR-0RCynL75rQYagKWl9RMiTRE2h625H6-o_tFfPFWCU-JjNsHV4Z5bWtRIXEvppOIm2OE4m5vCZMclqpn-J4xo/s1600/chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyNKe6M8jIEDyZuzplQkHdDpV-JMK_7SQMx9C-rQWHzd7ZjmtvCYXhR-0RCynL75rQYagKWl9RMiTRE2h625H6-o_tFfPFWCU-JjNsHV4Z5bWtRIXEvppOIm2OE4m5vCZMclqpn-J4xo/s320/chicken.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Princess Tosha, <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/farm/ca/">Farm Sanctuary</a>, CA </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of amazing animal friend Kerrie!<br />
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<i>Sadly, this beautiful lady passed away about a month ago. Heartbreaking as it is, I am happy to know that it was from old age and that she spent her golden years surrounded by love & friends </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span">The inside of a chicken nugget: </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N0E4MaCYIaqbhG9ftysu-yb9DhW_STUy6gGnaPz9OdQZN93sJwofOTMcEV7Xpri9VSXQ72DnJCC_IXvck3NSTqrGyEnmBjwHpFW8RvhU8elCSJb2tI4jP4FDGth00sbD9UBesDnW5T0/s1600/msc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N0E4MaCYIaqbhG9ftysu-yb9DhW_STUy6gGnaPz9OdQZN93sJwofOTMcEV7Xpri9VSXQ72DnJCC_IXvck3NSTqrGyEnmBjwHpFW8RvhU8elCSJb2tI4jP4FDGth00sbD9UBesDnW5T0/s1600/msc.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><br />
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</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Meat_&_Poultry_Labeling_Terms/index.asp">According to the USDA</a>, <a href="http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS385US385&aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=mechanically+separated+chicken">mechanically separated poultry</a> is "a paste-like and batter-like poultry product produced by forcing bones with attached edible tissue through a sieve or similar device under high pressure to separate bone from the edible tissue." </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A McDonald's Chicken Nugget: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp415HCKWqnSh9mAP6DR-GDJJInFp2YnzwtJgYc1WJdPH7PKDTk8ea1Ytiw0R4NQSQiZiugV9z8_tGbXrwWMT8vGUaexkChx9N1gy6LvNBYW8iMvnZkSh5HGoURVLsgql-a95K2FEWTME/s1600/ChickenNugget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp415HCKWqnSh9mAP6DR-GDJJInFp2YnzwtJgYc1WJdPH7PKDTk8ea1Ytiw0R4NQSQiZiugV9z8_tGbXrwWMT8vGUaexkChx9N1gy6LvNBYW8iMvnZkSh5HGoURVLsgql-a95K2FEWTME/s320/ChickenNugget.jpg" width="292" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And in case that's not enough of an incentive to avoid this crap: </span></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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</span></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbRSxH4wtBDGE24Q5ZG2vr3P_BUVGZuItUSyW5mvF7PJPKaCEmDlrQ5r6nBkn_b8ernRV-Xut2BJ3H9s9inDYbg0KxQ50ULOevFk5jV8PZ_IVpt8ggBcktbJKdJeKtyzHabmkD8tADSQ/s1600/head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbRSxH4wtBDGE24Q5ZG2vr3P_BUVGZuItUSyW5mvF7PJPKaCEmDlrQ5r6nBkn_b8ernRV-Xut2BJ3H9s9inDYbg0KxQ50ULOevFk5jV8PZ_IVpt8ggBcktbJKdJeKtyzHabmkD8tADSQ/s400/head.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Want one? EWWWWWWW!! </span><br />
</i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></i></span></span></span></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-13627227977909542152010-09-30T10:30:00.000-07:002010-11-02T19:28:16.821-07:00B12 and Iron and Calcium, Oh My!Awesome article on vegan baby's first year! <br />
<div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://www.peta.org/living/parenting/B12-and-Iron-and-Calcium-Oh-My.aspx">B12 and Iron and Calcium, Oh My!</a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
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</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="content-fragment photo-widget full-border" id="fragment-1524101" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: initial !important; background-image: url(http://www.peta.org/themes/peta/images/peta/generic-image-shadow.gif) !important; background-origin: initial !important; background-position: 100% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 15px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline; width: 236px;"><div class="content-fragment-inner peta-content-fragment-inner" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="content-fragment-content" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;"><a class="jquery-lightbox photo-lightbox" href="http://www.peta.org/resized-image.ashx/__size/550x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-SiteFiles/Peta-Images-Main-Sections-Living/Danny.JPG" id="ctl00_content_ctl00_fragment_1524101_ctl01_ctl00_photoControl" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://www.peta.org/resized-image.ashx/__size/550x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-SiteFiles/Peta-Images-Main-Sections-Living/Danny.JPG" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(191, 191, 191) !important; border-left-style: solid !important; border-left-width: 1px !important; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(191, 191, 191) !important; border-top-style: solid !important; border-top-width: 1px !important; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-top: 3px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></span></div></div></div><div class="content-fragment content-area no-wrapper-with-spacing" id="fragment-1524102" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="content-fragment-inner peta-content-fragment-inner" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="content-fragment-top peta-content-fragment-top" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="r1 peta-r1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="r2 peta-r2" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="r3 peta-r3" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="r4 peta-r4" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div><div class="content-fragment-content" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;"><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The following article was written by animal rights activist, vegan mother, and former PETA staffer Lauren Rainbow.</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;"><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">When I went vegan almost four years ago, I wasn't overly concerned about the mythological nutritional deficiencies that many people assume go along with a vegan diet. I knew about the importance of vitamin B<sub style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">12</sub>, calcium, and iron and knew where I could get them. In fact, it was easier than I thought it would be. When I became pregnant with my son, I was excited and firm in my conviction to raise a <a href="http://www.peta.org/living/parenting/healthy-vegetarian-kids.aspx" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #003366; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vegan child</a> from conception through adolescence. Although I was always confident in my own nutrition-rich diet, I have to admit that I was slightly concerned when it came to providing my son, Danny, with everything that he would need, especially in his first five years. Looking back on my initial reservations, I now realize that I just didn't know anything about babies—although I was pretty sure that I couldn't blend up a veggie burger, put it in a bottle, and feed it to an infant.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">Well, I got wise to the game and did my research. I soon learned that nearly all baby food is vegan. Most babies start out on rice cereal, bananas, apples, yams, and simple grains. Animal-derived products start to creep into most children's diets at the age of 6 months. One book I read stated that veal is a perfect first meat for a baby. <i>Veal?</i> Why on Earth would I want to feed my baby another baby? Even my omnivore friends balked at that one.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">When Danny hit the one-year mark, the pediatrician brought up his vegan diet and began gently probing me for details about what he ate. There was no doubt that he was growing just fine; he weighed close to 24 pounds, which put him in the "sumo baby" category. I explained that he gets vitamin B<sub style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">12</sub> from nutritional yeast sprinkled on toast and gets calcium from leafy greens in homemade soups. Iron is abundant in beans, which most babies love to eat with their hands. Power foods, such as fortified cereals and soy milk or yogurt, give Danny just about everything he needs in one go. While I think the pediatrician was impressed by my knowledge of nutrition, she suggested that we do a blood test to make sure that Danny was getting everything he needed. I was all for it because I wanted to be absolutely certain about something as important as his diet.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">The tests showed that Danny had ample amounts of iron and B<sub style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">12</sub> in his body. (I was beaming.) I wanted to know about his calcium levels but found out that there isn't a test for the calcium that builds strong bones, only for blood calcium, which is a whole different story. She said that based on the variety in his diet and his other nutritional levels, she wasn't concerned about it. So I guess I did it—I managed to get Danny through his first year without any dents, dings, or deficiencies. It's not like this was a difficult task by any stretch of the imagination, but getting through that first year of infancy can be daunting in and of itself, especially since I was assuming the responsibility of providing Danny with a <a href="http://www.peta.org/living/parenting/meat-not-suitable-for-children.aspx" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #003366; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">healthy diet</a>rather than relying on food schedules that are suggested in books or on bottles of Gerber baby food. It was good to know that all was well—in fact, very well.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">Here is a soup recipe that is a staple in our house. It's loaded with protein, iron, calcium, and everything that's good for babies and parents. As with most homemade soups, the quantities are approximations.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">2 quarts vegetable stock or water<br />
1/2 cup dry lentils<br />
1/2 cup dry beans (any kind)<br />
1/2 cup dry quinoa<br />
1/2 cup chopped onion<br />
2 gloves garlic, minced<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
2 Tbsp. cumin<br />
2 Tbsp. Spike seasoning<br />
3-4 cups of your favorite chopped vegetables (yams, carrots, zucchini, broccoli, spinach, etc.)</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><ul class="content-unordered-list" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.peta.org/themes/peta/images/peta/generic-contentarea-bullet.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">Pour the vegetable stock or water in a large soup pot and bring to a boil.</span></li>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.peta.org/themes/peta/images/peta/generic-contentarea-bullet.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Add all the ingredients to the mixture.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.peta.org/themes/peta/images/peta/generic-contentarea-bullet.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Simmer for about an hour or until all the beans are cooked and soft. (More veggie broth or water may be added at any time.)</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.peta.org/themes/peta/images/peta/generic-contentarea-bullet.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Blend the soup in a blender until smooth.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.peta.org/themes/peta/images/peta/generic-contentarea-bullet.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Set aside a generous amount of soup for your baby and season the "adult portion" with salt and pepper, to taste.</li>
</span></ul><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;"><i>Makes 6 servings</i></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 16px;">Enjoy!</span></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><br />
</div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-56656164289895266182010-09-28T13:10:00.000-07:002010-09-28T13:10:19.401-07:00LOL's for veg kids!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why did the tofu cross the road?<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">To prove he wasn't chicken.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you call a militant vegan?<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Lactose intolerant</span>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's the best way to keep milk fresh?<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Leave it in the cow.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What did one vegetarian spy say to the other vegetarian spy?</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We have to stop meating like this.</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> GggrrrrRRAAAIIIiiinnNNnnsSs!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div></span></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-72464747061017552202010-09-23T11:33:00.000-07:002010-09-23T14:50:59.999-07:00Vegan in NYC? Holla!My husband and I took a trip to NYC during Labor Day weekend, and let me say it was... <span style="font-style: italic;">AWESOME!</span> I know that this is a vegan kids blog, but come on, parents need a little TLC, too! My amazing mom volunteered to watch our kids while we went for a long weekend to visit my cousin in NY. She recently moved to NY to go to NYU (yes, she is brilliant), and by recently, I do mean that she had only been in NY for one week before we had visited her. She was already homesick, and greatly appreciated the company of her favorite vegans (excluding our children who would beat us out).<br /><br />We don't normally take lavish weekend trips, but Nate was already traveling to North Carolina (from the SF area, where we live) on business, so his flight from NC to NY was covered by his company. Kind of on a lark, we talked about me meeting him in NY, so when my mom offered to watch the kids, I seized the chance to not only be alone with my spouse, but to visit my beloved cousin, Sam, and take a huge bite out of the delicious vegan Big Apple.<br /><br />And eat the Apple we did...Oh, my goodness! NYC really is a haven for vegans. I am imagining the angels singing as I write this. It really was <span style="font-style: italic;">that good</span>. The first night, we ate at <a href="http://www.angelicakitchen.com/">Angelica Kitchen</a> and it was probably my favorite dinner in NY. I had this amazing Asian crepe filled with delectable goodies, including shitake mushrooms, and drizzled with a wasabi cream. Oh, yeah. Nate had a seitan wrap with a mole sauce that I recreated in my kitchen upon returning home. (Check out my photos: I was so proud of my fancy creation that I made my mom pose with her plates! She looks too young to be a grandma, doesn't she?)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwQZwMJ-EJ2fekB3GEiu599Ldb8lggNPMlxuJZWxH0ksFDf8FawrB-9Z_LY9hV8wvg2jXy2Oycxbw2g1I6iDaLAH0XgL_jI07dCPbEu51KeiWpMLdTl83FO483xe_9yxJpa71p_K2yvtn/s1600/mom+with+burrito.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwQZwMJ-EJ2fekB3GEiu599Ldb8lggNPMlxuJZWxH0ksFDf8FawrB-9Z_LY9hV8wvg2jXy2Oycxbw2g1I6iDaLAH0XgL_jI07dCPbEu51KeiWpMLdTl83FO483xe_9yxJpa71p_K2yvtn/s320/mom+with+burrito.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520184463172591458" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppjeVM9jvqnceGJrZlhYw2ldwUfd0Hlf-e1Km5SyQ9PPtCfS6lT97vysVRRWQ_WDQAOrBgbXZ17b9NyYIcLfaPjhXKZqwt33jjmPhAfOE-uDGJvIkMdTwAqxANP8-JE144lspHwqUlzXC/s1600/burrito.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppjeVM9jvqnceGJrZlhYw2ldwUfd0Hlf-e1Km5SyQ9PPtCfS6lT97vysVRRWQ_WDQAOrBgbXZ17b9NyYIcLfaPjhXKZqwt33jjmPhAfOE-uDGJvIkMdTwAqxANP8-JE144lspHwqUlzXC/s320/burrito.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520184649517753538" border="0" /></a><br />My cousin, Sam, had glazed tempeh on little crostinis with a brown gravy and Yukon gold mashed potatoes. So good! Sam, by the way, is totally vegan-friendly and was just about as excited as we were to try all the good vegan food. She had only been to one vegan restaurant with us before, in San Francisco, but had happily consumed many a meal at our home. This was Sam's first try of tempeh, and she enjoyed it. It really is great to have such supportive family members!<br /><br />For the two mornings we ate breakfast in NY, we ate at <a href="http://www.theorganicgrill.com/">The Organic Grill</a>, a vegetarian restaurant within walking distance to NYU in Greenwich Village (Angelica Kitchen was even closer to Sam's residential hall). They had great vegan omelets, tofu rancheros, waffles and drinks. (There is more on the menu, but we ate the omelets and tofu rancheros both days due to their amazing taste.) The Organic Grill has a unique way of grating their tofu to use in omelets and tofu scramble that is really good. We loved it, hence the reason behind us dining there two days in a row (even when we had to wait 25 minutes for a table on the second day).<br /><br />Before we went to see the Broadway show, <a href="http://promisespromisesbroadway.com/google.html">Promises, Promises</a>, (which was AWESOME), we dined at <a href="http://www.candlecafe.com/">Candle Cafe</a> where we each enjoyed a different, tasty sandwich. It was really good! We also purchased some cookies to-go to eat in the show. Yum!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv77lAN18E0hHYWi6V_U-s9WYqiBhZ0DN-SYPxilgdZnhQXk-iul25Lm06-hMAqxHVxhUXTDV3Y2L6EWbcpr5O1EBcpjtbPD7PKI1yEYX8e-L5l_ctaI8_XpFdG3D6bd-Xrdjp5U34mKT5/s1600/sam+and+candle+cafe.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv77lAN18E0hHYWi6V_U-s9WYqiBhZ0DN-SYPxilgdZnhQXk-iul25Lm06-hMAqxHVxhUXTDV3Y2L6EWbcpr5O1EBcpjtbPD7PKI1yEYX8e-L5l_ctaI8_XpFdG3D6bd-Xrdjp5U34mKT5/s320/sam+and+candle+cafe.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520193663791394850" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfvn95uQRK2PMrERKarPxb7Cei6ht4NUX0tAU_rm_dO7-8FIrSkafyDWXbL8Tw570QA2zKQpvfRTnnscTDLHfdbwVVX4zryGwwKbW6B2ik916I3sMd7OiJ523YPx0AsACCf1zHuccNteV/s1600/nate+with+sandwich+ccafe.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfvn95uQRK2PMrERKarPxb7Cei6ht4NUX0tAU_rm_dO7-8FIrSkafyDWXbL8Tw570QA2zKQpvfRTnnscTDLHfdbwVVX4zryGwwKbW6B2ik916I3sMd7OiJ523YPx0AsACCf1zHuccNteV/s320/nate+with+sandwich+ccafe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520200270340763874" border="0" /></a>Sam with her decadent Tuscan Seitan Parmesan Sandwich, and my goofy Nate with his classic Tofu Club.<br /><br />Our last dinner in NY was at a chic narrow place called <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/red-bamboo-new-york">Red Bamboo</a>. We were actually heading toward a different restaurant when we passed Red Bamboo, and I recognized it from our online searches. A glance at the menu and we were up for a try. The dishes are mainly soy- and wheat-meat heavy with an Asian slant, as hinted at in the restaurant's name. I was in the mood for a salad because of all the eating we were doing, and it had terriyaki soy chicken in it. All of our plates were tasty, but it was perhaps one of our more indulgent meals due to the amount of processed veggie meat. I would love to have this restaurant around us to head to on occasion, but it didn't top Angelica Kitchen--for me, anyway.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tcetH2bAWfkg5IGXDNKrdg-QOUT6ayGCVVSPJ836Heof4hJn7wPILuNY3pLpeze1CbBABgk8KqxcYyNK3_flIz6AS1UWa_LVVqp_HNQaLJaUwelEXjt1Lqn5ctJXO3Rd7HF-EyAEQ3wi/s1600/sam+and+tam+red+bamboo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tcetH2bAWfkg5IGXDNKrdg-QOUT6ayGCVVSPJ836Heof4hJn7wPILuNY3pLpeze1CbBABgk8KqxcYyNK3_flIz6AS1UWa_LVVqp_HNQaLJaUwelEXjt1Lqn5ctJXO3Rd7HF-EyAEQ3wi/s320/sam+and+tam+red+bamboo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520204465908795602" border="0" /></a>Sam and I pose at Red Bamboo.<br /><br /><br />Now I've been mentioning a lot of savory meals, but who can ignore a nice sugary treat? Well, not me, and definitely not Nate! Our first sweet success was at <a href="http://stogonyc.com/">Stogo</a>, a relatively new all-vegan ice cream store. It is a clean-lined modern place that would appeal to anyone. I had Salted Caramel Pecan, and Peanut Butter Fudge. Sigh...I wish I was back there right now (and that's not only to escape the bickering and fisticuffs of my son and niece that I am currently witnessing). No, the two flavors I tried were AMAZING (imagine me singing that word aloud for the true effect of my joy)! The Salted Caramel Pecan was the best vegan caramel I've ever had, with just the right amount of saltiness. It was so unique and scrumptious! And, can anyone resist the divine combination of peanut butter and chocolate? Not in the Wall house. The container of Peanut Butter Fudge had a layer of fudge with crushed peanuts on top which I was lucky enough to get a chunk of in my scoop. It was crunchy, salty goodness! I would love for there to be a Stogo near me...but maybe my scale would not!<br /><br />I think one paragraph is sufficient to express my love of our first vegan ice cream experience in the city that never sleeps, so on to the final stop we made before heading home to the SF Bay Area. It may have been the pinnacle of our noshing in New York. After reading many glowing Yelp reviews (many from omnivores who were "forced" to go to a vegan ice cream parlor--yuck!--but discovered that it was, after all, quite amazing) we had to make the trek on foot to <a href="http://www.lulassweetapothecary.com/">Lula's Sweet Apothecary</a>, a teeny--and I <span style="font-style: italic;">do</span> mean <span style="font-style: italic;">teeny</span>--ice cream parlor straight out of the 50s...except that everything was deliciously vegan. Aaah! I read that their soft serve ice cream, with one of the two flavors always being Cake Batter flavor, was to die for (except no one had to die, right?). So I got a sundae with one of the "scoops" being the Cake Batter soft serve, and the other being something with chocolate and peanut butter. The whole thing was covered in the best hot fudge I've tasted in years, topped with coconut whipped cream, peanuts and a cherry on top. It was humongous, but I somehow managed to eat the whole thing. (See photo below) It was the most remarkable ice cream experience ever! At first, the parlor only had a few people talking outside the door, and a small group of customers at the counter before us. After we ordered, the place got packed! The one place to eat inside opened up, and we were able to take our towering sundaes in to sit on the stools at the counter which looked out into the street. It was the full Lula's experience, in my opinion. When next I visit New York, this will be the first place I head to, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner time. As soon as it's open, I'll be there!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjy5QQZvrTbgtOP2KnaPn2r0N7K2xQcb7IDBUkNImH_2GN0HThSzn7cWCtCFJA4pfq1_bmjoP5U6zhtQ7PCmwizZHD5rAu8aCilgGRlycqjdhY29MRUP0f0HFuMxmTyw-u2C9ka0kc8o3s/s1600/lulas+ice+cream.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjy5QQZvrTbgtOP2KnaPn2r0N7K2xQcb7IDBUkNImH_2GN0HThSzn7cWCtCFJA4pfq1_bmjoP5U6zhtQ7PCmwizZHD5rAu8aCilgGRlycqjdhY29MRUP0f0HFuMxmTyw-u2C9ka0kc8o3s/s320/lulas+ice+cream.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520217291237228770" border="0" /></a>If we had brought our kids along on our trip, it would have been a TOTALLY different experience. The plane trip alone would have been a challenge. I flew alone from SF and had several delays and an aircraft switch, causing me arrive in NY six hours late. Not too fun even if you're an adult traveling alone, but very difficult for children. We walked as much as we could around Greenwich Village and its surrounding areas, and we took the subway (fun!) several places. I think that Braeden and Kaylee would have enjoyed some of the walking and all of the restaurants, especially the ice cream shops, but they would have tired out faster than we did, obviously. Cristian, who is now sixteen months, would have changed the whole dynamic of the trip, with naps, fussiness, and wanting to walk on his own. I definitely think he would have been too young to handle the trip, but Kaylee and Braeden would have been fun to have along. Nate and I did feel bad eating at places we know they would have LOVED and talked about it while we were there. We will most surely take them with us when they are a bit older. (We had to promise them this to placate them. Kaylee was <span style="font-style: italic;">very sad</span> that she was not accompanying us and didn't understand why the two of us were going alone. Poor girl!) I think we'll be going to Sam's NYU graduation in four years with all the kids---if we are feeling especially brave and wealthy!<br /><br />Until then, we'll have our memories, menus and photos to look at to remind us of one of the most incredible weekends we've had, hands-down. I will never forget the dining experiences, seeing a great Broadway show, and spending time with my cutie pie cousin. I'm adding some final pics from around NYC, because, well, why not? It was just too fun not to share. =)<br /><br />xoxo<br />tami<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWGvDgw9AZCDY6xNHNyJAIM3HBec-A2wPY-uro9iBZy9Jxkk5S_bsqoNPem_OiiZWItFuaneUeRgLLNYzuNpNoXrBZJBIPpJvEz65LQG-2zQzaHuy5c0Cf2pO6CWcyX3MrxV0s3Dk86KL/s1600/1010559419_VShhP-S.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWGvDgw9AZCDY6xNHNyJAIM3HBec-A2wPY-uro9iBZy9Jxkk5S_bsqoNPem_OiiZWItFuaneUeRgLLNYzuNpNoXrBZJBIPpJvEz65LQG-2zQzaHuy5c0Cf2pO6CWcyX3MrxV0s3Dk86KL/s320/1010559419_VShhP-S.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520223380344340354" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWGvDgw9AZCDY6xNHNyJAIM3HBec-A2wPY-uro9iBZy9Jxkk5S_bsqoNPem_OiiZWItFuaneUeRgLLNYzuNpNoXrBZJBIPpJvEz65LQG-2zQzaHuy5c0Cf2pO6CWcyX3MrxV0s3Dk86KL/s1600/1010559419_VShhP-S.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T7ETzxj42rtjQ4orWFBhchy_4AZomeFQhJ3koTYY5rjNu4oySD4PSF15oyrFwv-jTlnyECSotuSM8nIKK8FX7jAVWV7S2dEsgfqs-PiMywDsSqf4pDF-vTh48jwx_xNvy_MId1i2o6lm/s1600/sam+on+broadway.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T7ETzxj42rtjQ4orWFBhchy_4AZomeFQhJ3koTYY5rjNu4oySD4PSF15oyrFwv-jTlnyECSotuSM8nIKK8FX7jAVWV7S2dEsgfqs-PiMywDsSqf4pDF-vTh48jwx_xNvy_MId1i2o6lm/s320/sam+on+broadway.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520225804019584978" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vz0bB5mKKpKZ_BB6mi7cDuZgzxohsMiqxiBvEr2YrDEH4XfTusqsgz9U6CowSxpAjvhHM_6yA5-7LYmQyhD6PG-MHRM9vXOhN-xX7Bgm9-dbqbWqAbKmYi9Jd9Gtd2Q95WNUfnHMmOHP/s1600/sam+and+tam+little+italy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vz0bB5mKKpKZ_BB6mi7cDuZgzxohsMiqxiBvEr2YrDEH4XfTusqsgz9U6CowSxpAjvhHM_6yA5-7LYmQyhD6PG-MHRM9vXOhN-xX7Bgm9-dbqbWqAbKmYi9Jd9Gtd2Q95WNUfnHMmOHP/s320/sam+and+tam+little+italy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520225729232867842" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnOArkpc0YoZDODkiCFvAN6Drmnwxzfv1SVYKwuAMTBo9VTBMe_miQOrb08aBBcw6D1mociyhukqWM8NpWTxHf6BejEoOrNboqYQjImvpO5trIhyfKsMW2fOaUeP4mujKEBeUrJsyr_xI/s1600/nate+at+statue.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnOArkpc0YoZDODkiCFvAN6Drmnwxzfv1SVYKwuAMTBo9VTBMe_miQOrb08aBBcw6D1mociyhukqWM8NpWTxHf6BejEoOrNboqYQjImvpO5trIhyfKsMW2fOaUeP4mujKEBeUrJsyr_xI/s320/nate+at+statue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520225643885820642" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWGvDgw9AZCDY6xNHNyJAIM3HBec-A2wPY-uro9iBZy9Jxkk5S_bsqoNPem_OiiZWItFuaneUeRgLLNYzuNpNoXrBZJBIPpJvEz65LQG-2zQzaHuy5c0Cf2pO6CWcyX3MrxV0s3Dk86KL/s1600/1010559419_VShhP-S.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAOfuOOOMZSNHjOOIkVzMimLC-FrWgPkOdG1Rc799OLF3phPRrFfPUuB9s-bkaoFHXiB99IPGtphKAdb0mXn0hOHAstXt8p3bi_oPHOO-ihGiWHrcZjbufIjz6VfiutPB25UWL9Vhey68/s1600/nate+and+tami+times+square.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAOfuOOOMZSNHjOOIkVzMimLC-FrWgPkOdG1Rc799OLF3phPRrFfPUuB9s-bkaoFHXiB99IPGtphKAdb0mXn0hOHAstXt8p3bi_oPHOO-ihGiWHrcZjbufIjz6VfiutPB25UWL9Vhey68/s320/nate+and+tami+times+square.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520225553567336946" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8D6eTLYPXHeqZ1-OaQBgykOkeQchx9eaW-McBrrxMW_-sJQXjEpt_bXDZ5HSAr2f5x-pByifZ9uUd8R6J0PBnxKrDurapIibOMs7HQzYFj9OlNI-jMw3oyig7z3oIN8HvbdyES7rLp1NY/s1600/girls+plaza+hotel.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8D6eTLYPXHeqZ1-OaQBgykOkeQchx9eaW-McBrrxMW_-sJQXjEpt_bXDZ5HSAr2f5x-pByifZ9uUd8R6J0PBnxKrDurapIibOMs7HQzYFj9OlNI-jMw3oyig7z3oIN8HvbdyES7rLp1NY/s320/girls+plaza+hotel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520225417096466978" border="0" /></a>SubHerban Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09328772419539928434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-50196935675089295562010-09-23T10:15:00.000-07:002010-09-23T14:55:30.427-07:00Home garden=kids eat more veggies!<div>We have had a home vegetable garden for maybe five or six years now. We don't have a big yard; our front yard is mostly paved driveway with trees and plants along the fence, and the backyard is mostly an aggregate patio with some dirt areas near the back fence. There was a large metal storage shed in the corner of our backyard when we bought our home. It added no interest to our yard and was a place to collect junk that we'd forget was in there as soon as we put it inside. So, several years back, we got rid of the shed and Nate built pretty raised planter beds on the concrete slab that had been beneath the shed. Last summer, Nate built a three-tiered planter along the fence near the first garden. It's not a huge space by any means, but I love it!</div><br /><div></div><div>Having a vegetable garden is so great for kids and encourages the whole family to value and enjoy eating fresh produce. My kids love to go to our local nursery and pick out plants for our garden. Helping to do the planting of the veggies is an especially wonderful experience for them. Kids get to see firsthand how plants, and vegetables, grow and change. They get to pick food right from the plant and, often, just pop it into their mouth, as they do with the little tomatoes in our garden. I think that seeing how the food grows and is "harvested" in our own little garden can help children connect to the bigger agricultural picture and begin to imagine where other fruits and vegetables come from. </div><br /><div></div><div>I've also noticed that my kids will try, and grow to enjoy, foods they might not have been interested in. I remember last summer when I would take care of my, then 1 1/2 year old, niece, Caitlyn, three days a week. We had a good crop of cherry tomatoes growing along our driveway, right next to where I'd park my minivan. Before our tomatoes began to ripen, Caitlyn would not eat tomatoes in salads, on their own, or in any manner. As the first weeks of tomato season began to pass and Caitlyn saw my kids and I grab a couple of tomatoes from the plant while we entered and exited the car, she became curious and finally tried one. Soon, she was wiping out my supply of tomatoes!<br /><br /></div>My kids love to have the contents of the garden at their fingertips. This summer they spent hours playing in the backyard, picking tomatoes and washing them with the garden hose. Last week they borrowed a plastic knife and some bowls from the kitchen and cut a bunch of tomatoes in half for them to eat. Braeden likes to make "cilantro sandwiches," as he calls them, consisting of a lettuce leaf rolled up with cilantro inside. It's exciting for them to eat the food from the garden, especially if they get to pick it themselves. It's also a great element for them to incorporate into their pretend play.<br /><br />This summer we have many times consumed a delectable sandwich that has now become Kaylee's favorite sandwich. We take pieces of whole grain bread and spread one piece with <a href="http://www.greenpeople.org/webpage.cfm?memid=32441&pmtlevel=0&linkpage=http://www.wildwoodfoods.com">Wildwood Garlic Aoili </a>and a little mustard. Then we spread avocado on the other slice. The beauty of this sandwich is the fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes and lettuce that we put on the sandwich. Yum! Top the veggies with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper, and viola, you have a wonderful summertime sandwich. (Braeden and I like to sprinkle a little cayenne on ours as well.) Kaylee is quite excited when I make this sandwich for her school lunch in the fall when the tomatoes are still plentiful. (I make sure to keep the lettuce and tomato separate from the bread and let her assemble it herself in order to keep the bread from getting soggy.) I think I may make this sandwich for lunch now that I've been thinking about it!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSjSeBZlkOHlXMxGvQeAuzO-eehCRuQI_2k4Foxj49ZulRb4lSPbaMx9NgrcwXYYJ1Z_d4IkWCUQ0kThG4vUQlhAt_g0wwr3NkjKgxfn9fJTbnoSY85Mh_V0H2TSDi66xecWFcBxeXp1U/s1600/sandwiches+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSjSeBZlkOHlXMxGvQeAuzO-eehCRuQI_2k4Foxj49ZulRb4lSPbaMx9NgrcwXYYJ1Z_d4IkWCUQ0kThG4vUQlhAt_g0wwr3NkjKgxfn9fJTbnoSY85Mh_V0H2TSDi66xecWFcBxeXp1U/s320/sandwiches+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520175463540173986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlOMJ8mnb6nKTHPmzoYYDgy8919udhn_PbWq4Z1RDWGbDQ-PyLMsXFSXVoSyNkVKE0xtyhwYlDuRXqr1OeLqYhetebQlhmFqTPdnR0CjxmyCSBOK35zx6m2Dho8C8TbIaHRU5486xw5OQ/s1600/sandwiches+2+tomatoes.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlOMJ8mnb6nKTHPmzoYYDgy8919udhn_PbWq4Z1RDWGbDQ-PyLMsXFSXVoSyNkVKE0xtyhwYlDuRXqr1OeLqYhetebQlhmFqTPdnR0CjxmyCSBOK35zx6m2Dho8C8TbIaHRU5486xw5OQ/s320/sandwiches+2+tomatoes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520175605098530546" border="0" /></a> Kaylee and Braeden enjoying our garden fresh sandwiches!<br /> See our gorgeous tomatoes?<br /><br />So, even if you have a small space to work with, try planting a garden with your children! It's economical, earth-friendly, educational and delicious...and your kids just might eat more veggies!<br /><br />xo<br />tamiSubHerban Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09328772419539928434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-85662155201766649822010-09-21T12:46:00.000-07:002010-09-21T12:46:40.480-07:00The vegan sukkah Nazi<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">I get to use the word Nazi 'cause I'm a Jew... : ) </span><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">And Jews build <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkah">sukkahs</a>. Without going into a lot of detail, we celebrate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot">Sukkot</a>, which is a holiday best described as a Jewish Thanksgiving. The sukkah is a structure we build in the yard to commemorate the 40 years the Jews spent wandering in the desert, and we decorate it with fruit and palm leaves to celebrate the season's harvest. The best part is that we eat and sleep in it for a week! Eating in the sukkah is very important, and eating good food always jives well with veganism! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Our sukkah is still in progress of being decorated, but here is the structure: </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">We are SUPER lucky to have a group of amazing volunteers come out each year to help us build ours. These volunteers come through a Jewish network and it's everyone's first time meeting. The first year, the organization offered to provide bagels and cream cheese. I wrote back thanking them, explaining that we are vegan and that I would be happy to supply tofutti vegan cream cheese and bagels. The coordinator was super sweet, said they would supply the nosh, which they did... in addition to cow cream cheese. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Each year since, there has been non-vegan food brought into the sukkah by the volunteers. I appreciate their help so much, it is difficult to ask them not to eat in it, especially since it is such a special part of building a sukkah (and, many times there are young toddlers eating in it). But I can't shake the feeling that it's been "contaminated"! Am I being overly dramatic? Yeah, probably. But would any of them bring non-kosher food into a kosher sukkah? I bet not! Plus, as I've written before, the kids really dislike being around non-veg foods, so it makes me feel like I'm not ensuring their own home is a "safe zone" if I stay quiet. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">So what to do? Endanger the virginity of the veg sukkah, or play the vegan sukkah Nazi? Because as I've found countless times over, it's easy for people to ignore veg requests and "forget". Meaning, I would be paranoid and guarding the structure rather than enjoying it, and really, who wants that? At the same time, there are very few vegan sanctuaries in our lives, and I'd like to keep this as one. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">I think next year I will the organization to forward a nicely worded email to the volunteers from me, hoping that will ward off the issue... and if not, suck it up and deal with it. Another way to teach the kids tolerance.... </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">If you're familiar with Judaism, you're aware that many Jews keep kosher - meaning, there is no mixing of dairy and meat, and that all foods are labeled "meat", "dairy", or "parve". This means TOTAL SEPARATION of meat and milk - different dishes, sinks, refrigerators, counter tops and those food items at all meals (yep, cheeseburgers are OUT!) Yes, it's a TON of work! And beyond me why they aren't all just vegan - let me tell you, it makes it WAY easier! : ) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">So when the Rabbi's sons asked why my kids couldn't have the snacks they brought, I tried explaining veganism. They were young, so I just said "we don't eat any meat or dairy", knowing they would be very familiar with both terms. He looked completely perplexed until I said, "oh, we only eat parve foods without eggs or fish". He smiled and said, "oh, I get it!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">xo,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Sarah </span><br />
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</span></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-19576845063744919202010-09-17T11:37:00.000-07:002010-09-17T15:34:40.113-07:00Tami has returned to the blog!Please let me apologize for my long absence from the blog! First, I was quite busy with the three plus (neighbors, cousins, niece) little ones at the start of summer and so neglected the blog, then when I was feeling like I had a little more free time to write, my laptop died! My husband did his best to fix it, but he just couldn't revive the poor thing. Next, I got an itch for an iPad and after MUCH discussion with my husband, he agreed I could buy one. I was quite excited to see all that the iPad was capable of and how well it could replace a computer. Alas, I discovered the iPad is cool, but can't do everything, including write this blog!<br /><br />So, then I was left without any means to attend to the blog. Months had passed since I had a convenient way to type, and I felt pretty bad to aks my husband (he does bring home the veggie bacon, after all) for another expensive gadget. But, I finally did and he eventually succumbed to my demand. So, Wednesday night, he came home with a new laptop for me! Go Nate! Now I can write to my heart's content...well, as long as housework, grocery shopping and the children allow me to!<br /><br />Some of my planned entries may be a little dated now, so bear with me. And thanks for hanging around. =)SubHerban Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09328772419539928434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-41921528058057412342010-09-16T09:50:00.000-07:002010-11-02T19:30:43.384-07:00Dandies are here!!We were picked for the <a href="http://growingvegans.blogspot.com/search/label/contest">contest</a>!! Now, to come up with a fun, unique, YUMMY project with them! Stay tuned.....<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dandiescandies.com/">http://www.dandiescandies.com/</a></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755094161701122026.post-40635535978531739512010-09-14T13:39:00.000-07:002010-09-14T13:39:07.961-07:00Horse Soccer and SlaughterhousesMy poor, poor readers. I fear I have abandoned you due to craziness of a new school year! My apologies, love, and undying devotion :-)<br />
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What's new in Vegan Land? Not much! Which is really saying something, as veganism tends to feel a demanding and dominating portion of parenting at times.<br />
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We recently went on vacation with my omni aunt, uncle and veggie cousin. They love us and are very accepting (notice I didn't use the word 'understanding') of the vegan thing, but they don't really get it. My aunt firmly feels that it's okay to eat animals and my uncle is an avid fisherman. So, I often have to remember that acceptance and tolerance is a two-way street.<br />
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Anyways, so we're up in the mountains and my aunt has been keeping a secret surprise for us - we're going to the ranch to watch horses playing soccer and give hay rides!<br />
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Oh, shit. My guess is that she was thinking "oh, they'll love this since they love animals so much!" Super sweet thought, and I so much appreciate the sentiment, but, umm..... no. But what's one to do? They are always so accommodating and thoughtful towards us and our lifestyle choices, and I just couldn't bring myself to turn her down. And I thought about what kind of statement it would make. Would it matter at all if I didn't attend? Besides a protest against my family, would our protest be so silent it wouldn't even matter to the animals? The answer was simple; no one would care and I would hurt others feelings. Should I have declined? Debatable, but honestly, the guilt I feel over participating is worth the guilt I would have felt over telling my family, yet again, that they got it wrong.<br />
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So we went, and had fun. There were games and watermelon eating contests and a fun country community atmosphere. When it came time to ride the wagons, I politely declined. Since we were already there, I decided the most I could do was to help my kids - and others - realize that this was a living, breathing, feeling being. As we were waiting around, I asked if the same horse had been used all morning.... he had. The kids and I asked if we could feel him carrots and water (he was tethered and had no water!!) and the staff welcomed it. I pointed out how uncomfortable he looked with the bit in his mouth. My son decided not to ride, but my daughter did.... and liked it. She's 8, so I'm not surprised (though was a little sad). We then watched the horses play soccer (with riders on). This was hard for me, and really, I hated it. I hated that I wanted to yell at my kids and they were laughing and smiling and cheering on their favorites. I hated that I couldn't breath, waiting for one of the horses to trip over the ball. I hated watching the horses try to stay clear of the giant ball while their riders pulled and urges them towards it. I hated that the animals were being used for entertainment, and that I was allowing my kids to enjoy it.<br />
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But I guess that is okay. I think it's important that they see these things, to understand why I don;t agree with t\hem. It's vital they develop their own thoughts, opinions, and ideas around animal and human interactions. Like any other parent, I will pass down my values to them, but in the end, it is their choice.<br />
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Later, when we were driving home, I pointed out the things that made me concerned for the animals safety. I pointed out that the animals didn't seem very happy. Any my beautifully strong willed eight year old disagreed - she doesn't think the horses would play if they didn't want to and she thought they did look pretty happy.<br />
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Does this mean there are burgers in her future? Sigh... only after our field trip to the slaughter house!<br />
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xo,<br />
SarahSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899286302372880885noreply@blogger.com0