She let go.

I really love reading and for most of my adolescense I loved writing. When I got a bit older I seemed to forget that and lost my way. Recently I've found my passion again and when the moment strikes a poem will just pour out of me. This is one that I wrote not long ago. I hope you enjoy it.

She let go

She finally let go; released her grip and fell freely.

The wind whipped around her airborne body

Eradicating the negativity that for so long consumed her.

No longer did she feel the heavy burden of guilt and grief.

Her heart fluttered as she drifted in and out of clouds, touching each one tenderly.

The beautiful strands of her long flowing hair floated all around her

Encasing her exquisite mind from the corrupt world below.

She knew nothing of the sorrow that existed before.

All she needed now was her happiness, the clouds, and air.

Appreciating Life at Sunrise Sanctuary.

 It was a rainy day; the sky was grey and overcast with clouds. These minor details didn't stop my family and I from venturing out to Marysville in order to visit Sunrise Sanctuary.

Sunrise is a large property in which neglected, abused, and unwanted animals are free to live their lives in the way all living beings should; in happiness and harmony. Mindy is the founder of the sanctuary and is such a kind person. She greeted us very warmly and just hung out socializing with all of us visitors. I am so appreciative of the amazing things she does and I will continue to support her work in all the ways I'm able.

As soon as we walked up there were several geese and ducks waddling about greeting us with quacks and honks. We immediately made our way to a nearby table where we laid our bread, apples, and grapes that we brought to feed to the animals. The turkeys were around the table along with lots of ducks, geese, and chickens. One turkey in particular, Hilda I believe, was so sweet and friendly! Annabella and I hunched down to pet her, she lowered herself in delight as we stroked her for several minutes. I'd never been so close to a live turkey let alone caressed one.

Micah had a lot of fun tossing bread to the turkeys and other birds while Belly, Maggie and I marveled at the sight of so many gorgeous animals living in peace with one another.

Turkey Love.

She really loved the attention! And we loved giving it! 

Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of shimmering black and crisp white. Behold Wesley. A humongous, gorgeous, gentle cow who loves apple cider. We walked upon the large group gathered around him; everyone in amazement at his size and the fact that he was guzzling apple cider! I mean this guy is big. Really big. His back stood higher than most everyone there and I can't even begin to guess his weight. Wesley was rescued at two months of age. Rescued from a life that would have resulted in torture and death. He was destined for the veal crate. Luckily Mindy convinced the farmer to sell Wesley to her and now he will live happy, free, and loved!

Wesley. Beautiful. Gentle. Giant. 

He was so warm, she enjoyed giving him some love!

He loved the cider. I mean who doesn't love apple cider?!?!

We ventured to meet the sweet pig, he loved getting attention and some apples and grapes from Micah! Annabella made friends with a goat. She fed him grapes and even after the grapes were gone he stuck around to hang out with our precious girl!!

We made our way to another barn where the horses, sheep, and llamas were. We walked in to find Dan the Draft horse munching a delicious pumpkin pie. The sheep and llamas were a little hesitant to receive attention, but I did have one black sheep run up to me about 3 times, sniff the apple in my hand, give me a funny little head turn, and run off again! We had the pleasure of meeting Roscoe as well. Now I'm not too sure what he is really, a mule or a donkey, but I know that he IS a sweetheart. He gently nibbled the apple I offered him and stood by to receive a lot of ear scratches and rubs!

It was such an incredible day. Despite the less the perfect weather, everyone there had such positive attitudes and great energy. I felt so connected with all the visitors. We had all come together to give thanks and appreciation to the animals and to those who care for them. Just years ago I would have eaten animals just like these guys, but now how could I ever eat a cheeseburger after meeting Wesley?!?! For me it's just not a possibility.

I went to the Sunrise Sanctuary a vegan and I left a vegan. But upon leaving something inside of me just burns much more fervently. I feel much more thankful for own life. Thankful for the lives of the animals. Thankful for people like Mindy and all of those working for Sunrise. Thankful that I could share the experience with my family. These animals are just a fraction of the others who will end up in factory farms and slaughterhouses. But, educating and experiencing are the keys to change. I can not wait to go back again, or to donate whatever I am able.

                   Thank you Sunrise Sanctuary for helping me appreciate life that much more.

My first time: Raw vegan. Recipe alert!!!

Sure I've ate my fair share of raw veggies and fruits and I love them. But recently I took a completely different turn with the raw ideas that I had before.

Since switching my diet so drastically I've learned a lot of new things and the power of raw never ceases to amaze me. The fact that nature can provide such terrific and extremely nutritious food bountiful enough to sustain our bodies is truly a magnificent gift from Mother Earth herself.

I'm no raw expert by any means, actually I'm quite the novice. What I do know is that by eating certain things raw it is really the best way to get all that you can from that certain food. I'm diving deeper into this raw concept and I can't wait to learn more about it.

I've come across the following recipe in my quest for raw vegan meals and snacks. What better way to start than with dessert?!?! I found this in the Vegetarian Times Everything Vegan Cookbook. I got a lot terrific recipes as well, including a cornbread recipe that I used to make my vegan jalapeño cornbread, sunset sweet potato drop biscuits and of course the cheesecake!
I made all of these dishes for Micah's graduation feast and they went over very well, so I'm posting all three! Enjoy my friends!!


Raw Cashew Cheesecake

2 cups unsalted macadamia nuts
1 1/2 cups unsalted raw cashews
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup dried coconut
6 tablespoons coconut oil, gently warmed(I put the oil in a glass bowl and set the bowl in another bowl full I hot water. Coconut oil melts at just 77 degrees.)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 vanilla bean
3 cups mixed berries(it's hard to find nice ripe berries in Ohio this time of year so I bought frozen organic berries and let them thaw in the fridge and then strained them very well.)

First you need to soak the nuts. Place the macadamia and cashews in separate bowls, and cover both with cold water. Soak for 4 hours, then rinse, drain, and set them aside.

Pulse the macadamia nuts and dates in the food processor until you have a sticky crumb-like texture. To test it I took a pinch and made it into a ball, if it sticks well then it's good to go. Sprinkle the coconut into the bottom of your pie pan and press the macadamia mixture onto coconut to make the crust. I tried using a spoon at first but quickly decided fingers are a much better tools for crust making, so make sure your little phalanges are clean at this step!

Pulse. 

Sprinkle the coconut. 

Use those little fingas baby:) 

Next place the cashews, coconut oil, lime juice, agave, and 6 tablespoons of water into food processor. Slice your vanilla bean down the middle and scrape the seeds into the processor, and purée until smooth. Pour your mixture into the crust.

Next wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze 1 to 2 hours until it is firm. You'll want to slice it frozen and transfer to a serving platter. Defrost it in the fridge for an hour or on the counter for 30 minutes. Top it with berries and enjoy!!!!!

Now for the biscuits. I forgot to take pictures of this process but I think you can manage without them for today.

Sunset Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes(2 small baked sweet potatoes)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

Combine the potatoes, oil, maple syrup, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl. Sift in dry ingredients.

Cut dry ingredients into sweet potato mixture with a fork until mixture comes together. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, or as much as it takes to get the dough to hold together.

Drop golf ball-size rounds of dough onto the sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and firm to the touch.

This next recipe is a collaborative recipe, the original jalapeño cornbread recipe is from my mother-in-law. I wanted to make it for Micah's graduation celebration and I needed a new vegan cornbread recipe to make it happen. So i found the double corn bread recipe from the Vegetarian Times vegan book. Then I just altered Micah's moms recipe; using Boca meatless crumbles instead of ground beef, and vegan cheese. This is a spicy, delicious dish!!!



Vegan Jalapeño Double Cornbread

I doubled the recipe to make a large dish, small one sans jalapeños for Belly and an extra loaf of just the cornbread. I'll use the original 8 servings measurements for the cornbread recipe, and if you follow that just use a smaller pan and only one maybe one and a half bags of crumbles. Unless you really want more crumbles, then by all means use as many bags as you want.

Double Cornbread

1 cup unsweetened plain almond or soy milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup cream corn
1/2 cup shredded vegan cheddar( I use about a whole cup of cheese, but reserving the other half for the Boca mixture. Daiya is my favorite brand!)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of maple sugar or light brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Combine soymilk and vinegar. Let it stand for 5 minutes until it turns into a buttermilk like-consistency. Whisk in corn, cheddar, oil, and onions; set aside.

"Buttermilk" mixture

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, make a well in the middle. Pour the wet mixture into the well, and stir until mixed. Pour this batter on top of the following Boca Mixture.



Boca Jalapeno Mixture

Bag(s) of Boca Crumbles
Jalapenos- this is completely your discretion as to how much you want to add. Just roughly chop the peppers and mix in with the Boca Crumbles.
1/2 cup vegan cheddar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 inch baking dish with oil. Add your Boca Crumble/ Jalapeno mixture to the bottom of the pan, spread evenly. Sprinkle with your 1/2 cup of vegan cheddar.

Slip your pan into the oven and bake for about 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean! Then eat, eat, eat!!!

Yum! 

Proud.

Today is a great day. A magnificent day. A day for celebration. Why? Today is my amazing, wonderful, handsome husbands last day of school. For the past year Micah has been in a rigorous massage therapy program at The Institute of Alternative Medicine. This isn't some lame masseuse crap, more like heal your life.

Daddy loves Daughter. Daughter loves Daddy.

I've watched my Meeka study all day and night, not getting any sleep, but still carrying on. He's spent the past year learning so much, every single muscle in every part of the body; things that most medical doctors didn't learn in their training. I've reaped the benefits of his talent and it's incredible. I've fallen asleep many a nights from his massages; and been woken up by him asking me to stop drooling on the floor(true story). He's overcome so many obstacles that I've mainly just stood back in awe with my mouth gaping in amazement.

This hasn't been easy for him or me either. I've had to try and accept the fact that a lot of his attention had to be paid to books and studying, instead of being in bed next to me. But my struggles pale in comparison to what he has overcome.

My hunk....hunk of love<3

So today I write this post with the biggest smile on my face and joy overflowing from my heart. I am so very proud of you Micah. You are so strong, determined, intelligent and incredibly sexy!! I am so honored and fortunate to share life with you and I can't wait to see where it takes us next. I love you more than any written words could ever express!! Now get your ass in bed and give me that attention I've been missing!!

I love you Micah. You make me so proud. 

This is the way my life was meant to be.

Since choosing to become a vegan and change my whole lifestyle I can honestly say I have felt some truly incredible things. I have never felt so healthy. I am full of zest and have such a different outlook on life than ever before. I am feeling like the "true" me is really able to come through. I no longer feel as though I need to hold myself back from anything that I want. It may sound like some b.s. you heard on a late night infomercial about a wacky hair restoration gimmick, but it's really been a life changing experience. We've been totally vegan now for just about 3 months and I've loved every minute of it. I'm going to sum up some changes I've endured these past few months.

We had not been drinking cow's milk at all for about three months before I decided (after much reading and researching) it was time to stop with ALL dairy and animal products, i.e. eggs! I didn't buy anymore animal products. I checked the labels of the remaining stuff in my fridge and cabinets and made sure there was nothing left. It was as simple as that. We just cut it out. Got rid of it. I thought I would be a lot more sad to see my "beloved" cheese go away, but honestly it was liberating. I no longer felt a victim to the god damn orange block of fat! I chose right there in that moment to break my awful addiction to cheese. Some people think food addictions are a load of shit, but think about that person you know who says they can't function without their morning coffee. Well ladies and gents, that there is an addiction. Sure it's not as bad as crack, but it's definitely not doing any wonders for your mind or body. Feeling like we need anything to carry on a normal day in our lives, whether it be meth or cheese, is our body and mind telling us that we NEED to CHANGE something in our lives.

I revised my recipe book and threw out the things that I wouldn't make again, but kept most all of my recipes, because you see, if you put your mind to it you can make anything vegan. And then I got down to business, searching books and the web for great vegan/whole food recipes. And the rest is history my friends! I now just continue to research on my lifestyle and keep my eye out for new vegan recipes!  

Immediately after quitting the animal products I noticed my bloating vanish. After I'd eat a nice veggie plate loaded with butter and cheese I'd say hello to my new little food baby that seem to grow instantly! Not anymore!! I have not had one, not a single, stomach ache/illness since changing my diet. My menstrual cramps are almost nothing these days which is so nice as any woman who has suffered would tell you! Sure I still get bloated sometimes, especially after I eat three huge helpings of Micah's vegan mac 'n' cheese, but it's not painful anymore.

One of my favorite perks is the weight loss I've experienced. Within the first 3 weeks I lost about 4 lbs effortlessly, that is incredible to me! Once I started working out regularly I dropped a pound or two here and there. I have to be honest, I've fallen off my workout wagon ever since I got my wisdom teeth out and the cold front moved in, but I've got 10 yoga sessions waiting on me and my wii active is calling my name! I will get toned damn it! But seriously, I don't restrict myself from what I want. I don't practice portion control or calorie counting. I eat. I eat A LOT. When you eat a whole food plant based diet you just loose the unneccessary weight that you carry. When you eat processed foods with addictives and animal products the calories add up very fast, along with saturated fats and cholesterol. Plant foods don't have cholesterol!!!! They are low in fat, high in protein and vital nutrients that help our bodies thrive!

I have more energy than ever! I was actually jogging when the weather permitted. That never ever happened unless it was gym class or cheer camp(yea yea "you were a cheerleader?!" It was middle school people, I'm trying to prove a point!). I can keep up with Annabella. I don't feel like a zombie in the morning. I sleep great, especially without bloating and stomach aches keeping me up all night. Ever wonder why they call it "Taco Hell"?!?!

I feel good about myself. I am much more confident. I feel like a kind and compassionate person for caring enough about the welfare of others. Not just animals, but people. I write this stuff because I would love to have others share in my wonderful experience, to have all these great feelings right along with me. I'm not here to preach, just to simply share, educate, and enlighten! I've wanted to start a blog for about a year now, and once I got comfortable in my veganism I found that courage and will!

My hair is really shiny. Seriously though. It's not like greasy shiny, it's healthy shiny! I remember when I used to have to use a shine spray to add that life and gloss to my hair, but now I don't have to. It just sparkles! My skin is so soft and smooth. And my body hair grows slower, which equals less shaving, which makes Amanda very happy! I attribute that to not having some crazy growth hormones surging through my body anymore from dairy!

Every day I feel the benefits of my lifestyle. And when I say lifestyle, I don't just mean the way I eat. My family and I choose to not use any animal products anymore. We don't buy fur or leather(our car has leather seats, but we bought that pre-vegan. I'm realistic, I can't go dumping my car, but I would love to have fabric seats!) We don't go to the circus, or buy products that have been tested on animals. It's a lifestyle change. A way of life. I love it. I never thought I could "commit" to it, but I did and now I KNOW there's just no other way for me! This is the way my life was meant to be!

A happy healthy vegan Mommy!!! 

So what DO you eat?!?!

Many people assume that when you make the transition to vegan you leave behind all the tasty and delicious food that you once loved. I'm here to tell you folks that it is quite the contrary! Not only do I enjoy all of the foods I did before, my meals are now even better tasting and much MUCH healthier as well. I had someone ask me if I was going to eat ants now since it seems I couldn't eat anything else. Well you know smart-ass Amanda had to reply, "No because ants aren't vegan, DUH!" The trick of the trade is just learning to substitute. You have to be willing to take some risks and not everything is going to come out perfect(unless you follow a recipe, but even some struggle with that!), but that's the glory of it. You get some balls, you experiment, you try new things.

Let me just first explain how my family eats in general. I call myself a vegan, but at the same time I like to think that I not only follow a vegan diet, but a whole food plant based diet. What does that mean? Well, it means that we like to eat natural(usually organic) foods that haven't been processed or heavily refined. We consume fresh vegetables and fruits everyday, whether it be alone or in a smoothie. Plant foods are composed of complex carbohydrates that sustain energy and provide fiber, which no animal product can do. They contain zero cholesterol and are very filling. We try to eat as much raw produce as possible, but it's hard for Miss Annabella to gnaw through certain hard fruits and veggies with only her 2 bottom teeth. We always have fresh organic bananas on hand and whatever organic fruit we can get from our grocers.

Cutest two teeth I've ever seen!!! 

We don't eat anything with high fructose corn syrup in it or any artificial sweeteners. We don't use white sugar, especially because it isn't vegan. It may come to you as a surprise that something so small and simple as sugar isn't vegan but it's true. And nasty. Sugar companies buy a foul product called Bone Char and use it as a decolorizing filter in order to make white sugar white. So not only is white sugar processed in a nasty way but really it is just stripped of everything. Instead we use Sucanat, which stands for SUgar CAne NATural, which is sugar that has retained it's molasses and is not granulized like most white and even brown sugars. It is sweeter, lower on the glycemic index, and a healthier option. We also use Agave nectar, and GASP honey!!! I know know, some may say blasphemy but my beekeeper is organic, gentle, groovy and she happens to be my baby's GG and my MaggieMom(hi Maggie!). She doesn't abuse her bees, and doesn't steal their honey. We love to go over in the summer and watch the bees just zoom around the property.

This is Sucanat! 

We eat a lot of whole grains in our house as well. We do love our breads, pitas, and tortillas but I try to limit the refined grains and stick with the healthier options such as brown rice, whole wheat couscous, rolled oats, you get the picture. I'm getting a bread machine soon thanks to my lovely mother-in-law, which will be amazing because as much as I do love hand making bread(sometimes) it will make things much faster and cheaper to make bread when we do actually need it. I do use pasta sometimes, always the whole wheat. I mean c'mon how could I live without my vegan mac 'n' cheese?!?!

I use some meat substitutes in meals, such as GimmeLean sausage, Tofurky Italian Sausages and hot dogs, and some Morningstar patties. In all reality I usually make meals with these ingredients maybe once or twice a month, for two reasons. One, these products are a bit more expensive than substituting the meat with say beans or mushrooms and two they are definitely a processed food. I love love love making breakfast burritos with the GimmeLean Sausage, and the vegan hot dogs with vegan baked beans are amazing too!

What I do use a lot of is BEANS! BEANS! And again BEANS! I love those little suckers. I use a lot of black beans(hello black bean burgers....MUST.STOP.DROOLING.ON.KEYBOARD.) kidney beans, and assorted white beans. They are an excellent source of protein and have lots of fiber. I do buy canned, but I'll admit I would love to start making them at home. The soaking process "scares" me a bit, because truthfully I can be lazy sometimes. But I promise I will do it someday. I usually buy canned organic beans, at least if the non-organic can says they use an additive to retain color. Great bean dishes include red beans and rice, bean burgers, chilis, tacos, and just a simple bean filling in a lettuce wrap!

I said on my, But where do you get your protein?! post that I use tofu as well. It is such a versatile product and I use it weekly. My tofu scramble breakfast burritos, smoothies, chocolate mousse, stir-fry, and much more all feature tofu. I encourage everyone to just collect differing recipes that include tofu and try away. We also love TVP, textured vegetable protein, as a meat substitute. It is basically just a dried vegetable protein that you re-hydrate with water or vegetable broth. It is excellent for chilis and sloppy joes!

Our favorite brand of TVP!!! 

I've covered pretty much everything.....NOT!!! How could you even begin to believe that. If there is one thing you should know about me and food, it's that I love my sweets. Sure I try to be a good little girl and get my sugar fix from fruit, but I'm only human. I want  NEED my chocolate. Most grocery stores now carry chocolate chips that omit all the dairy that usually consumes the chocolate. There is also carob chips, which is a powder kind of like cacao but without the caffeine. I do enjoy soy ice cream and coconut ice cream as well. I adore chocolate almond milk, especially in my home-made version of Planet Smoothie's Chocolate Elvis!

Now I do think I covered most everything for now. I love to eat, I don't deprive myself, I eat a shit load of food and I'm still loosing weight. The way I feel is just so hard to put into words. I'll do a post sometime about all the amazing ways that I have benefited from this lifestyle, but it's ta-ta for now this mama's got some ice cream calling!

My apology letter to the Dairy Cow.

Let me just state that this post is pretty near and dear to my heart. After learning all the facts about the dairy industry and the life of cows, my world was changed.

What do you see when someone says the word "dairy cow"? For most people the following image is what comes to mind....

It's a beautiful sunny afternoon and Bessie the cow is grazing out in a luscious green pasture. Farmer John makes his way out to Bessie and gently leads her back to the barn. He takes her to the milking stall, you know the one where she can eat some hay and stand at ease, and sets up his stool and milk bucket. "All right now Bess, I'm going to be real gentle. You just keep eating that hay and everything is going to be just fine." He gently strokes the milk filled udders, and squeezes with just the slightest pressure until the milk hits the bottom of the bucket. He continues his work, pausing frequently to pet and comfort Bessie, until the bucket is full. Then it's back out to the gorgeous green pasture for Bessie and Farmer John is left satisfied with his bucket full of milk.

What a beautiful day to be Bessie. 

Sorry to break it to you, but that is NOT anything close to a day in the life of a dairy cow. I'm sure some people with very small personal farms still use such practices, but in today's factory farm society it's just not happening. So what does happen to these cows day in and day out?

To begin, we must start with birth. Some people are under the impression that dairy cows just produce milk, but like any other mammal (humans included) a baby must be born in order for the mother to lactate. So farmers are sure to knock their cows up as frequently as possible. A cow's gestational period is about 285 days, very similar to human females gestation period of about 260 days. As soon as the calf is born, oxytocin(the love hormone...if you haven't watched the Business of Being Born and heard Michel Odent speak of this, I recommend you do, whether you are a mother or not!)  is released and milk production occurs, once again same as us human mommies. Generally a cow is allowed to birth, she will be milked for about ten months and then start the insemination process, be pregnant, give birth, get milked and repeat.

And here is where my heart breaks. This mother cow doesn't get to nurse her sweet little calf, she doesn't get to nuzzle her fresh new life that she carried for those 285 days. If her baby is a boy, he will be immediately taken away for the production of beef. Not only do male cows usually become hamburgers, but more often than not they become veal. Veal is by far one of the most disturbing animal products sold today. A male calf no more than a day old is taken from his mother, both are panic stricken and crying out for one another, and put into a veal crate. What is a veal crate you ask? Well it's a tiny little box, so small that the calf can not turn around or even move. See the appeal of veal is that it is succulent and tender, so in order to get the right tenderness you must deprive this LIVING BABY MAMMAL of adequate food, water, and movement. These male calves are made to be anemic so that the meat is very delicate, they are not even able to bend their necks enough to reach the floor.

Not enough room to turn around, not even enough to move. 

Now can somebody please tell me how we as highly capable thinking humans beings can consider this an ok practice?!?! So after his several months of living in cramped quarters, eating an all liquid diet to keep up his anemia this little soul is sent off to have his throat slit while still conscious, hung upside down, blood drained and chopped in cutlets of veal for the asshole at the nice steakhouse to order so he can impress his date with the expensive cut of baby flesh.

So what happens if the calf is a girl? Well she is doomed to lead the life her mother leads. She is separated from mom, taken away to begin the cycle of fattening up and preparing to be impregnated so she can continue to make the farmers richer and richer and the people sicker and sicker.

Back to mama cow. Now that she's gone through labor, had her baby taken from her, she is left with udders full of milk just waiting to be emptied by her calf. But sadly no calf will be suckling, instead she will become engorged thanks to all the "great" growth hormones that have been pumped into her body since she herself were a calf. Normally a cow would produce just enough milk to meet the needs of her growing baby(once again same as us!!! Is this getting old yet? Good, my message is clear!) which is about 16 pounds per day. Thanks to the growth hormones she will now produce a whopping average of 54 pounds of milk a day.

Any breastfeeding mother will tell you that when the milk first comes in(engorgement) that it hurts like hell. Personally, about 2 days after birthing Annabella my boobs looked like two giant watermelons stuffed into my skin. I mean those suckers were so engorged it looked like I had breasts in my armpits! But after a couple days of normal feedings all goes back to the way it should and the pain is ancient history. Not for dear ol' Bessie. She is left to the devices of faulty pumping machines that will inevitably lead to more pain and suffering. These machines aren't gentle like her baby would be. Those clamps are tight, they pull very hard and most of the time cause mastitis. Mastitis is painful inflammation of the mammary gland, normally due to inadequate draining of the breast/udder(once again making that mammal to mammal connection). So Factory Farmer John comes in and shoots her up with more antibiotics to try and rid her of the infection. If it works it means more money for him. If he doesn't work it still means more money for him.

See once Bessie gets to the point where Factory Farmer John doesn't want to "waste" anymore time or money on her, she gets loaded up and sent off to slaughter; the fate of all livestock. Regardless of her milk being infected, which can lead to other bodily infections (keyword PUS, this will ring a bell later on another dairy post to follow) she is still okay to be ground up and made into burgers, steak, and even put into baby food! Most cows that are kept merely as the lovable companions that they truly are will live sometimes past 20 years of age, where as the factory farmed cow will see only 5 maybe 6 years of life. She will leave in tight quarters squeezed in with other cows, be fed disgusting remaining parts from her fellow stall mates, and sadly probably be abused by the workers.

And now, my letter to the dairy cow.

To all you Bovine Beauties:

I must begin with I'm sorry. I'm sorry for so long contributing to your pain and suffering. I'm sorry that you were born to a life that if given the choice, I know you wouldn't choose. I've always been starstruck by your beautiful eyes and lashes, by your gentle manner, and adoring moos. I'm a mother now too, and my heart breaks for you. Giving birth to my sweet daughter was the biggest and best accomplishment of my life. Holding her in my arms and being able to nurture her with the milk that I produced was so rewarding and comforting. Looking into her, coincidentally, beautiful bovine eyes and seeing the love spill from her to me warmed my soul. I'm sorry that you have been robbed that experience. That your chance to be a loving, caring, giving mother has been ripped from you. I'm sorry that your babies are doomed to lead a life no better than yours. Every parent wants more for their children and I take you as no exception to that rule.

That oxytocin rush. Something no mother, human or animal, should be deprived of. 

All mammals are capable of feeling.

Beautiful.

I'm sorry that not all people can feel and think as some do. I'm sure some will view it very silly that I'm writing to a cow, but I know that others will be touched and know that my apologies are really sincere. If I could rescue you all, I would set you free to a life that you would love to live. Every being deserves that, not just human beings.

So to all of you beautiful, feeling, thinking, breathing, cows out there just know that I'm sorry and that I will do all that I can to help others help you. You are worth it.

        Loving committed,
                Amanda

But where do you get your protein?!?!

When you begin your vegan lifestyle and a lot of the times when you decide to become a vegetarian the most famous question you will hear is, "So if you don't eat meat how are you going to get your protein?!?!" It's a question that can be easily answered and the options are endless. A lot of folks just don't understand that you can get protein, and LOTS of it, from sources other than our dear little animal friends. There are so many different ways vegans pack in the protein, and the upside is with this protein you get to skip the cholesterol and extra unnecessary fats! And sometimes it's nice to reassure those who are pretty persistent that you're incorrect, that if it really were a problem to get protein(and all other nutrients as well) elsewhere we'd have a bunch of dead emaciated vegan and vegetarian hippies all over the place! Ok so maybe that was too graphic and harsh, but it gets the point across.

This cartoon pretty much sums it up. Think of all the giant mammals that eat only a plant based diet! Elephants and gorillas being the main two who thrive and live long lives eating only the natural vegetation of their surroundings!! 

Remember if you are a vegan or vegetarian that you too were probably brought up learning that you NEED animal products to thrive. Our school systems teach children in health class to eat their little chicken nuggets and drink their white milk in order to grow big and strong, have healthy bones, and to get a milk moustache of course duh(Got Milk?)! I remember my school putting up all of those glossy posters with cute celebs sporting the milk moustache, and one day we all had to take pictures with our dairy "facial hair". So you know that those Got Milk campaigns gave money schools to do this. And that the government supplies food to cafeterias(stay on topic Amanda!!! Do a rant post later!) Anyway, back to the subject at hand. From the time we began a general health class in elementary school we've been taught these principals. We must learn as adults that indeed there are many other options for obtaining the protein you need.

I had a lady ringing up my groceries at good ol' K.Roger, who noted that I didn't have any milk, cheese, or eggs. I told her we are vegan and that meant we do not consume any animal products. She told me she just didn't understand how a human could survive without milk. She wasn't saying it in a "I'm addicted to dairy, haha" type voice, more like "No really lady, how are you alive and breathing right in front of me" kinda way. I didn't get upset at all, I just replied with some sort of comment about how great we felt and that I love my almond milk. Of course I wanted to stand there for hours and catch her up on all the reasons why we don't need it and how it can be detrimental to our health, but I had veggies that needed put away and hummus that needed eating!

Now that we know there are different ways to consume your protein, let's get into a little bit more detail. How much protein you need(or want if you are trying to gain weight), varies by age, weight and other life factors; so once you determine how many grams you need the possibilities are endless. We'll begin with tofu. Ahh tofu, you are beautiful to me. Most people make a weird face when you even mention the word tofu. They think of this white blob of tasteless stuff. Tofu is essentially just fermented soy beans, so don't be too afraid of the little guy ok?! Being tasteless (at least in tofu's situation haha!) is a good thing, because you can adapt it to taste like whatever the heck you want! From a tofu scramble to a peanut butter pie, this little square of jiggle will pack in the protein and the taste. Just one serving of tofu gives you almost 20 percent of your daily protein needs. Another amazing quality of tofu is the price! A lot of people assume that being a vegan will break the bank, but in all reality it is so much more affordable! I can get a block of organic tofu from the Nature's Market section, once again, at K.Roger for 2 bucks! You can't even get a package of ground up remaining animal guts for that price, hot dog anyone?

There you go, $1.99 organic tofu in all of it's glory! 

Along with tofu, just one cup of plain organic unsweetened Silk Soy milk has 7 grams of soy protein. Personally, I prefer to drink almond milk but I cook with soy because of the protein content! Amanda's delicious blueberry pancakes are made with soy milk sometimes, stop on by on a Sunday morning to try some and believe it for yourself!

NUTS!! No really, NUTS!!! I never used to be a "nut person", but within the last few years I've really come around. Both nuts and seeds are a great form of raw protein. Opt for the raw options as you should already know salted and honey coated are not the absolutely best choices. Spread some raw sunflower nuts over your salad instead of those crappy store bought croutons, throw some raw hemp seeds on your wrap or pita, toss a cup or two of slivered almonds in your granola, hell just grab a handful of some cashews and dig in! Now I love my sweet treats so I do get about 1/4 lb of those sweet coated almonds from the bulk bin every now and again to satisfy my sweet cravings (and of course my lovely hubby's sweet tooth too!) I also love almonds roasted in tamari, oh my do I love those little roasted suckers!

With those marvelous little nuts and seeds come the butters! Love almond butter I do bo. Ok so I failed at trying to speak like the great Yoda, please forgive me! On a serious note, my family gets down with the almond butter. Our local health food store has this marvelous apparatus in which you grind your own fresh almond butter, basically crack for a vegan! Sunflower butter is really tasty as well. Some people love the butter of peanuts, I say love what ever nut butter you want!

And to end my little spiel on protein with the magnificent, beautiful, leafy green spinach! Not only does spinach provide protein but any other dark leafy greens as well. A lot of people choose to juice or make smoothies with kale, spinach and such so I encourage you to try this as well! Of course, if you just desire some extra protein buy a vegan protein powder and do whatever the hell you want with it! Get it where you can people and get it good!!!

Let's have a quickie!

C'mon you know the title hooked you! And that was exactly what I hoped for. I've been thinking a lot lately. Pretty much I think all the time(as does every other human being...I think?!) and I've decided it's time to really pay attention and just be conscious of every single moment. I'm not saying live like you're dying. I think what I am trying to say is just experience life. Experience every single moment and be in that moment. No matter what your perspective of the situation is, whether you view it as a happy or sad moment, acknowledge that moment and appreciate it.

I've been reading a lot about the mind-body connection lately. Basically how your thoughts and feelings really do affect your intuition and physical health. I fully believe the feelings we have manifest themselves into our bodies as either benefits or ailments. We each have the choice to be conscious of how we are feeling in our emotions and notice how this affects the feelings we have with your physical bodies. Stress is inevitable for most people but how we view that stress can make a great difference in how we handle our "stressful" situations. I'm going to leave you with some random things that inspire me and that I'm reading/researching about!

I think over again my small adventures, my fears, those small ones that seemed so big, all those vital things I had to get and to reach, and yet there is only one great thing: to live and see the great day that dawns, and the light that fills the world.

Old Innuit Song

I love Kings Of Leon and I really like this song!

I absolutely love reading and learning all I can about the woman's body and especially conception and childbirth. For me, the act of birthing my daughter was an experience that forever changed my life in so many ways. There is nothing better than being a mother.



This movie is one of a kind. It took me 3 times to make it through the entire movie. While it was absolutely horrific, it was something that you can never un-see. The things I witnessed watching the film have left a permanent impression on how I view every other being, whether it be human, animal or nature. It makes my passion for my chosen lifestyle burn much more fervently that's for sure. If you watch the film, I would love to hear your feedback on how you felt watching the film. I'm sure we'll share some of those same emotions.



This is a great 6 disc CD set that is a great tool to learn just exactly how strong the mind-body continuum is. Christiane Northrup is an amazing author and extremely intelligent when it comes to women's health.



So that's it for now. I used my lunch break to share that with you! Enjoy this beautiful fall day!



Hello...again!!! Blueberry Pancakes and Sesame Tofu!!!

Well hey there!! It's been awhile. I've been a slacker I know. Between my wisdom teeth extractions, my birthday, work, Micah's school, and Belly we've been some busy folks! It seems as though a lot of people dread the fall, not just because of the chilly weather, but also the drastic changes of schedule that come along too. I find myself missing the sun and it's glorious warmth, at the same time something about the beauty of fall this year has really captivated me. Having a toddler around makes you slow down and appreciate all of the beauty everyday "ordinary" life has to offer. Annabella loves to smell flowers, kiss our scarecrow outside the door, and just pick up every single leaf and admire it's allure and charm. Her fascination hypnotizes me and suddenly I feel like the toddler, experiencing everything for the very first time. Just hearing the leaves rustling in the wind, looking at the beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows of the trees takes me back to days anew.

See what I mean? This is beauty at it's finest. 

Curious little hands exploring

Now down to the nitty gritty. Despite the fact that I've been neglecting my blog, I haven't disregarded my love of food and cooking. I have been cooking and making lots of new tasty treats. I've been reading a lot which also adds to my forgetfulness of the blogging world. So today I'm going to share two meals that we make quite often in our house! Blueberry Pancakes and Sesame Tofu!

Blueberry Pancakes...with a CRUNCH! 

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups of almond milk(or soy, whatever vegan milk you choose!)

2 tablespoons agave(you could also use pure maple syrup if you like)

1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice

3 tablespoons of coconut oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup blueberries(these can be fresh or frozen, just thaw them if you use the frozen kind!)

First, in a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. 

Next, in a medium bowl, combine the almond milk, agave, lemon juice, vanilla extract and coconut oil. Pour this wet mixture into the dry flour mixture. Stir just until combined!!! 

wet mixture

All together now!!! 

Heat some coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Ladle your pancake onto the skillet and sprinkle the top of each pancake with some blueberries.

When bubbles appear, it may take up to one and a half minutes, turn and cook until the second side is also golden brown!!!

 Serve them with some warm maple syrup and enjoy!!!!

Deliciousness!!!!!




Sesame Tofu

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons agave

1 tablespoon coconut oil(or sesame oil, I just LOVE my precioussss...erggg, I mean coconut oil)

1 package of extra firm tofu, cubed

1 crushed garlic clove

5 green onions

1 can of pineapple(you can use the bits or chunked)

Handful or two of snow pea pods(or sugar snap peas)

2 cans, drained water chestnuts

1 container of sprouts

Be sure to press and drain your tofu before you begin. I usually press mine between two plates with a weight or heavy book for about 15 minutes. It looks a little something like this.....

Mix well in a large bowl the following: soy sauce, sesame seeds, oil, agave. Add the tofu and stir GENTLY to coat.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cubed tofu to the skillet and fry until golden brown. Reserve the tofu marinade.

Once cooked, set aside the tofu. Heat another tablespoon of oil, add the garlic, onion, pineapple, snow pea  pods, water chestnuts and sprouts. Stir fry until the vegetables are lightly cooked and tender. Add the marinade and tofu, continue to cook for another couple minutes until heated through. 

You can serve this with rice, any asian noodles, or a lettuce wrap!

 WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GRAPE DAZE YOU ASK????

Well, where we live there is a grape vine that grows along the fence. We really wanted to harvest the grapes and eat them, but they were just a little on the sour side. So one night, Hubby and a family friend get to talking about beer. Our friend Greg brews his own beer at home and is always experimenting new flavors. Hubby and Greg get to talking about beer, wine, and GRAPES! Suddenly these guys have a masterful plan to harvest the grapes before the birds eat them all, let them ripen inside, and have Greg try a grape flavored beer. And that is when Grape Daze was born. Grapes grown by Micah, brewed by Greg. And let me tell ya folks it is delicious! We were all a bit skeptical at first of a grape beer, but it's perfect. And highly alcoholic. Hence why after one beer, Amanda is feeling like a beautiful little butterfly floating up, up, and away! Haha, yes Mama's a lightweight now, and proud of it! Sadly, since Greg runs a "micro-brewery" we won't be making millions, and it's kinda hard to share when we drank it all...Oops..But I just had to brag about my genius husband and friend! Way to go guys, you gave me the best hangover yet! 

Hey you "punk"in, don't get any funny ideas about stealing my drank!