I just made this tonight. It's not even fully cooled yet and there is only one slice left in the pan ---- my roommates and I scarfed it down. I gathered "wild" persimmons --- they're not native to this continent, but they went "wild" centuries ago, so lots of them are to be found in the forest with fruit a bit smaller than a ping pong ball but with the same flavor as the expensive imported unripe apple-sized ones in stores. Just push them through a sieve to remove the seeds and skin and reveal the most gorgeous jewel-like pulp.
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/11/persimmon-bread.html
I used whole wheat pastry flour, which absorbs more liquid than all-purpose ww flour, so I made up the difference with a substantial splash of the beer I was drinking (a nice autumnal brew).
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, April 23, 2007
Therapy Dogs!
My mommy just showed me this great video about therapy dogs at Virginia Tech. I don't know how to embed it, but check it out!
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/us/2007/04/23/whitbeck.vt.dogs.cnn
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/us/2007/04/23/whitbeck.vt.dogs.cnn
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Happy Earth Day!
In honor of Earth Day today, we're going to explore exactly how much we can shrink our carbon footprint by adopting a more plant-based diet. Did you know that factory-farming of animal products is the number two cause of environmental destruction in the United States? (First is airline travel.)
Livestock factories are also responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases (which is more than the worldwide production from transportation). This means that by eating meat, you are doing more damage to the environment than driving your car! In fact, the energy it takes to raise, slaughter, and drive meat across the country, having a 16-oz T-bone is comparible to driving a Hummer. In a recent Time magazine article, I even learned that by going vegan I cut out 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide! If I traded in my Altima for a hybrid, I would only be cutting out 1 million. Livestock are also responsible for almost two-thirds (64 percent) of anthropogenic ammonia emissions, which contribute significantly to acid rain and acidification of ecosystems.
There are so many more ways the environment is bearing the toll of meat. The rainforest is suffering from our meat-lust. 70% of previously forrested areas in the Amazon is now pasture for your Big Mac. This is contributing to the decline of several species of animals. Our water supply is being wasted and contaminated by mass pork operations. We are overfishing the world's waters and are therefore devasting the aquatic food chain. And perhaps, most horribly, some hog farms release so many toxic fumes that it actually makes their neighbors sick and forces them to wear gas masks (just think of how much the animals must suffer)!
It is so easy to reverse this destruction. The next time you are out with your friends or family, opt for a meal with no meat. Check out your local farmers' market, or if you are really ambitious, look for a produce co-op in your area. Whatever you do, think about the future of the planet we live on. I, for one, want my children to have a healthy earth where they can go outside without fear of asthma or acid rain and still have the land that is going to be covered up if we allow the polar icecaps to melt.
Eat vegan, eat local, and save our planet! For more information, please check out:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/environment/article/0,28804,1602354_1603074_1603171,00.html
http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/environment.html
http://www.sierraclub.com/factoryfarms/factsheets/
Or buy/borrow the book "Veggie Revolution" by Sally Kneidel and Sara Kate Kneidel (It's a really great, fun read!)
Livestock factories are also responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases (which is more than the worldwide production from transportation). This means that by eating meat, you are doing more damage to the environment than driving your car! In fact, the energy it takes to raise, slaughter, and drive meat across the country, having a 16-oz T-bone is comparible to driving a Hummer. In a recent Time magazine article, I even learned that by going vegan I cut out 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide! If I traded in my Altima for a hybrid, I would only be cutting out 1 million. Livestock are also responsible for almost two-thirds (64 percent) of anthropogenic ammonia emissions, which contribute significantly to acid rain and acidification of ecosystems.
There are so many more ways the environment is bearing the toll of meat. The rainforest is suffering from our meat-lust. 70% of previously forrested areas in the Amazon is now pasture for your Big Mac. This is contributing to the decline of several species of animals. Our water supply is being wasted and contaminated by mass pork operations. We are overfishing the world's waters and are therefore devasting the aquatic food chain. And perhaps, most horribly, some hog farms release so many toxic fumes that it actually makes their neighbors sick and forces them to wear gas masks (just think of how much the animals must suffer)!
It is so easy to reverse this destruction. The next time you are out with your friends or family, opt for a meal with no meat. Check out your local farmers' market, or if you are really ambitious, look for a produce co-op in your area. Whatever you do, think about the future of the planet we live on. I, for one, want my children to have a healthy earth where they can go outside without fear of asthma or acid rain and still have the land that is going to be covered up if we allow the polar icecaps to melt.
Eat vegan, eat local, and save our planet! For more information, please check out:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/environment/article/0,28804,1602354_1603074_1603171,00.html
http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/environment.html
http://www.sierraclub.com/factoryfarms/factsheets/
Or buy/borrow the book "Veggie Revolution" by Sally Kneidel and Sara Kate Kneidel (It's a really great, fun read!)
Monday, April 16, 2007
Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Dip
Hi, this is Nikki. I'm an old friend of Jenni's and a new friend of Kurt and Henry's! I'm not vegan myself, but I avoid animal products when I can, and most of the cookbooks on my shelf are vegan. I love cooking, and one of my great joys in life is feeding people. Since Jenni and I started hanging out more, that has included her and Kurt (and Henry, who takes care of the leftovers). We make dinner on the weekends, and my first post for you is a red pepper-artichoke dip we made Friday night.
A lot of people are hesitant about vegan food because of the "weird" ingredients. I'm not going to lie to you: some vegans eat "weird" stuff. I think exploring new flavors is a great adventure, and in the future I'll be introducing you to some of my favorite "weird" foods. But for now, we'll stick with things that might already be in your pantry or are easily found at your regular grocery store. They're "normal" foods that just happen to be vegan (Hooray!).
This is based on the "Roasted Red Pepper Dip" in The Accidental Vegan by Devra Gartenstein. (I changed some of the proportions to suit my tastes.)
1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers (packed in vinegar, not oil)
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts (vinegar- or water-packed)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 packed cup fresh basil
Whiz everything in a food processor for a minute or two, taste and adjust to your liking. Serve with toasted whole grain baguette slices, cucumber slices, baby carrots, pita chips, use your imagination!
A lot of people are hesitant about vegan food because of the "weird" ingredients. I'm not going to lie to you: some vegans eat "weird" stuff. I think exploring new flavors is a great adventure, and in the future I'll be introducing you to some of my favorite "weird" foods. But for now, we'll stick with things that might already be in your pantry or are easily found at your regular grocery store. They're "normal" foods that just happen to be vegan (Hooray!).
This is based on the "Roasted Red Pepper Dip" in The Accidental Vegan by Devra Gartenstein. (I changed some of the proportions to suit my tastes.)
1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers (packed in vinegar, not oil)
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts (vinegar- or water-packed)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 packed cup fresh basil
Whiz everything in a food processor for a minute or two, taste and adjust to your liking. Serve with toasted whole grain baguette slices, cucumber slices, baby carrots, pita chips, use your imagination!
Friday, April 13, 2007
I have a dream...
I got a fortune cookie yesterday that said, "You have been given a dream, and you have also been given the tools to reach it" (or something to that effect). Now, I know fortune cookies aren't really a very good indicator of how well this project is going to suceed, but it made me feel pretty good!
I have a grand dream of ending this country's love affair with meat. That will very likely not happen, at least in my lifetime. I would absolutely adore it, if all of you stopped eating meat... But again, that's a little farfetched. But I have another dream: For everyone who reads this to have ONE meatless meal a day. Luckily for me, that one is much more achievable!
That may sound a little ambitious, considering most of you are full-fledge meat-eaters, but it can be done, especially if you take it slow! Say, for a few weeks you eat one meatless meal that week, then two, and then three... Eventually, you're down to one meatless meal a day.
Now, you may be asking, "Why on Earth would I want to eat a meatless meal every day?"
I have a grand dream of ending this country's love affair with meat. That will very likely not happen, at least in my lifetime. I would absolutely adore it, if all of you stopped eating meat... But again, that's a little farfetched. But I have another dream: For everyone who reads this to have ONE meatless meal a day. Luckily for me, that one is much more achievable!
That may sound a little ambitious, considering most of you are full-fledge meat-eaters, but it can be done, especially if you take it slow! Say, for a few weeks you eat one meatless meal that week, then two, and then three... Eventually, you're down to one meatless meal a day.
Now, you may be asking, "Why on Earth would I want to eat a meatless meal every day?"
- More options! There are a ton of delicious (and nutritious) different vegetables, fruits, and grains out there for you to try. The most delicious things I've ever eaten in my life were not carved from an animal, but were in fact different veggies.
- Cut your food costs! It's no secret that being a vegetarian is MUCH cheaper than buying all that expensive meat.
- Reduce your carbon footprint! The meat industry is a huge contributer to environmental destruction.
- Lose weight, lower your cholesterol, etc! Eating vegetarian is much healthier, you're sparing your body from some nasty stuff.
- Save animals' lives! I think that one speaks for itself.
There is much more to each of these benefits, but, hey, I need stuff to blog about in the future! Try a meat-free meal this week. Let me know what you ate, and what you thought! Nikki will be piping in soon with some great vegetarian recipes, so stay tuned!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Every Day is Tag Day!
I had a very interesting night last night! My very best friend in the whole wide dog world is Dozer the Lab. Well, last night, when my mommy came home from work she found Dozer playing with another neighborhood dog. She went to give him a treat and realized... He wasn't Dozer at all! It was another black lab we had never seen before. So, we went door to door asking people if they knew where he came from, but alas, he apparently had no home near us!
My new friend, who Daddy named Vagabond, was wearing a Harley-Davidson collar, but no name-tag. He did have a rabies tag though. Luckily, my mommy is very ingenuitive so this morning she called the veterinarian where Vagabond got his rabies shot and gave them his tag year and number. The nice lady at the vet's office gave my mommy the number for Buddy's parents (as we found out his real name was) and Buddy went home this morning!
It was a good thing Buddy was wearing his rabies tag, or he might never have made it home! I think all dogs should be equipped with a proper tag so if they ever lose their mommy and/or daddy, they can find their way home. Even inside dogs sometimes get outside and lost! Another option is microchipping. This is a tiny chip inserted into a dog's ear (I have one, and it doesn't bother me at all!) that can be scanned if I dog is ever picked up and has lost his collar. It's a permanent way of making sure your best friend can always make it back to you safely.
Here in Spartanburg, the Humane Society does microchips for only $20! Check them out at http://www.spartanburghumanesociety.com/ Tags can be purchased very cheaply at Walmart, Petsmart, or your vet's office.
On April 7th, the American Humane Association launched a program called "Every Day is Tag Day!" You can check out tagging information and tips on what to do if your pet ever gets lost at http://americanhumane.org/tagday
I sure had fun playing with Buddy, but I'm kind of glad to have my red ball to myself again.
My new friend, who Daddy named Vagabond, was wearing a Harley-Davidson collar, but no name-tag. He did have a rabies tag though. Luckily, my mommy is very ingenuitive so this morning she called the veterinarian where Vagabond got his rabies shot and gave them his tag year and number. The nice lady at the vet's office gave my mommy the number for Buddy's parents (as we found out his real name was) and Buddy went home this morning!
It was a good thing Buddy was wearing his rabies tag, or he might never have made it home! I think all dogs should be equipped with a proper tag so if they ever lose their mommy and/or daddy, they can find their way home. Even inside dogs sometimes get outside and lost! Another option is microchipping. This is a tiny chip inserted into a dog's ear (I have one, and it doesn't bother me at all!) that can be scanned if I dog is ever picked up and has lost his collar. It's a permanent way of making sure your best friend can always make it back to you safely.
Here in Spartanburg, the Humane Society does microchips for only $20! Check them out at http://www.spartanburghumanesociety.com/ Tags can be purchased very cheaply at Walmart, Petsmart, or your vet's office.
On April 7th, the American Humane Association launched a program called "Every Day is Tag Day!" You can check out tagging information and tips on what to do if your pet ever gets lost at http://americanhumane.org/tagday
I sure had fun playing with Buddy, but I'm kind of glad to have my red ball to myself again.
The Spartan Vegan Vision
Hi! I'm Jennifer, and Spartan Vegan is my creation. When I was 17, I attended North Carolina Governor's School in Raleigh, North Carolina. One night, we had a animal rights speaker come in and talk about animals as food and for experiments. I was so horrified, I went back to my dorm and told my friends that I didn't think I would eat meat anymore.... And I didn't! Five years later, and I have decided to end my love affair with dairy and take the plunge into veganism.
I have many ideas for this blog. I'll be reviewing some vegan cookbooks, offering up some vegan recipes, letting you know exactly why I made the choice to go vegan, and hopefully organizing a project or two I have up my sleeve! Henry, the dog, will be detailing the happenings with companion animals... And Kurt will offer you guys a break from my ranting! I have two dear friends who are both vegan cooking goddesses, so I might get them to write a guest-blog or two! And ultimately, I would like to set up a support group for vegans, vegetarians, and all those who make a difference in the Spartanburg area.
I would like to stress that you do not have to be vegan or even vegetarian to read this blog. I know most Americans have a love-affair with meat, and it would be very, very hard to stop it. But consider this, EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS! Every time you skip out on a burger you are making a difference, even if you just eat a chicken sandwich the next day. And I, the animals, your body, and the environment thank you for it!
Interested? Want to know how lowering or eliminating your animal consumption can help stop global warming and make you healthier? Want to know exactly what you can do to help homeless animals? Then read on!!
I have many ideas for this blog. I'll be reviewing some vegan cookbooks, offering up some vegan recipes, letting you know exactly why I made the choice to go vegan, and hopefully organizing a project or two I have up my sleeve! Henry, the dog, will be detailing the happenings with companion animals... And Kurt will offer you guys a break from my ranting! I have two dear friends who are both vegan cooking goddesses, so I might get them to write a guest-blog or two! And ultimately, I would like to set up a support group for vegans, vegetarians, and all those who make a difference in the Spartanburg area.
I would like to stress that you do not have to be vegan or even vegetarian to read this blog. I know most Americans have a love-affair with meat, and it would be very, very hard to stop it. But consider this, EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS! Every time you skip out on a burger you are making a difference, even if you just eat a chicken sandwich the next day. And I, the animals, your body, and the environment thank you for it!
Interested? Want to know how lowering or eliminating your animal consumption can help stop global warming and make you healthier? Want to know exactly what you can do to help homeless animals? Then read on!!
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