Why won't those wacky vegans eat cheese?

"Ok," people say to vegans, "I get the idea behind not eating meat.  But dairy?  How on earth can you give up cheese?"

This post details the ethical problems with dairy, and the powerful industry that's painting milk across the upper lips of teen idols and pouring it into our cereal bowls.  While I think that there is a plethora of scientifically sound reasons to give up dairy for health reasons, I'll talk about those in a different post.

I can hear you rolling your eyes.  And I can hear you thinking, "milk is a natural food.  Cows give it to us naturally.  They need to be milked; farmers are doing them a favour.  And cheese is awesome." I can hear you, because these thoughts are all things I thought myself before I discovered the truth behind the cheese.

Natural, eh?  We are the only species on earth that drinks the breast milk of another species, and the only species that continues to drink this breast milk past infancy.  Doesn't that sound kind of...icky?  And certainly not natural.  Lactose intolerance is often referred to as some kind of disease or condition, but in fact, we stop producing the enzyme that our body needs to properly digest milk around the age of 18, because we aren't supposed to be drinking it anymore. If you are lactose intolerant, you don't have a special medical condition, your body is just behaving the way it should.


When I was a LO vegetarian, I thought that cows needed to be milked, or else they would be in physical pain.  Someone told me this once, (probably one of my parents, I don't really remember), and I just believed them.  And I think most people are told this pleasant fiction at some point or another, and most people just accept it as fact.  Why does the cow need to be milked?  That part we don't really think too hard about.  Cows are just milk machines, right?

We don't think too hard about why cows need to be milked, because the idea that cows produce milk for no reason is a load of bull.  Cows don't constantly produce a never ending stream of milk just waiting to be turned into your next pint of Ben and Jerry's.  They are artificially impregnated 90 days after they give birth, every time that they give birth, so that they can be constantly milked with the use of an artificial insemination instrument called a rape rack. Think of the stress that a human female body undergoes from just one pregnancy, and now imagine that she is forced to undergo this every year, with no time to recover, and no choice.

This photo comes from Blaikiewell Animal Sanctuary

Dairy cows are fed Bovine Grown Hormone (BGH), a synthetic hormone developed to produce more milk, and through a combination of messing around with their genetics and intensive production technology they produce 100lb of milk a day, which is ten times more than they would normally produce with a natural pregnancy.  A dairy cow is often forced to produce so much milk that her swollen udder will drag on the floor.

After about 3-6 years of this unnatural cycle, the cows are spent.  Normally a cow would live to about 25 years of age, but in the dairy industry when a cow stops producing milk, she is sold for meat and sent for slaughter.  The dairy industry props up the meat industry in a very real way.

A dairy cow is hooked up to a milking machine several times a day.  The constant stress of this unnatural cycle will put her at risk for numerous health problems, including Bovine Leukemia Virus, Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus, and Johne's disease (which is like the human Crohn's disease).  This milking machine will suck her udders dry and often transmit bacterial infections to her, such as the very painful infection of the udders called mastitis.

Do you like drinking pus?  Good.  Because thanks to mastitis, a condition from which 30% of all British dairy cows suffer, pus is in your milk.  Under governmental regulations 400 million pus cells are allowed into every litre of milk.  If this disgusts you for your sake, think of the cow that has to put up with having her swollen, infected udder sucked dry several times a day, every day of her life, until she is sent to slaughter. 

The dairy industry, like any profitable industry, is a business.  Businesses are after money, and the welfare of cows will never be more important in a dairy farm than the financial bottom line.  Therefore, cows will always be treated as machines, not living, sentient beings.  In one type of milking system, cows are confined to windowless sheds and chained by the neck for the duration of their lives.  In another, they are crowded into outdoor enclosures where they must continuously stand or lie on feces and urine caked soil.  Their painful medical problems often go unnoticed and untended; the cows simply suffer through infections, illnesses, and injuries.  Investigators have documented that animals who are so sick or injured that they are unable to walk or even stand are routinely beaten, dragged, or pushed with bulldozers in attempts to move them to slaughter.
 
I am by no means a maternal person, but the part of the dairy industry that affects me the most is the manipulated of the relationship between mother cows and their calves.  The bond between a mother and child is undoubtedly one of the most sacred, primitive, and natural in our society, and as egocentric as our species can be, we all recognise that we as humans do not have a monopoly on this bond.  We know that this bond exists between all mothers and their offspring, regardless of species.

So if cows are continuously impregnated, what happens to their calves?  The calves produced by these pregnancies are taken away from their mothers immediately after birth.  The females will be used as dairy cows.  The males will be kept in unthinkable conditions for a few weeks, and then sold for veal meat or other beef.  Mother cows, normally docile, will fight against their calves being taken away from them, and will search and call out for their children for days after they are taken away.  The painful image of mother cows frantically calling out for their children affects me and stays with me the most, possibly because in the end, it would be better for her really to not know what happened to her child.

So, I don't think that milk is a natural food.  I don't think that cows give it to us freely.  And I don't think that farmers are doing them a favour.

Ethical Eats

Vegan Blueberry Pancakes

Tomorrow is Pancake Tuesday, and don't think that vegans have to opt out of it!  Here is a dairy free, egg free recipe for delicious blueberry pancakes.  Please note these are in the style of the fluffier Canadian pancakes, rather than the more crepe-like British pancakes.  Blueberries aren't in season right now, so look in the freezer section of your local store for frozen berries.  Of course you can substitute any kind of berries you like, or take them out completely if you have something against fiber and phytonutrients.  Double the recipe for a family.

1 cup plain flour (or 1/2 cup plain flour and 1/2 cup whole-wheat)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup soy milk
2.5 Tablespoons canola oil (also known as rapeseed oil)
1/2 cup thawed blueberries

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Stir in soy milk and oil, and mix until just combined (lumps are ok). Gently fold in the blueberries.

Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat, and add a small amount of oil.  I use a 1/4 cup measure to spoon out the batter into the frying pan.  Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, bubbles will form on the top side.  Flip, and cook 2 minutes on the other side.  Don't worry if the fist pancake looks a little funky, the first pancake in any batch of pancakes you will ever make is usually a "throwaway" pancake.  Except I throw it away by eating it while the others are cooking.

Top with more fresh fruit, maple syrup, non-dairy margarine, brown rice syrup, jam (preferably sugar free), or applesauce.

References
Butler, Justine, White Lies, Bristol: Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation, 2006.  Available at    http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/campaigns/whitelies/wlreport01.shtml.
Farm Animal Welfare Council, "Report on the Welfare of Dairy Cattle," LFAC, 1997.  Available at http://www.fawc.org.uk/reports/dairycow/dcowrtoc.htm.
Farm Sanctuary, The Welfare of Cattle in Dairy Production, NY: Farm Sanctuary, 2006.  Available at http://www.farmsanctuary.org/mediacenter/dairy_report.html.
Vernelli, Toni, The Dark Side of Dairy: A report on the UK Dairy Industry, Bristol: Viva!, 2005.  Available at http://milkmyths.org.uk/report/index.php.

Be Kind to the Meat Eaters

There are some meat eaters, and I'm happy to say that the majority of my meat-eating friends fall into this category, who give me faith in humanity.  They are the meat eaters who would never dream of challenging the ethics of vegetarians, who never demand that their spinach-munching friends defend themselves, who are completely capable of happily eating a meatless meal when necessary, and who always thoughtfully ensure that vegetarian options are available for any social occasion they host.  These lovely creatures fill me with the hope that one day, all omnivores and herbivores will eat together peacefully, then link arms and go skipping down tree-lined paths singing maritime folk songs and collecting daisies to braid into wreaths.

This blog is not about those meat eaters.

This blog is about the other kind of meat eaters.  Long term vegetarians, you know exactly what kind of meat eater I mean.  The kind  who is completely incapable of treating a vegetarian with respect and acceptance, who froths from the mouth with venom in between bites of a bloody hamburger, which they think is oh-so-hilarious to offer you.

I know, I know.  They're jerks.  They're such jerks.  No, not just because they eat meat.  Contrary to popular belief, very few vegetarians actually think meat eaters are jerks, just because they eat meat.  They make stupid counter-points to arguments about vegetarianism that you didn't even start.  They pester you with inane, asinine questions like, "would you eat a piece of meat if somebody put a gun to your head?"  Some of them badger you so much that you start to fearfully wonder if they possibly are going to put a gun to your head.  One very well-known meat eater and professional bully even threatened to electrocute his children if they became vegetarian.

So why on earth should we be kind to them? 

Well, to get to the bottom of the problem, lets look at the different reasons WHY some meat eaters throw their manners out the door when confronted with vegetarianism.  To do so, we should examine the typical interaction between vegetarians and meat eaters.  Here is a normal interaction between a vegetarian and one of the first kind of friendlier, gentler meat eaters:

Friendly Meat Eater:  Hey, do you want a bite of my hamburger?
Vegetarian:  No thanks, I'm vegetarian.
Friendly Meat Eater: Oh, ok. I've thought about being vegetarian before, but I don't think I could give up chicken.
Vegetarian:  Ah.  I understand. (Conversation moves on to other subjects).

What a pleasant exchange!  And here is a normal interaction between a vegetarian and one of the second kind of surly meat eaters:

Grumpypants Meat Eater:  Hey, do you want a bit of my hamburger?
Vegetarian:  No thanks, I'm vegetarian.
Grumpypants Meat Eater:  YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE?! (Head explodes).

See?  Just not a normal reaction.  I think we can assume that there is something going on behind the scenes here.  I think there are a couple of different types of these meat eaters, and a couple of different reasons why they act they way they do.  Here are the categories I have noticed:

The Deeply Concerned for Your Health Meat Eaters:  These meat eaters aren't really jerks, but they can be very frustrating to deal with politely.  These are the meat eaters who think that they they are doing you a favour by pointing out to that their sister's high school basketball coach assured them that you absolutely must have animal protein to participate in sports, and that all vegetarians are certainly going to die by Tuesday.  Their motivations can generally be divided into two categories: those who use the mis-perceptions about vegetarian diets to justify their own meat eating, and those who are genuinely under the impression that vegetarianism is not good for you.  How to be kind to them?  Treat them all with the benefit of the doubt. Smile and non-confrontationally assure them that you are very well informed regarding nutrition and that you are perfectly healthy, and let the discussion end there.  If they decide to press the issue, and you're feeling up for a debate, refer them the writings and studies of prolific vegetarian doctors such as Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. John A McDougall, and Dr. Dean Ornish.  Since this discussion usually centers around protein, refer them to this blog.  Be well-informed, and stay calm and friendly.  Even if they don't.

The Playground Antics Meat Eaters:  These little rascals are a tiresome group indeed.  These are the meat eaters who demand to know why you don't care about the feelings of plants.  These are the meat eaters who apparently think they are being cute by asking vegetarians what's wrong with them (cute like a stomach virus).  These are the meat eaters who childishly taunt you with how difficult your life is compared to theirs because they "can" eat meat and you "can't."  This group is trying to offend you, yet when you are actually offended, they accuse you of not having a sense of humour.  However, should you ever, say, respond to their joke about rabbit food by pointing out that they are eating cat food, their faces fall as they sputter in dismay and confusion "Wha...that's just...what are you...that's just...stupid...and...MOMMY!"  So why on earth should you be kind to them?  Because just like when they used to pull little Janey's hair on the playground, something is behind their bratty behaviour.  These people are trying to deflect the seriousness of the subject of vegetarianism, not out of any desire for social ease, but because they feel threatened by it.  They may claim to not care about the animals, but they do.  They care a lot.  They wouldn't need to pull your hair if they didn't.  Your ability to look the meat industry in the eye and refuse to accept the omnivore status quo is threatening to them, and you don't have to do a damn thing to produce this reaction in them.  So to be kind to these frightened little bunnies, and don't do anything to increase their fear of threat.  Smile thinly and change the subject.  Should they continue to pester you, gently remind them that you have never questioned their eating habits, and that you aren't looking for a discussion (trust me, you will not get an intelligent one out of these people).

The Snarky Meat Eaters:  These are the people who make rude, cutting little comments to you like, "I made sure to eat something before I came to your dinner party, because I knew you'd only be serving vegetarian food, " or making comments to others in your hearing, that obviously too much meat is bad, but of course you need to eat a little, or responding, when you tell them that you are vegetarian, "what would you want to do that for?"  Snarkies tend to fall into two categories:  those who are just joking and have no idea that they are actually causing you offence, and those who just don't care that they are actually causing you offence.  The first category deserves your understanding, because even though they are being rude, they probably don't mean to be.  If they are not people you know well, look at them quizzically, and simply respond, "What a thing say," and change the subject.  If they are friends or family, privately speak to them to explain that although you know they are joking, their comments are upsetting to you.  If they continue to make these comments after this conversation, stop inviting them to your dinner parties, introducing them to your friends, and just stop returning their calls, because they aren't feeling insecure or oblivious, they're JUST JERKS.

The Hypocrisy Police Meat Eaters:  These are the people who really want to check your closet for leather products.  Ever had anyone point out to you that if you take Tylenol there's really no point in being vegetarian, because there may be animal products in the tablet?  That genius fell into this category.  They are desperately trying to catch you out, because they think that you think you're perfect.  They are feeling insecure because of your attempt to stay loyal to your ethics and they think you are judging them for not doing the same thing.  Therefore, they try to find a way to bring you down to their level by attempting to make you look hypocritical.  Assure them that you are not some higher, angelically moral being.  When they make comments like this, simply assure them that because vegetarianism isn't a perfect science, you aren't going to be perfect yourself, but you try your best because you care about the issue.  They will usually calm down pretty quickly when they realise that what they were asking you to do was be just that:  perfect. 

The Grand Poobahs of Crazy Meat Eaters:  So far we've talked about anti-vegetarianism behaviour that manifests itself in ignorant, irritating, or even rude ways, but now we've come to the bottom of the barrel, the really kind of scary meat eaters.  Every vegetarian has encountered them; the people who react with real hostility and anger when you speak the completely innocent words "No thanks, I'm a vegetarian."  You may not encounter these people so often in real life (although again, every vegetarian has experienced it), but the internet has spread these reactions like the clap, with comments such as " I hope that somebody grabs [vegetarians] and forces a nice big juicy hotdog down their throats," or "Vegetarians = pussys(sic), everyone knows this."  Classy.  Obviously, their reaction is not about you.  I think it's obvious from the very extremity of their reactions, that simply by being the vegetarian in the room, you have touched a sore spot.  Like the Playground Meat Eaters, these people do care about the animals, and they aren't able to deal with their own actions.  Like many meat eaters, they feel judged by you without you having to say anything.  Do not engage in a debate with these people.  They are not in their happy place.  When they try and provoke you, you can simply ask them why vegetarianism upsets them so much.  Point out to them that you have not tried to convince them of anything, and aren't looking to change their minds.  Tell them if they are really interested in having a debate about it, you can arrange to talk to them later, but you don't think right now is the time and place.


Fair or not, meat eaters tend to have the stereotype of the preaching, paint-throwing vegetarian in their heads when they talk to you.  I think vegetarians can ease the situation by never being this vegetarian.  Be kind to the meat eaters because:
1.  They may simply be ignorant: Not everyone has super-amazing bloggers to tell them everything they need to know about vegetarian lifestyle.  Politely correct their misperceptions and refrain from accusing them of not having cracked a book since the 1970's.
2.  They feel threatened by you:  People are afraid of other people who wear their morality on their sleeves.  Don't make any sudden noises and don't call their own habits into question.
3.  They don't realise they are being offensive:  I think it's hard for non-vegetarians to understand how deeply vegetarians feel about the subject, probably because we're restricted from talking about it freely.  Let them know they're upsetting you before you write them off completely.
4.  They're afraid you think you're better than them:  Obviously no one deals with holier-than-thou people very well.  Be humble, and let them know you don't think you're perfect (it helps if you genuinely don't think you're perfect).
5. They feel that their own actions are being called into question:  As abusive and downright mean as some meat-eaters can be, remember no one acts this way without having some issues of insecurity with their own lifestyle. 

Remember that most meat-eaters don't actually know very many vegetarians, so you are in a way expected to act as the Ambassador of the Vegetarians.  While your job is certainly not to convert anyone to the cause, a meat eater's impression of you will inevitably be linked to their impression of vegetarianism.  Therefore, who loses out when vegetarians rise to bratty meat eaters' bait?  Not the meat eaters, you'll simply have confirmed their suspicions.  The animals lose out.  So take a little bit of that compassion and kindness you feel towards victimised animals, and turn it towards your meat eating acquaintances.  And hug one of the friendlier meat eaters today.

Karing Kitchen!

Baby Squash and Sun-dried Pesto Linguine

One way to be kind to meat eaters is to feed them delicious vegetarian food!  Italian food is a great middle-ground between herbivores and omnivores because it's both comforting and familiar, and easily made animal-free.   This dish could also be made with courgettes/zucchini, but baby squash have the advantage of being one of the cutest foods ever.

Serves 3-4

3-4 baby squash, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil (you may need a little more later on)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (you may need a little more later on)
300g linguine noodles

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

You can either made the pesto from the recipe below, or use a store-bought variety.  You may not need all the pesto this recipe makes, so if you're not used to using pesto, start with a few spoonfuls, coat the pasta,  taste it, and add more as you like.  Note:  you will need either a food processor, hand held blender, or pestle and mortar to make this recipe, so if you don't have any of these things, don't feel lazy for buying a pre-made jar.

2/3 cup of oil-packed sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of walnuts/pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 tsp dried basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, chopped
dash of cayenne
salt to taste

1.  Put a large pot of boiling water on to boil.  Add the pasta, stir, and cook until al dente, or your preferred texture.
2.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.  Add the vinegar, made the sure the pan is coated, then add the baby squash slices.  There must be no overlapping, so you will likely need to do more than one batch, which is why you may need more oil and vinegar.  Fry on each side until well-browned (even blackened if you like), about 5 minutes on each side, only move the slices to flip them. 
3.  While the squash is cooking, add the ingredients for the pesto into your food processor, minus the olive oil.  While you are blending, drizzle in the olive oil until you have a delicious paste.  Taste and season if necessary.  You can of course use a pestle and mortar if you're feeling medieval, or forgot to pay your electricity bill, but I've never made pesto with a such a device, so don't look to me for guidance.
4.  Coat the linguine with the pesto, and toss the squash into the pasta.
5.  Serve either by itself, or with some nice Italian crusty bread and a small green salad.

Makes great leftovers!  Any leftover pesto can be stored in a jar in your fridge for about a week.

Ethics 101

I'm sure every vegetarian could come up with several different, ethical reasons for being a vegetarian. Please feel free to post your own reasons below, but the following reasons are my own fundamental ethical reasons for turning my nose up at meat. These reasons are not meant to hit anyone over the head with my personal philosophy, but to give those who questioning their own practise of eating meat, some food for thought.

1. Meat is for pleasure, not survival

The meat industry has worked really really hard to instill the idea into all of us that we need meat to survive and be healthy. And judging by the amount of comments I get about how I have to be "so, so careful" about my diet, they've suceeded. There are plenty of arguments out there for why vegetarianism is healthier than eating meat, but for right now lets just settle on the fact that vegetarianism is certainly as healthy as diets including meat. Don't believe me? Check any national health website, no matter what country you are in. We do not need meat to be healthy. That means the only reasons we kill animals for food is pleasure and habit. Consider that fact while you read through the other points.

2. What's the difference?

To me, there is no moral difference between eating an animal and eating a human. I don't feel that we are superior to animals, so to me there is no difference. And since I'm not keen to eat a human, I can't justify eating an animal. Simple as that!

3. Unnatural breeds of animals

In our quest to make the meat industry as financially lucrative as possible, we have created some frankenstein animals, bred specifically to yield unnatural amounts of meat. Chickens are bred to have unnaturally large breastsand pigs are bred to be so fat they are unable to support their own weight. These animals are unable function as they normally should, and live lives of pain purely for the financial advancement of another species. The more people who convert to vegetarianism, the more chance that these breeds will be allowed to die out, ending their painful and unnatural existences.

4. We have an instintive love of our fuzzy, furry, or feathered friends

Children are born with a natural love of animals. Parents encourage this love with family pets, plush animal toys, viewings of Bambi and The Lion King, and trips to petting zoos. But as we grow up, the idea is instilled in us that animals exist as tools for human pleasre, and we begin to view those interested in animal rights as nuts, loonies, and fantasists. Remember the affection you felt for animals as a child. There is nothing nutty about compassion and consideration.

5. Cows don't live in grassy meadows

Even if you don't think there is an inherent problem with humans eating other animals, I'm willing to bet you don't want these animals to be raised in horrible conditions wherein they suffer their entire lives, and are killed inhumanely purely for money and your pleasure. But animals DO live in horrible conditions and ARE killed inhumanely. Many people are vaguely aware of the conditions of factory farming, but I think if we are going to include meat in our diets we are obligated to understand exactly how this meat is raised. There are plenty of books and videos on the situation: check out Meet your Meat, Food Ink, Earthlings, Fast Food Nation, or The Food Revolution.

6. Eating less is still too much

Some people look at the above resources and think that if they reduce the amount of meat consumed, or make efforts to improve the conditions the animals are raised in, the problem of factory farming will be solved. Reducing consumption and improving conditions are good first steps, but they are only first steps. The meat industry is necessarily a business, and as a business, the animals involved will always be treated as a product. Business sense will always win out over compassion. When we commercialise another life, we've already thrown a level of compassion out the door.

7. Owning another life is morally impossible to me

Can anyone really own another's life for financial purposes? Don't we call that slavery, and don't we condemn slavery? And yet we condone it in the meat industry. Why do we think that because cows, pigs, and chickens can't talk, their lives are ours for financial purposes? Can I sell a mute for money? Do we think we own animals because we perceive them as being less intelligent? Can I sell a mentally disabled person for money? There is something so disturbing to me about the idea that we think we own these animals and have the right to do whatever we want with their lives.

8. Why some animals and not others?

This is a familiar argument to both vegetarians and meat-eaters. Why do we fawn over some animals, turn them into our pets, and even take them to pet hairdressers, and look the other way while other animals suffer painful lives and slaughter? While some cultures eat dog, western countries generally view this habit with revulsion, mockery, and contempt. Yet, cows, pigs, chickens, and lambs are no less adorable, sweet, inquisitive, amusing, and capable of returning love than dogs and cats. If you couldn't eat your dog (and I suspect most of you couldn't), does it really make sense to condone eating adorable pigs, sweet-eyed cows, curious chickens, or playful lambs?

9. I have the power to control my actions

Some people do think that people are superior to animals. That our power of reason and morality put us on pedestal over the animals we eat. I don't personally agree that humans are superior to animals, but if we do have these wonderful superior abilities to behave reasonably and morally, why can't we bestow this on our animal friends? What is a better use of reason than to produce food in a sustainable, healthy way? What is more moral than compassion? If we have been given the power to control our actions beyond nature, what better way to exercise this control than to stop inflicting cruelty on the earth and all its inhabitants?

Recessionpe!

These muffins are vegan, and as far as sweet muffins go, pretty healthy! If you've never had zucchini in muffins or cakes, prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

Zucchini and Molasses Muffins

Makes 12

1/2 cup canola, safflower, or coconut oil
3/4-1 cup Billington's molasses sugar (you can use any brand, but this is the only one I know)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp white vinegar
2-3 tbsp water
2 cups grated zucchini
2 cups all-purpose flour*
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350/180 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together oil, sugar, and vanilla. The sugar may be a bit lumpy; you can mix it in totally, or leave the lumps for delicious little pockets of sugar in the final product. Combine baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, and whisk with a fork until bubbly. Mix in with the rest of wet ingredients. In a seperate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in water on tablespoon at a time, until you have a batter.  You made need a little mor, but add it cautiously.  Don't overmix. Stir in the zucchini.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins (either grease the tins, or use paper liners), and bake for 15-20 minutes. It may take longer, depending on your oven. The muffins should be puffed and golden brown, and an inserted knife should come out clean.

*You can also use a mixture of 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole-wheat. If you decide to do this, you will likely need to add some more water to create a more batter-like texture, and then bake it a little longer.

I like to freeze these muffins, and pop one into my lunch bag for an afternoon snack.

Healthy, Wealthy, and Kind

I love being a vegetarian. I love the word, I love the food, and I love the ethos. I think there are many reasons to become vegetarian, including the benefit to your health, your wallet, or the environment. However, I would like to say at the start that the real reason I am a vegetarian is the animals. I love them and I think that eating them is about as necessary and as morally defensible as frying up your neighbour. When confronted with someone who doesn't want to kill animals for a snack, some meat-eaters react with thinly-veiled anger and resentment. As a result, vegetarians often avoid discussion the ethical considerations of a plant-based diet. I would like to think that I can speak my mind about my true reasons for not eating meat without slapping meat-eaters in the face with my choice.

But as I said, there are many other great reasons for marrying a carrot. The first of these reasons is health. Over the course of this blog, I hope to dispell the ridiculous and outdated health myths about vegetarianism still running rampant in our collective minds.

People don't like it when you nag them about their bad eating habits. I know this, because I nag people about their bad eating habits all the time. And they usually aren't very pleased with me. And you know what? I don't really care. Because if I don't lecture them, I have to hear them constantly complain about being fat, having no energy, and getting ill every other week. Do you think maybe, just maybe, a possible solution could be that you haven't eaten a vegetable in two weeks, you just downed a pound of chips and an entire fried fish for lunch? Is it possible?

So much energy in the media gets devoted to trying to convince us that being slim and healthy is really difficult and really complicated. We are bombarded with conflicting messages about carbs, protein, and fat. Magazine articles try to highlight certain super-duper fruits and vegetables that we need to eat obsessively for a fast-track approach to nutrition. I believe in a varied and seasonally-based whole food diet. Such a diet is simple, delicious, and wonderfully healthy. Once you are well-informed about eating a whole foods diet, you will never have to obsess over getting single nutrients again.

If there is anything I know that I am good at, it's saving money. Sometimes this ability of mine can be a problem; for instance, I think I might be physically incapable of throwing out old clothes, no matter how many holes they have in indiscreet places. Yet 5-6 nights of the week, I provide my boyfriend and I with a different, delicious, healthy meal for mere pocket change. You know that Sainsbury's ad with Jamie Oliver instructing some slack-jawed yokel how to produce enough spaghetti to feed four people, for (shock!) under £5? I laugh in the face of that ad. Anyone, no matter how bad in the kitchen, or clueless in the grocery store, can make a meal for several people for £5. I'm here to show you that there is culinary life under five pounds, that need not even involve spaghetti! Or Jamie Oliver. Who, bless his plump-faced little soul, probably hasn't had to feed anyone for under five pounds for 15 years.

Having been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for 11 years, I have recently been thinking about becoming vegan. In fact, having learned some truly horrible things about the egg and dairy industries, I feel that I have no real choice. But I love cheese! And I love sour cream! And I love to travel, and for me half the point of travel is trying local food. And by half, I mean 90%. Local food is rarely vegan. Therefore, during the course of this blog I will be recording my challenges and discoveries about transitioning to veganism.

Recessionpe!

Every week I hope to publish a vegetarian recipe. This first week I'm giving you the first vegetarian thing I ever learned to make! A delicious, cheap, and easy hummus recipe.

Delicious and Easy Hummus
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2-3 gloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 generous tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
scant 1/4 tahini*

Blend chickpeas in the food processor. Add garlic, water, lemon juice, ground cumin, and salt, and blend. Blend in or stir in tahini. Serve with grilled pita bread, raw veggies, plain rice cakes, as a sandwich spread, or whatever you like! This recipe will keep for up to a week in the fridge.

*For those of you concerned about the cost of tahini, the recipe is still good without it, but the tahini really makes it delicious! Middle Eastern grocery stores often carry cheaper brands of tahini than standard supermarkets.