Day 28

THOUGHTS- LABELS PART 2

Yesterday I focused on the way we label animals and humans. Today I am looking at the way our food is labeled. How much do you really know about what you are eating?

Did you know that Gelatine is made from the boiled skin, bone and tendons of animals? It is found in Jelly, most lollies, chocolates and ice creams.

What about Rennet? Made from the lining of a calf's somach. Found in cheese.

Did you know that additive 542 is made from animal bones?

904 is a bug secretion.

920 i from animal hair.

1100 and 1104 are from calves stomachs.

More information available at http://www.vegsoc.org/, http://www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au/

How can you possibly remember the countless number of animal ingredients? I purchased Vegan Shopper from aduki press. http://www.aduki.net.au/.

What else is wrong with labelling? "Product not tested on animals". What a joke. There are no laws or regulations over who can put that on their products. The Body Shop who was just denied reacreditation on the choose cruelty free list because their new mother company tests. They still use those words.

Those words can mean anything. That some of the ingredients were not tested (but others were), the final product was not tested (but all the ingredients were), that produst was not tested (but the mother company does such heinous tests that supporting them is immoral).

So how do you know who is legitamate and who is not? The Choose Cruelty Free list. http://www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au/

They list only companies that do not test and they have a key to tell you which products are vegan. They also have a key to show you which companies have never tested.

The more I find out the more I am disgusted by the standard of our food and cosmetic labelling. If you don't know what is in it do you really want to be putting it into your body. I know I don't so as part of the earth diet I am becoming more aware of everything that is going into and onto my body.

CHALLENGES- Eating alot a night.

TRIUMPHS-Creating some amazing foods. :)

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- 1 mushroom, 1 slice of tofu with tamari and olive oil.

1 soy latte

SNACK- Lady finger banana

LUNCH- Salad- Quinoa, cucumber, lettuce, onion, shallot, cherry tomatoes.

Dressing- Flaxseed oil and balsamic vinegar

SNACK- Edamame and Goji blend.

DINNER- Adzuki chilli with brown rice. (Recipe day 24)

Cup fresh pineapple juice.

Roast vege cubes- White and orange sweet potatoes, potato and pumpkin roasted in olive oil, garlic and rosemary.

EXCERCISE- Housework

Day 27

THOUGHTS- LABELS

"I know you are you said you are so what am I?"

So today I went to Supanova for the first time. Partly to see what it was about and partly to see the hot guys of Torchwood, Stargate and Twilight. I wasn't sure that I would fit in with these "nerds." However as the day progressed and I ran into more and more people that I knew I realised that it wasn't so much a nerd convention but it was a place where authors, actors, artists, nerds, collectors, fans of individual shows and people from many other walks of life and many other reasons. So why do we feel the need to label everyone? Honestly I cannot answer that. Throughout the day I realised that I really didn't fit into any of the groups entirely. There was a part of me that went with each of the groups but I am neaither one nor the other. So I think next time you feel the need to put a label on someone else it's really just because we are so consumed by power and heirachy that we need to put people into a group that we beleive is below our own "group." So fellow Supanova attendees I had fun. I don't think you are "nerds" and I retract that title from you. You are all people like myself and we are all equal.

What makes someone better than someone else? Nothing. Yet there is still racism, sexism, ageism, culturalism and homophobia and even speciesism.

What is speciesism?

Wikipedia- Speciesism is the assigning of different values or rights to beings on the basis of their species membership. The term was created by British psychologist Richard D. Ryder

It's the beleif that humans are of a higher importance than non humans. Animals were not put on this planet for us to use exploit, eat, own and use for entertainment. I know at present this notion is hard for many people to grasp. When we live in a world that some cultures women, jews, blacks, homosexuals and people from all other walks of life are still not veiwed as equals I know that animal liberationists have their work cut out for them. But does that mean that the journey will be hopeless? No every year there are more organisations appearing and more rights for animals.

Martin Luther King had a dream. In his time that dream seemed almost imaginary. Unreachable. But now they United States have an african american president. From a race that was once considered to only be fit as slaves to President of the United States. There has been leaps and bounds in the rights for all races. Though the journey has been hard the results have been rewarding.

So I have a dream that one day... Humans will stop looking for races, genders and species to enslave, torture and use for entertainment and that we will all live in a world that every being is considered equal. Stop seeing everything with a label and see each creature for the individual being that they are and you will find that each being has a story, a personality, a family, friends and something that makes them unique.

Visit- http://www.peta2.com/ALP/

For more information on animal liberation

CHALLENGES-Being at a festival with so many delicious stands of deep fried food.

TRIUMPHS- Not even being tempted by the food.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- 1/2 Lady finger banana

Othe half in smoothie with mixed berries (Blackberries, blueberries, red currants and raspberries.) Home made soy milk.

2 Rice and Lentil patties with raw cashew cheese. (Recipe in yesterdays blog)

LUNCH- 1 1/2 half fruit muffins (Recipe in yesterdays blog) 7 olives

SNACK- Edamame and Goji blend.

1 peice of raw organic chocolate.

DINNER- Roast veggies- Carrot, Potato, Pumpkin, Sweet potato orange and white.

SNACK- 1 slice essene bread with raw cashew cheese.

small serve of chickpea curry. (Recipe in tomorrows blog.)

EXCERCISE- 20 minute walk with Dog. Walking around Supanova all day.

Day 26

THOUGHTS-

Today I was not in my own home and had an extra night surprised on me so had to come up with some creative foods since I hadn't packed enough for the extra night. I came up with a few recipes but had to use some frozen fruits and some dried herbs. I have been using herbs and spices from my own house and as I don't use them often and they are plants just heated and dried out I have decided they will stay in my earth diet. If there is however the option between dried and fresh I will always chose fresh. I looked into it and there isn't any research to say that dried herbs are bad for you. Also they say that frozen fruit and veg hold their nutrients as well since they are frozen straight away. But the earth diet is more about cutting out the processing person. I am doing my best to buy fresh but when unforseen circumstances arise I'll do my best with what has been made available.

Also today I used Chickpea or Besan flour. This is a flour made from chickpeas that is very rich in protein and is a great alternative to the proccessed white flour available in most supermarkets.

CHALLENGES- Not being at my own home and being very hungry.

TRIUMPHS- Excersising for the third day in a row.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- 2 soy burger patties (Recipe in Day 25) with raw cashew cheese.
Mixed Berry smoothie with home made soy milk.- Blackberries, red, currants, raspberries and blueberries

LUNCH- Essene Bread, raw cashew cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and onion.

SNACK- Mixed nuts.

EARLY DINNER- 1 soy latte and one espresso. 2 soy burger patties, raw cashew cheese, 6 kalamata olives and a fresh orange juice.

LATER DINNER- Red Lentils, brown rices, oregano, parsley, thyme, marjoram, shoyu and cherry tomatoes. All cooked in Olive oil.
Pear, apple and pomegranate juice.

SNACK- 1 fruit muffin. Chickpea flour, water, soy milk, pear, apple, orange and pomegrante pulp. Mixed berries- Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and red currants with cinnamon.
Mix ingredients together and oven bake. Be warned though I was just experimneting with this recipe and didn't find it too nice.

EXCERCISE- 20 minute walk with dog, 15 minute jog. 30 crunches and 10 push ups.

DAY 25

THOUGHTS-

There have been a few things that I am still buying in packages. I know I need to stop doing this but everything that I am buying do have earthy ingredients and are mostly organic. So my three main purchases are soy milk, tofu and flours. I've decided that it's about time I started learning how to make my own things. So today I used the soy milk make at work. It's a taste to get used to without all the additives. Though they are all natural it is interesting to just have soybeans and water as the only ingredients. Then when it's done there is this pulp left in the machine as wel and my boss told me that people make burgers and sausages out of them so I made some burgers with it and they were delicious. It's made me start wondering about manufacturing my own earthy foods so that other people can have the convenience with healthier foods. It's very satisfying knowing that I made two different things from the one product and I'm saving on packaging. Even though I always recycle my soy milk cartons. Now I don't have to buy them at all. So now that I have told you about my success today here is some information on soy.

Scientific research has proven that swapping soy protein for animal proteins helps lower colesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease. It helps strengthen bones, is full of protein and helps prevent cancer.

Though there have been "stuidies" come out about the disadvantages of having soy I have found there are just as many if not more studies that will say the opposite. I have been a consumer of soy products for 10 years now and I am healthier than I have ever been. Though everyone does react differently to products. You never know how soy will affect you until you try it yourself.

You can also check out- http://www.benefitsofsoy.org/

Soy can easily be included as part of a well balanced diet.

CHALLENGES-Being hungry today.

TRIUMPHS- Making my own soy milk and burgers.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST-Multipuffs and amaranth with strawberry slices and soy milk

Raspberry & Strawberry soy Smoothie.

LUNCH- Essene bread, raw cashew cheese. Avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber.

Ginger Tea

SNACK- Lady finger banana, tin of chickpeas,

Mixed nuts and seeds- Sunflower, linseed, pepitas, raw peanuts, dry roasted cashews and macadamias.

DINNER- Chickpea and Pumpkin curry served with Quinoa.

Strawberry soy smoothie with soy milk I made myself.

Soy burger Patty.

RECIPES-

CHICKPEA CURRY

INGREDIENTS

Onion

Garlic capsicum

Corn

Crushed tomatoes

Vege stock (Home made)

Pumpkin

Corriander

Cumin

Cardamon

Tumeric

Olive oil

METHOD

1. chop all veggies.

2. Brown onion garlic and capsicum in a lightly oiled pan.

3. Add other veggies and spices. Cook for another two minutes.

4. Add Veggie stock until evaporated.

5. Serve with Quinoa or Brown rice.

SOY BURGER PATTY

INGREDIENTS

Soy pulp (Left over from making milk)

Besan (Chickpea) Flour

Shoyu (organic soy sauce)

Marjoram

Thyme

Oregano

Olive oil

METHOD

1. Lightly oil pan and heat.

2. Mix all ingredients together.

3. Make into patty shapes and cook in pan until brown.

EXCERCISE- 20 minute walk with dog. 15 minute jog. 40 crunches. 10 push ups and yoga stretches.

Day 24

THOUGHTS-

I have started trying to include more raw foods in my diet so I heard about making sunflower milk and decided that I would give it a go. It can't be that hard can it? It wasn't. Sunflower kernels and water in a blender and ta da. So I did a bit of a search on the benefits of sunflower kernels.

According to research completed in March 2001 by Dr. K. Phillips of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the sunflower kernel is rich in a number of nutrients that have been shown to protect against cardiovascular and other diseases and to act as antioxidants and anti-carcinogens. When considered in aggregate, this amazing kernel packs a powerful nutritional punch.
Sunflower kernels contain high levels of vitamin E, betaine, phenolic acids, and choline. In addition, the kernel is a good source of arginine and lignans. Each of these compounds, while perhaps unfamiliar to the layperson, has been studied by the scientific community and shown to offer a variety of health benefits.
Vitamin E (Tocopherols): May protect against cardiovascular disease.
Betaine: May protect against cardiovascular disease.
Phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid): Antioxidant and anti-carcinogen.
Choline: Plays a role in memory and cognitive function.
Arginine: Potential heart benefits.
Lignans: May protect against heart disease and some cancers; lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides

For more information check out http://happynutritionist.com/sunflower.html

I also read that it's good to give your body a break from solid foods as it takes alot of energy for it to break it down and somtimes the nutrients that you need aren't as easily absorbed so for the first half of today I had juices and smoothies. I'll try and do a whole day after next shopping day and see how it goes. So next fortnight there will be one raw day and one liquid day.

I'm also going to stop being so lazy and start making more of my own things. I got a tofu making kit from work yesterday and I'm going to start using the soy milk maker that we have atwork to make the soy milk. The boss at the newsagent said I'm becoming very domesticated. It's pretty fun finding out all the new things that I can do with food.

CHALLENGES- Getting all my food for the next two days ready as I am housesitting.

TRIUMPHS- Getting all my food ready in time.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- Beetroot, carrot, celery, lettuce, parsley and ginger juice.

Strawberry and raspberry soy smoothie with flaxseed meal.

SNACK- Raw sunflower smoothie with organic sunflower seeds, raspberries and water.

Put all ingredients in blender and blend til smooth.

LUNCH- 2 Slices essene sprouted bread. Raw cashew cheese. Lettuce, cucumber, onion and avocado.

SNACK- Homemade hommus, celery, cucumber, carrot, capsicum sticks and cherry tomatoes and snow peas.

Edamame and goji mix

DINNER- Adzuki chilli on brown rice.

INGREDIENTS

Onion

Garlic

Capsicum

Asparagus

Celery

Shallot

Chilli Powder

Vege Stock

Adzuki beans

METHOD

1. Soak adzuki beans over night then cook for 40 mins

2. Dice all vegetables.

3. Heat oil in pan.

4. Brown onion, garlic and capsicum.

5. Add other vegetables and stock and chilli powder.

6. Bring to boil and allow to simmer until stock evaporates.

7. Add adzuki beans.

8. Serve on a bed of brown rice.

VEGE STOCK

In a big pot bring to boil any excess veg that are getting to the end of their life or any off cuts such as ends of celery and shallots. Allow water to reduce then starin and keep water. It should now be a yellow green colour and full of nutrients.

This time I used Celery, capsicum,. corn, onion, peppercorns, parsley, basil, tomoatoes, shallot, sweet potatoes, carrot, cucumber.

Left over millet mix recipe day 23.

SNACK- 2 raw sunflower toasties with raw cashew cheese

Fresh apple and pomegranate juice

1 peice if Loving Earth Raw chocolate

EXCERCISE- Jillian Michaels biggest winner workout DVD- Shape Up Front.

Day 23

THOUGHTS- RAW FOODS

In my current job I am discovering many different levels that people are at with their diets and Raw foods is becoming a big one.

Raw foodism (or rawism) is a lifestyle promoting the consumption of un-cooked, un-processed, and often organic foods as a large percentage of the diet. Raw foodists typically believe that the greater the percentage of raw food in the diet, the greater the health benefits

For more information go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_foodism

We have a supplier through work that does raw foods and I have started trying them. Even though they products are processed and packaged by someone else they are all raw and mostly organic and I've met the people making them. So I have decided that while still in transition these are ok as a sometimes treat. The food is amazing.

Their website is http://itsrawsome.com.au/

I'm going to start taking on one raw day a week to try and get more benefits from my diet. I have planned out the day that I will have next week and I am looking forward to the recipes that I am going to try.

ESSENE BREAD

We have essene bread at work and I have been eyeing it off for a little while. I am a massive fan of bread and have been craving it like crazy. So I brought some essene bread today the ingredients listed below show that they are all earthy foods. If you would like to learn more about essene bread go to http://www.librarising.com/health/essenebread.html

It's a very thick and heavy bread that in old times would be cooked by the sun. But commercially they need to be baked in an oven to kill the enzymes that would otherwise spoil it so it can then be packaged and sold. I was a little let down that this would not count on my raw diet but I am keen to try and make some of my own. So it looks like I'll have to learn to start sprouting some grains.

CHALLENGES- Being really hungry at night.

TRIUMPHS- Sticking to good foods and resisting the temptation to go and buy some chips.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- 1 mushroom and 2 eggplant slices cooked in olive oil and tamari.

Fruit salad- 1/4 Apple, 1/2 pear, 1/4 red grapefruit, pineapple pieces, 2 strawberries and 4 raspberries.

LUNCH- Spicy chickpea salad- Chickpeas, snowpeas, red onion, lettuce.

Dressing- Olive oil, cardamon, cumin, Cinnamon and cracked pepper.

SNACK- Tamari mixed nuts.

Handful cashews. Edamame and goji blend.

DINNER- Roasted pepper with millet.

1/2 capsicum, millet, garlic, onion, water parsley, olive oil, roasted cashews, cherry tomatoes

(Recipe at a later date.)

SNACK- Raw sunflower toastie

Carrots*, Almond meal*, Activated sunflower seeds*, flax*, wheat free tamari*, ginger*, garlic*, spring onion*, Himalayan salt.

*= certified organic ingredient.

with raw cashew cheese.

Cashews*, olives*, olive oil*, tomato*, basil*.

2x slices sprouted essene bread.

Bio dynamic certified wheat sprouted with filtered water, non organic sunflower kernel, Pepita's, Rolled oats millet, sesame seeds. Cooked with the aid of organic sunflower oil.

Fresh Apple and raspberry juice

DESSERT- Strawberry mousse. Photo coming soon

INGREDIENTS

Strawberries

Silken tofu

Orange rind.

METHOD

Put all ingredients in blender. Blend til smooth and then chill in fridge.

EXERCISE- A little bit of walking

Day 22

THOUGHTS- I was a little concerned when I started cutting into my white sweet potato I bought it because I love the taste but then I wondered whether the orange was the only natural one. I am becoming more aware of what I eat but after plenty of time on google I can't seem to find any evidence of them being modified to be that way. I could also be wrong but until I find out I will continue to eat it. As I'm still in the early stages of the diet and as it is a newly created diet there are still more things that I am finding out all the time that I shouldn't be having and I keep discovering new things that I can have.


Yesterday I went to the movies with a freind of mine and saw "How to train your dragon." If you haven't seen it yet and don't want to risk me spoiling it then stop reading now. I won't spoil much but you have been warned. The moral I walked away with was that even if the rest of society is doing something that it doesn't make them right. I thought that it was a good thing to relate back to veganism. In the movie it only took one person to change the whole town. But there is plenty more than one vegan out there and I beleive that the number will continue to grow. Just because eating animals is something that people have done for a long time it doesn't make it right. They have thoughts and feelings just like we do. I often hear peoples comments about other things and wonder if you think like that than why are you not veagn. If you love animals why do you keep eating them. I love what Paul McCartney says- "If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be vegetarian." It's so true. Yesterday while over at mums for easter my brothers girlfried looked over my shoulder as I tended to my farm ville. She was like "Wow you have a lot of animals." I replied "Yeah it's almost like a factory farm I almost feel sorry for them even though they are just computer images." She replied with "If that was a real farm that would be illegal." She left the room and got excited by the easter egg hunt that mum had set up before I could reply. My brother just shook his head at me. I know she is very sensitive about animals and I'm sure that when I burst the naive bubble she lives in about what really happens to the food she eats before she gets it that she may very well be our next vegetarian. :)

CHALLENGES- Chocolate in my fridge

TRIUMPHS- Finding meanings in things that I never would have before.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- Buckwheat, soy milk and flaxmeal pancakes cooked in coconut oil covereed with rice malt syrup.

SNACK- Banana, strawberry, flaxmeal, choc and soymilk smoothie.

LUNCH- Eggplant and asparagus stack with Quinoa
Recipe
Ingredients
3 slices eggplant
3 slices onion
3 asparagus
tbsp pine nuts
bunch fresh parsley
20g avocado
1/4 cup Quinoa
Tamari

METHOD

1.Cook Quinoa
2. Slice vegetables
3. Heat oil in pan
4. Brown pine nuts
5. lightly coat eggplant in tamari
6. Steam Asparagus
7.Cook onion til translucent then remove from pan.
8. Add eggplant slices cook til soft.
9. Layer ingredients alternatively on a plate.
Eggplant base, spread avocado, line up asparagus next to each other, onion slices, parsley, pine nuts, genlty spoon on quinoa. Repeat. Then on final layer of eggplant avo only.


SNACK- 1/2 corn cob and one bunny head

DINNER- Roast veg. Carrot, pumpkin, potato, orange sweet potato, white sweet potato.

Chickpeas and quinoa- with chilli powder, garam masala, tumeric and cumin.

SNACK- handful macadamias, Glass rice milk and 1/2 avocado

EXCERCISE- Getting thrown around the stage in rehearsal.