Going in a different direction

It's been some time since I've done anything with this blog. My original intent was to blog about vegan food, but I soon began to post about anything vegan that caught my attention or that I wanted to comment about. That led to me creating Epicurvegan, which is where I post photos of and sometimes recipes for my culinary creations. But, as my interests expand and I am going in a direction where my focus is turning back to journalism, I find that commentary about vegan food not concerned with actual recipes is creeping into Epicurvegan's content. So, I am considering shifting the focus of this blog to news articles, interviews and other related content that is not recipe-based.

With a lot on my plate at the moment, I am not sure when I'll have the time to shift this blog into a journalism direction. But I am considering doing interviews with authors of cookbooks and other vegan-related books, as I think they rarely get interview requests from mainstream and alternative media. And I am considering developing story ideas around issues related to animal rights, exploitation, rescue activities, activist organizations and individuals, local shopping and restaurants in Vancouver, and lifestyle, just to name a few things. For example, how often do you see an interview with the owners a local vegan or vegan-friendly restaurant that focuses on both food and contributions to local community, as well as to vegetarian communities?

The content as it exists now on Veganucopia will remain where it is and later will be archived under a separate link. The cosmetics index (which I really ought to update) will stay where it is, as will any existing and future Google maps of vegan places in Toronto, Vancouver, and other places.

There really is any number of directions I can take this blog in, and I am very excited about the limitless possibilities. Although I know my neglect of this blog means few people visit it, if you happen to stumble upon this and have an idea about something you'd like to see addressed or someone you'd like to see interviewed, drop me a line at veganucopia[at]blogspot.com.

Vegan Recipes of Note

Always on the lookout for places to pillage recipes from, here are a few websites I wouldn't normally promote. But I think they're well worth keeping an eye on for inspiration and vegan recipes from different perspectives:

Whole Foods Market: Vegetarian Recipes

BBC: Food - Vegetarian and Vegan

Vegan Recipes at Epicurious
(this is a relatively new endeavour for such a meat- and dairy-centric website)

Updates to the cosmetics and supplements directory

Busy, busy, busy! Life is insanely busy these last few weeks...

I have added quite a few updates to many of the categories in the cosmetics directory. I have also expanded it a bit to start to include a wider variety of supplements. Click on the link below to see the updated directory:

Veganucopia's Vegan and Vegan-Friendly Cosmetics and Supplement Directory

Lettin' My Geek Flag Fly: Epicurvegan

Alright, so even though I mentioned earlier that I'd be about a week until my new food blog was ready to debut, I lied. I spent the afternoon geekin' out and lettin' my geek flag fly so I could get it done.

So far I've only reposted some of the recipes that have been posted here, but they're much easier to see and prettier on the new blog. I will be posting new recipes very soon.

I have also moved all of the food links that were posted on this blog to Epicurvegan.

Here she be:

Epicurvegan

Oh Me of Few Words and a Vegetarian Food (Af)Fair

The last few weeks have been hectic where I work, and I have often felt I have few words left to speak after a day of nothing but meetings, e-mails and phone calls. I also eaten out more than I care to remember, which has often left me craving home-made gooodies and dreading the next day when I would again have to leave for work empty-handed of satisfying food.

My original reason for starting this blog was to post about my creations in the kitchen, and its gotten quite away from that. Re-inspired by many of the mouth-watering vegan food blogs on the Net, I'm in the midst of creating a blog devoted solely to the epicurean delights turned out by my two hands. I'll still have this blog as well, though its focus will be more toward everything not recipe related. I'll post on anything I would normally feel the need to jump on my soap box about, as well as include reviews of vegan stuffs, restaurants, books, tidbits of vegan interest, et cetera. I think the new blog will debut shortly, perhaps by next weekend or so. I'll post the link to the page soon - it's not quite done yet with some major and minor tinkering to be done.

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I have been eagerly anticipating the Toronto Vegetarian Association's annual Vegetarian Food Fair since last year (click on the image to go to the website):

If you can come, bring an empty tummy and lots of mad money - there's no end to the vegan things you'll want to cart home with you. And it's a great time to get a head of holiday and birthday shopping.

Sheese please!

After many months of hearing about how incredible Sheese is, I was just a little gleeful when I came across all of the flavours in The Big Carrot on the Danforth in Toronto. I thought this was something that I would only be able to get via mail order from Pangea or Vegan Essentials. Lo and behold, there it was on the cooler shelf and I honestly did a double-take when I saw the packages. This stuff has been lauded by many a vegan, and I was quite thrilled to finally come across something that is reportedly so much like real cheese. It's not that I miss cow's milk cheese. In fact, it smells quite foul to me now. I just want a vegan "cheese" that will melt really well on vegan pizza. I picked out the strong cheddar style cheese knowing that someone in particular would love me for it later.

I couldn't wait until my boyfriend to get home to try it, so I tried a slice. The scent immediately reminded me of a kind of cheese I'd eaten before, though I couldn't tell you what kind that is. The texture of Sheese is very thick, not much like a cheese and very much like some sort of spread. The taste is somewhat like cheese, though I'd think that the strong cheddar style would not at all be good in large amounts on anything because it is too rich and has too strong a flavour. That said, it is good and I think it could easily pass as real cheese in a dish, especially if it melts as well as it is said to. I think it would be excellent in thin slices on a vegan cheese platter with fruit can crackers, and very good on a veggie burger or in small cubes in a casserole or salad. I can't wait to try it in a grilled cheese sandwich. I think it would be interesting to grate it, because it would have a more creamy texture than the Earth Island cheeses. I think Sheese would be fantastic in a warm dip, like a spinach dip, because it seems to be more like the fine texture of cow's milk cream cheese and would mix better with some foods.

If you're already a fan of Follow Your Heart/Earth Island vegan cheese, I must admit that Sheese is not quite the same. It is different, and I would use if for different dishes than I would the Earth Island cheese. I rather like the taste of the Earth Island products, probably because it seems a lot more like cheese than anything else vegan I have come across. I have tried the Yves Veggie Cuisine cheese in the past, which is not vegan - and I am not even sure if it is on the market anymore. That stuff was the most like those awful Kraft singles but with a lot less scariness. And the rice cheese stuff. Just say no. It's awful. Earth Island vegan cheese is the best in my books.

I am not sure how I feel about Sheese. I don't hate it, but I am not over the moon about it. This might be because it might be too realistic for me. The first time I had some scarily realistic fake chicken breast, I was quite upset for a day or so because I was convinced someone was lying to me and the stuff wasn't really vegan. Luckily, it was. I may feel the same way about Sheese. I have had only one slice, so I'll probably soon be clamouring for it just like I do the Earth Island stuff once I get over thinking it's too real. I have several more flavours to go too, and I think that the cheddar with chives may be more my thing. Compared to some of the more awful vegan and vegetarian "cheese" products out there, Sheese is definitely amongst the best going. I certainly don't think that anyone would be disappointed with it. I shall keep you updated in my creations and adventures with Sheese.

Dear Food...

Inspired by the zany reader letters in the July 2007 online issue of Herbivore (subscribers only), here are my odes to two of the foods that I am most conflicted by and devoted to:

Dear Banana:

I just don't get it. Everyone loves you. You're sooo popular. How do you do it? I want to like you. I really do. But you're just so, so...distasteful. Especially fresh. You're so fresh you could give the Fonz some lessons. Ick! Ewww! Ick ick!

You're funny looking. I mean, really. Yellow? Not your best colour. Oh, let's not forget that you get very green. Also not a good colour on you, by the way. And then there's those spots. Oh the spots. Don't get me going on those. They sell things for that you know. And let's face it. Sometimes you just don't have enough flavour.

I know you're very sweet, especially when you open up to others. But you can get rather grainy when you're overly sweet. You also have these gross thready things that stick to you when you peel back your jacket. When I see them they're all I can think of they're so unsightly. I just want to yank them off you, but they stick to my fingers and I just don't want to mess up my manicure.

And you're far too sensitive sometimes. I just can't have you coming around anymore. One little wrong nudge and you bruise too easily. You just need to suck it up because the tiny violins are not bringing tears to my eyes.

Oh, and don't think I don't know about your "friends". You know, those dudes that you hooked up with from down south. What's their name? United Banana Company? They've got a rather shady reputation, you know. And that Chiquita chick. She's from the wrong side of the plantation, if you know what I mean.

I really don't think we can be friends. You should stop calling me. Really. Just stop. And don't wave at me from the bus. Or the lunch table. In fact, let's just pretend we don't know each other. It's really better that way for both of us.

Signed,

Bartlett Pear

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Dear Basil:

Oh how I lust after you. I catch your scent wafting on the breeze and my heart goes bang-bang! You steal my breath away, and I come following right behind you. And my mouth . . . what you do to me is not decent! What a scandal it would be if people knew! I'm in raptures just at the sight of you. You have my heart, and I never want it back.

There you are, tall, green and so smelly, and I just want to eat you up. Your strong stems and soft leaves caress me so. I am pesto in your hands. Smash me, mash me, mix me up with any nut you like - I'll take it all! When we dance with such unbridled passion, when we kiss with such sexy piquantness, I know there is no other herb for me.

I think about you all day, every day. I think about all the different ways I can have you. I know I shouldn't be so frank. A girl should keep some secrets, shouldn't she? But you drive me wild! I want to mix you in soups, eat you in salads, toss you with pasta, spread you on sandwiches. And oh what I would do to you if I got you alone with some bruschetta. I just can't get enough of you.

What girl wouldn't want you on her arm? You have such charm, and you get along with almost everyone you meet. They all want a piece of you, just a little bite. But I have you all to myself. There is no better pair than us.

With all my love,

Olive Oil

Keepin' Your Vegan Motor Runnin'

How many of you have experienced this: it's a stress-packed day, deadlines and responsibilities keep marching forward whether you want them to or not, and your brain feels like a lump of very used steel wool? I've experienced mental fatigue where I actually can't focus on anything and I can't think for the mental numbness that seems like a never ending blizzard. There have been times in the past, before I was vegan, that I would come home at night so exhausted I could do nothing more than pull on my pyjamas and sit slumped on the couch. I couldn't even fed myself. Luckily, since I went vegan this has all disappeared, but where I work I am often quite run off my feet, especially at this time of the year. So if you find yourself experiencing either mental or physical exhaustion, or even burnout, it is vitally important to stop what you are doing and start looking after yourself. It doesn't matter how important you or anyone else thinks your work is. You can't look after anyone else if you can't look after yourself. And you'll certainly pay for neglecting yourself in the short- and the long-term.

So what can you do to look after yourself when there are so many other things that you need to take care of every day? Here are some of the things I do and avoid to keep myself healthy and sane when everything else around me gets too crazy:

1) Drink lots of water and stay away from coffee

Although it may be tempting to indulge in a cuppa when you're stressed, coffee is a diuretic that will only dehydrate you. You'll need to drink a cup and a half of water for every cup of coffee you drink to replace the water you loose. Also, dehydration can slow down your whole body, making it hard to function physically and mentally. The caffeine might give you a burst if energy at first, but in the long run the caffeine in coffee will only make you feel more fatigued and grumpy to boot.
Remember that tea also has caffeine (as does chocolate), so you need to take it easy on tea too. Green tea also contains caffeine, so take care not to go gonzo on the green tea either.
Coffee, tea and yerba mate (a drink used by some as an alternative to coffee) contain tannins and compounds such as oxalates that hinder the absorption of iron and other minerals and vitamins your body needs.

2) Sugar is not your friend (and neither is sugar-loaded chocolate, really)

When you're under stress and tired, processed and added sugar can be one of the worst things you can eat. Sugar can suppress your immune system for several hours after consumption, leaving you wide open to catching any viruses and bacterial infections that are circulating amongst people. Like caffeine, it can have an adverse effect on your mind and body by causing wild fluctuations in your blood sugar levels, causing you to slow down and suffer from mood swings, hypoglycemia and headaches. And as tempting as sugar can be sat times of stress, excess sugar that your body doesn't need is converted into fat that you certainly don't want.

3) Eat whole foods

Potassium and many other vital minerals and vitamins are required even more than ever when your body is dealing with stress and fatigue. Fried foods and other high-calorie, high-fat, low-nutrient foods are only filling up your stomach and not providing you with the nutrients you need to have.
Taking a multi-vitamin is a great back-up for days when your nutrition is not the best it could be, but it is not the solution to eating poorly. For a variety of reasons you likely will not absorb everything you need from a vegan multi or the food you eat, and this is why it is important to ensure you cover all your nutritional bases by eating fresh whole low-fat foods with plenty of fiber and take a multi. Short-term and long-term nutritional deficiencies will only make the stress your body takes on all that more difficult to deal with when you're forced to pay attention to them.
Make the time to eat, even if that means thinking ahead to the next day and planning what you'll need so you don't find yourself scrounging for eats when you're tired and crabby.

4) Breathe

There is an abundance of information on the Internet about how important it is to breathe when you are in situations of stress. You may not be aware that you are breathing shallowly or even holding your breath in some situations.
When you're feeling harassed, take a moment to stop and just breathe. Focus on your breath and how you are breathing. Take several deep breaths, filling your lungs right down to their very bottoms by pushing out your stomach as far as it is comfortable (observe the way a baby breathes to see the correct way to breathe). Be aware if you are taking shallow breaths, which is what many people do by only breathing with the uppermost parts of their lungs. Doing this means you are not getting enough oxygen and your brain will be less able to cope with everything that is coming at you.

5) Take supplements that support your immune system

Spirulina is an excellent supplement to take, either in pill or powder form, that goes a long way in supporting your body. In times of extremes stress, it has been my saving grace by giving my body and mind the energy they need to keep functioning as well as I need them to. Taking it daily is important to supporting your body through periods of stress that would otherwise leave you feeling like the crap on the crap on the bottom of someone's shoe.
When I am feeling mentally fatigued I also sometimes take supplements like Now Foods' Effer-C drink mix to help promote clarity and help me feel better overall (I don't know if this is my imagination, but it seems to work for me).
Getting your EFAs (essential fatty acids) are also very important since the advent of convenience foods means many people are simply not getting what they need for their bodies to function properly. You can get your optimum balance of EFAs every day from flax and hemp oils and seeds, which can easily be incorporated into the foods you eat.
Foods can also provide great immune support. Dark leafy greens such as kale, blueberries, green tea (and matcha), garlic, ginger, yams and many other foods can be powerhouses of goodness that will help keep you healthy and protect your body from illness.

6) Sleep, sleep, sleep

A lack of sleep compounds everything. And don't think you can wait until the weekend to catch up. A lack of sleep, whether it be chronic or an occasional thing, is not something that can be caught up on in a day or two. The stress you experience in an average day will mean your body needs that much more sleep to recover, and not getting enough sleep in the first place will mean loosing a lot more energy than you think. An adequate amount of sleep is so important to making sure your body and mind have the resources they need to keep you alert and able to think clearly, as well as perform all of the minute functions that keep you looking and feeling your best.

7) Listen to music

Keep a small radio at your desk, listen to streaming radio on the Internet during work, or listen to music to and from work. Music with an upbeat sound or sounds that soothe can hugely improve your mood and help you focus better on the tasks you need to complete. It can also help boost your energy and make you feel good overall.

8) Take a break

There is no arguing about this. You must take a break and get away from your desk. Get five minutes of fresh air if that's all you can spare. It is so important to your sanity and overall well being to take a few moments for yourself every day. No matter how long a break you can take, you have to take it. It is far too easy to get into the habit of not taking the breaks you deserve, and this can easily lead to burnout that can sometimes force you to take a much longer mental wellness break than you bargained for. Grab a friend or book and sit in the sun for a few minutes. And if it's cold outside, go for a stroll and find a friend to chat with. Breaking the monotony and frustration of being stuck at your desk can be worth a lot. If you're constantly rushing around to meetings, make sure you schedule a few minutes of downtime for yourself every day, even if it means hiding out in a bathroom stall for a few moments of peace.

Remember, you must be good to yourself. If you don't take care of your house, where are you going to live when it breaks down or is gone? Stress really is a killer, and you need to deal with it by supporting yourself so that you can continue to live the healthy and happy life you want.

How Raw Do You Do?

Raw food. The mere mention of it in my house is enough to elicit jeers and distasteful frowns.

Someone once asked me why it is that some vegans, who are constantly accused of being "extreme", react much the same way to the idea of a raw food diet as meat-eaters do to the idea of veganism. I, for one, am guilty of this because a raw diet seems very limiting to me. The thought of eating an exclusively raw food diet makes me feel sad about the possibility of loosing the wonderful universe of textures and tastes that cooked vegan food has to offer. Although I eat some things raw with gusto (take this recipe for example) I prefer my food cooked, or at least having the option of cooking my food. This is not to say that choosing a raw diet means you can never eat cooked food again. As I once was unaware of the phenomenally tasty possibilities of vegan food, I likewise don't know what it's like to eat raw. And I am a bit curious about it.

Some months ago I received an advanced copy of Ani Phyo's Ani's Raw Food Kitchen, and several times I have sat down with the book to psych myself up about eating raw. Trying not to be put off by Phyo's dismissal of honey not being vegan (she refers to it as "bee-gan"), I have considered some of the recipes in her book. Ryan over at Veg Blog seems to really dig the recipes he tried, but the recipes don't do it for me. Then again, I sometimes find that a recipe I wouldn't have otherwise bothered with turns out much better than I would have imagined. One cookbook that has caught my eye in the past is Raw Food, Real World by Sarma Mengalis and Matthew Kenny. Although like Phyo Mengalis also promotes a so-called vegan diet that includes honey, I have to admit her cookbook tempts me. Brenda Davis, co-author of Becoming Vegan, is apparently in the process of writing a raw vegan book and her diet is apparently 75% raw.

I have been told that as with a vegan diet, it's best to read up on raw diets before you jump into them with abandon. While my ambition to eat less and exercise more is moving forward at the speed of slug, perhaps it might not be such a bad idea for me to work a bit more raw food into my diet. Here is an excerpt of what the Vegan Society has to say about raw food (from an article republished on their website):

A raw food vegan diet may be defined in various ways, but usually entails at least 80% by weight being raw plants. Many people report feeling healthier and more energetic on adopting such diets, but there are too few long-term raw food vegans for direct evaluation of the success of raw vegan diets versus other diets. We can, however, evaluate such diets against known human nutritional requirements to gain a better understanding of the ways in which appropriate raw vegan diets could benefit health.

Raw vegan diets comprise three key food groups: sweet fruit, high-fat plants and green leafy vegetables. Raw food authorities differ in the proportions recommended, some suggesting that 2% of calories from green leafy vegetables (about 300 g of lettuce per day) is sufficient while others recommend that about 30% of calories should come from green vegetables. Similarly, recommendations on high fat foods such as avocados, olives, nuts, seeds and cold-pressed oils range from a few percent to about 40% of calories. The Hallelujah diet founded by George Malkmus puts particular emphasis on carrot juice and barley grass, which contribute about 15% of calories.

Getting 30% of calories from green vegetables is probably unrealistic for most people, even with the use of blended salads and juices. For instance, 900 g of lettuce plus 450 g of kale provides just 300 kcal or about 15% of calories. Fortunately, however, such high intakes are unnecessary for nutritional adequacy. Green leafy vegetables and broccoli contain higher levels of zinc, calcium and protein than fruit and are therefore an important part of raw diets, but about 500 g per day of green vegetables, including a mixture of lettuces, broccoli and darker leaves such as kale and spinach, is sufficient to bring mineral and protein intakes into line with general recommendations. Such vegetables also provide vitamin K, which promotes healthy bones. Other raw vegetables can be useful: for instance, carrots are a good source of calcium and peas a good source of zinc and protein.

Now I had no idea that carrots were a good source of calcium or that little ol' green peas were a good source of protein (though I knew they had a good amount of fiber in them). But I have heard that the amount of everything your body needs on a daily basis cannot be met on a raw food diet. Yet some people clearly thrive on it. What I find curious about some advocacy about vegan raw food diets is that they are touted as a way to loose weight. Sure, I imagine that you would loose weight eating 80% to 100% raw food, or even 50%. But is this a good thing?

If anyone had any suggestions about good sources to read about raw food or eats a raw food diet, I would very much appreciate any insights and info you could send my way.

Post Punk Kitchen Episodes

This is definitely the kind of weekend where I am feeling blissfully lazy and am content to geek-out for hours on the computer. If you feel the same (or not, but are looking for something to do), check out the four episodes of the Post Punk Kitchen on Google Video. Here is episode one to get you going: