After a recommendation from one of my professors, I started reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Eating Animals.” I expected the book to be much like Michael Pollan‘s “The Omnivores Dilemma” because it follows Foer’s personal narrative about what to feed his new son, but I think this skewed my initial impression of the book. I was expecting a very methodical, step by step look at the industry, but instead it only focused on a few examples of animal treatment. With that said, it is generalizable for the entire industry. Many of the descriptions of how the animals were treated and the exact processes to slaughter an animal were informative (and disturbing).

As a college student it is a constant challenge to balance cooking myself healthy meals and spending that time on all of the other things on my to-do list. Today I decided to quickly grill some eggplant and make couscous. 

In all dinner took me 30 minutes total to prep, cook, and clean up. It was an extremely easy and quick dinner that was filling, nutritious, cheap, and satisfying. I need to explore some more quick meals. Any ideas or favorites?

When I was working on my article about veganism, one of the people I interviewed said something that really stuck with me:
“Eating is a personal decision and a personal act, but it is also a public decision and a public act,” said Vasile Stanescu, a vegan expert and PhD candidate at Stanford University.


This statement is something that I have been thinking about for the past few weeks as I have transitioned into a more strict vegan diet, and I really saw it’s truth this week after an article was published in The Santa Clara (yes, the school newspaper I work for) titled “Don’t be Vegetarian.”


It is slightly ironic that this article was run the week after my piece on vegans on campus, but I also found it to be personally offensive. I am not obnoxious about being a vegetarian (and mostly vegan) and I have not tried to coerce anyone or throw red paint on them for eating meat in the newsroom, but this article made all vegetarians seem like self-righteous people who only inconvenience other people:

“I personally feel that being a vegetarian by choice is just a huge inconvenience to others with more flexibility in their diets.

I also feel that choosing to be a vegetarian is something that only people who do not live their daily lives struggling to fill their stomachs have the privilege of making. If we were to take vegetarians and force them to live in third world conditions, you better believe they wouldn’t last as vegetarians for very long. If forced to choose between killing an animal or starving, I think our human survival instinct would kick in and nix any vegetarian tendencies.

Human beings are naturally omnivorous, meaning we are supposed to eat plants and animals.”

It frustrates me that people are so against vegetarians and vegans because we “inconvenience” them by not eating everything they will or that we refuse to eat animals for moral standards they do not believe in. It’s like telling me you refuse to even bother dealing with me because I am extremely allergic to peanuts and that’s too big of an inconvenience to you. 


I do not understand why my personal choices of what I will and will not eat have to become politicized and discussed by people who do not have a true understanding of why I’m doing it in the first place. What we eat is incredibly personal and it has ties to our society, religion and personal beliefs. It’s time for people to accept that we are all different and we all have different beliefs about what should and should not be eaten. I am not an inconvenience, I am a human being. 

2. Add the garlic and ginger, sauté for another minute.

3. Add the mirin, water, and miso. Bring to a generous boil before lowering the heat to a simmer and adding the Kale.

4. Add the noodles. I used thick, fresh udon noodles that added a wonderful heartyness to the dish. Cook them in the broth for about two minutes, or until they are warm all the way through.

5. Enjoy!

Recipe:
1a. *I decided not to roast the garlic, but if you do roast it, then preheat the oven to 425 and prep the garlic to be roasted (tutorials are online), otherwise:
1b. Preheat a soup pot over medium heat


2. Saute the onions in the olive oil for 5-7 minutes, until soft and translucent. If you do not roast garlic*, add 6 cloves of minced or pressed garlic in with the onion.

3. Add the rice, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.

4. Add crushed tomatoes, four cups of vegetable broth or water, and fill one of the 28-ounce cans with water once and pour it into the soup.


5. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low or low, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes until the rice is cooked. 

6. Add the beans, turn off the heat, and wait until the beans are heated through before removing the bay leaves and serving. 

This recipe is quite possibly my favorite tomato soup. It has complete protein in it with the rice and beans and it definitely isn’t lacking in flavor. Thanks Veganomicon!

I know I have said it before, but I am going to say it again – I am so tired of people asking me how I get my protein. But at the same time I understand why people are curious, so today I will honestly answer the question. 


Many vegetarians and vegans get a boost of protein from nuts, but I am unfortunately allergic to all tree nuts, so I have to be even more creative to get my protein. Soy and whole grains on the main ways I get my protein. I eat some form of tofu or edamame, pasta with added protein, quinoa or brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and soy yogurt daily. 


Most Americans eat too much protein, and many think that the more protein you eat the bigger your muscles will be. While to a certain degree this is true, research has shown that too much protein can damage your kidneys and does not necessarily lead to larger muscles. Women should get about 46 grams of protein per day and men should eat about 56 grams per day. As a vegetarian or vegan it’s important to count your protein carefully and be sure you are getting enough. Don’t forget to leave enough room for your fruits and vegetables. 


Need some ideas on some ways to get more protein? This website provides a reference for some foods. I also read the nutrition information on foods or look them up individually when I am curious. I recommend keeping a food journal for protein until you are able to easily eat the proper amount of protein daily. It took me about two weeks of calculating my daily protein intake and measuring out my portions until I got where I needed to be. 

I am so incredibly tired of people asking me how I get enough protein as a vegetarian. Everyone in the U.S. seems to assume that you need to eat meat to be healthy and fit. Even with the ever growing list of world class athletes and trainers who are completely vegan, including Venus Williams, Bob Harper, and Scott Jurek.


With millions of Americans vowing to lose weight and get in shape with the new year, knowing how to fuel your body is an important part. More and more information has been coming out lately about how being vegetarian or vegan is not only good for you, but can also help you meet your physical goals. 


A few days ago the New York Times posted an article,”Sculptured by Weights and a Strict Vegan Diet,” about a body builder that has won championships, and also happens to be vegan. 

“[Veganism] has even entered bodybuilding, perceived by many as a population of vein-popping men and women thriving off meat and artificial enhancements. Competitors like Sitko are forging a distinctive subculture of antibeef beefcakes who hope to change more of their competitors’ eating habits.”

With many people deciding to become vegan for countless different reasons, including health, animal rights, or sustainability, there are great resources online for recipes or even support. 


Although I truly admire those who have gone completely vegan, with all of my food allergies I am not willing to completely commit. I am mostly vegan already. The only things I still sometimes eat are eggs and butter.  But this year I will become more aware of vegan options and see what I can do. 

2. Stir.

3. Put filling into tortillas (I like the little ones better).

3. Place in a baking dish.

(we made a lot…)

4. Cover with canned  or homemade enchilada sauce (we like to combine 1 can of red with 1 can of green. We used some sauce we had in our freezer and two 15 ounce cans.You want the enchiladas completely covered in sauce or they crisp and burn. You can also sprinkle cheese on next.