On Top Of The World

Italian tempeh nuggets from Students Go Vegan Cookbook over pasta and peppers

Stir fry with tofu, sugar snap peas, peppers, and bean sprouts

Pasta and tomatoes

I made a "tomato sauce" with crushed tomatoes, red peppers (my neighbors gave us a bunch of peppers and I am trying to use them up), veggie broth, spices, and spinach

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Wow I am in desperate need of a post. I have been way busy doing so much, and then absolutely nothing at the same time. I started volunteering where I remove invasive plants. It is great to know I am helping the envirnment and I love working outside. I went to visit my aunt in Massachusetts and we went up to New Hampshire and climbed to the top of Mt. Monadnock. It is the world’s most climbed mountain and to top has been reached by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau; two of my favorite writers. It was awesome to reach the summit and feel like I was on top of the world.

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Above tree line

View from the top

Marker on the summit

Me at the summit (check the boots from my earlier post)

"I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute freedom and wildness, as contrasted with a freedom and culture merely civil... to regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society."

"Whatever my own practice may be, I have no doubt that it is a part of the destiny of the human race, in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals, as surely as the savage tribes have left off eating each other when they came in contact with the more civilized."

-Henry David Thoreau-

A Quicky

I went to a BBQ for the Fourth of July at my friend’s house and made a great salad. They had grilled Portobello mushrooms for me and lots of fruit. It is really nice when people go out of their way to provide food that I can eat. I love when People surprise me.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 cup diced bell pepper (about one pepper)
1/2 cup chopped black beans
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons oil (I use safflower)
1.2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of salt

Combine corn, bell pepper, onions cilantro, and beans in a medium bowl. Mix vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl (I find it easier to measure out the vinegar and add everything to the measuring cup). Drizzle vinegar mixture over the salad and toss to evenly coat. Cover and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes. Garish with avocado slices.

I made a burrito with the left overs and ate it with salsa and Terra chips.

Chai Tea Soy Lattes

I mixed cooled double strength chai tea (the kind without honey) with ice and soy milk. So, so good!

"When I look out into the world, I see the forces that would bring us disaster. I see the deep night of unthinkable cruelty and blindness. But I also look within the human heart and find something of love there, something that cares and shines out into the dark universe like a bright beacon. And in the shining of that light, I feel the dreams and prayers of all beings, In the shining of that beacon I feel all of our hopes for a better future, and the strength to do what we are here to do."

-John Robbins (The Food Revolution)

Being Vegan Is About More Than Just Food

Hello, Hello! I hope everyone is having an awesome summer and enjoying the fairer months and the seasonal foods. I do very well when it comes to eating vegan food. I have never conscienceless eaten something non vegan, but have made a few accidental mistakes which I am sure has happened to everyone sometime or another. I do, however, use a few products that depend on exploiting animals. My old running shoes are made of leather and I am waiting to wear them out. I stopped using all my non leather belts, except a peace sign one that my dad made and I cannot bear to part with it. I used soap and shampoo that is most likely tested on animals and use a bunch of other things that I am sure are tested on animals that I am not in charge of buying so they are out of my control. I know when I am able to choose the cleaning products I buy, I will get ones that are not tested on animals. Over the past few weeks I have needed to buy new shoes and soap and I made a conscience effort to buy vegan.
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I heard about Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap from a friend and I think it is really amazing! You are supposed to be able to use it for 18 different things, but just a word, DO NOT TRY IT FOR TOOTH PASTE OR YOU WILL BE SORRY! I have not tried washing my hair with it yet but it works great as soap and shave gel.


Shoes!
I love shoes and have been buying vegan shoes for a while. I always had canvas Converses in the past but I wanted to try somthing different. I saw a girl wearing these Keds slip ons in the mall and so I went online to find them. They are very comfortable and have no leather in them.


I am starting my volunteering at the wildlife sanctuary soon and I really need hiking boots (last year I had to wear sneakers which was horrible). I went on a quest from non leather boots and found them on Zappos.com in the vegetarian section. I recomend checking Zappos whenever you need vegan shoes. They were majorly on sale with free overnight shipping both ways.

AND NOW FOR THE FOOD

My two newest vegan loves are Newman's Own plain popcorn (which I melt EB to put on top) and Rice Thins rice crackers.

My aunt came yesterday and bought me two HUGE bags of dark chocolate covered espresso beans and dark chocolate covered cranberries! Need I say more?

TLT (Tofu lettuce and tomatoe) on pita

Italian-flavored tempeh nuggets over salad

I found the recipe for the nuggets in the Students Go Vegan Cookbook (pg. 124). They were so easy to make and came out perfect. Don't forget to simmer and steam your tempeh first to get the bite out.
One last thought to end my long post. Many people feel they need to be protesting animal rights on the streets, this is great if you have the courage and drive to do it, but I think everyone with a vegan blog is positively protesting in favor of the animals. When we get people interested in good tasting vegan food, we get them interested in why we eat this way. Isa Chandra Moskowitz (author of Vegan With a Vengeance and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World) writes on this idea of “culinary activism” here. Good job everyone and keep up the amazing work!