Earthlings Viewing Party

Hey Everyone!  So, it looks like my life is starting to quiet down again and I'll have time to write on a regular basis again.  I'm still a little overwhelmed by all of the events I attended and the kindness of strangers.  I really plan on writing about it all but it may have to wait another week.  So in the meantime I'll just tell you about a recent activity I did.

One of my friends had a small viewing party for Earthlings.  Earthlings is a documents about the abuse of animals for food, clothing, entertainment, and medical testing.  It was a pretty intense fill with a lot of graphic images but it was also really informative and shocking.  I still can't get over some of the things we do to animals for the sake of beauty or food.  It makes me wonder how I went so long ignoring it all.  It really is a film that everyone should see at least once but be prepared to cry.

To make the evening slightly more enjoyable we decided to each make a vegan dish to share.  Nicole made a vegan mac and cheese from scratch.  She used a cashew cream to give it a cheesy flavor.  She also made a Faux Tuna salad from chickpeas.  Both were delicious.  I made the Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Warm Salad Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Warm Salad recipe from the Oh She Glows.  This turned out really well.  The cilantro and lime made a tasty dressing for the onions and sweet potatoes.  I highly recommend trying this salad out for parties.

Tasty Vegan Dinner

Nicole also has a blog called Yay, nomz!  Be sure to check it out.  There are some fun recipes on there.  She also just got back from Lebanon and tells you all about eating veganese.

Also, I just wanted to say thanks to Erin Red of Red Radio for interviewing Jaime K from Save the Kales.  I was procrastinating writing and listening to to Jaime talk about how much her blog changed her life and gave her an outlet for her passion sparked me to get back to this again. So, thanks ladies!  I've mentioned Erin Red in one of my earlier posts.  Jaime K has a blog and also has a vegan cooking show that airs on a channel in PA but you can also watch it on her blog.

Here's the recipe from Oh She Glows:

Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Warm Salad

Yield: ~4 servings
Ingredients:

• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, preferably red, chopped  (1.5 cups chopped)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (Juice of 2 limes), to TASTE!
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 cups cooked black beans, drained (14-15oz can)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced (made about 3 tablespoons minced)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or non-stick mat. Place chopped sweet potato and onion onto baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix to coat. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, remove and toss veggies to ensure even cooking. Bake for  another 20-25 minutes until veggies are tender and slightly brown around the edges. Remove and set aside. The total time I roasted the veggies was about 37 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by mixing the following ingredients together in a bowl: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 2 minced garlic cloves, 3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (to taste), minced cilantro, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Now mix in the drained and rinsed black beans and stir well.
3. When the veggies are done cooking, place them into a large bowl. Pour on the dressing and mix well. Serve immediately, warm. Makes about 4 servings.

Hummus: The Rap

Well hey there!  Sorry I haven't posted in a while.  It has been a crazy two months.  I've been so busy I've had very little time to myself or time to write.  I'm about to head out to the All Good Music Festival so I still need to pack and prepare for that trip.  I just wanted to stop in and post this hilarious video I saw recently that I thought some of you might enjoy.  I promise to fill you all in on all the things that have been going on as soon as I return from All Good.  I have a number of different events to report on and some tasty foods to tell you about.  Enjoy the video for now!

Ubon Thai Cuisine - Late Mother's Day Celebration

View from the patio seating at Ubon

Tuesday night my brother and I took my mother for dinner at Ubon Jeenwong's Thai Cuisine for a late Mother's Day dinner (both my mom and brother were working Mother's Day).  I really didn't know what to expect.  I hadn't heard much about Ubon.  We were just looking to try some place new.  Turns out Ubon was an excellent choice.  It's located right on the Wilmington Riverfront in the Shipyard Shops.  They have outdoor seating which looks right out onto the river.  We chose to sit outside and it was a great evening for it.  I let the waiter know about my allergies and that I was vegan right away.  He was really helpful.  In all honesty there really weren't too many options on the menu for me.  I could only have the curry options but they did offer 4 different kinds of curry so at least I had a few choices to work with.  I chose Kaeng Khiao Wan which is a green curry.  They have a heat scale of 1 to 5.  1 being mild and 5 using ghost peppers which from what I understand are insanely hot.  I went with a heat level of 3.  I also asked for extra vegetables since Tofu isn't an option for me.  My brother went with the curry dish, Massaman, which is a curry with peanuts and lemongrass at a heat level of 3.  My mom decided on a noodle dish, Kwitel Pad Khi Mao.  It served with wide rice noodles with basil, thai herbs and seasonings.  I thought this dish sounded delicious and would have been my first pick but it turns out that their base sauce contains soy.  My mom is a little bit of a lightweight when it comes to heat but still braved a level 2.  I can say that all of us enjoyed are meals.  The heat level was just right, the spices completed it well.  The portions were a good size.  I managed to eat most of my dish.  The server took the time to make sure we were all doing okay and when my mom informed him she was struggling a bit with the heat, he suggested some raspberry tea to help soothe the heat.  She took the offer and it really helped.  I have to say this is one the best experiences I've had since I've found out about my allergies and made the switch to being vegan.  They really tried to accommodate me as much as they could.  They even made sure to prepare my food on different surface then everyone else's meal so there was no cross-contamination.  I have never had any restaurant even offer to do this before.  So with that said, I will definitely be going back there for the excellent service and really tasty meal.

This is what a vegan with allergies eats at a Thai restaurant. Yummy!

Sunday Chili

It appears we have a Sunday ritual.  Every Sunday we make a large pot of chili.  I think we finally perfected it this weekend.  It had just the right amount of heat, was pretty thick and had a great flavor.  Chili is really easy to make since you can just throw all the ingredients into a slow cooker and leave it cooking for 4 to 6 hours, leaving us plenty of time to enjoy the day.  The part that takes the longest is chopping all the peppers but my boyfriend seems to enjoy that so I let him take care of that part.  The best part about making chili on Sunday is there is always leftovers for the week. 

Here's what we do:

Ingredients
1 lb 13 oz can Black Beans
1 lb 13 oz can Red Beans
13 oz can White Beans
2 cups soaked Lentils
(2) 6 oz cans tomato paste
1 lb 12 oz can diced tomato
1/4 cup sundried tomato chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup cooking red wine
1 orange pepper chopped
1 red pepper chopped
2 jalapeños chopped
1 serrano pepper chopped
2 long red chili peppers chopped
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1/2 cup chipotle in adobo sauce (chop peppers)
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp salt

Put all ingredients into slow cooker.  We generally taste it as we are cooking and adjust seasoning as we feel necessary.  Cook on low for 6 hours, stir occasionally.  Serve and enjoy!  It's as easy as that. 

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Over the weekend my boyfriend and I went to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.  We spent about 4 hours hiking and driving through the refuge.  It was the perfect day for it.  75 degrees and sunny.  There were many different kinds of birds to be seen.  I'm not great at identifying them but we did see blue herons, egrets and red winged blackbirds. We saw a frog and 2 snakes.  I'm pretty sure the snake wasn't happy about our presence.  It was hissing and rattling its tail so we snapped a few pictures and got away from it.  I was hoping to see turtles or foxes but I guess we made too much noise and scared them off.  We came close to an encounter with a fox.  We heard it rustling around in the bushes and saw a flash of color and then nothing.  It realized there were people around and stopped moving or found a good hiding place.  Maybe next time I'll get to see them.

The frog we found along our path.

The snake that didn't want to play nice.

A random lighthouse we passed on our scenic drive home.

After we left the park we were pretty hungry so we went home and made lunch.  We didn't have many supplies around so I did my best with what we had and actually came up with a pretty good recipe.  I made pasta with a cheesy garlic sauce.  Below is the recipe. 

Pasta and Broccoli with Cheesy Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast (Nooch)
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 tsp Salt
16 oz Bag of Frozen Broccoli
1/2 Bag Brown Rice Fusilli

Start by boiling water for the pasta, once the water is boiling throw in pasta.  Bring water to a boil again and then turn down the heat to a low setting.  Simmer until the pasta is tender.  While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large pan.  Once oil is warm, toss in garlic on a low heat and let garlic cook for about 2 minutes. Next add the nutritional yeast, crushed red pepper, salt and broccoli to the pan.  Cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.  When the broccoli is tender and the pasta is ready toss it all together, mix and serve.

This is a super easy, quick meal that takes very few ingredients.  All the items are things I keep stocked in my pantry daily. 

Avengers Assemble!

I don't think I've mentioned this yet but I read comic books.  Mainly DC titles but I've always loved all the Marvel characters as well.  So whenever a new movie comes out featuring these characters I get a little excited.  Actually giddy is probably a more accurate word for it.  Needless to say when I saw the trailer for the Avengers I was ready to run to the theater that day.  Last night I got to see it after listening to a weeks worth of hype from everyone else.  All the reviews were so positive I've was slightly nervous I'd be let down.  I can tell you this movie does not disappoint.  Joss Whedon did such a fabulous job bringing all the characters together.  The interaction between the Avengers is hilarious. The one thing I was worried about was the choice not to bring back Edward Norton as the Hulk. It turns out I had nothing to be worried about.  Mark Ruffalo actually felt more like Bruce Banner/Hulk than any other actor in recent years.  He made Banner look uncomfortable and awkward in his own skin which is how I would imagine him.  Hulk also has some of the most memorable lines in the movie.  I highly recommend checking this movie out if you are into comics or action movies.  You will not be disappointed.  I'm ready to see it again!

RIP MCA

Well, now after I post how excited I am about this summer, I hear some very sad news.  MCA from the Beastie Boys passed today.  I grew up listening to them.  I would listen to Paul's Boutique on repeat.  I remember being around 15 years old and driving around with my boyfriend at the time.  He had this station wagon that he had filled with woofers, amps and speakers and whatever else boys load their cars with to make them shake the ground, rattle their cars and set off other car alarms.  We used to drive around bumping Licensed To Ill and specifically Brass Monkey.  Brass Monkey could shake the world like no other song could in that car.  It was such a bass heavy song.  The song would just reverberate through you.  It was very cool thing to actually feel the song and not just hear it.  To this day I can't listen to that song without thinking of that car.  And now I'm going to be slightly sad when I hear to know that there won't be anything new from him to blow my mind.  RIP MCA.  You will be missed.

Summer Festival Season Begins

Tomorrow is the start of the summer festival season for me and my friends.  We will be going to Ram Jam which is a day long music festival ending with a bonfire and camping.  It's all musicians from the Wilmington area.  I'm really looking forward to it.  It will be my first time camping since last summer.  I missed sleeping in the fresh air and waking to the sounds of the creatures around.  I'm also going to make a bunch of vegan treats to take with us and share with our crew.  Maybe I can convert someone. Wishful thinking, I know, but I can't help myself. 

Let's see, what other fun things do I have planned for the summer?  Quite a few Phish shows, All-Good, Veg-Fest, Bellefonte Arts Festival, Shady Grove Music Festival, hopefully some beach trips, camping and hiking, a possible DSO and Keller Williams show.  My plan is to write about most of these events (as long as I make it to them), my experiences at them, getting to them, finding food, and any challenges I run into.  Needless to say I have a pretty full summer to be followed with entering into the Health Coach Training Program at Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  I will be enrolling in the program in September.  I am extremely excited about this but slightly scared to be starting something new.  Mostly I'm just looking forward to learning how to care for myself better and maybe passing that information on to you.  Hopefully you'll stick around for the summer and read about my travels.  I'll try to give some pointers about to prepare food for traveling, find food at festivals and on the road and how to care for your body while still having a good time.

Brunch at Homegrown Cafe

I often get asked what do I eat when I talk with people about my food allergies and the fact that I'm vegan.  People seem very curious as to how I can be vegan but not eat soy, wheat or corn.  This includes vegans.  When I cook for myself there's really no issues.  I've found substitutes for most of my favorite foods.  The problem I run into is that I need to be creative when eating out.  I have to inform my server of my allergies and check that the foods I want to eat are safe.  I've learned over time what restaurants have more options and which ones I get to eat salad at but there is always something on the menu I can eat.  I figured it may help someone out there if I write about the restaurants I frequent and the food I get to enjoy.  

The first place I want to tell you about is Homegrown Cafe on Main Street in Newark Delaware.  Homegrown is a place that I go to a lot.  They have vegan options to most dishes on the menu.  The staff is friendly and helpful.  Also, they have craft beer on tap.  Good beer is a must!  Today I started with a mimosa since we went for brunch.  I usually go for strong, hoppy beers but they had mainly summery beers which I tend to avoid.  My boyfriend got a Dogfish Head 60 Minute, always a good choice.  Usually when I go for brunch I've gone with the Chili Hash dish they offer minus the tofu and cheese.  It's a decent option and I enjoy it but lately I've been trying new things and seeing if there are other things I could try.  Today I opted for a Create Your Own sandwich with portabello mushroom.  I choose the Philly version which was spinach and a garlic sauce.  They have gluten free bread so I requested that.  It also came with a side of fries.  My boyfriend got the vegan Chili Hash which was homefries, tofu scramble, bacon, cheese, scallions, and jalapeños.  Both were delicious.  I am never disappointed when I go there.  I was completely satisfied and didn't have to give up taste or flavor due to dietary restrictions. 

Portabella with spinach and garlic sauce on gluten free bread

Chili Hash

Railroad Earth at World Cafe Live on April 14, 2012

One of my great obsessions is music.  Live music to be more specific.  So one of the things I'll be writing about is the shows I attend.  The most recent being Railroad Earth at World Cafe Live in Philly.  I've never really listened to RRE before the show.  The first time I heard them was a few months ago at a friends house.  I enjoyed what I heard so I decided to check them out live even though I wasn't familiar with their music.  They really put on a great show.  I was surprised how talented all the musicians were.  They have a jammy, bluegrass feel, very danceable. Their instrumental repertoire consists of violin, mandolin, acoustic guitars, banjo, dobro, flute, pennywhistle, saxophones, upright bass, drums and hand percussion.  A pretty impressive collection which led to a very full, interesting sound.  During one song Andy Goessling was playing 2 saxophones at once which was pretty amazing.  I can't even imagine having the lung capacity to play one let alone two so that was pretty impressive.  I would highly recommend checking them out if they are in your area.  It's a show you shouldn't miss!

Here's the setlist:
April 14, 2012
World Cafe Live
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Set 1:
Lone Croft Farewell
Long Way To Go
Shockenaw Mountain Breakdown
Just So You Know
Came Up Smilin'
Bowling Green
Gold Rush
Walk Beside Me -->
Hard Livin'

Set 2:
Seven Story Mountain
Goat
Drag Him Down
For Love
Been Down This Road
Potter's Field
1759
Standing on the Corner
Said What You Mean
The Jupiter and the 119 -->
Cuckoo Medley
Encore:
Fisherman's Blues

Playing 2 saxes at once.  Sick!

One of my friends was given the setlist for the 1st set.  Pretty awesome!

Setlist for the 2nd set.

My Journey to Becoming Allergy Free and Vegan

Hey everyone out there in the interwebs!  I'm Abby and I'm the cubicle hippie.  I work in a cubicle by day and jam out to music in the evening.  I'm 32 years old and have only just discovered that a healthy diet was the key to a healthy life.  Strange, I know, I should have known that food was important to feeling good but I never really could prove that to myself.  I spent most of time sick with sinus infections, bronchitis, stomach issues, anxiety and depression.  I tried a few different diets when I was in my early twenties and nothing seemed to make a difference.  Last February after being put on a third round of antibiotics for a sinus infection that just wouldn't go away I decided to take a chance and see an acupuncturist.  Her name is Lorna Lee and she changed my life without even knowing that she was.  Lorna's first instinct was to test me for food allergies.  She informed that I was allergic to soy, wheat and corn.  I was shocked at first considering the Allergy Specialist I saw never thought he needed to test me for food allergies.  After thinking about it for a night I decided that I would attempt to cut out anything with soy, wheat or corn from my diet.  I can tell you it was the best decision I've ever made.  Within two weeks I could tell the difference.  My stomach started behaving normally.  My headaches started to subside.  I made the decision to stick with this diet which meant cutting out almost all processed foods (which included macaroni and cheese, my favorite food), being extremely specific at restaurants and letting all my friends and family know what I could and couldn't eat.  It's been an interesting challenge but my friends and family have been great! 

In December, I started listening to a podcast called Citizen Radio.  The couple that does the show Jaime Kilstein and Alison Kilkenny turned out to be vegan and would occasionally discuss it on the show.  Around the time I started listening to them, they were working on creating multiple podcasts.  One of which was Red Radio with Erin Red (Erin's no longer associated with Citizen Radio but is still putting out the show Red Radio).  It was a vegan podcast.  Erin grabbed me right away.  She was very passionate and you can't help but get pulled in.  Her first podcast she interviewed Colleen Patrick-Godreau.  The interview made me question my lifestyle.  I was beginning to realize that eating meat was not the best choice for me ethically or physically but I still wasn't sure how to commit to a vegan lifestyle.  My family eats meat, my boyfriend ate meat, my friends are all meat-eaters.  How was I going to be social and be vegan?  I pondered this for a few days.  Around this time I was watching a lot of documentaries.  One that had the biggest affect on me was Forks Over Knives.  It discussed how eating meat and dairy was the cause of so many diseases that cause people to suffer. This convinced my boyfriend that becoming vegan was a great benefit to our health and he offered to make the change with me which made my decision so much easier.  To have someone to cook food with, to discuss the changes and challenges, it was very comforting.  The final thing that sealed it was the documentary Life In A Day.  It had a scene in a slaughterhouse that showed exactly how a cow was murdered.  I cried so hard.  It felt so traumatic to see that.  After witnessing that there was no going back.  I was vegan.

Since I made the decision, I have educated myself as much as possible.  I read every vegan book I can get my hands on.  I listen to every show from Erin Red and Colleen Patrick-Godreau (Check out her podcast, Vegetarian Food For Thought.  Extremely Educational!).  I read every label on my food with the occasionally mishap.  I follow many blogs and websites.  I aim to be a healthy vegan and knowledge is power, right?

So, that was my journey to get to where I am now.  I'm happy, healthy, glowing and loving life!  Now I want to share what I learn with other people in the hopes that maybe something I write might help one person change their life.  I'm still learning what works for me and what doesn't.  I'm no expert on nutrition or health, maybe one day I will be but right now what I write is what works for me today.  My goal is to keep a journal of my lifestyle, the things I do to live a healthy life and the things I do that don't work.  If I help one person by posting on here than I'll be happy.