Tag: Vegan Month
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A Vegan Month in Review
What I Learned: Will I keep eating vegan after January 31? More or less! Even before this experiment I ate vegan or vegetarian for 90% of my meals. I will meal prep and choose vegan recipes, and I do not plan to buy cheese, meat, or seafood at the grocery. Both of these decisions I…
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Vegan Nutrition: Iodine
Iodine: Where does it come from and why do our bodies need it? What iodine does: Iodine assists in the function of our thyroid gland and its production of hormones T3 and T4 (which affect metabolism, growth, heart rate). It also assists in fetal brain and bone development. Iodine deficiency can lead to swelling in…
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Simple, creamy turmeric pasta
Surprise! Another gray, cloudy day here in Central Ohio. For lunch today I was simply craving a warm, cozy bowl of pasta to brighten my outlook on things. When I need to whip up a quick but satisfying hot meal, I often turn to this quick pasta recipe. Its creamy sauce is made so by…
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Red dye (carmine) isn’t vegan.
Red dye! Specifically, carmine. Carmine is a common red dye derived from the crushed up bodies of the cochineal bug, which produce carminic acid to defend against ants. To make 1 pound of carminic acid dye requires approximately 70,000 female cochineal bugs. Where you’ll find carmine: BlushCandyEye ShadowInkJuiceLipstickPaintRed clothingSausageYogurt Alternate names for carmine: cochineal extract,…
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My recipe for the best vegan sourdough bread
Look. It was a grey, snow-rainy Monday, and I don’t have a long post to share today. But I did bake off two loaves of bread, and I can attest that the bread is delicious. I love my staple recipe for sourdough bread. It has brought me and my family so much joy in These…
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The ethics of veganism
My first introduction to veganism came from the pamphlets animal rights groups handed out at my college’s dining hall. The colorful trifold displayed cute animals frolicking through fields. I gazed at those tiny, fluffy chicks, ate tofu for a week, and then (I have to admit) went back to eating meat the next week. While…
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What’s the difference between cacao powder and cocoa powder?
I was making my favorite smoothie with cacao powder + almond butter this morning when I thought: What is the difference between cacao powder and cocoa powder? They are both: Besides those vague characteristics, I honestly had no idea what the difference was. Join me in this learning journey! Cacao Powder: Cocoa Powder: If you’re…
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Easy-to-access vegan protein sources
The most common question anyone asks when you say you eat vegan is “how do you get enough protein?” The answer is: Pretty easily! How much protein do you actually need to consume? An approximate gauge for daily protein intake = 7 g protein per 20 lbs of body weight. Take your weight, divide by…
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The all-important B12
What a historic day! The inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris has lifted my spirit and gives me hope that the eradication of COVID might be possible in 2021. I may have to make this hibiscus celebration cake to celebrate. And, let’s be honest, I love a good excuse to bake, so I…
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A Statistical Success
Welcome to Day 19 of my Vegan Month! According to Strava’s study of 800 million user-logged activities, most people give up their New Year’s resolutions within 19 days. While my Vegan Month is not a New Year’s resolution per se, I did begin this adventure on January 1, so making it through today felt significant.…
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One week of delicious, vegan meals
As I begin Week 3 of my January vegan challenge, I have chosen to feature an image of a Moroccan door for today’s post to invite and welcome you all to enter into this second phase with me. My first Meal Planning for Week 1 carried us through two whole weeks of cooking (with a…
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Why it matters: Complete proteins + amino acids
What the heck is an amino acid and why should you care? The human body needs 20 amino acids to function. On its own, our bodies can produce 11 of those 20 amino acids. The remaining 9 have to come from the food we eat. A complete protein is a food that contains all 9…