The Perks of Having A Vegetarian Rommmate

I have been looking online for a new roommate and I am surprised by my findings.

There are many people who prefer living with vegetarians and vegans.

I thought that people's preference would be of the contrary because some people that I have talked to in the past feel that "non meat-eaters" are weirdos, but I guess not all people feel that way.

If you really think about it, vegetarians and vegans are actually better to live with for a multitude of reasons. First off, their food is a lot more clean than a meat eaters (most of the time). There will never be the overwhelming smell of rotting meat in the refrigerator that your roommate is too lazy to throw away. That is a huge positive.

Vegetarians and vegans also tend to be more sanitary and aware of hygiene more than other people, which will allow for the house/apartment to stay clean and not reek of dirty human.

These are only a couple of perks. Another one is that you will be able to experience a different type of eating, and who knows, you may decide to become a vegetarian too!

I am So Glad to be Vegetarian!

Have you watched the documentary Supersize Me?

I have, and after watching it, I am even more happy that I am a vegetarian.
This film is all about McDonald's and the food that it sells and its effect on human beings. Morgan Spurlock, the main character in the documentary, eats nothing but McDonald's for 30 days straight; breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

By the end of the 30 days, Spurlock gained an abundance of fat, he was at risk of diabetes, and he was completely out of shape and tired all of the time.
This documentary is a huge eye opener to Americans.

If you are unsure whether you should become a vegetarian, I urge you to watch this flick and then make your decision. Here is a clip to show you the intensity and overall grossness that meat and fast food can have on the human body...enjoy.

Yummy Holiday Coffee Drinks

When the holidays come to town, I am always in the mood for warm coffee drinks, and I found some yummy ones this year!

At Susina Bakery & Cafe in Los Angeles, there is an amazing peppermint mocha that is sure to warm you up after being out in the cold. Bite size cookies are for sale as well, and you area able to pick which ones you would like out of their 30 cookie selection.

Seattle's Best, which is usually located inside of Borders and Barnes & Noble bookstores, makes a delectable Gingerbread Latte that is served with a mini gingerbread cookie. The taste of nutmeg and the richness of the coffee paired with the gingerbread coffee is a perfect snack.

Lastly, Starbucks recently brought back their infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte, and it is better than ever! If you haven't tried one with a muffin or croissant, you are missing out!

The best part of all of these coffees is that they are vegetarian/vegan! I get all of them made with soy milk and no whipped cream.

Next time you are cold make sure to try out one of these satisfying, caffeinated beverages.

Have a wonderful day :)

New Meat Substitute @ Yard House

There is a new meat substitute at Yard House, Gardein, and it is yummy!

The name Gardein comes from the joining of two words: Garden and Protein...two types of food that vegetarians are huge fans of.

I have eaten at Yard House in the past and have always been disappointed with their vegetarian options, until now.

Gardein can be substituted on a few of the appetizers, all of the starter salads and entree salads, all burgers, some sandwiches, a pizza, kids meals, and some of the house favorites.

I had the nachos with Gardein and they were so good; I can't wait to try the rest of the food!

My Thanksgiving Dinner

A healthy and yummy alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving is Tofurky!

I had a Tofurky roast for the main course of my Thanksgiving dinner, and it was delicious!

The product is completely vegan and made of all natural and organic ingredients and is sure to leave you feeling satisfied and full without the tired feeling that real turkey gives you.

Just throw it in the oven for about an hour and it is good to go.

I recommend candied yams, green beans, mashed potatoes and fruit salad to pair with the Tofurky because it all tastes scrumptious together!

I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and if you didn't enjoy a Tofurky, make sure to pick one up next year!

Food Inc.

Have you seen the documentary Food Inc. yet?

If not, you need to go to the movie store right now and rent it.

I must warn you, this is not a popcorn and candy type of film. I advise you not to eat any food before, during or a few hours after watching because you will most likely get a stomach ache.

Watch the trailer for the documentary below...and please inform yourself about the production of America's meat and produce by watching the entire film.

A Vegetarian's Haven

  

I was in Los Angeles a couple of days ago and I ate at my all time favorite cafe, Urth Cafe.  Urth Cafe offers many vegetarian options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, all of which are delicious!

I got the Sprout Sandwich with a bowl of Corn Chowder soup. I have one word to describe my lunch...amazing!!! Urth Cafe also offers many different teas and coffees, many with designs drawn into the foam by the coffeemakers, which makes it much more special.    

If you are ever in the L.A. area, be sure to look up Urth Cafe and grab some delicious food that is good for you too!

Do Vegetarians Really Live Longer?

I have heard speculations about the life expectancy for vegetarians being longer than omnivores, so I did some research and found the truth.

On average, vegetarians do tend to live longer than meat eaters.

The consumption of fruits and vegetables on a regular basis, and the absence of fatty meats in a person's diet helps prevent many life threatening illnesses, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

According to a study that I found on WebMD, vegetarian women live an average of 4.42 years longer than women who eat meat. Similarly, vegetarian men live an average of 7.28 years longer than meat-eating men.

These results sure do make me happy that I am a vegetarian...this is yet another reason that people should convert!

Delicious Meat Substitutes

Now that more and more people are adopting a vegetarian way of life, food manufacturer's have began producing delectable meat substitutes; some that I would have never thought I would enjoy.

Almost every type of meat sold in the grocery store now has a meatless alternative, which still has all of the    flavor, but less fat and cholesterol.

Turkey, chicken, meatballs, ribs, hot dogs, sausage, chicken nuggets, bacon, hamburger patties and pepperoni are all now offered free of meat!

      

Some of the faux-meat products come in a variety of ways. If you are in the mood for chicken shish-kabobs, or a sandwich made with lunch meat; the meat alternatives are waiting for you to eat them :)

Try some of them out and let me know what you think...hope that you like them as much as I do!

Health Benefits to Being Vegetarian

I was very surprised when I found out about all of the health benefits to eating a vegetarian diet.

A diet of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and fruits, with the avoidance of meat and high-fat animal products is the best way to prevent deadly health issues such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer and mortality.

According to vegetarian-nutrition.info, "the total direct cost in the U.S. to meat consumption was estimated to $30-60 billion a year, based upon the higher prevalence of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity, and food-borne illness among omnivores compared with vegetarians."

Many people fear that if they go vegetarian, they are going to be hungry all of the time, but that is definitely not true.

I must admit, it took me a little while to understand what I needed to eat and when to give my body the adequate amount of nutrition and protein, but it is all a process. Give yourself a month to get into the groove of things and you will be set.

Next time you or someone you know is at the doctor's office with concerns about one of the illnesses listed above, stop and think how important meat is to you. Is is more important than your health and well being? I hope not.

The Best Vegetarian Breakfast!

As a vegetarian, it is sometimes difficult for me to find a nutritional breakfast to eat.  Experts say that breakfast is the single most important meal of the day because it fuels your body with everything you need to have a productive day.

I have been searching for the perfect breakfast for vegetarians for quite sometime now, and I think that I have finally found it!

Before I tell you what it is, let me just say that I am not a little eater. I love food.  This breakfast is not for people who eat like birds. This breakfast is for the people who love to fuel their bodies with energy and protein. 

Here we go...

Oatmeal

1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal-cook it with water and add a little bit of brown sugar or cinnamon for taste

Breakfast Sandwich

2  Morning Star brand vegan sausage patties- they come frozen, so just defrost them in a pan

1 wheat English muffin

1 teaspoon butter

1/8 cup of shredded cheese

    

Drink   

1 cup orange juice

**This may seem like an abundance of food for breakfast, but believe me; it is so yummy and will keep you focused, energized and in a good mood throughout the day.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Vegetarian Celebrities

I was never aware of how many celebrities are vegeatrian. It really makes me happy :)

Many of these stars voice their opinions about becoming vegetarian, and some of them pose in pictures to encourage others to "take the veg pledge."



These are only a few of the pictures of vegeatrian celebrities...I think the fact that they are promoting vegetarianism is awesome, and I definitely believe that these celebrities are an inspiration to the world.

 

CSU Tuition Increase

The California State University system has increased tuition prices...again.

I know that "Education" is not the topic of my blog, but I produced this vlog for my Opinion Writing class at CSU Fullerton, and I explained my feelings about the fee increase.

Let me know how you feel about this controversial issue.

Hope you like the video :)

Chicken Stock In Mashed Potatoes?

I was at work last night and I was starving, but couldn't figure out what I wanted to eat.

I was craving mashed potatoes with cheese and scallions like no other, but I knew that they were off limits because one of my coworkers had told me that there is chicken stock in the mashed potatoes.

I was bumming it, and my manager asked me what was wrong, and I told him about my tragic situation (enter sarcasm here).

"I really really want some of our mashed potatoes, but Danielle said that there is chicken stock in them, and since I don't eat meat, I can't have them," I said.

"Danielle is crazy; there is no chicken stock in the potatoes," my manager explained. "All we put in them is milk, butter and garlic seasoning."

THE HUGEST SMILE CAME ACROSS MY FACE!!!

I was so excited, and I grabbed a big bowl of the delicious garlic mashed potatoes and tossed the cheese and scallions on top...I was in heaven <3

                               

P.S. Be careful, though. Some restaurants DO put chicken stock in their mashed potatoes...make sure to ask!

So Many Vegetarians...So Little Time

I was talking with a few people about being a vegetarian and one of them told me about the different types of vegetarians that exist. I was caught a little off guard and was like, whoa whoa whoa...what?!?!

Different types of vegetarians??? I thought a person was either a vegetarian or not. This is getting a little out of hand.

Why does society have to make everything so complicated?

These are the different types that she told me about...

1) Pescatarian: Abstain from eating all meat and animals with the exception of fish

2) Flexitarian: Usually eat a vegetarian diet, but eat meat sometimes

3) Lacto/Ovo Vegearian: Lacto-Vegetarians eat dairy products but no eggs, and Ovo-Vegetarians    
    eats eggs but no dairy products 

I don't know about you, but to me this sounds like a whole bunch of mumbo jumbo that people come up with to fit in.

 People seem to think that being vegetarian is "cool" so they create words to include themselves in the vegetarian community...this is LAME!!



Do you know of any other vegetarian terms? I would <3 to hear them :)