Category Archives: Sunday Reads

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Today is definitely a stay inside day, whether I want it to be or not. The morning started out with freezing rain, so I am postponing my grocery shopping until the temperature goes up. And man.. is it painful. I wanted to go running this morning or go for a walk. At least I will be able to on Monday I suppose. But since I am stuck inside, I have a lot of time to read. So enjoy the articles below.

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How A Former Wall Street Trader Solved The Restaurant Industry’s Biggest Problem AND The Latest Restaurant to Abolish Tipping Offers Workers a $35K Salary Instead

Man I hate when I find something interesting but can’t choose between two articles. Recently a Pittsburgh restaurant tried to solve the tipping problem in the American restaurant industry. For anyone who is unfamiliar, usually there is a specific minimum wage for waiters, which can be lower than $3 an hour. This is done assuming that the worker will receive tips to make up the cost. Waiting tables is a very crappy job, but Bar Marco tries to give its workers a salary, vacation, and days off. The funny thing is that I am reading this article and told my husband thinking “WOW! This is great for a waiter” and his response was “THAT’S HORRIBLE! THAT’S A TERRIBLE JOB!” So even with ideal conditions, it seems being a waiter is still a shitty job, which is why I almost always tip 20%.

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Vegan Infographic

Sometimes I just love seeing numbers, which is why I love inforgraphics. And even though I like seeing numbers, I am really good at forgetting numbers. So it was nice to see the stats stacked up again to have a nice visual reminder of why I’m vegan.

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Kick Your Caffeine Habit with These 4 Coffee Substitutes

I was so happy to see this article since I am trying to kick coffee to the curb. I think I am doing pretty well, and creating a semi-structure to live by. My rule? If it isn’t good coffee then don’t drink it. The only exception to the rule would be headaches, of which I rather have coffee in my body than medication with caffeine in it. I would love to give some of these a taste, to feed my desire for a complex nutty and bitter drink. I am a little surprised they didn’t include Crio Bru, cocoa beans that are roasted like coffee.

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#marginalizED

I am loving this project idea. So I am sharing it in hopes that some see it and check it out to share their story. The idea? To show that eating disorders hit more people than just white middle class cisgender female. 

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7 cultural concepts we don’t have in the U.S.

Culture, it shapes how we view the world. Here is a list of different ideas that are more common outside of the US. I would probably would say the ideas mentioned in the article are available in the US, but don’t have a proper word to convey them. Or would be viewed as being “hippie dippie.”

When You Burn Fat Where Does It Go?

When I first saw the title for this sci show video I had a big “Duh! You break it down for energy.” But I quickly realized how short sighted that thought was. I mean you break the bonds to create energy, the matter doesn’t get destroyed to make it. So what does happen? Well, the answer is pretty poetic, and I LOVE it! Now I will always be thinking about breathing out “energy” when working out.


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Another week has gone by and I have been pretty good about some of my New Years Resolutions (or Goals, whatever way you like to word it) I’ve taken a photo a day, worked out fairly consistently, drinking lots of tea, and abstaining from coffee and booze. In fact the other night I had a beer and noticed how unproductive I got afterwards. So maybe that will be a nice reminder to lay off the beer on weeknights. 

But I am sure you are here for the articles, here are my top five articles (well one video) for the week.

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Healthy Hungry Hippo Soup

Can we stop for a moment and bask in the beauty of these hippo rolls? I’ve been getting into the spirit of dipping rolls into soups, and this takes it to a whole new level. Of coarse I have visions of being that crazy Mom who makes hippo rolls and wonders why all the other Mom’s think I’m trying too hard to impress them.

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The Future of Meat is Plant-Based Burgers

Here is an article profiling Ethan Brown (founder of Beyond Meat) and their newest product, the Beast Burger. I am always shocked by how many vegans shy away from the “fakes.” I use to be one of them. It wasn’t going to taste the same so why bother? But the older I get, and the more I cook I figure out WHY they are important. One reason is cultural, there is something comforting about being able to eat a traditional meal that you’ve eaten for years. A second reason is texture, you need something chewy or crunchy from time to time. And the third reason is that meats and cheese are often persevered and prepared for easy weeknight cooking. Sure you can do that with a black bean burger, but there are culture “quick” foods that don’t translate easily to homemade vegan. Sandwiches are hard to make vegan and still have them be fast to eat and very filling. Do I live off of the “fakes”? No, but I do occasionally use seitan, gardein, beyond meat, tofutti, and daiya.

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This Year, #LoveTheMirror

I think there is too much stress on dieting, staying thin, looking a certain way, and fat shaming. I’ve heard a lot of hateful bashing about “fat people.” I’ve heard people say horrible things about body parts looking too much like this, this person is too thin, that person looks too feminine, too much like a man, whatever. Everyone deserves to love themselves. You don’t owe anyone an apology for how you look. Period.

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What Happened When I Made a Resolution to Not Buy Anything New for a Year

I thought this was a pretty cool concept, though I am not sure if I could do that (at least with a husband with plans to buy a house) I would love to try this out one year, but I couldn’t image when I would do this. Maybe baby steps? One week not buying anything, then one month?

Is Birth Control Vegan?

This video gives information you never really put much thought about. Sure we all vaguely remember reading something about the ye old days when viking used intestines for condoms (or something like that) but we are totally more advanced than that right? Well, a little, but there are vegan options out there. This is naturally a touchy topic, and every vegan has their own choices to make.


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This week we kind-of a theme. The NEW YEAR! Most posts are going to be about body image and dieting because, well that is what most people think of when they hear about the New Years (that and hangovers). I thought it was pretty funny. I actually went running the morning of New Years Day, and I was surprised how little people were out running. I am thinking hangovers? Maybe that is too cliche?

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Coping with Eating Guilt, Toxic Comments, & Triggers

This year was probably the most successful holiday season for food. I got plenty to eat, and didn’t hate myself (whether it be feeling bad physically or emotionally for overeating, getting weird pressures for eating habits, or eating too many rich foods) I’m slowly getting more and more comfortable with myself, but Raechel really hits home. It’s hard to tune other people out, and feeling the pressure.

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The Two Phases of My Recovery

This blog post goes hand in hand with Raechel’s. Gena writes about how things aren’t clear cut when recovering from an eating disorder. I didn’t have the healthiest relationship in college, and some of the habits Gena talks about were ones I adopted once I tried to get a healthier grip on food. Some still linger and drive me mad wondering “why can’t it all be normal?”

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WTF Diet Shoes

Um… speaking of dieting and body image, if some major corporation is going to make money off of a new dieting product, they can take my cash for these. Adult size moon boots? Gimme gimme! It’ll make doing dishes more fun, it’ll make grocery shopping more fun, I mean everything would be more fun.

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Ozoni (Zoni) Japanese New Year Mochi Soup

The funny thing about Japanese cuisine is that sometimes vegan recipes slip in without notice even though fish dominates plates. The reason? Probably it is because Western cuisine uses a lot of cheese and butter. So if fish or benito flakes are taken out of the equation there isn’t much left. This soup looks light, sweet, and full of different textures.

Do Any Common Cold Remedies Work?

I am all for self healing. I am not for companies marketing you crap. There are lots of pills and vitamins that don’t hold any water. Sometimes they lack the actual vitamin or substance they advertise. What is under the radar? Echinacea, garlic, vitamin C, zinc, Airborne, and chicken soup. The results made sense, but I surprised by some of the bad side effects.  


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I am very excited to get last week over with. Work has been really stressful, it has been busy and then add the anxiety of getting all the work done before Christmas. Well, I got most done last week, and I got my big family get together over with. I was pretty anxious about that since I was making a lot of food. Good news is that the Crowd Pleasing Chickpea Caesar Salad was indeed crowd pleasing. It is even going to be made again this Christmas day for midday lunch.

This post is a little late, and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to post one this week. But I feel like I have been lacking on the blog, which is understandable with all the hubbub of Christmas. Some articles this week were so interesting I just felt like I had to share. So enjoy!

Veganism & Consumerism

I am a big fan of reading Farmer’s Market Vegan. I love how Ali writes about the good a vegan diet does to the environment and is open to discussions about how it can harm our social systems (or rather how our farming practices are unjust). She posted an article on consumerism and veganism, and it wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought her post would be about how companies market vegan goods, but instead it talks about how veganism fits with consumerism, and other other institutions.

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Stop Mocking Gluten-Free Faddists

Gluten-free is the new wheat-bran of health. I think there might be some truth to the trend, but I think for reasons that people aren’t grasping. Most of my beef with the gluten-free fad is the consumerism behind it. But I understand where people are coming from, they are trying trying to feel better. If something is working, sometimes it is just better to keep going with it, whether it be a placebo effect or an actual gluten intolerance.

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Why I Drink Green Hot Chocolate For Breakfast

I always make sure I add a teaspoon of spirulina to my smoothies every morning. I either flavor it with chocolate or matcha. So when I saw this post I had a big “duh! Why not?” moment. I am thinking about adding a small amount of spirulina for a morning hot cocoa to switch up my morning routine.

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Gastropod – Kale of the Sea

When people hear about seaweed as a food they think of the Japanese and Asian dishes. But the food is becoming a staple in Western cuisine, and is being grown domestically. It even has a history with Western civilizations as a common food product. Gastropod has an interesting podcast talking about the food, and the currently advancements it is making.

Protesting All The Way

I love learning about culture event that are unique to certain areas. Santa-con is a controversial one in New York City. Most New Yorkers hate it, and it is a holiday mostly for suburbanites. This isn’t something exclusive to New York, as I remember drunken floods in Philadelphia during Halloween and Saint Patricks “week” (I use the term week since people came to drink the weekend before, after, and the day of Saint Patricks day).


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Another week goes by, and it is another week pretty far from the kitchen. I don’t mean to, but my husband and I keep getting leftovers! First it was Thanksgiving, which was a little brutal on our tummies. SO MUCH STARCH! Then my husband had his office Christmas party and we took home the all vegan antipasto trays. It was pretty cool since we could do so much with it- wraps, grilled vegan cheese sandwiches, pizza, etc. But I thought about it, I hardly had to chop anything all week. Very weird.

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This weekend I got almost all my gifts bought and wrapped. There are a few stragglers, and gifts that still need to arrive. So now our Christmas tree is overflowing with gifts. Our apartment is small so our tree is on a table, our gifts are under the tree, next to the tree, and on the floor because we ran out of table. I am really hoping this is our last Christmas in this apartment, which might mean a full size tree next year.

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The Lives of Millennial Career Jugglers

I think any blogger can relate to this article. Alexa and I have had our fair share of “slash this” type of jobs. Alexa- baby sitter/illustrator/toy sales clerk/blogger and I was up until recently was line chef/framer/food blogger. I think what I really like about this article is that it sheds light on millennials as hard workers. People from this generation are viewed as lazy moochers. Truthfully, there is a lot of blocks stacked against us, and the debt is scary and overwelming. Because most people aren’t able to find the jobs they wanted when coming out of school, many people are pursuing their dreams as a side job. Truthfully, there are lots of businesses that start out that way, so there is nothing new being said.

 

The 2014 Hater’s Guide To Williams-Sonoma Catalog

I remember flipping through the Williams-Sonoma catalog when I was little (like 6th grade to high school little) and dreaming up my kitchen. I didn’t give two shits about what the house looked like. I am pretty sure my kitchen would of been 30% of the house, and I am fairly certain I would still be happy with that arrangement. 

But as I got older, parts of me started to shy away from the company. I mean I still love my all-clad, vitamix, and kitchen-aid mixer, but do I need a separate pot of chocolate milk? Maybe I shy away from specialty cooking equipment because I had to get so creative in college. No square pan for brownies? No problem! This pie pan will work just fine. 

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The Stereotype-Driven Business of Selling Nutrition Bar to Women

I think every vegan has nutrition bar in their purse or pocket when they walk around. I know I do. Why? Because if I get hungry when arrands are taking longer than expected I know I have something to eat, and don’t need to buy something before getting home. In a way it is the whole idea that I am eating a bar that costs a dollar instead of buying a five dollar or more sandwich, drink, burrito, whatever.

So when I read this article about how nutrition bars are marketed to women I found it amazing. Yes, I know there were lots of gender stereo-types but this article made it more more clear. Does the article change my buying habits? Probably not, I will still buy clif bars, the company that owns Luna bars. But it is a great way to be aware of how companies are trying get your attention.

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Berry Mango Sorbet with Banana and Pineapple

I love ice cream. I love This Rawsome Vegan Life. So this was a great post. I love Emily’s down to earth raw recipes. No coconut meat in her recipes! And when she does call for more expensive items, she is realistic about if people can buy them. I particularly liked the writing in her post. It made me smile, and lately the news in America is far from sunshine and rainbows. Go read, smile, then think “Why doesn’t Emily become a newscaster in the US?”

Spiced Pumpkin Seed Maple Horchata

So I bought Apple Brandy for my almond nog, and it was kind-of a mistake. Now I am trying to find some recipes that will highlight the flavors in apple brandy. I have an idea for a yummy toddy, but I would love to try out this really complicated Horchata. I mean TWO DAYS! It takes TWO DAYS to make! I have to try it. 


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This week has been pretty depressing. It seems like the news is really getting under my skin, and it probably has to do with how close everything is to me. Riots in Ferguson are riots in Ferguson. Horrible things are happening in an area far away, surely things are different in parts of the US where there is so much racial diversity? Apparently not. Perhaps this makes me feel unmotivated to post anything. Sure it helps that I am spending time buying gifts, and working more at work. I think the thing that horrifies me the most is how people are still denying that Eric Garner’s death is a problem. The excuses and explanations are troubling.

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She Loves Dress – Let’s Talk

At first I thought I wouldn’t talk about it on the blog since I don’t think I am the most qualified person to talk about it. Then I read the most recent post from She Loves Dress- Let’s Talk. If you are unfamiliar with the blog, Jenny wears beautiful vintage dresses, and does tackle personal issue from suicide, race, and anorexia. So it was amazing to me that someone would post something on a fashion blog about the death Eric Garner.

I would check out her post, because I think she brings up a great point, you can talk and talk, but money helps. No, it can’t solve everything but there are hard working people trying to make a difference. Money is the way that they can pay lawyers, or take unpaid time to educate people. Jenny lists some projects, but not all. 

The Daily Show – We Can’t Breathe

I don’t think anyone could summarize it any better.

Bite Size Vegan – Double Your Money

I think I mentioned that Bite Size Vegan is a great source of information. Emily does a lot of research to bring you small videos packed with information. But I think she is fun, and is doing this just to spread the word of veganism. She started a Patreon page on her website, to help raise money so she can go full time on her YouTube channel.

I am not saying you NEED to donate money, but at least watch some her videos. Give her a chance, and if you feel like you love it, this is the month to donate. If she raises $1,000, a donator is going to match it. 

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Uncross Your Bad Luck: Take a Bath

This post made me really want to take a nice warm bath, unwind just a little. Then I remembered that my tub is a little too small. So you know, when I buy a house maybe I will get a really big and fancy bath so I can relax, and read a book in the tub. Then I thought about how much my apartment is horrible, and I really need to get out. Man, I’m feeling really stressed, I should take a nice relaxing bath.


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I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving- or a good weekend for any non-Americans. My weekend? Has been awful. I mentioned in my last post that I had the world itchiest allergy eye, then got the worst migraine. I laid down in my bed for two and half hours with my eyes closed and my brain feeling like a horn was trying to grow through it. So that’s why my “Sunday Reads” are a little late, and to be honest they might not be happening for the rest of year. You know how it is, retail = super busy. And my weekend might be busy making gingerbread cookies and sneaking in vegan ingredients. “What do you  mean? I used butter. You are just miscounting the butter in the fridge!” *hides earth balance and flax seeds*

But I had the joy of finding out that Corey Booker is going vegan for the rest of the year. Which is pretty cool. Alexa and I both are NJ natives and have lots of pride in the state. But I am not going to lie, it does seem a little weird that Booker becomes vegan shortly after Chris Christie vetoes the bill banning gestation crates in NJ. Although his motives are true, but it probably gives me great timing for the public eye.

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And I think this just blew Alexa’s and my minds. This beers sounds like a disaster, but we will be riding that train wreck when it happens- vomiting our gingerbread cookies and almond nog. But let’s move to the articles that have a little more substance.

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Fun With Food

Part of my struggle with veganism hits a rather funny bone. Sure there are traditions that are hard to change, but I’m not talking about serving turkey for thanksgiving dinner. No what really makes me want to break veganism are the far flung history and practices. I honestly would love to try really old fermented japanese fish. Or even haggis, or black pudding. I still have that “don’t knock it till you try it” attitude about food. I also have a weird fascination with using all the ingredients of an animal (I mean I just mentioned haggis and black pudding)

Well, the article isn’t vegan, but it does talk about ingredients and techniques that are. A bunch of chefs are exploring cooking with the uncookable. Although molds and fermentation are making a comeback, there is still a fair amount of still traditional application to them. Sure we have hempeh, but nothing close to the chimp root, “licorice root, whittled down and brushed with juniper-wood-infused honey, and stuck with herbs, seeds, nuts, fruits, and two types of ants.”

Although the creations might be high end and impractical for daily consumption it might yield some good results. Most artistic movements are from people who were playing around. Some things worked, some didn’t. But it might get one small thing right, which would be borrowed by other artists.

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An Introduction To The Beagle Freedom Project & The Cruelty Cutter App!

Veganism with my diet seems to be widely accepted. But when I say I try to avoid wools and animal based beauty products I get a weird look. I think everyone knows that animals are needed for experimentation, but most test animals are for cosmetics and inaccurate testing. Science have proven that mice love getting cancer. (So for the love of god stop citing lab tests where mice get cancer. Know what gives mice cancer? Everything)

Two movements are featured in Sayward’s blog: The Beagle Freedom Project and The Cruelty Cutter App. The Beagle Freedom Project works with and helps test animals and try to find them homes. What animal is being tested on for your eyeshadow? Beagles duh! Most people imagine bunnies and guinea pigs are normal test subjects, and they are more likely to bite and be jerk pets. So when people know that man’s best friend is also man’s best test subject it gets peoples attention.

The Cruelty Cutter App makes finding cruelty free products easier. I love this idea to have something in your hand as you go shopping. I love Logical Harmony since she makes cosmetics easy. Honestly, I just dropped way too many links. Check them all out guys, they are really interesting.

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Throw this Party: T.Hanksgiving

Even though I had a wonderful spread, I really don’t like Thanksgiving. People are usually in two parties for Thanksgiving, people who spend their day cooking, and people who watch football. Okay that is an over simplification, but after many year my husband started to understand why Thanksgiving and football are a bad idea. If you are cooking you can’t watch the game. So growing up my family made more a tradition of watching the parade.

So I like this fun idea of having a T.Hanksgiving the day before. Maybe next year there will be Splash showing Wednesday night while serving cheesy shit like octopus dip. Or maybe I can make some vegan dish and call it “Mermaid Purse.” Simple and easy, and everyone can love it.

The Militant Baker: Behind the “Decent” Music Video

There are a few songs appearing that embrace curves or being a big girl. There is something great proclaiming “I’m fat, I love it, and fuck you if you don’t like it” Even my boss in her late 50s loves the song All About That Bass. But I am loving this new song Decent by Elly Kellner. It is less “I’m LOVING MY BODY!” but more about the type of guilt tripping that happens. I recommend watching the video and lyrics and reading the post on The Militant Baker. She has a great story to go with the song, which I think anyone of any size can relate to.

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Can Whole Foods Change the Way Poor People Eat?

Eating vegan or healthfully on a budget is a big topic. I hear people saying how they want to eat more healthfully but don’t have the money. I am a firm believer that eating well can be cheaper or about the same cost of junk foods. But the Slate investigates the new Whole Foods that opened in Detroit, one of the poorest cities in America. It goes from it’s noble goals, and benefits it creates for the city.

Then the article goes to the big question- can Whole Foods change the eating habits of the poor? The evidence says no. The article paints the picture of why health is associated with the rich. Reading the article I kept thinking that there were better ways to help the consumer. I am sure most everyone knows how to shop smart, but don’t know healthy and cheap eats.

Overall it saddens me that there is more focus on no-GMOs, organic, and grass-fed cows as being healthy over which fats you eat, and how much sugar is consumed. Perhaps it is because meats, sugar, and dairy can get easily pulled out of our diets and people are trying to find ways to keep them there. Or it is hard to admit that maybe if something is expensive, we just should eat it.


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I am super thankful this year that my Mother in Law is doing a mostly vegan Thanksgiving. Yeah, there is a turkey highlighting the evening. But for all the sides she put forth the effort to make all vegan sides. Granted I volunteered for a bunch of sides (1 pie, 1 crumble, lentil balls, 2 casseroles, and vegan gravy) but I would of still have plenty of grub to eat. I am also thankful I don’t have to worry about my husband’s tummy at the end of the night. He is lactose intolerant, but sometimes will have some lactaid. But sometimes, even with the lactaid, too much dairy will hit him hard.

I am also thankful that I have a loving husband who will talk to me for an hour straight about the merits of the Harry Potter books and movies. We talked all morning about the symbolism in the book, and how it can positively effect a kids life. You know, talking about death, puberty, love, family, etc. Some are direct, some are not. The only reason why the conversation ended was because we both had to use the bathroom. 

What are you guys thankful for?

Hopefully you are thankful for my Weekend reading posts. We have a lot of Thanksgiving related articles and videos this week. Maybe a little too heavy of the videos. I hope you guys actually watch them. I’ve heard rumors that blog readers don’t like watching videos.

The United States of Thanksgiving

Remember when I mentioned in my Tofurky or Not Tofurky post about how many Italian American Thanksgivings look a lot like an Italian American restaurant? Thanksgiving is different for everyone and New York Times covers it pretty well. They have 52 different recipes that might make it on a Thanksgiving tables with some local flair. Clearly not every Maine local is going to put lobster mac and cheese on their table, but I am sure it isn’t unheard of (I mean I DID see lots of lobster mac and cheese on the menus there). 

Booze Before Chews: A Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Drinking Game

I don’t like making gender stereotypes, but most guys tend to watch football while women watch the parade. I was part of the parade watching crowd. I am also all about day drinking so I am all about drinking games for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Cookies and Sangria makes a game for the parade, and provides exercise or drinking options. It’s a shame that 1) I need to cook a bunch this year and you know, don’t want chop a finger off, and 2) My sister works all Thanksgiving and being hammered during work is “unprofessional.”
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Against the Grain

All the hype around gluten-free foods is starting to get annoying. No, I don’t deny that there are people with celiacs disease, or people who are gluten sensitive. I do have a hard time believing that gluten is overall a health risk to the entire nation. I recently watched an episode of Parenthood, and there was a gluten-free, fat-free, dairy-free, super healthy dessert made for their father who just had heart surgery. I found the scene annoying since I see no particular reason why a man with heart problems should take gluten out of their diet. It has become a blanket term for “new fangled healthiness.”

But having tons of gluten-free options is a good thing. People with celiacs disease have food they can eat, and it makes it easier to entertain guests with the disease. There are also lots of kids who have temporary wheat allergies, which makes life easier for parents. Overall I think it is just important for everyone else to eat a little bit of everything. Think about what the average American eats? Toast and eggs for breakfast. There’s some wheat. An Italian sub from the local deli. There’s some wheat. For dinner some spaghetti and meatballs. Wheat in the pasta, and probably some wheat in the meatballs. Suddenly we are told that there are other grains, and we should probably start rotating them.

Back in Black – Black Friday and What Black Thursday Protesters Are Doing Wrong

Usually the main person who picks the articles on here is me (Jennifer). But Alexa posted an article on Facebook the other day about Black Friday. The article made the argument that people should shop if they feel like it, and workers should be allowed to work if they want to. Alexa and I both agreed that the person missed the point of the black friday or black thursday protests. I was pretty ticked about the whole article, wrote a whole bunch about inequality. Then Louis Black went on the Daily Show and ranted about Black Friday. Yup. He pretty much got it all right.

Alexa and I have both worked retail and in restaurants, two businesses where you are expected to work during holidays, weekends, and late at night. We both have been blessed that we work at small stores so we don’t work on Thanksgiving, but my sister who is a writer actually has to spend her whole Thanksgiving on the computer posting hot deals for the next day. (and not drinking during the parade with me) She gets an hour off to celebrate Thanksgiving, then hops back on the computer.

I get that people need to work on holidays. There were some occasions where my Mother worked holidays (she’s a nurse). We simply celebrated them on different days. I know people go to restaurants on holidays (which I don’t like, but not going into that), movies, and grab last minute food and drinks for celebrations. It is worth noting there is a difference from Walmart opening up for Thanksgiving day and your local liquor store staying open. Walmart is chaotic, and involves more workers than normal. The local liquor store might only need one or two people working the shop.

And that to me, is where the major problem is. I think I wouldn’t care as a worker to come in, work on a slow day and miss Thanksgiving. But put me in one of the busiest days of the year? And miss a family holiday? And then be told I should be happy that I could work that day? Get out of here. Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that most Americans celebrate. When people don’t have family nearby, they celebrate with other people. 

Daily Show – Garden Crate + The Great  Crate Debate

Sorry guys, I didn’t mean to post so many videos. There was just a really good episode of the Daily Show. Jon Stewart talks about a bill in New Jersey that would outlaw gestation crates. Alexa and I both live in New Jersey so this is something we are really interested in. I posted the video for the first half of the segment, but left a link for a “debate” about gestation crates. Even though Jon Stewart isn’t vegan or vegetarian I think it is great that he is very open about talking where food comes from.

Chris Christie’s veto is really annoying, but we can happily sign a petition to show that we care a lot of about the issue.

Do Vegans Kill More Animals Than Meat-Eaters?

With Thanksgiving coming up, we might find ourselves sitting at a table with our distant Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. We’ve all been there, being grilled by a person trying to get expose the vegan as being a big giant phony. I Fucking Love Science recently posted an article about how a vegan diet actually kills more animals. Although the data might be truthful, it isn’t a realistic display of what people actually eat. It would imply that my vegan meal consists of only grains, and the omnivorous diet is only grass fed beef.

Emily make great points and approaches to topic in a great way. I’ve had friends talk about how they had summer jobs plucking dead mice and snakes from crops. It happens, and there isn’t anyone trying to hide that. Watch Emily, get educated, and you’ll be able to make an great argument at the dinner table.


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This weekend has been a little sad. Saturday was the last day my husband and I will be able to pick apples at our local orchard. We go through several pounds a week, and I not sure how we do that. I can say my husband eat at least an apple a day at his work. Then he loves to eat apple pies, apple muffins, and tops his oatmeal with apple chunks. Me? I do make a light green tea and apple drink, apple cereal, and use them in slaws.

Aside from no more organic local apples, our CSA has our last share next Saturday. Then hits Thanksgiving, which means I holiday season starts. My work will now be open 7 days a week (as apposed to 5 days a well, giving me secured Sunday and Monday off). The holiday season is a bittersweet time of the year. I get excited but there are many ways I dred it. But I HAVE already bought two gifts already, so I am ahead of the game right?

Good things about today? My husband and I are going to see Rosewater and baking an apple pie (at home, not in the theater). I plan on watching a full football game and not getting distracted by the kitchen. Making some black bean tacos for dinner while watching a new episode of Once Upon a Time. Which reminds me, shouldn’t Emma be spending more time with her son? Just saying it’s been all about Emma and Hook lately. Just saying.

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Israel is the Vegan Capital of the World & Beyond Hummus and Falafels

The first link is to a very short article about how Israel has the highest population of vegans. When estimating numbers, people hear low numbers like 1% to 2% of the population being vegan. Israel has a whopping 5% vegan population, and an additional 8% vegetarian! Sometimes positive news that a movement is working is all you need to make your day brighter. The second article goes into detail about the hows and whys, which I always find interesting.

I know that since I live next to Philadelphia I have lots of vegan options, including several all vegan bar, all vegan pizza place, and pretty much a vegan option at all restaurants. I tend to forget how frustrating it can be to eat out in other parts of the world. After reading these articles, I recently saw that Emily from This Rawsome Vegan Life started to post a bunch of vegan food from Israel on Instagram. I hope she blogs about it soon!

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It’s Time To End The Turkey-Tofurky Thanksgiving Food Fight

NPR writes about how people view the morals for vegans compared to omnivores. To me it makes a lot sense. I’ve had many discussions with people about how they try not “think about where their meat comes from” or how they could never “eat Bambi.” There is definitely guilt associated with animals dying. But vegetarian or not, it doesn’t really show all of the ethics people hold.

The article was a little saddening to read that people believe the stereotypes, as if all vegans are righteous jerks who are going to show PETA videos during dinner time. Although I applaud the people go out there and film and expose what is going on with our “food,” I don’t think it is the way to convert everyone.

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The GMO debate: 5 things to stop arguing

This article is neither for and against GMOs, but takes common arguments from both sides. I’ve got a lot of beef with GMOs but I recognize that with overpopulation, we might need them. But the biggest argument against GMOs is that they are unhealthy for people and that isn’t 100% true. Can you make a GMO that is poisonous? Yes. Are there natural foods that are poisonous? Yes, some we even eat (hey there is cyanide in apples, and nicotine in lots of foods, just in very very small doses)

I think the issue is far from black and white. But I do support foods labeling when the use GMOs, and I do think some GMOs do sometimes give too much power to companies. I don’t like the idea that one person or company can own the rights to DNA. There COULD be horrible problems on our environment, less chemicals yes, but what if some of our food becomes a weed? It might be fine for us, but it could hurt one animal, which feeds another, and another. I know some of these arguments are speculation, which is why I am not jumping into any GMO protests.

Lolitas Who Aren’t Asian: Why This Style Is Actually Universal

I use to love the Gothic Lolita style of clothing when I was in high school. I had several copies of Gothic Lolita Bible and I would flip through swooning over Mana’s curly hair and Kana bright color choices. I remember being so excited when I bought my first H. Naoto piece, and then never wore it. (Maybe I’ll make it work and post it?) But I never had the cash to buy such a fancy dress to wear maybe for halloween and possibly a convention like Otakon.

I really liked this small video piece that talks about how the Lolita culture has been popular in Amsterdam. I think if there was a thriving community like that in the US, I might be happy to dress up and grab some tea. But then again, I probably wouldn’t. Let’s be real this style is a fashion and hobby commitment. As Alexa has pointed “kawaii is devotion.” I also like the points the girls make, the clothing choice is less about being sexually appealing to men, which seems to be the biggest assumption about what women choose to wear.

Make Thrift Buy: Seashell Bra Mermaid Top

Annika’s recent episode of Make Thrift Buy really inspired me. I love buying clothing, but I know it isn’t the best thing I can do for the environment. I also know there are tons of animals products in clothing, making it hard to buy reasonably priced sweaters, coats, and shoes of lasting quality. Thrifting is eco friendly and animal friendly since you are not directly supporting industries that use animal parts. But I am pretty bad at thrifting. I hate sifting through all the clothes, and I get annoyed when the fit isn’t perfect.

But unlike some previous make thrift buy episodes, Annika took a super simple shirt, and made something cute and trendy of it. I feel like I could go into any thrift store and pick a shirt that I could use. Is it ground breaking? No. Nothing new here really. But maybe I will visit a thrift store soon to buy some clothing to modify soon.


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You might have noticed we were gone for two weeks, which means I have so much to share this weekend for Sunday Reading! I changed the format a little since there are so much to share, so bear with me guys. I hope I don’t overwhelm you with too many articles, videos, and blog posts. I tried to summarize faster for everyone as well. 

I am also being pretty brief since I just got home from my trip to Florida. Most of my Mother’s side of the family lives there, so we went down for my grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary! I will be sharing some photos, a restaurant, and a cool state park. I am just home to be back in crabby and dense Jersey.

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I’ve been a huge fan of The Bite Size Vegan. I find Emily great for teaching people about veganism, whether it is about nutrition or how animals are treated. She covers so much and has the cutest puppy ever. That was why when she started the Nugget Army to help support her YouTube channel, I was happy to contribute. Go check her out, and see what you think.

Check out this cool lady who decorated her house with bottle caps.

Jamie recently posted a review on a manga called In Clothes Called Fat. I love comics, and I love how in Japan they are used as a serious medium for a message. I need to pick up this comic.

The Kitchn had a quick article about galactagogue foods, foods that increase breast milk. I thought it was cool because all the foods listed are vegan. Not saying all vegan food are galactagogue foods, but still interesting meat isn’t on there.

Logical Harmony make a quick cheat sheet of vegan friendly brands at Sephora. She even breaks down how vegan friendly they are!

Heard about Advanced Fashion yet? Well, get an introduction with this interview with the very inspiring Tziporah Salamon. Even if you aren’t a fashionista, she really inspires you to keep faith in art, and doing what you like regardless of age.

Jenny at She Loves Dresses wrote a loving letter to her late father. This is one of many posts where she opens up with her struggles in life. Something not enough people are open about.

(Another) Jennifer at Grimmricksen posted an interesting article about adult female ADHD

The New York Times wrote a humbling piece about how complicated microbiome in our bodies is. We all know that Jamie Lee Curtis is trying to sell us poop-gurt, and all the hipsters are guzzling kombucha, but there is so much we don’t understand.

M.F.K Fisher is well known for her literature about food. Her writing is inspiration for pretty much every food blog, magazine, or book you pick up. But there is a good argument against M.F.K Fisher

While on vacation my husband was looking at my tablet and wanted to make this Spicy Cranberry Apple Sauce.

Speaking of my husband- I really enjoyed Gena’s post on How to Date a Vegan Without Even Trying. It reminded me so much of my husband. I think he only asked two “annoying questions” about me being vegan which was “So you’ll never eat a hotdog again?” and “So you’ll never eat ice cream again?!” Aside from those two very spaced out questions, he never asked something stupid like “Is semen vegan?”

Since I talked about vegans and calcium, you might want to read this post about calcium.

Jess calls out the problem with Plus Size Models. It is a great step forward, but is a small step backwards.

Cara wrote a quick and helpful post about surviving the holiday season. I am planning on posting my own similar post

Crash Course & Self-Love Part 1

I was hesitant to share this Crash Course video on Eating Disorders. But after reading Raechel’s blog post about Self-Love it made me remember how crappy education was for eating disorders. Was I the only one who watched that TV special with Calista Flockheart? All the lessons about about eating disorders seemed to be targeted to the girls, and it came off as a wag of the finger. “Now don’t go crazy with your dieting girls!”

I think if I was shown this video in school my point of view would of been totally different. I think there is so much shame associated with bulimia and anorexia since it is often viewed at dieting gone wrong. I’ve had a friend who was anorexic, and pressures to look a certain way seemed to be on the bottom of the list. It was much more about control over something in her life. She talked about how she had to compulsively look at a watch and take bites when the hands were on certain numbers. Although she might of started to eat this way because she wanted to look thinner, she never talked about that being a concern about what and when she ate.

I also enjoyed the video because they switched genders around all the time with different disorders. They also mentioned many different disorders, saying that their root is similar- different environmental pressures.