Midnigh musings on the good things of life

Off cow since Sept 21, 2011, stopping beef was so easy as I was not a big beafeater.  Milk yogurt and cheese seemed to come harder.  Today I picked up a cook book "Great Meals in Minutes, Meatless Menus" 1984 time life books....all the meals have 3 dishes and one of the 3 always had milk butter cheese yogurt or sour cream in it.   But we have choices!   Almond milk, hemp (seed) milk (no kidding), coconut milk (some grown in Hawaii and a lot grown further away), rice milk, and soy milk.  
see:
http://www.realfooduniversity.com/nutrition-milk-milk-substitutes/
or
http://www.veganbaking.net/vegan-baking-articles/product-reviews/five-types-of-non-dairy-milk-reviewed.html

Soy may be the worst for the enviornment: most soy is GMO and a lot of forrest has been cleared to plant soy.  So, if almonds are grown close to home, they may be a much better choice.

Here's a link on soy being non-green or "greenwashed" acc to Friends of the Earth:
http://www.foei.org/en/media/archive/2009/public-warned-over-green-soy-scam

Rice milk, and nut milks can be made at home, check where the rice or nut was grown, and if you can't find local at least find organic...that's my best thinking on this right now.

Anyone have a good recipe for making one of these?

Cooking disaster, pot luck tomorrow will get fresh but store bought bread

I can't eat wheat and one of the flour mixes which can substitute is Rice flour, Tapioca starch and very small amt Xanthan gum (XG), which is a good binder.    I used the XG with b 1/2 cup brown rice flour and 1 cup corn meal, 1 cup rye flour, 1/2 tsp XG, skipped the egg, substituted 1/2 soy milk  and 1/2 almond milk for the 1 C milk, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 T baking powder,  1/4 cup sugar, it came out good, and was not as crumbly as some breads without wheat can be.   The bread was not more dense than usual for corn bread.  I also made a banana bread that way and it was good.

But tonight ugh, I will eat the heavy corn bread - will probably use it as bread crumbs for croutons in soups and salads, that would be good, but alone it is too heavy, kind of like pizza  dough.

Friday night am making shitake and forrest nameko mushroom soup, a little onion, celery, and mostly the 2 mushrooms sliced and sauted, and then a broth from  soaking dried shitake, yummmm.   maybe a small amount wild rice...anyone coming for dinner?

Going off meat and milk and egg has not been hard, Day 1 was Sept 21, 2011.  I have planned meals ahead more than usual, but I work in the Richmond District of San Francisco and there are many good restaurants, all have somethings which I could order, but I think I might spend 150 to 200 % of what I am spending now, if I ordered ale carte.   Today I had mango sorbet for dinner, and cornbread snack later.  Lunch was weird, some chocolate candy while talking to a colleague and some broccoli slaw.   Partly as we have a noon Mindfulness Based Meditation on Wednesdays.  Breakfast was soy milk and almond milk with blueberries.   This weekend must do men you planning and Chopin Liszt.

Flowers this morning, dinner tonight, changes are not always difficult

Judy Collins is beautiful, soup dinner with friends, baking bread

Last night heard Judy Collins, her website says this: 1961, Judy Collins released her first album, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, at the age of 22 so she is was born in 1939 and is 72 years old now. 
She has such heart, and a voice she can ring like church bells, like a flute,  like a song bird ... see her if you can.  Her blog is very interesting btw.  


I baked a bread of 

• 1 cup corn meal 
• 1 cup dark rye
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1 teaspoon Xanthan gum (which helps it not be crumbly), 
• 1 egg (omit if vegan), and I substituted for the 1 cup of milk
• 2 tbsp sesame salad dressing 
• 2 tbsp black sesame seads
• 1 cup canned peaches in juice blended to puree, 

 It is a hearty bread, quite dense and filling  - bake 350 15 minutes then 400 15 minutes


We had 2 friends over for a vegan/vegetarian chili soup...skip the cheese for going off cow or use soy cheese, 

Soup by Soul Chef 

 BUTTERNUT SQUASH, carrots, mushrooms, onion,

a bit of white beans, seasoned with chilli powder,

 cayanne, and hot paprika the hot stuff didn't overtake

 the sweetness of the squash, and it was delicious

topped with choice of fresh cilantro, avocado and

cheddar cheese.  

For the cornbread he used cocoanut milk, oil, and did

 use 1 egg.  

(You can substitute for the egg if you search for

 alternatives).  

This is a grace I adapted from one of Soul Chef's prayers

In a world where people are hungry

In a time of many wars

In an age when many are lonely

We give thanks

for family friends and food

knowing we have enough to share

1 day off cow foods....

Yesterday was day 1, no milk, butter, yogurt, ro cheese.  I am hoping to adjust .... I think pizza with pesto and veggies and no cheese will be delicious.  
Shopped and tried soy yogurt, unsweetened, on cereal, added a bit of almond milk and sweetened it.  


What do people who are on a plant based diet do when having guests over or being a guest?  


Is it best  to be flexitarian?    Sometimes an old value and a new value conflict, so what then?  


I value being gracious with others.   I value health.  I value the earth and am concerned about global climate change.  


How to unify them and live from the heart?


Please share thoughts on this!    Sun is out and it's  hot here today, indian summer in Oaklnnd!

Oakland California Deck Garden