Muffins

Today is a day off.  I went to the bank, walked through some Asian supermarkets, and made muffins.  Generally a grand day, aside from the foolish venture into the supermarket.  Animal products abounding in all forms.  I guess every supermarket is like that.  I have been keeping away from most of the big named grocery stores, instead venturing to the vegan friendly Community Natural Foods.  Not only does it have one of the greatest selections of natural and excellent food items, it also boasts the biggest bulk selection in the city.  I was very hungry when I arrived back home after the momentary foolishness and so I decided that I would have a quick lunch of potatoes and hummus, then get on with the muffin making.

I just tried one, and they are delicious.  

Two days ago was the first occasion that I really wanted an animal product.  I don't know what triggered it, and I have been doing alright as far as my desire for things like meat and cheese, but something made me crave it.  I really wanted a beef burger, with a big slice of cheese, and a beer.  Yep, apparently that's my dream meal.  So instead of buying cheese what did I buy?  Nutritional yeast.  Apparently, and I can vouch for this, it has an almost cheesy taste.  I use the word cheesy loosely due to the fact that it is cheesy in the sense that KD is cheesy.  In fact, it smells just like the PC branded KD ripoff.  Who knew.  I will attempt to make a "cheese" sauce with this new nutritious find and thus be cured of my need for cheese, or hope that it will cure me in any case.

Desert island top five things I craved this past Wednesday:
Cheese
Eggs
Yogurt
Butter
Cappuccino

Today the feeling has subsided a little.  My mouth still waters at the sight of a burg, or at a piece of brie, but I know where not to go, the supermarket, and I should be alright.

Community Bagels

Last night I went and visited friends Ben and Mel Hilton.  It was, as always, an excellent time of conversation and cooking.  We even Skyped fellow vegan Lenter Simon Martin in to share the festivities.  Just after I had arrived, Ben announced that we should make spelt bagels, he's been on a bagel kick for a while now.  So we did, and by we I mean he showed me the method and I watched adding only color commentary.  I learned that this method of baking bagels calls for the bagels to rest for a period of 12-18 hours, so I brought them home and baked them this morning.  They look and taste amazing.

We also made pasta, by hand, thanks to the great pasta maker found for mere dollars at a garage sale by my mom.  During the evening, and the Skypeing with Simon, it occurred to me that Lent, though a dark and introspective time, is made easier when you have someone going through similar experiences who you can share struggles with, share knowledge with, and make sure you are still sticking to the plan.  I got me thinking about the reasons behind Lent.  Is it just a time to give something up and complain about how hard it is?  I know that for me it's been pretty hard maintaining the original intention without digressing into just 40 days about a lifestyle and forgetting about the original spiritual aspect of it.  Some things to think about.

On a totally different note, I realized that the lip moisturizer that I use at night is from Burt's Bees and thus contains honey.  It was an honest mistake I swear.  Anyways I will keep my lids peeled for other such products in life.

Men of the cloth.

This day, Sunday, is the day of the week that I allow myself a deep and rich pleasure that I have abstained from for the rest of the week, a single solitary beer.  Since it is Lent I have decided to work my way through the Trappist beers available here in Alberta.  In Alberta this happens to be beer from 6 different monasteries. Today I had a widely available brew from Chimay, the Chimay Blue.

My apologies for the photo post sipping, I was so excited to dip in that I forgot to photograph the less then stellar crown atop the freshly poured brew.  It was delicious, so deep and malty with perhaps an unbalanced amount of bitter.  Fruity and nutty none the less.  It smells like Belgium.  Of all the smells I remember from my very short time there I remember the distinct smell of the Belgium strains of yeast in the classic beers.  I love smells and tastes.

On another totally different note, I bought B12 supplement today.  Apparently vegans can't get B12 in their diets due to the fact that you get it from animals.  So I bought some to see if I can stay healthy and happy.  It also is supposed to help you sleep better, which would be great since last night was rough.  Onto some tea and reading. 

The Start of the Food

As I start to explore the virtues, or downfalls if you will, of Veganism I more or less know the rules and regulations regarding food.  No animal products of any kind.  No eggs, no milk, no cheese, no whey, so more or less no processed food items.  Also, no honey.  For some, it's a matter of your personal preference, for me it's a matter of sticking with the strictest version possible.  Why?  A part of me wants to believe that it's for the challenge, and the other part already made it's peace with the no honey rule before I read the wiki article in its entirety.   So no animal product.  Thankfully espresso is made from seeds.

I had spent a little bit of time before Lent making veg stock, and practicing making almond milk.  It payed off as yesterday I made Vegan risotto with my veg stock, and it was delicious and filling.  The almond milk also is handy because I love granola in the morning, and water just can't cut it when it comes to the full granola experience.

Today I spent most of the day cooking.  If you have seen my kitchen, it's about the size of an airplane toilet, no really, it's that small.  I went to grab a knife from the counter and nearly emptied the contents of a pot onto my leg.  Thankfully Ben, my roommate, has a great deal of patience as I make mess after mess in that tiny little cupboard of a space.  On with the cooking I went.  I made in no particular order: vegan caramelized onions, vegan quinoa, vegan chili, vegan black beans, vegan hummus, vegan potato wedges, vegan coffee, vegan you get the picture.  I realized mid way through today that it sounds silly calling everything vegan that fit into the category.  I shall now cease this non-sense.

As part of this whole process, I intend to find out the reasons behind the food rules and regulations. I know a few of them, but I want to make sure I am on the same page as real vegans, not just Lenten vegans.

Ash Wednesday

Earlier today I went to an Ash Wednesday Mass at a local cathedral. It was an interesting experience since I have been to only a handful of Masses in my life and am still unsure of what to do where, when to stand, when to sit, when to say things. You know, it's a new experience. The other thing that got me was the homily and the scripture readings. It focused on the reasons behind Lent, and the long standing biblical tradition of fasting and prayer. It also got me to thinking about my own experience. I came into this season knowing very little of what was in store for me, and really looking forward to the experience. I also knew that I wanted to write about it, and have friends and family experience the struggles and triumphs with me. There was a little pride in the fact that I was doing something pretty out of the ordinary, and I revel in the fact that I am particular in my tastes and in my own life. I would like to say that I will be as humble as possible during these next weeks and months, but wouldn't really be that humble would it. So I leave this intro with the plan to share my life, my thoughts, my wins, my losses, and my soul. Enjoy.

Since Lent started today I have spent the last few days eating up a storm, wearing a ton of wool, and drinking beer. I also recently acquired a meat grinder from the VnV boutique and really wanted to make burgers from scratch. This past weekend I got some great chuck roast, and some pork shoulder and ground some meat. Then I made and ate burgs. It was wonderful.





Tuesday morning dawned, and it was the start of Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras or Pancake Tuesday. In the past I have celebrated this wholesomely floured day with my good friends The Buhlers, but sadly since they live in a much warmer clime I ate pancakes by myself with bacon and honey and eggs.


Tuesday ended with me scrambling to consume all the animal consumables left in my fridge by the stroke of midnight. I ended my assault with an epic French cheese titled Beaufort. It was breathtaking. Fruity, salty, warming everything one needs in a last cheese.

I awoke this morning and ventured to Mass. It was wonderfully liturgical. Then I made vegan risotto and it tasted good. So far no major wins or losses, granted it's been 16 hours.

Seasonal Spirituality

As this season of the year approaches it is time for some preparation. I have given up things in the past for Lent, things that I knew I needed to limit or take some time off of, things that are not necessarily bad, but things I knew I would benefit if I slowed down and took some time away. This year is no exception. I have been thinking a great deal about seasons the last little while. Seasons with coffee, seasons with food, seasons of life. This season of Lent shall see a more concentrated effort towards a liturgical spirituality as well as becoming more in tune with what I am putting into my body. My friend, and local legend, Tim Ross takes things upon himself for Lent as his act of seasonal spirituality. I will do much the same, and take upon the mantle of vegan for the duration of Lent. I am giving something up, but also taking on a title worn with pride by many. I don't really eat a lot of meat and other such foodstuffs, but I really love milk, and I really love yogurt, and I really love honey, and I really love eggs, and I really really really love cheese. I have no issue with the ethical problems some vegans do, I don't feel the need to picket butcher shops, I simply want to know what the lifestyle is like, to challenge myself in a new and exciting way, and by doing so enjoy the adventure and to follow an older and more liturgical Christian tradition. I continue to think long and hard about the role of seasons in life, and Lent is no different. Calgary usually warms up a bit by Easter, and though the first weeks will be hard, the longer days and warmer temps will push me to finish well. Today, in preparation for many weeks of animal free eating, I made almond milk, and will try it with my granola on the morrow. I am pretty excited about the adventure the next season of life will bring.