Lunch and such

Hello, again! In an attempt to keep this a regular going-on, I've challenged myself to post every. single. day. for an amount of time yet to be determined. Anyway, following logically from last time, I figured we should get down to talking about lunch. I love a gigantic, juicy burger as much as every other American. A random fact for you all: in 2009 the US consumed around 80 pounds of chicken and 60 pounds of beef per capita. That's a ton, you guys! More than a pound of beef AND chicken each week. Assuming rates remain steady or increase slightly, that number is still valid in 2012. Not only is this consumption habit extremely unhealthy, it is completely detrimental to the environment (we'll save the environmental chit chat for another time).

So, in what will probably turn out to be a vain attempt to change this statistic, I'll offer up my alternative to that grease-laden, fat-filled burger we've all come to know and love over the years.

Quick Vegan Cheeseburgers:

I won't lie to you here, if you're not already a vegan this recipe is going to require a trip to the grocery store. Don't be lazy, people! This is your health we're talking about! Do you want to be that old geezer who is perma-glued to their wheelchair scooter that has the oxygen tank attached to the back?! Or do you want to be that 90 year-old who is still walking around and climbing mountains and shit?! I repeat: don't be lazy! Moving on, here's the actual recipe.

You will need:
Vegan hamburger buns (I use sprouted wheat sesame buns, available at Whole Foods)
Vegan veggie burger patties
Vegan cheese slices
1/2 cup ORGANIC spinach (less if you're making one burger)
Vegenaise (or comparable vegan mayo substitute)
ORGANIC ketchup (no sugar added)
Other vegetables like tomatoes, onions and whatever else you love.

Firstly, wash your veggies. I say this for your own benefit, especially if you're using organic produce. Prepare the patty according to packaging instructions, add cheese and other ingredients and enjoy. Your final product should look something like this:

I like to bake sweet potato fries, or regular potato fries and season them with herbs and olive oil (another recipe for another day. We need to start small here, everyone) as a side. Enjoy! And especially enjoy the fact you're eating something cruelty AND cholesterol free.

If you would like to visit the site where I acquired the information about U.S. meat consumption, you can find it here: The Daily Livestock Report

Start from the beginning

To start this off, I'd like to share a few words of wisdom. I feel like I can be honest here, so I won't hold back. Meat is dead, rotting flesh. It will sit in your colon and continue to rot for many years. Sugar is crack in a different form. Artificial sweeteners will kill you. Dairy is pure fat.

I don't mean to be harsh, you guys. I just need to come from a place of truth if we're going to have an e-relationship of this nature. This is going to be an adventure in vegan health for all of us. Instead of eating fast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I'm going to chronicle my tales of cooking sans animal byproducts for personal benefit, but also to (hopefully) inspire some other unhappy lard-o's out there.

I think the best course of action is to start from the beginning here. The beginning of your day, obviously. Eating breakfast every morning is one of the best things you can do to show a little self lovin'. Unless you're eating two sausage and egg sandwiches and hash browns with sugar-loaded orange juice. If THAT'S your case, you are showing self hatred. Your body doesn't want that garbage. What nutrients could you possibly derive from a meal like that? Grease is not included in the major food groups, people.

Recently, I decided to try a healthy twist on the basic toaster waffle breakfast, and the result was basically magnificent. Instead of the waffles from our childhood that were loaded with empty starch, I switched it out for toaster flax waffles. Flax is awesome for lots of reasons, but I'll cover that a little later. Add a little soy butter to the waffles, some agave nectar, sliced almonds and fresh fruits of your choosing. I prefer blueberries and bananas, but you literally can put anything you want on there. As long as they're fresh fruits! Stay away from the cans, everyone! Those are mutated, zombie versions of the fruits that they once were.

That's all for now, everyone. Next time, we'll talk about what you're shoveling down your gullets in the afternoon.