Tag Archives: chocolate addict

May17

Habits’ best friends

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I developed a habit of having a cinnamon cappuccino every morning before taking the stairs to my office. Vegans would say the milk in my cappuccino is a killer. Some doctors would warn against having more than one cup of coffee every day. My dentist would have something to say about coffee effect on my enamel. My supervisor would wonder about the way I start my day. She would approve though I am sure, if I share my secret with her.image
And it’s actually no secret. Habits… Good habits. Bad habits. How we label them is up to us. Though well wishers might want to “help” with labeling. Reading news is a good habit when it helps keeping abreast of developments for our work, financial decisions, travel plans… When reading news turns into creating excuses, procrastinating or “indulging” into the negative side of things, our mind might reach a boiling point. I’ve seen a friend been devoured by news in 2009 in the times of what is conventionally called “the crisis”. What his mind, absorbed by the constant negative flow of news, was missing was that ups and downs happen with a regularity outside our control. How we react and what we do are the only things under our control.

Back to my morning cappuccino, I am ready to trade a bit of my teeth enamel, to absorb a bit of lactose, to face a raised eyebrow of my supervisor, for the lovely smile of the lovely coffee shop lady who makes just the perfect cappuccino in our office cafeteria. Knowing customers’ habits is her habit. The other day I came by with a colleague who joined our team after a four month break. She still remembered how he likes his tea…. habits that are good for our body, mind and soul connect and create an invisible network of what makes our lives beautiful in many shades and on different levels.
Recently I discovered that a habit is also “a long, loose garment worn by a member of a religious order or congregation”. When time to change the “garment” will come, i’ll probably develop a new habit. Harmlessness and moderation are my habits’ friends, who do not object to minor addictions from time to time.

A chocolate and wisdom addiction, for example. Harmless, aren’t they?

May24

My first vegan experiments

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I am a on flesh-free diet for sixty days. The approach was rather gradual – and it works best this way: gave up beef several years ago, having occasionally a piece of chicken. As I have been talking for some time already about a need for a change in the way I approach my nutrition, inspired by my blood tests results and a growing compassion for living beings. A first milestone reached – sixty days meat-free – upon successfully surfing numerous and amazingly generous vegan cooking and baking sites, have finally moved from words to deeds.

My first diet change was to replace yogurt with home make almond milk. Followed these simple steps for a great result: http://lovelymorning.com/index.php/2012/01/how-to-make-homemade-almond-milk/. Thank you, lovelymorning.com! I pour almond milk into my cereals, soy flakes and flax-seeds combined with  fresh or frozen fruits. And enjoy every bit of it, up to the last drop, every morning now!photo (2)

My first successful attempt were these oatmeal cookies, inspired by http://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/06/chewy-vegan-oatmeal-raisin-cookies/. My small imprint were to add walnuts on one occasion and almonds on another occasion for a variety of taste and flavour. I use the almond meat from the above almond milk recipe. Goes well with raisins, pineapple, cranberries and any other dry fruit.  I also reduced by half the sugar from the original recipe. They are delicious, especially with a mint tea from my kitchen garden. Thank you, cookiemadness.net !

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Cant’ really tell the difference, visually, between vegan oatmeal cookies and oatmeal cookies, which my child loves, fully inspired by www. joyofbaking.com http://www.joyofbaking.com/OatmealCookies.html photo (7)

And my other vegan achievement was to adapt this Easter Swirl Lamb cake recipe http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2010/03/easter-swirl-lamb-cake-veganized-family.html , to a Easter Vegan Bunny, to my family’s delight. Thank you, Kathy!936802_10151388848064071_323800802_n

One item I can not give up is chocolate. I am a certified chocolate –addict with no chance of cure. So I thought, until these: http://veggienook.com/2012/03/16/homemade-raw-vegan-chocolate-in-only-3-or-4-ingredients/ . I adjusted it a bit to: 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted; 2/3 cup cacao powder;  3 instead of 4 tbsp agave nectar/maple syrup for my animal farm molds. So I can enjoy now remorse-free chocolate pork, beef and chicken :).  They are heavenly and a long lasting taste for a brightened mood whatever the weather outside and inside. A bit too bitter for loved ones, which works well for me, for obvious reasons :). Thank you, veggienook.com!

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These successful attempts were  such a confidence boost! I’ll certainly persevere with more good for body, good for soul, good for planet food.

Enjoy and please share your first vegan experiences