Wierd Fruit!

Today I tried these need exotic fruits for the first time. The first shown here is called a Mangosteen native to the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas. These are hard to explain because they taste like nothing I have ever tasted before.. but they sort of remind me of a cross between a blueberry and a banana. Quite tasty.


Granadilla fruit is very interesting indeed. The Granailla originated in the Andies - between Venuzuilla and Bolivia. The shell is thin and the texture of a plastic, and once cut inside there is a sac of jelly covered seeds protected by what looks like a thin orange skin. I liked the jelly around the seeds but didn't care for the seeds themselves which are edible and crunchy but not hard. Both are very interesting fruits, try them! It's always fun to try new foods. :D

Missed Novelties

I got to have a BLT this month with fake bacon from Yves which was actually good! It was so nice to sink my teeth into something I grew up with without the guilt of eating a piggy and actually have it taste delicious!

Ever wonder what a cow thinks? Wonder no longer.

Defining "vegetarianism".

What is a vegetarian? This is confusing for people because there are so many uninformed sources out there who say we eat read meat, fish, chicken etc but the truth is:

Vegetarians don't eat the flesh of any animals be they mammals, birds or fish.Vegetarians do eat animal by products like honey, eggs and milk.

Now what is a Vegan? Vegans do not eat the flesh of any animals be they mammals, birds or fish OR the animal byproducts (dairy, honey etc).

Another reason the definition of a vegetarian or vegan is so confusing is because some people classify themselves as vegetarians and still eat fish, chicken etc. Whether or not these people are vegetarians is a matter of opinion.. My opinion is that these people are simply people who don't eat certain meats out of preference. They simply want the title of vegetarian without stopping eating their favorite flesh.

So there you go folks I hope that cleared things up. Vegetarians eat everything but flesh, vegans eat everything but animals by products and flesh. Lock that knowledge away and spread the word.

Now enjoy this funny video about the misconceptions about the definition of vegan and the frustrations some of us feel.

Good Friday Breakfast. Who says vegetarian cusine can't be fattening!

For my good Friday breakfast I cooked up a massive helping of soy pancakes and "bacon" with strawberries and some maple syrup! Suprisingly I didn't even under cook or burn my bancakes.. I was quite proud.

This was my first time eating fake bacon. I must admit I was quite skeptic as I usually don't like faux meats, but this product was very good! Believe it or not I ate this whole meal with no one sharing! Delish~*

April 2 Dinner- Tofu Stir Fry and Naan Bread

This is an extremely easy meal that is good to use up what every you have in your fridge or freezer. All you do is saute your veggies in oil or PAM, fry your cubed tofu (best in firm or extra firm form) put in some spices of your choice and voila. No need for measuring either. I used asparagus, snow peas, string beans and onions. For my tofu I first pressed the block to get out extra water, then cubed it. I then added it to my oiled skillet and spiced it with turmeric, cumin, sage, soya sauce and garlic, but again you could use whatever you like best. I served it with a piece of naan, a yummy flat bread.

If I were doing this again I would use less oil, and saute the veg in PAM instead.

Overall this was a pretty good dinner. Easy and was good with the naan.

The Most Common Question Vegetarians Get ; "Where do you get your protein?!"

If you are a vegetarian no doubt you have been asked many times "where do you get your protein?" by a concerned associate. If you are that concerned friend or family member you have probably asked this question. Maybe you are a new vegetarian and you aren't sure where you are getting your protein, hopefully I can help you out.

So contrary to popular belief to get protein with out meat is not a hard thing to do. You do not have to eat excessive soy products like meatless , processed crap (unless you want to.. then you can go for it haha) or constant tofu. Now.. let me just say that if anyone is eating a balanced diet they will get all their protein, whether they are eating meat or not. A person needs 5 -6 % of protein in relative to total calorie in take. But most people over eat protein, the average American for example eats..wait for it.. 11-21 % . I don't know the Canadian figures but I would guess that they are probably not far off.

#1: Veggies

The reason I say that you don't have to live on soy products is that animal protein is not the only type of protein. There is such a thing as vegetable protein. Keep in mind that most veggies don't have much. Tomatoes for example has 2g, asparagus, beet root, and brussel sprouts all have 3g etc. Here is a handy dandy chart to use: http://www.weightlossforall.com/protein-vegetable.htm
Though these foods are lower in protein than meat but they are also lower in fat and calories and have lots of other good stuff in there. So eat your veggies friends!

#2 Whole Grains

Grains are a great way of getting protein and are really good for you especially if you eat whole grains - grains that are not refined. Whole products are whole wheat bread (pastas, breads, crackers) , multi grain bread, oatmeal etc. One piece of whole wheat bread has 2.4 g of protein, and one bagel has 6 g. These are also a nice choice because they are high in fiber -yay for roughage. ;)



Rice as well has lots of good stuff in it, but try to stay away from plain, white rice- trust me you'll be missing out. One cup of brown rice has 4.9 g of protein and lots of other good stuff. 1 cup white rice only has 4.1 g .


#3 Beans beans the magical fruit! (Lentils and Beans)
1 cup:

Baked Beans: 5g
Chick Peas: 8g
Soya Beans: 14g
Lima Beans: 14.7
Lentils : 16g

Yum yum - beans!

#4 Nuts and Seeds
Keep in mind it is best to only eat 1 serving of nuts (or one hand full roughly) a day as they are high in fat and oil.

Almond 21g
Cashew nuts 20g
Peanuts 25g
Peanut Butter 22g

#5 Soy

1 cup soy milk 33.4 G
Tofu 8g

#6 Dairy Products

If you are a lacto-ovo vegetarian (ie you still eat animal by products ((not a vegan)) ) then getting protein is beyond easy as eggs and milk are high in protein.

So as you can see as a vegetarian it's very hard not to get enough protein unless you are living on junk food . Just eat your veggies, whole grains, dairy/soy or beans or nuts -- whatever you want , just make sure the fruits, veggies, and grains are there (that goes for omnivores too!). There is lots of variety in a veg diet (meat does not = variety), you choose what you feel like eating and don't worry about protein.

Good Luck and happy eating!
-The Angry Giraffe.

*(Protein numbers vary)