Classic Vegetarian Quotes Pt. 2

Earlier this year, I posted a selection of my favourite classic vegetarian quotes. A number of readers expressed how much they enjoyed the post and so for them, today I'm adding a couple more for your reading pleasure :)

Savoury Bread Pudding Casserole

Chopped red chilies and red peppers add some 'oomph'
to an otherwise blah bread pudding casserole.
Photo: SG

Although I consider myself somewhat of a 'rice person', on some days it is simply too hot to eat rice, curry and Indian-style vegetable dishes. All I want is lots of water to drink and salads at every meal. Today was especially hot, so my mum took over lunch- we had multi-grain rice, with steamed spinach and sesame tofu as side dishes. And since it was my turn to cook dinner, I took the easy route: a one-dish meal.

Vegetarian Ethics....From The Other Side

I've recently taken to watching old Mitchell and Webb skits online, having run out of Catherine Tate and GGM (Goodness Gracious Me) clips to watch. This one was so appallingly funny, I couldn't resist sharing it, LOL!

Veggie Delights in Singapore

Bustling Singapore is now home to varied, cosmopolitan vegetarian cuisine.

I've been mulling over a pre-Christmas weekend getaway in Singapore, but the thought of eating out for a couple of days in a row is not appealing to me. I've been spoiled for far too long with home-cooked food (some of it made by my own hands), the prospects of eating out while on holiday is almost repulsive. The nice thing about home is that food is familiar, more so for vegetarians like myself who have limited places to eat--usually an Indian or Chinese vegetarian restaurant.

A Dress That Truly Stinks

Literally. I know now the answer to the popular question: "Who would you NOT want to be stranded with on a desert island?" Top of my list in this decade is Lady Gaga, for her taste in clothing (pun intended) at the Video Music Awards, she ties with that lot hell-bent on torching Korans. Their higher powers must have been low on their supply of brains when they sent the storks out with this lot. Or maybe the HP planned it that way, which suits me just fine.

Shanghai Gets On Veggie Map

Shanghai has put itself on the veggie map with its growing number of vegetarian eateries

For years I've been dreaming of visiting China, especially Shanghai with all its history and culture. But then I was warned that finding veggie friendly places to eat would be a challenge for me (all my friends who've visited or lived in the city are non-vegetarians). So I spent my vacations at other more vegetarian friendly countries, but at the back of my mind I never stopped wanting to actually visit the city.

"What You Mean He Don't Eat Meat?"

 This scene from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" tickles every time! Nice to know that us veggies don't suffer alone, even if this lot aren't "real people" ;)...

Ho Chi Minh hosts first vegetarian food festival

   

 
Photo source: Flickr

Authentic Vietnamese dishes will be accessible to vegetarians in September

The people of Vietnam are hopping on the green bandwagon this year with the capital's first vegetarian food festival, a three-day affair that will kick off on Sept 1. Let's hope they make this an annual affair, Vietnamese fare is often off the menu for us veggies because meat and fish figure so prominently in it. Kudos to HCM city officials for getting ahead the rest of the Southeast Asian pack!

Helping Our Planet

Meat-eaters often argue that vegetarianism won't save the planet. They're partly right: abstaining from eating animal flesh is not going to help Mother Nature if the same people doing this waste water, don't recycle or separate their trash and continue be liberal with fossil fuel consumption.

Poultry In Motion

I

"What you looking at?" 

 Photo: Flickr

Growing up in a neighbourhood with a village--or kampung as we Malaysians like to say--close by, I came to learn that animals were not always what they appeared to be. Cats who wag their tails despise you. Barking dogs do bite. Tortoises have a temper and so do rabbits.

10 Movies That Will Make You Go Vegetarian

"Fiction reveals truths that reality obscures" -Jessamyn West

Most of us live our everyday life in chunks of time: the time before work, work hours and time after work. Food becomes a necessity that sustains us through the day. Days drag on to weeks and weeks turn into months and eventually we end up in one of two camps: the healthy eaters and unhealthy eaters. 

When Eggs Are Off The Table

 Traveling can be tricky when eggs and milk are off the table.
Photo: Flickr

Traveling is a risky business for most vegetarians. When I was traveling in Thailand about seven years ago, I had the hotel desk staff write in Thai on a piece of paper: "This girl is vegetarian. Only eggs and vegetables in food." Not speaking Thai became a non-issue from then on and I went home with my packets of instant noodles left untouched.

"Thirteen" and Bob Harper Named PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities

Olivia Wilde (the actress who plays "Thirteen" on medical dramedy House) and The Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper have been crowned this year's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities by PETA. Congrats to them both!

Why "Mixed" Marriages Don't Work

I have lovely friends, most of whom are meat-eaters and who every once in a while, gently chide me for refusing to date meat-eaters. I admit I've given them a million reasons why I don't, but it's hard to tell them the REAL reason: my morbid fear of frying pans. Thankfully, this commercial says it so much better than I ever could (just ignore the sponsor):

Are Vegetarians Happier?

Practically every homo sapien with access to a TV has heard that vegetarians are less at risk for obesity, heart disease, cancer and type2 diabetes, compared to omnivores. And while there is an abundance of medical research on the benefits of a vegetarian diet on the physical body, there is an equal amount of research on how a flesh-free diet wreaks havoc on your mental state.

Vegetarian World Cup Stars

 The statues of Sir Stanley Matthews in Britannia Stadium depicting the different stages of his footballing career.

Photo source: Flickr

I've been following the World Cup 2010 matches closely since it started, my heart's set on Argentina taking home the trophy, although I'm less thrilled at the prospect of Argentinian coach Diego Maradona running naked through the streets of Buenos Aires if his team does win! They're going to have to get past Brazil and Paraguay, which seem to be playing exceptionally well this year. Still, with the winning streak that Argentina has displayed so far and with powerhouses such as Germany and Italy off-form this year, I'm prepared to wear sunglasses indoors on the fateful day.

Will Refusing To Eat Fish Turn You Into An Idiot?

It may look gross, but experts sat that algae is the most reliable source of vegetarian DHA.
Image source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/splorp/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Among the few annoyances vegetarians have to put up with it from their holier-than-thou omnivorous brethren is nutritional 'advice'. It's even more annoying when the so-called advice comes from a meat-loving physician.I, for one, have been advised by a few doctors to "at least consume fish oil" to ensure my omega-3 intake is adequate.

Creamy Lentil Soup With Lightly Toasted Pita Slices

Lentil soup tastes THAT much better when cooked in a clay pot. Photo by SG.

Some days I get tired of eating white rice for lunch, today was one of them. I had a pack of baked pita bread in the fridge and some leftover curried couscous from Monday, so I made an easy creamy lentil soup to keep them company. The veggie dish was taken care of by fresh lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes. Total preparation time: less than an hour. This is my second time making this soup and it was smoother this time around and better, which I suspect had something to do with cooking it in a clay pot (or that extra teaspoon of butter I stirred in, but I'm going with the pot).

A "Summer" Lunch For Three

 

Baby Spinach Omelet (left) and Curried Couscous Pilaf. Photo by SG

My semester is finally over and I have a two month break before the new semester begins (yay!). After vegging out in front of the TV over the weekend (a good deal of that was spent watching the Asian Food Channel), I dusted off my recipe binder to make some lunch for the family. 

Apple Gets In The Good Books Of Veggies

Vegetarians have a host of animal and vegetarian-friendly iPhone apps to choose from now.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chanc/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Being an ardent Ubuntu fan, I have been deeply skeptical of proprietary software firms like Microsoft and even Apple for sometime now. I try to minimise my usage of Microsoft apps simply because I don't agree that they should be allowed to dominate the marketplace (and their software is way too overpriced for developing nations).

The Little Spider That Could

                                 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulteriorepicure/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

My biggest hurdles to becoming a vegan: chocolate and ice cream

I've been mulling going vegan after watching videos on the horrific treatment of dairy cows and chickens in egg farms. To say the videos were disturbing is a gross understatement, they were a real eye opener as all this time, I had thought that my commitment to not eating meat or seafood was actually benefitting animals and the environment. That was before I saw how these innocent creatures were kept in torturous conditions before being killed for their meat.

Vegan Moist Chocolate Pudding Cake with Orange Marmalade Sauce

How Chocolate Cake Was Meant To Be: Gooey On Top And Crumbly In The Middle. 

Photo by SG.

It poured tonight and I was all out of TV shows to watch, so I decided to tackle the chocolate pudding cake again. I used a vegan recipe from The Compassionate Cookbook (read the original recipe here). I pre-made an orange marmalade sauce to go with it yesterday, which is in the freezer. I let the cake cool for about half an hour and then placed it in the fridge for another half an hour to let the pudding sauce on the top thicken. I had a slice with a glass of cold milk--it tasted amazing, couldn't even tell that it was vegan! Am definitely trying this again, it's an easy dessert to bring to a party or potluck. Preparation and baking took me about two hours (baking about 55 minutes, because I wanted a thicker sauce).

Spicy Spinach-Red Pepper Quiche, Thai-style Green Apple Salad, Bhajis with Coriander Chutney

 Photo by Bavani D.

During my time away from this blog, I have been experimenting in the kitchen (thankfully my family and friends are willing food tasters) and had a whale of a time creating my own take on recipes I found in cookbooks and vegetarian/vegan websites. 

30-Day Mindful Eating Challenge

My eating habits haven't changed much since I became a vegetarian (the second time around that is). I rarely eat alone, lunch is an excuse to catch up with family members or friends, dinner is little different. And when I do eat alone, I end up eating in front of the television or computer to "save time".

Vegetarian Alternatives To Chicken Soup

Image source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mait/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

When I was a child, my mother didn't believe in antibiotics when I had the cold. Unless I was sitting for a major exam, she would let the cold  run its course. She would give me herbs, chicken soup or porridge and make me drink lots and lots of water to flush all the toxins from my system. A bowl of chicken soup was the best 'comfort' food for my aching throat and congested chest. My mum would make the chicken soup Indian style too, with a dash of turmeric, tomatoes and lots of spices to drive the fever down. It always worked, for my body and mind.

Snappy Comebacks To The Stupid Things That Carnivores Say

Image source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaxxon/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

In my previous post, I talked about sharing your point of view as a vegetarian with family and friends and getting them involved in your new way of life.

While mulling over topics for today's post, I came across an old copy of Vegetarian Times---1996 to be exact---which has a hilarious (and helpful) article for long-suffering vegetarians.

Dealing With Social Pressure: 5 Tips For New Vegetarians

It can be challenging to see eye-to-eye when your diets are different.
Photo source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sausyn/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

When you live in a meat-obsessed society, becoming vegetarian is perceived as committing social suicide. I like to think of it as 'flock mentality'-- when one bird decides to break away from the flock, feathers will fly. Humans are no different. 

Classic Vegetarian Quotes

I got a little bored working on my math assignment and thought I'd idle away some time surfing for quotes on the web. There are some pretty funny quotes out there about vegetarianism, here are some of my favourites:

Malaysian Breakfast Ideas For The Visiting Veggie

Photo source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/walk_of_life/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

One of the toughest things a vegetarian faces when traveling is  getting hold of decent vegetarian fare. In a country like Malaysia, where meat eaters outnumber the herbivores, it pays to do a little homework before you board that flight.