{MM} 10.1.2012

My marvelous mondays tend to be a smattering of all sorts of randomness, but today’s installment is going to be a bit more vegetarian-heavy in honor of World Vegetarian Day.

If you’re not vegetarian, you can still celebrate by committing to trying out a few vegetarian or vegan recipes this month.   Every little bit helps, & if you’re not interested in “going all the way,” don’t think that you can’t flirt with vegetarianism–a few non-meat meals a week is a great place to start!

pinned via honey kennedy

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We went to the state fair on Saturday.  These signs caught my attention.

Sad that the people who feed us get very little of the profits.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you may want to consider that “consuming” cow doesn’t just apply to eating it.

I was a little stunned to realize that so many common household goods contain cows, which is why there’s no way to become 100% vegan (because animal products are in everything!).  But I try to buy vegan/cruelty free, & do the best I can.

Calcium is a mineral that comes from the ground & can be found in many, many plant foods!  Cow’s milk is not the only source.

More to share:  

♥  34 thoughts that will brighten your day.

♥  I love giving gifts & I love these ideas for organizing gift wrap & creating a “gift wrap center.”

♥  A few articulate remarks from Meg, on faith & the big picture.

♥   10 things you should never say to your child about food.  I’m afraid I’m guilty of a few of these.

♥  Glad to know I’m not alone in my love/hate relationship with pinterest.

♥  Cadry is just adorable in this how-to video where she shows make a wicked witch of the west smoothie.

♥  You can eat for health and weight maintenance   They aren’t mutually exclusive.  Great article on the subject from Dr. Furhman.

♥  Want to join the October unprocessed challenge?

It’s simple, go the month without eating any processed food.  What’s unprocessed food?  “Unprocessed food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with whole-food ingredients.”  

I don’t know if I’ll be able to completely go 100% unprocessed, but I do like the challenge & want to do a better job of getting in the kitchen & whipping up some home-cooked goodness.

♥  Can vegan kids get enough protein?  Dreena, an experienced vegan mom (& vegan cookbook author) weighs in on the matter.

♥  When I came across,  “3 Hidden Ways Wheat Makes You Fat,” from the Huff Post, my attention was piqued.  I’m not convinced that everyone has to go gluten-free, but I do think we’d all benefit by switching out our GMO-wheat for the non-GMO varieties like spelt or kamut (more ancient cousin varieties of wheat). I know I feel much better without wheat in my diet, so it has caused me to question why this is, & why wheat bothers me.

It’s important to note that the author is trying to sell the idea that wheat is the cause of all our obesity & health problems.  It’s not.  I think it’s a more complex issue than that.  That said, he brings up some good points, especially the “5 ways gluten makes you sick & fat,” particularly:  “This means that people can be gluten-sensitive without having celiac disease or gluten antibodies and still have inflammation and many other symptoms.”  I know I fit in this category.  I am not Celiac, but I am gluten-sensitive.  Worth the read.

♥  Strange.  A farmer feeds his cows candy.  Another reason to reconsider your consumption of cow.

to pin:

(all recipes are vegan & gluten-free)

banana walnut kale chips
roasted maple coconut apple butter (not oil-free)
a kale salad kids love 

instant pumpkin pudding
cheesey potato soup
pumpkin donut holes w/ carmel drizzle

quinoa flour breadsticks
vegan pho
pumpkin chai smoothie

pumpkin apple pie cookies (wheat-free, but not gf)

Wishing you a plant-filled, delicious, lovely week ahead.  Happy 1st of October!